Bag searches

[tarw]

2 minutes ago, Paul ™ said:

There is guidance on quantities depending on the drug, if it's just a confiscation or more serious.

That sounds like a change then!

You said that the number of searches increased because more contraband was found. Was that more bulk contraband or more small amounts?

[efcfanwirral]

On 7/5/2024 at 11:18 AM, Parched said:

Gate C this year... thoroughly searched every single morning. One time they made me open a box of small raisins I had for my four year old. Another slightly embarrassing time was telling them they didn't want to open up my wife's she pee and because of the language barrier having to act out what it was used for - suffice to say they didn't do any more investigating!

 

26 minutes ago, tarw said:

 

In the past security were never bothered with anything for personal consumption, just looking for people bringing in stuff to sell. Has this changed?

 

14 minutes ago, Paul ™ said:

There is guidance on quantities depending on the drug, if it's just a confiscation or more serious.

One thing I noticed at the gate was there was very little tolerance from the English gate managers/security types (blue tops) for some of those in the red who did not speak particularly good English. I'm wondering if there was a briefing issue, did those doing the briefing just talk fast as if everyone speaks perfect English and didn't get the nuances across?

 

I also imagine if you work other festivals and are told to rip apart everything including wallets and sunglasses cases to find any amount of drugs, that you probably need to be explicitly told that its not quite like that at this one festival. I'd imagine it was a briefing and understanding issue. 

Edited July 6 by efcfanwirral

[Skip997]

50 minutes ago, Paul ™ said:

There is guidance on quantities depending on the drug, if it's just a confiscation or more serious.

I had a chat with an ex security bod, apparently it’s quite common to discuss with the festival organisers which drugs are accepted and which should be weeded out. 
 

Wonder what the policy is

[tarw]

1 hour ago, Skip997 said:

I had a chat with an ex security bod, apparently it’s quite common to discuss with the festival organisers which drugs are accepted and which should be weeded out. 
 

Wonder what the policy is

You would hope that they would be after stuff that makes people more aggressive and ignore stuff that makes people chilled and happy 

[Sawdusty surfer]

Slightly different to bag sesarches, but I got held up for a couple of hours at red gate on the Tuesday morning. I'd popped offsite to Screwfix and on return the security decided that they wouldn't let me back in as I had a van full of 'weapons'.

Yes, I had several chainsaws,axes, mauls etc.I've driven in and out carrying those countles times over the years with no issues.

I contacted my field manager who put the wheels in motion to let me back in......all by email. 

Eventually I heard the head os security mention to someone else the name of the person he had to hear from to allow me back in. By luck I had her number so called her and explained. She didn't know me but knew my work and minutes later I was on my way. 

[UEF]

18 hours ago, tarw said:

You would hope that they would be after stuff that makes people more aggressive and ignore stuff that makes people chilled and happy 

 

In that case there would be no alcohol past the gate.

 

It's the person, not the substance.

[Skip997]

52 minutes ago, Sawdusty surfer said:

Slightly different to bag sesarches, but I got held up for a couple of hours at red gate on the Tuesday morning. I'd popped offsite to Screwfix and on return the security decided that they wouldn't let me back in as I had a van full of 'weapons'.

Yes, I had several chainsaws,axes, mauls etc.I've driven in and out carrying those countles times over the years with no issues.

I contacted my field manager who put the wheels in motion to let me back in......all by email. 

Eventually I heard the head os security mention to someone else the name of the person he had to hear from to allow me back in. By luck I had her number so called her and explained. She didn't know me but knew my work and minutes later I was on my way. 

In previous years I’ve been asked to send a list of “dangerous items” I may have on board so that I can be given permission to bring them on site. 
 

Baring in mind that I live in my van, the list is quite large 

[tarw]

12 minutes ago, UEF said:

 

In that case there would be no alcohol past the gate.

 

It's the person, not the substance.

Agreed-to a certain extent. After excess alcohol I personally smile like a loon and slump in a corner. Others get fighty so it does depend on the person. 
Cocaine though makes everyone more aggressive and arrogant in my experience. So in that case is it the substance?

