New security measures in place

[Mr.Tease]

Just now, stopwn1981 said:

I was going to go with 8 hours - I'll take 90 mins in a heartbeat!

Ah, but the question was if you start queueing at 8am ish- the waiting time will likely increase as the hours tick by

[Slugworth]

Just now, stopwn1981 said:

I was going to go with 8 hours - I'll take 90 mins in a heartbeat!

How big is the queue?

 

8 hours will break people

[Dave_c]

I'm not worried at all by the police, their presence is welcome given recent events. I don't think they care much for people taking drugs, just don't openly do it in front of them and there is nothing to worry about. 

[Mr.Tease]

4 minutes ago, Slugworth said:

How big is the queue?

 

8 hours will break people

Won't be 8 hours, but I do think eventually they'll be such long waiting times and such a long queue, they'll have to change tact , especially if its wet or hot

[Slugworth]

So if you join it at 8am how many people will already be in the queue? I joined the back of the queue at 5am and there was around 700 people. The advice this year is to stay in your cars until 8. Imagine the rush if they actually implement that.

[Heartbreaker]

6 minutes ago, Dave_c said:

I'm not worried at all by the police, their presence is welcome given recent events. I don't think they care much for people taking drugs, just don't openly do it in front of them and there is nothing to worry about. 

Agreed, looking at the arrest stats someone posted a while back this would appear to be the case.

To those worried about the extra police on site with regards to drugs, think of it this way; you (probably) would't walk around a city centre with a spliff hanging out of your mouth, or rack a fat line up on a table in a pub. Carry that mentality over to the fest, be a bit sensible with it all and you will be fine!

[Mr.Tease]

2 minutes ago, Slugworth said:

So if you join it at 8am how many people will already be in the queue? I joined the back of the queue at 5am and there was around 700 people. The advice this year is to stay in your cars until 8. Imagine the rush if they actually implement that.

It's hard to predict- sometimes it depends on the weather, and this year we don't know how the promoted extra security will influence peoples queuing decisions- will they come later or earlier? At the end of the day, everyone will be in the same boat and you'll either be waiting at home, in the car or in the queue. Long queues mean everyone else is waiting so no need to worry about not getting your camping spot.

Do keep sun cream easily accessible, a sun hat, waterproofs and snacks and water close at hand and hope for the best!

[Northern Soul]

4 minutes ago, Heartbreaker said:

 or rack a fat line up on a table in a pub.

That isn't frowned upon in some pubs round my way....!!

[Heartbreaker]

Just now, Northern Soul said:

That isn't frowned upon in some pubs round my way....!!

Hahaha, maybe it's not quite as grim up north as I've been led to believe then!

[Northern Soul]

Just now, Heartbreaker said:

Hahaha, maybe it's not quite as grim up north as I've been led to believe then!

All depends what boozers you're drinking in.

[DareToDibble]

18 minutes ago, Heartbreaker said:

To those worried about the extra police on site with regards to drugs, think of it this way; you (probably) would't walk around a city centre with a spliff hanging out of your mouth, or rack a fat line up on a table in a pub. Carry that mentality over to the fest, be a bit sensible with it all and you will be fine!

This is a fairly good way of looking at it. Decided to go with the whole "hide it in a roll on" or "in a sandwich" tactic. If their searches are thorough enough to find them then we'll all miss most of the festival queueing anyway 

Edited June 16, 2017 by DareToDibble

[Zoo Music Girl]

2 hours ago, Mr.Tease said:

At the same time I remember Jean Mendez. I do genuinely get anxious when I see them eyeing me up. I get why white middle class 'respectable' types feel safe with a police presence, but not everyone has the same experience. Also, a lot of people do get anxious when they see folk paroling with vests and machine guns.

I'm one of those white middle class types and they make me feel very on edge.

[rpfranks]

1 hour ago, Slugworth said:

So if you join it at 8am how many people will already be in the queue? I joined the back of the queue at 5am and there was around 700 people. The advice this year is to stay in your cars until 8. Imagine the rush if they actually implement that.

