Olympic Security. Warning.
Discussion
So. Yesterday I went to support Team GB in the London 2012 Olympics. It was at the O2.
Security was a shambles in part – not because they weren’t trying – but because the training, and so the consistency, was abysmal. What was allowed one minute by one member of staff was a problem with another…leading to loud disagreements, booting of the problem “upstairs” for arbitration and f
king chaos at some of the queues.
You were told in advance to bring one small soft-sided bag that would fit under your seat. This I adhered to. I made sure I had nothing contentious in it – like a pocket knife or anything sharp. On entry to the venue the thing went through the scanner – absolutely no problems. Site security were perfectly happy.
Got to the venue. Wife goes through. I follow. Bloke tells me – no sir you can’t bring a tablet in. What? Like the one running the official fking Olympic apps to let me keep up with the scores? The ones saying London 2012?
Anyway. Bloke lets me through and points me at “confiscation”. Who were supposed to be giving you a ticket and looking after your “forbidden items”.
I hesitate whilst another bloke goes through explaining that his medium compact camera was NOT a professional job. He was pointing out that the pro-togs with their big cameras andlenses half a metre long would be sitting in the ‘togs area not in spectators seats a mile above the action. WTF? So the camera in your phone is OK but one that will get a marginally better picture isn’t? It's not like it was a pro-camera...it was just a compact!
By the time I get there tablet computers are OK now…because there would be too many to look after – there would be no space!
No fking kidding! Half the people there had a tablet or smartphone with the Olympic app on it!?
WTF?
There was no warning on the website (I rechecked after). Comedy.
So. Phers. If you are heading off to see something Olympic, and I sincerely hope that you do, beware the rules about your “hand luggage”. I’d advise taking nothing because if I’d been there a half hour earlier some schmoe might well have been insisting my rather expensive tablet got shoved in a cupboard with fifty other people’s only to go “missing”…
If they’d said no tablets in advance fair enough but they certainly did not…and as to the camera discrimination? What a joke.
I'm sure they'll iron out the inconsitent implementation of these rather vague "rules" that you can't get the detail of in advance...by the end....maybe.
Just FYI.
Security was a shambles in part – not because they weren’t trying – but because the training, and so the consistency, was abysmal. What was allowed one minute by one member of staff was a problem with another…leading to loud disagreements, booting of the problem “upstairs” for arbitration and f
king chaos at some of the queues.You were told in advance to bring one small soft-sided bag that would fit under your seat. This I adhered to. I made sure I had nothing contentious in it – like a pocket knife or anything sharp. On entry to the venue the thing went through the scanner – absolutely no problems. Site security were perfectly happy.
Got to the venue. Wife goes through. I follow. Bloke tells me – no sir you can’t bring a tablet in. What? Like the one running the official f
king Olympic apps to let me keep up with the scores? The ones saying London 2012? Anyway. Bloke lets me through and points me at “confiscation”. Who were supposed to be giving you a ticket and looking after your “forbidden items”.
I hesitate whilst another bloke goes through explaining that his medium compact camera was NOT a professional job. He was pointing out that the pro-togs with their big cameras andlenses half a metre long would be sitting in the ‘togs area not in spectators seats a mile above the action. WTF? So the camera in your phone is OK but one that will get a marginally better picture isn’t? It's not like it was a pro-camera...it was just a compact!
By the time I get there tablet computers are OK now…because there would be too many to look after – there would be no space!
No f
king kidding! Half the people there had a tablet or smartphone with the Olympic app on it!?WTF?
There was no warning on the website (I rechecked after). Comedy.
So. Phers. If you are heading off to see something Olympic, and I sincerely hope that you do, beware the rules about your “hand luggage”. I’d advise taking nothing because if I’d been there a half hour earlier some schmoe might well have been insisting my rather expensive tablet got shoved in a cupboard with fifty other people’s only to go “missing”…
If they’d said no tablets in advance fair enough but they certainly did not…and as to the camera discrimination? What a joke.
I'm sure they'll iron out the inconsitent implementation of these rather vague "rules" that you can't get the detail of in advance...by the end....maybe.
Just FYI.
egor110 said:
Why take a tablet to a event your going to watch live? Surely the scores and info are put onto the big screens?
So you can look at the information you want to look at when you want to look at it.What if you want to keep up with events not unfolding in front of you?
Good to see they dropped the rules, does seem bloody stupid to stop people taking tablets in.
Marf said:
So you can look at the information you want to look at when you want to look at it.
What if you want to keep up with events not unfolding in front of you?
Good to see they dropped the rules, does seem bloody stupid to stop people taking tablets in.
I was puzzled at the grand prix, people were on there tablets watching the tv feed of what was happening right in front of the grandstand they were sitting in?What if you want to keep up with events not unfolding in front of you?
Good to see they dropped the rules, does seem bloody stupid to stop people taking tablets in.
If your watching a sport live then, be part of it, cheer and make noise make a atmosphere not sit there watching your phone/tablet screen.
egor110 said:
Marf said:
So you can look at the information you want to look at when you want to look at it.
What if you want to keep up with events not unfolding in front of you?
Good to see they dropped the rules, does seem bloody stupid to stop people taking tablets in.
I was puzzled at the grand prix, people were on there tablets watching the tv feed of what was happening right in front of the grandstand they were sitting in?What if you want to keep up with events not unfolding in front of you?
Good to see they dropped the rules, does seem bloody stupid to stop people taking tablets in.
If your watching a sport live then, be part of it, cheer and make noise make a atmosphere not sit there watching your phone/tablet screen.