[Skip997]

20 minutes ago, UEF said:

 

In that case there would be no alcohol past the gate.

How lovely would that be 

😁

[UEF]

24 minutes ago, tarw said:

Agreed-to a certain extent. After excess alcohol I personally smile like a loon and slump in a corner. Others get fighty so it does depend on the person. 
Cocaine though makes everyone more aggressive and arrogant in my experience. So in that case is it the substance?

 

I'm not sure that is true - for a lot of people that just makes them a bit more dance-y and enthusiastic but without the negative connotations. I suppose it's like everything - we notice the bad ones first.

 

There's probably someone out there who's a complete prick on MDMA! There certainly are a few on cannabis...

Edited July 7 by UEF

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

Regarding the bag checks, does anyone know if it's the policy if the Eavii to check how many people were taken to the medical tent or had to see emergency help etc?

 

Maybe if they'd seen a spike in dodgy coke one year, they'd ask for more thorough checks the next year or at least to look like they're doing something? It still would be like finding a needle in a haystack mind you. The amount of places you can hide stuff when you're carrying two bags and a tent is too many to search properly for 140k ppl.

[Spindles]

In my experience everyone who is attended by festival medical services are recorded so certainly those stats are available both to the festival organisers and included in the council report.  The same goes for arrests, expulsions and so on.

 

[stuie]

7 hours ago, Sawdusty surfer said:

Slightly different to bag sesarches, but I got held up for a couple of hours at red gate on the Tuesday morning. I'd popped offsite to Screwfix and on return the security decided that they wouldn't let me back in as I had a van full of 'weapons'.

Yes, I had several chainsaws,axes, mauls etc.I've driven in and out carrying those countles times over the years with no issues.

I contacted my field manager who put the wheels in motion to let me back in......all by email. 

Eventually I heard the head os security mention to someone else the name of the person he had to hear from to allow me back in. By luck I had her number so called her and explained. She didn't know me but knew my work and minutes later I was on my way. 

obviously we know what you do but I’m relieved that they question someone with axes and chainsaws to be honest 😂😂

[Sawdusty surfer]

7 hours ago, UEF said:

 

I'm not sure that is true - for a lot of people that just makes them a bit more dance-y and enthusiastic but without the negative connotations. I suppose it's like everything - we notice the bad ones first.

 

There's probably someone out there who's a complete prick on MDMA! There certainly are a few on cannabis...

Mushrooms for the win!

[Alvoram]

7 hours ago, UEF said:

 

I'm not sure that is true - for a lot of people that just makes them a bit more dance-y and enthusiastic but without the negative connotations. I suppose it's like everything - we notice the bad ones first.

 

There's probably someone out there who's a complete prick on MDMA! There certainly are a few on cannabis...

I've never met one, in all my years of hospitality (and a few years of enjoying the finer things in life myself.) However there are a hell of lot of people who can't handle their charlie without turning into absolute monsters, a hell of a lot! I almost want to suggest it's more likely than it is with drinkers. 

Of course it's not 'everyone' just like many people are happy drunks, but the probability is immeasurably higher with coke than it is with mandy, speed, or cannabis. 

Ket is a weird one too, I admit I don't have as much experience with that, but I have enough. When I have been around people doing it, the first few hours are great, they could almost be on Mandy, but a few hours in, they'll often get really 'edgy' and sometimes even very aggressive. 

[EavisAintDead]

On 7/6/2024 at 10:02 AM, kalifire said:

Came early (4:30am) to PGA, and was directed to a queue leading to a tent where everyone was searched. We were all trying to assess how thorough it was by looking at the people coming out the other side. Some said it was super strict; others said it wasn't bad.

 

When I was searched, the guy just looked through my day-bag and ignored everything else. He said they were looking for small bags or containers. He went through it pretty thoroughly, opening my sunglasses case to make sure it only contained sunglasses, for example. But it wasn't that thorough, because when he came across my mobile sharps container, he clearly had no idea what it was and just put it back in the bag.

