Individual Responsibility - it isn't just down to the organisers

We've talked at length about the downside of festivals and outdoor gigs and looked at what happens when things go wrong. To often there has been a strong focus on what the professionals get wrong and less emphasis on what we - as customers may do badly and how we create additional hazards and difficulties that festival organisers then have to deal with.

The reality is that - yes - things can and do go wrong at events - we live in an imperfect world and no amount of hard work on behalf of festival organisers can ensure perfection at all times. Most of them do a fantastic job of putting on a good event - those that go wrong are very few and far between - the UK has a pretty good overall record for concert safety - and that's all down to the hard working folk behind the scenes - the one's you barely notice and the ones who get precious little thanks for the hard work that they do. Most of us are very quick to complain - but how often do we praise when they've got it right?

There are some highly experienced people out there who work tirelessly at getting recognition for crowd safety issues - it's not a popular subject and it's one that we only pick up on when there is an incident and someone does get hurt - but we shouldn't forget that this vital work is ongoing - quietly and efficiently in the background

On the whole our festival stewards have a pretty tough time of it and can't do right for doing wrong as far as some people are concerned, yet they have a huge array of responsibilities and duties to perform, many of them unenviable. And when you're stood there arguing with them at the gates you need to remember that they don't make the rules - and whether they agree with them or not they have to enforce them, they have no choice in the matter it is what they are employed to do. Save your arguments for a more appropriate time, if you disagree with the rules talk to the organisers about it later - it isn't the festival steward's fault and you need to remember that.

So - there is another side to the story here - that side being the behaviour of the general public when they get to the site for their day or weekend of festival fun. There is a notion that festivals are a bit of a 'free for all' and that 'anything goes' after all it's only rock and roll - well to be honest it isn't - life isn't like that at all - anywhere.

There have to be some rules - and where there are rules there have to be people to enforce them because there most certainly are those that are all to ready and willing to break them or to find a way round them. It isn't the fault of the staff if we don't like the rules, but it is our responsibility to stick to them - for everyone's benefit. Most rules are put there for a purpose, even if we can't immediately see why it is more than likely that they have been thought out and put in place to try and ensure the gig goes smoothly and as a result of something that's happened in the past. And to be realistic - let's face it - there are few rules for us to worry about at festivals and concerts.

Last year at Leeds (and to a lesser extent Reading) festival so called fans ran riot again - this caused untold grief, distress and damage to a lot of people. A fan lost an eye in the disorder - it was really lucky that no-one was killed given that among other unbelievable behaviours that went on that night gas canisters were being thrown on fires. Several members of the security staff suffered significant injuries - including broken bones.

People were so out of control they were having a pop at emergency services using anything they could get their hands on. As a result there were the usual complaints against the security company who had the unenviable tasks of trying to maintain order in a crowd spiralling out of control - but you have to ask yourself - how would you deal with a violent crowd disorder that could potentially cause the deaths of festival goers? Can you really blame festival organisers and security staff who have no time to sit back and discuss how to deal with it or to consider theoretic perspectives - they're on the spot and have no option but to deal with it there and then - for everybody's safety.

If you ask me Reading and Leeds fans are really lucky that the festival organisers are putting on another one this year - I have to ask myself whether I would in the circumstances - who's taking the risk here? With so called fans thinking that this is part of the culture of the event you can bet you're life that if things go wrong again this year it will be the organisers who take the flack - as far as I can make out an awful lot of festival goers got away with an awful lot of bad behaviour. These so called fans walked away from it with no repercussions - but the professionals who dealt with it couldn't and didn't. It doesn't take much for professional reputations to be damaged - but to suffer damage as a result of a bunch of thuggish fans? - is that right? Those of you who are going to the festival this summer should be writing to the organisers and thanking them for having the guts to put it on again - and you should be reassuring them that you won't be indulging in rioting or any other behaviour that puts the festival in danger.

Some people need to think more about their own behaviour at events and the impact it might have on those around them. We've been quite horrified at the lengths some people will go to in order to play the 'let's get one over on security' game and the type of implements some try to get into the arenas. This isn't funny and it isn't a joke - drugs are as illegal on site as they are off site. Festival organisers have no option but to tackle this issue - they will be held liable if they don't - and it will put their license in jeopardy - you keep on acting outside the law - they lose their license - you lose your festival - so who wins?

Most festival organisers try and tackle the difficult issues of crowd surfing and moshing - they do this because people get hurt not because they want to spoil your fun. It isn't usually the person indulging in the activity that gets hurt - it's usually the poor sod who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time trying to enjoy the performance and winds up with a size nine boot in their head. Do you enjoy being injured like that? Because I certainly don't - that's not 'cultural' activity - it's plain selfishness - putting your needs and enjoyment well above anyone else's without a thought for who you might hurt. Pit teams at the front of the stage are well trained and capable - but there is only so far they can go in keeping you safe if you're behaving like an ass.

