Steps

[slats]

Hi there,

This will be mine and my girlfriends third Glastonbury and although my girlfriend has loved it for the last 2 years she suffers very badly with panic attacks when in large crowds, which is a bit of an issue when trying to watch band (mainly on the pyramid stage.)

We have sort of figured out that the reason she is having the attacks is because she is very small so she cant see a thing in the crowd and feels a bit claustrophobic when all she can see is people all around towering over her this makes her feel very closed in and brings on the attacks.

Now my girlfriend is a MASSIVE Stevie fan so we are toying with the idea of getting some sort of step so she can get a little bit higher and see something other than someones back hopefully easing the anxiety a little bit.

We don't want to use anything massive that will obstruct anyone's view behind just something about a foot high and something thats going to be pretty easy to carry round maybe foldable to fit an a day sack.

Just wondering if anyone has brought anything like this to Glastonbury or seen anyone using one and could give me a bit of advice on what sort to get???

Thanks

[_danny_]

i've not seen anyone use one, but i don't see why it would be a problem. if you were 6 foot, and carried a small step ladder around with you, that would be different.

what about this?:

Folding Step Stool

this would give her an extra 20cm. not massive i know, but looks like it would be really easy to carry around.

good luck, hope she enjoys stevie.

[ukslim]

Or "borrow" some stilts from the circus skills workshop.

Or just buy some New Rock boots...

Or (I know this might be a wrench for you) stand further back in the Pyramid field

[twig14]

Be a gentleman and lift her up on your shoulders. She could even flash her boobs at Stevie (hang on...)

[HurrahBrother]

Yep, those folders look like a good idea, I'm not too sure how good they will be when she starts to groove on down to superstition! (you may want to give em a dummy run first)

[neilos]

Its all about the bucket stilts...you know the kind you used to have as a kid...except, you can make them yourself.

get two buckets, put two holes parallel to each other in each bucket, get some hardy rope/string that wont snap and put both ends through the holes making sure you tie it nice and secure so that the loop acts as a handle...

can then attach these to any bag, lightweight and also doubles up as a nice piss pot for those late night urges with no time to make the toilet...haha.

Seriously though, considering this for my girlfriend and would cost no more than a fiver I reckon.

[redmosquito]

Have you thought about maybe just standing a little further back? You don't need to be right at the back of the crowd to have loads of space around you and a decent view of the screens and the stage when all the flags move out of the way. Probably a much easier solution that carting around steps everywhere.

We were down as near to the front as we could for both Neil Young and Brucie last year and couldn't see that much, we moved a bit further back for Blur and had a much better time, more room for dancing and drinking and much easier if you need to nip to the bog after too many trips to the cider bus. Plus there is still plenty of crowd atmosphere so you really don't miss out on anything.

[Fairies for Change]

Being only 5ft tall I can really sympathise! How about something like this?

step

It'll only add a few inches to her height!

[slats]

Cheers everyone for the suggestions,

I think were going to try those 2 steps mentioned and give them a bit of a test before we bring one down, the fold up one looks perfect, although I've got a feeling it might be a little too flimsy to last a weekend in piton so the other one might be the way to go.

Ha ha I like the bucket idea I can just imagine in my head her dancing round with them attached to her feet

[Mel & Claire]

Steps are a godsend when you're small. Just being a few inches higher can really make the difference, believe me. Its no fun at all when you're staring at someones back for a couple of hours.

We're both 5ft 1 and taking ours again this year. Wouldn't be without them. And it's not like we're blocking anyones elses view, it's just boosting yourself up to the same height as everyone else!

[Edi M]

Its no fun at all when you're staring at someones back for a couple of hours.

[Redwinevino]

Will they work if it's very muddy?

[Mel & Claire]

I've been doing that the whole adult life never occurred to me to take a step.

Doesn't it restrict your movement though? Presumably you can get a bit of gentle swaying in but that's about it. I imagine I'd spend most of the time falling off it as I attempted to jump around to Sir Duke.

The thing I hate most , is not the not being able to see the act. It's the fact that people can't see you. They think they've found some miraculous gap through the crowd (when logic will dictate otherwise) and even once they've realised your there continue to charge through.

Can't be helped I suppose

[slats]

The sound is so much better as well, you can't appreciate it until you've experienced it.

We were lucky last year, some guys next to us let us balance on them (we were stood on camping chairs for the whole of Bruce and Blur last year, and were about level with the sound desk so not too near the front), and one guy was actually a bit worried we'd fall, but we were fine.

Balancing on camping chairs is not much fun, you have stay on the edge because if you stand in the middle it'll collapse, so that's we're taking a step each this year that folds up and fits in a bag. You can't move around much, but that doesn't bother us. Being able to see and have better sound quality is enough.

[Mel & Claire]

The ones we have are 8.5 inches high, or 22cm, and we got them from Go-Outdoors for about £14 each.

Here's one:

Hope that helps

[Edi M]

The sound is so much better as well, you can't appreciate it until you've experienced it.

We were lucky last year, some guys next to us let us balance on them (we were stood on camping chairs for the whole of Bruce and Blur last year, and were about level with the sound desk so not too near the front), and one guy was actually a bit worried we'd fall, but we were fine.

Balancing on camping chairs is not much fun, you have stay on the edge because if you stand in the middle it'll collapse, so that's we're taking a step each this year that folds up and fits in a bag. You can't move around much, but that doesn't bother us. Being able to see and have better sound quality is enough.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Edi M

[LondonTom]

If all you short arses get on steps, surely this eventually lead to average heigh people needing to boost them selves, and then they will be taller than 6ft people then the 6ft people are all on steps to. And before you all know it the whole glasto crowd is all balancing on steps and is liable to fall like a pack of dominoes without any heigh advantage except to those who decide higher steps are needed and it turns into a vicious circle of steps ...This is all hypothetical of course

[The_Amazing_Oblong]

I wouldn't think her fear of crowds would get any better by pissing off just about everyone stood behind her. If someone is tall, they can't help it. If someone is blocking your view because they're stood on a friggin stool, well ... Seems selfish to me.

Maybe aim to get there early and move right up to the front for Stevie or take your steps, get there early and get a spot with your back to the mixing desk so there's no one behind you.

[honeypetal]

I was thinking of doing the exact same thing. I'm only 5ft, but that extra inch or so makes a difference. My boyfriend said that he'd stand behind me so that no-one can complain and if I feel the need to dance and fall he'd be there.

I noticed JML were doing folding steps, but not sure if they're still around. JML STEP

Good luck, and power to all us vertically challenged people out there. xx

[noodle24]

it is a very good idea but i dont know anywhere that does folding steps..

[5co77ie]

[Mel & Claire]

I wouldn't think her fear of crowds would get any better by pissing off just about everyone stood behind her. If someone is tall, they can't help it. If someone is blocking your view because they're stood on a friggin stool, well ... Seems selfish to me.

Maybe aim to get there early and move right up to the front for Stevie or take your steps, get there early and get a spot with your back to the mixing desk so there's no one behind you.

Edited April 24, 2010 by Mel & Claire

[DaveMac]

Just found these lightweight foldup plastic steps *HERE* on eBay - only £4.45 delivered.

Choice of 3 colours too

May be of some use to someone - hope this helps..

[Breeze]

This in danger of being the most unintentionally hilarious threads ever.

I especially liked the comment about blocking other people's views being ok because it had been 'done to me' for years, as if taller people owe you for being tall.

Sure it would be easier if we were all the same height, but as people can't chop a foot or more off their legs perhaps we should set the Glastonbury regulation height we are all going to go for and make this the height of the tallest person going. Probably 6 foot 10 or something.