 

A bit later, there were more people arriving than they could practically search, so some people were directed straight to the queue for the gate and avoided the search tent altogether.

Had this at 3:30AM and obviously far fewer people at that time but they searched my backpack half heartedly and let all 3 of my friends, who are the ones who may or may not have had substances hidden in crates of beer, through without any searching

 

No problem with it but it did cause a small issue as our last glass bottle was a Henry Westons 8% job found in the car that we thought we'd share and pop in the closest bin. We didn't envisage finishing it in under a minute between the 4 of us (I suspect this spectacle got the security guy on our side though)

 

Set the tone for our queue as we then polished off 4 litres of Heck's cider and 3 litres of morrisons perry before the gates opened 

[Alison C]

Its a new company that has taken over security for the festival. After the fallow year, big chances are going to be made and its just not going to be the same sadly. Corporate involvement is on the horizon 😪  

[Watergirl]

Yes. I came in through Pedestrian Gate B and was searched nearly every time.  After a while I started walking up to them with my bag open, and then I got waved through.

[Skip997]

On 7/7/2024 at 6:09 PM, Alvoram said:

I've never met one, in all my years of hospitality (and a few years of enjoying the finer things in life myself.) However there are a hell of lot of people who can't handle their charlie without turning into absolute monsters, a hell of a lot! I almost want to suggest it's more likely than it is with drinkers. 

Of course it's not 'everyone' just like many people are happy drunks, but the probability is immeasurably higher with coke than it is with mandy, speed, or cannabis. 

Ket is a weird one too, I admit I don't have as much experience with that, but I have enough. When I have been around people doing it, the first few hours are great, they could almost be on Mandy, but a few hours in, they'll often get really 'edgy' and sometimes even very aggressive. 

This is 100% correct. And to many peoples annoyance I adding alcohol to the turns people into a twat list. 
 

Imagine a festival with only MDMA, cannabis and mushrooms.

 

How lovely 😊 

[Crazyfool01]

Mate accidentally brought a firelighter , in her bag from something else shed been to , caused security a few issues identifying and calling over a supervisor . only ever been searched once I think last year despite 2 entries each year 

[Pipine]

6 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

This is 100% correct. And to many peoples annoyance I adding alcohol to the turns people into a twat list. 
 

Imagine a festival with only MDMA, cannabis and mushrooms.

 

How lovely 😊 

Out of reactions but I would love that kind of a festival 😁

[Theredroseflag]

Entering gate C on Sunday morning I was searched. Asked what’s in your bag, told her just beer. Asked how much said about 8 cans, quizzed me about how much I was going to drink. Was quite shocked. Then asked me to open my wash bag, was planning on a shower. Had 2 small pots with after shave balm and face wash had to open and I put the balm on my face. Was then told to stop being sarcastic. Then she asked me was I ok  “ you seem stressed. Told her I don’t do drugs she said it’s not just drugs we are looking for. In the end I said have a nice day and went in ( that was sarcasm )

[Kashkin]

17 hours ago, Alison C said:

Its a new company that has taken over security for the festival. After the fallow year, big chances are going to be made and its just not going to be the same sadly. Corporate involvement is on the horizon 😪  

 

If you know something specific, tell us more....

[bluesmith]

On 7/7/2024 at 9:56 AM, tarw said:

Agreed-to a certain extent. After excess alcohol I personally smile like a loon and slump in a corner. Others get fighty so it does depend on the person. 
Cocaine though makes everyone more aggressive and arrogant in my experience. So in that case is it the substance?

Everyone's experience is different on any drug buy mine is that it would make me more outgoing and chatty and less confrontational, in fact probably more caring in looking out for others and the same for most of my mates but as i say everyone's different!

[dumski]

On 7/9/2024 at 8:44 PM, Skip997 said:

Imagine a festival with only MDMA, cannabis and mushrooms.

 

 

Compulsory?! 

 

because you'd still attract wrongun dealers otherwise