So - same goes for moshing - people get hurt and it spoils their day and their enjoyment of the festival. If you do this why do you think you are more important than those around you? Stewards can't get right into the crowd and stop idiots from spoiling things for others now can they? - so there will always be those willing and ready to exploit that and do it anyway - to hell with anybody else.

Sometimes you just might want to see your favourite band up close so you queue for hours without food or drink just to make sure you can get to see them at the front - only to find piss heads who've spent their time getting tanked up continually pushing and shoving their way to the front of the crowd - to hell with anyone who gets in their way - to hell with whether their behaviour makes the area unsafe or risks a crowd collapse - it's their need that comes first and they just don't give a damn about anyone else. To be honest we've been quite critical of festival organisers about this one in the past - but is it really their fault? Who should take responsibility? Festival organisers want the event to be fun - and they want them to be as unrestrictive as possible - do they have to impose methods of control because people are too stupid to understand when it really isn't safe for others? This is a high risk area at an event and it's probable that it will go that way in the future - because people are too ignorant or selfish and put themselves and what they want way above everyone else - thus putting others at risk. Organisers don't want to do this, they don't want to make gigs more restrictive - they want you to have fun - but can they rely on you to be sensible? It certainly doesn't look like it now does it?

Many people try and smuggle items into an event - a quick flit around various forums gives quite an insight into the lengths some people will go to - they find it a giggle. So let me ask you this - in this day and age with the threat of terrorism, and the fact that we are developing a gun culture - do you want people to get into your gig armed and willing to use it? Recently two stewards were shot at the Birmingham NEC - some punter was armed and used it because two stewards were escorting him from a gig he had no right to be at. I've been to the NEC and I've seen just how professional those people are and how they deal with the general public - there is no excuse for any so called customer to attack, assault or injure a member of staff under any circumstances. These people did not deserve to face a customer who behaved with such malicious intent - there is never any excuse for violence nor to hurt others. How would you feel about the general public if you had to go back on duty having been part of that? How will we be viewed as customers when certain individuals find it a laugh to 'get one over?'

I don't know about you but I don't want idiots smuggling guns, knives and other implements into any gigs that I'm going to - and if that means that security are going to search me when I get to a gig - fine. I have to put up with being searched because there are so many idiots out there who don't care about others and don't care whether or not the gig will go ahead and be safe - it's a very small price to pay for piece of mind isn't it? So we have to queue for a bit longer - it's worth it to be sure - or as sure as we can be because some people will (and do) go to any lengths.

We all have to take responsibility for our behaviour at these events - why oh why do people put up with it? Why do we have to put up with jerks throwing bottles of piss into the crowd? - that isn't my idea of fun - stewards can't always stop it - but we could if we wanted to couldn't we? Same with many of the other totally anti social behaviours we see all the time - we could and should do something about it we all have a responsibility when it comes to crowd safety - it isn't just the responsibility of the organisers - it's down to us to make sure that these events are both safe and fun

There's loads of stuff on this site about your rights - and there's loads of stuff about keeping yourself safe in a crowd - but now we need to look just as hard at how we ourselves behave.

So if you're off to one of the many great events (and there are some BRILLIANT gigs being put on this year) what should you do?

Well - have a look at our festival survival guide - it's fairly comprehensive and packed full of advice. Check out our stuff on crowd safety and have a think about how you are going to behave in a dense crowd - what are YOU going to do to make sure you're safe and having a good time and that those around you are as well?

Check out the rules on your tickets and on the festival or gig organisers festival website - these guys are really catching up and there's loads of useful information - it's not put there for a laugh - it's put there so we can be better informed and we can have an even better time by knowing what's expected of us.

Above all stick to the rules - they are there for a purpose and to be honest they don't spoil our fun now do they? They are very few but they are important because they are there to make sure that EVERYBODY has a good time and leaves safely.

Chill out and relax - be friendly to staff - it WILL make a difference.

Remember that the staff are there for our benefit and to make sure that things go smoothly - if the rules get on your nerves it isn't their fault and no amount of getting at them will make a difference - they are only doing what they are instructed to do - for a reason. If you really object write to the organisers after the event - they will listen to you.

Do not under any circumstance try and smuggle banned items into an event - if you get caught you will get what you deserve - and you will probably get ejected from the event. You will neither get nor deserve any sympathy.

Do not under any circumstances get involved in crowd disorder - you will get what you deserve and again you will neither get nor deserve any sympathy - worse than that you will put the future of the event in jeopardy - if you're that sort of person I'd suggest that you're the sort of person who isn't wanted at an event.

Do not have a pop at security or stewards - if you do you will get what you deserve and you will neither get nor deserve sympathy.

Above all think about what YOU are doing and whether you'd want people to do the same to you - if you wouldn't like to be treated the same then you shouldn't be doing it - if on the other hand you enjoy getting hurt or hurting others - then you shouldn't be there in the first place.

And if the staff got it right - tell them - write to the organisers - make sure they know that we do appreciate what they do and that as customers we will support them when they do a good job - which most do most of the time.