bradm Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 I would like to see an area designated as lawn chair free.Think they tried that last year, but it didn't last? (my memory tends towards the fuzzy, though, so please do correct me if I'm wrong)I remember them designating an area as being only for lawn chairs (i.e., a no-standing area), which didn't solve the problem, as they didn't prevent lawn chairs from being set up in the other area(s).Aloha,Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattm Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 My worry is the danger, it's too hard to navigate through the chairs when there's a mad crowd and, well, from experience of being in a crowd about 40 000 strong that was determined to exit a venue, the lawn chairs would have caused a wee bit of a problem and if there were old folks or injured folks they wouldn't have stood a chance. Standing you can let the crowd push you but if you run into the chairs and the crowd is pushing too hard...I've also been in a riot at a festival where everything was being thrown around, lit on fire, etc. If there'd been lawn chairs there I bet people would have been hitting each other with them and broken lawn chairs might as well be spears.It's not a problem at the back at all, there's room to walk around. Now say you start choking or having a seizure in the middle of the crowd, well, it's a tad easier for the paramedics to just push through a crowd then it is for them to push through a sea of chairs. I saw a girl pass out and the paramedics just couldn't get to her, people in the crowd had to pull her to the edge. This was when it was at city hall, though.For me it's the potential danger that gets me. Annoying as the lawn chair folk are in the middle of the crowd, I don't want to be impaled by a broken lawn chair if theres a fire and people decide they want out NOW and I can't get past the damn chairs. And I'm able bodied. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phorbesie Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 sorry but if you go to bluesfest when there is only ONE act on the main stage that night (ie. van morrison, bob dylan) and insist upon being up front then you can handle standing up for an hour or 90 minutes, it won't kill you.if you are aged or NEED to sit down i'm sure bluesfest will be more than happy to offer you a space in the handicapped area.i will bitch about lawn chairs as much as i need to until we have EQUAL RIGHTS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Im going home Donny Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 hmmf...Friendly won't let me fight here. Guess he's right though that fighting over lawn chairs is pretty retarded. Looking forward to Bluesfest this summer! Should be good times! If I get cranky I'm gunna follow Heather and Todd around with a lawn chair! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phorbesie Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 actually there's only one show i feel i need to be right up front for this year, and i plan to get there VERY EARLY for it. so i should be pretty chill this year (i think).i can't believe it's only 2 months away. so excited! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 actually there's only one show i feel i need to be right up front for this year, and i plan to get there VERY EARLY for it. Fergie will be so thrilled that you are this excited!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d_rawk Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 I remember them designating an area as being only for lawn chairs (i.e., a no-standing area), which didn't solve the problem, as they didn't prevent lawn chairs from being set up in the other area(s).Ah, right, that's what I was thinking of. That does seem kinda backwards.if you are aged or NEED to sit down i'm sure bluesfest will be more than happy to offer you a space in the handicapped area.That's fun. [color:purple]'cause the handicapped area is certainly where all your friends are going to be. Not to mention having to argue with some young punk at the gate because you 'look' like you don't belong, 'cause we all wear it all on our sleeves, donchaknow. "Oops, shit, sorry dude, should I have brought some crutches in order to make it really, really easy for you? I can be so discourteous .."Still, just being argue-y, I guess. I'm pretty much anti-lawnchair and don't think there is a problem with moving to the back of the crowd when the crowd gets going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boiler Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Ok. I've been working hard to find a suitable hotel room for us. I noticed that most of the great deals for hotels that were there last year (ie. 2 free Adult tickets for each night of bluesfest when you stay at The Albert at Bay), have now been replaced with "2 Free Lawnchairs and a cooler." WTF??? The war may be lost my dancing and standing friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phishtaper Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 jeesh, is there any hope for Canada when you bureaucrats up in Ottawa can't even figure out where to put the lawnchairs? a certain ship called the Titanic comes to mind here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phorbesie Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 sigh...django i'm not talking about people who are tired or have a sore back. those people are called HUMANS and like you said, they're more than capable of moving back a little ways to have a rest. if their friends don't want to move back with them, that's their option. as i said if you NEED to sit, as in you have some sort of physical disability that makes you unable to stand, hopefully a good friend will accompany you to the handicapped area. good deal for them too as they get in for free. i can't believe all this crap has started already! can't we wait till bluesfest actually starts please! lol i mean i'd like to think that bluesfest will pay attention this time and actually ORGANIZE something, but i'm not holding my breath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagochips Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 It's too soon to be getting so worked up about all this. Take a deep breath people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattm Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Nah, it ain't too early, waiting means that nothing possibly can get done, things need to start early. I've already sent a letter to Bluesfest organizers. No response obviously. The letter only covers dangers and the potential for lawsuits should something go wrong. Today I send it to the fire/police/ambulance and then the mayor and sponsors and finally the insurance company. PR for disasters that could have been avoided is deathly to a company, a very bad stain against their name. If anyone listens and they ban lawn chairs like I'm asking