It does depend on the gate really. I've arrived at Gate C on East around 3am and there have been several hundred people in the queue infront of me. But then I've arrived at Gate A at 6-7am before the gates open and the queue is constantly moving around those snaked fences with not that many people there.

 They always say stay in your cars but people will always form a queue somewhere. Even if they put massive gates up people will just queue outside those gates, whether they're in CV fields or in the car park.

I think it will stay the same with people queuing somewhere, it is impossible to police properly.

[uscore]

I remember flying into Spain or somewhere years ago and being shocked to see armed police wondering around the airport. Big rifles.  I commented to someone and they said it's mostly for show, to reassure travelers.  I certainly didn't feel reassured, it was possibly the first time I'd even seen a gun.

[stopwn1981]

If there is one thing the festival and police announcements will do is cause more people to queue even earlier. The total opposite of their intention. 

[rpfranks]

 

1 minute ago, stopwn1981 said:

If there is one thing the festival and police announcements will do is cause more people to queue even earlier. The total opposite of their intention. 

It will probably get people to come earlier in the day on Wednesday but I don't think more people will be queuing overnight as a result of the announcements

[I feel like Pablo]

15 hours ago, Dave_c said:

I'm not worried at all by the police, their presence is welcome given recent events. I don't think they care much for people taking drugs, just don't openly do it in front of them and there is nothing to worry about. 

yes but what does 'extra searches of your person' mean? 

last year they patted everyone down at gate D when i was there. how can it be more thorough than that? is it gonna be  empty your pockets or drop your trousers? 

[stopwn1981]

49 minutes ago, I feel like Pablo said:

yes but what does 'extra searches of your person' mean? 

last year they patted everyone down at gate D when i was there. how can it be more thorough than that? is it gonna be  empty your pockets or drop your trousers? 

 

[scaryclaireyfairy]

The way I interpreted it was that there'll be loads of geared-up visible Plod on the gates and round the perimeter.  They're there to support security.

Inside it sounds like business as usual.  In terms of what we see anyway.

I thought the Glasto plod always had bodycams anyway? Particularly those handing out free stuff.

Edited June 17, 2017 by scaryclaireyfairy

[frostypaw]

Starting to think it's any excuse for toys for the boys at the moment - fully armed up cops with semi automatic rifles in the centre of Guildford last night!

This will be fine.

[Zoo Music Girl]

3 hours ago, I feel like Pablo said:

yes but what does 'extra searches of your person' mean? 

last year they patted everyone down at gate D when i was there. how can it be more thorough than that? is it gonna be  empty your pockets or drop your trousers? 

Coming through gate A I've never had a pat down. I've never even had to take my bags off my person. So I guess they mean extra searches of your person in that there will be more of these, so everyone will be patted down rather than just some.

[Havors]

16 hours ago, rpfranks said:

 

It will probably get people to come earlier in the day on Wednesday but I don't think more people will be queuing overnight as a result of the announcements

The first thing half of our group said was.... We need to leave earlier now on Wed morning....

Announcing this quite unnecessary statement is going to make things worse. Not well thought through 

[frostypaw]

38 minutes ago, naughtygeorgie said:

I saw some in Stratford upon Avon Tesco last week, they were smiley tooled up cops 

I bet! They love their shiny toys

[M_Il]

I drove past and got caught up in traffic outside red gate at 6pm yesterday evening I couldn't believe it really this far out from the festival start but there were 10-20 vehicles queued up so I don't know whether those vehicles were up for similar inspections to the general public

[p.pete]

18 hours ago, uscore said:

I remember flying into Spain or somewhere years ago and being shocked to see armed police wondering around the airport. Big rifles.  I commented to someone and they said it's mostly for show, to reassure travelers.  I certainly didn't feel reassured, it was possibly the first time I'd even seen a gun.

There was a massive explosion in madrids train station in the 90s I think - hugely escalated security at places like airports and stations following that. I'd rather we employ more police as long as they have good public relations i.e. not the 80s