then I apologize to any of you that need a lawn chair. All people have to do is show a tiny bit of common courtesy but as happens all the time, one bad apple spoils the whole damn bunch. I also feel really bad for those that need lawn chairs as they cannot go to any other outdoor shows and that's a damn shame (lol, except here in ottawa).Having said that, the letter will most likely get deleted from each inbox and nothing will happen cause no one cares. I'll take my regular injuries that only seem to come from bluesfest and the chairs and try to enjoy the show as much as possible. I don't want to see anyone get seriously hurt, that's all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phishtaper Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 wow. hardball mattm. can i sick you on the telemarkers that keep calling me? btw, how do people get hurt with lawnchairs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey Boy 2.0 Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Nah, it ain't too early, waiting means that nothing possibly can get done, things need to start early. I've already sent a letter to Bluesfest organizers. No response obviously. The letter only covers dangers and the potential for lawsuits should something go wrong. Today I send it to the fire/police/ambulance and then the mayor and sponsors and finally the insurance company. PR for disasters that could have been avoided is deathly to a company, a very bad stain against their name. If anyone listens and they ban lawn chairs like I'm asking then I apologize to any of you that need a lawn chair. All people have to do is show a tiny bit of common courtesy but as happens all the time, one bad apple spoils the whole damn bunch. I also feel really bad for those that need lawn chairs as they cannot go to any other outdoor shows and that's a damn shame (lol, except here in ottawa).Having said that, the letter will most likely get deleted from each inbox and nothing will happen cause no one cares. I'll take my regular injuries that only seem to come from bluesfest and the chairs and try to enjoy the show as much as possible. I don't want to see anyone get seriously hurt, that's all.quoted for awesomeness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattm Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 (edited) read my other posts. A: they can turn into weapons very, very easily (just swing them, they hurt).B: In the case of an emergency they are mad tripping hazards and can also break turning into dangerous sharp pointy tripping hazards.In the case of an emergency, lets say the stage collapses during a headliner, it's happened before, not necessarily at bluesfest but it could happen, well, I don't know about you but I don't want to be under it so I start moving. The other 15000 people near there start moving. This causes a chain reaction in that the rest of the crowd is forced to start moving. Also, there is a hint of panic which makes rational thought a bit harder. Now, this surging crowd starts tripping on the lawn chairs. The rest of the crowd still trying to get away from the stage keeps moving anyway. Since it's very hard to get past the chairs when there's no emergency, people will fall. The crowd will not wait for them to be picked up, it will keep pushing. Now, on top of getting crushed under a sea of people, there are broken lawn chairs which mean sharp spear type objects sticking up that people could fall on.Now lets make the scenario a little more fun. Lets say you bring your kid up into the crowd a bit, maybe half way, on your shoulders so that they can see the show a little better. Now, same things happens and you are pushing out. You now have the kid to hold onto with both hands, the chairs are even more of a hazard to you as you cannot even use your hands for balance...Now, as mentioned above, I have actually seen an instance where the paramedics could not get through the chairs, they had to let the crowd get the girl out.That is all. I don't want to debate with anyone and I don't want it to be a fight. I'm sending my letters hoping that someone else might see what I see as potential dangers that could very, very easily be avoided. Edited April 30, 2008 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AD Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 what you're saying is widespread panic could set in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattm Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 LOL, that was perfect and yup, it's the widespread panic I'm worried about. Probably only because I've been in it and it's scary and I couldn't imagine having had to climb over lawn chairs. My buddy and I had to climb a fence at that show and chill out at the top until the people just tore the fence down (molson park in barrie and the exits just weren't big enough). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phishtaper Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 what you're saying is widespread panic could set in well played ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irie Guy Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Actually all you can really do whenWidespread Panic sets in is Climb to Safety while Pickin' Up the Pieces of the broken lawn chairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattm Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 awesome, I can't wait for Panic, woooooo hooooooo, man I hope we can find a babysitter for that night but if we can't, I find nothing wrong in exposing little Trey to a little Widespread and some fine, fine Herring guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal Johnson Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 I cant imagine people sitting in Lawchairs for Primus. Les will have a field day with the crowd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattm Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 I never even thought of that, hahaha, that should be good, I wonder what he'll say. Woooo hoooo, can't wait for Primus, it's been sooooooooo long Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal Johnson Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Years ago at a show @ the Warehouse in Toronto he made fun of the people sitting on couches at the back of the place. That was like 6 people. I dont know if he'll even play if there's hundreds sitting down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 I cant imagine people sitting in Lawchairs for Primus. Les will have a field day with the crowd.Maybe he'll goad them into throwing their lawnchairs onstage ala the mudfest at Woodstock. Now that would be sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveler Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 When the Allman Bro's played there where no lawn chairs. So Widespread Panic will be chairless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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