Does every stand at every GP have a perfect view of a big screen? If not you get to see a car whizzing past every so often and you can lose any connection with the race.
Having the FIA video feed in front of you with the commentary in one ear gives you a better feel for what's happening, and how exactly does having a screen in front of you preclude you from enjoying the company of those around you and cheering?
And besides, you know you can get a licensed device at every race called Kangaroo TV which gives you the race feed, various commentarys and driver cams?
Marf said:
egor110 said:
Why take a tablet to a event your going to watch live? Surely the scores and info are put onto the big screens?
So you can look at the information you want to look at when you want to look at it.What if you want to keep up with events not unfolding in front of you?
Good to see they dropped the rules, does seem bloody stupid to stop people taking tablets in.
What annoys me is that there was absolutely no warning, and Security reckoned they were OK. So what's the deal? They think I'm going to hit someone with it? Maybe I'm going to hack into their computers and change the scores so that Team GB win everything? (I wish)
egor110 said:
I think you'll find at silverstone every grandstand does have a screen, the seats are all elevated so you can see over who's in front of you.
Nerds put down your tech and be part of the crowd, cheer on your home team, be the extra player on there team.
You're funny Nerds put down your tech and be part of the crowd, cheer on your home team, be the extra player on there team.
Luddites! Pick up some tech and get more information about the event your at and feel more involved, cheer on your home team, be the extra player on there team.
I think we'll just have to agree to disagree
Marf said:
You're funny
Luddites! Pick up some tech and get more information about the event your at and feel more involved, cheer on your home team, be the extra player on there team.
I think we'll just have to agree to disagree
Other than split timmings in road cycling or the marathon what info do you need?Luddites! Pick up some tech and get more information about the event your at and feel more involved, cheer on your home team, be the extra player on there team.
I think we'll just have to agree to disagree
The other sports are happening right in front of you on a pitch/court or in a arena.
Probably easiest to print off the list and wave it around stab them in the face with it
http://www.london2012.com/mm/Document/Documents/Ge...
http://www.london2012.com/mm/Document/Documents/Ge...
banned items said:
Personal/private wireless access points and 3G hubs (smart devices such as Android phones, iPhone and tablets are permitted inside venues, but must not be used as wireless access points to connect multiple devices)
hornetrider said:
egor110 said:
Other than split timmings in road cycling or the marathon what info do you need?
The other sports are happening right in front of you on a pitch/court or in a arena.
And if you're in the aquatic centre and want to see results not related to the swimming?!The other sports are happening right in front of you on a pitch/court or in a arena.
Marf said:
hornetrider said:
egor110 said:
Other than split timmings in road cycling or the marathon what info do you need?
The other sports are happening right in front of you on a pitch/court or in a arena.
And if you're in the aquatic centre and want to see results not related to the swimming?!The other sports are happening right in front of you on a pitch/court or in a arena.
This highlights what's wrong with the country , everyone want's things instantly nobody seems able to wait, people no longer save they borrow and can't even wait a few hours to find out the f1 results.
Don said:
So. Yesterday I went to support Team GB in the London 2012 Olympics. It was at the O2.
Security was a shambles in part – not because they weren’t trying – but because the training, and so the consistency, was abysmal. What was allowed one minute by one member of staff was a problem with another…leading to loud disagreements, booting of the problem “upstairs” for arbitration and fking chaos at some of the queues.
You were told in advance to bring one small soft-sided bag that would fit under your seat. This I adhered to. I made sure I had nothing contentious in it – like a pocket knife or anything sharp. On entry to the venue the thing went through the scanner – absolutely no problems. Site security were perfectly happy.
Got to the venue. Wife goes through. I follow. Bloke tells me – no sir you can’t bring a tablet in. What? Like the one running the official fking Olympic apps to let me keep up with the scores? The ones saying London 2012?
Anyway. Bloke lets me through and points me at “confiscation”. Who were supposed to be giving you a ticket and looking after your “forbidden items”.
I hesitate whilst another bloke goes through explaining that his medium compact camera was NOT a professional job. He was pointing out that the pro-togs with their big cameras andlenses half a metre long would be sitting in the ‘togs area not in spectators seats a mile above the action. WTF? So the camera in your phone is OK but one that will get a marginally better picture isn’t? It's not like it was a pro-camera...it was just a compact!
By the time I get there tablet computers are OK now…because there would be too many to look after – there would be no space!
No fking kidding! Half the people there had a tablet or smartphone with the Olympic app on it!?
WTF?
There was no warning on the website (I rechecked after). Comedy.
So. Phers. If you are heading off to see something Olympic, and I sincerely hope that you do, beware the rules about your “hand luggage”. I’d advise taking nothing because if I’d been there a half hour earlier some schmoe might well have been insisting my rather expensive tablet got shoved in a cupboard with fifty other people’s only to go “missing”…
If they’d said no tablets in advance fair enough but they certainly did not…and as to the camera discrimination? What a joke.
I'm sure they'll iron out the inconsitent implementation of these rather vague "rules" that you can't get the detail of in advance...by the end....maybe.
Just FYI.
Cheers for this, esp about the cameras. It does all seem inconsistent - yesterday's archery coverage at Lords showed a member of the public with a bloody great white Canon lens (looked 70-200 L) attached to what was very likely to be DSLR..Security was a shambles in part – not because they weren’t trying – but because the training, and so the consistency, was abysmal. What was allowed one minute by one member of staff was a problem with another…leading to loud disagreements, booting of the problem “upstairs” for arbitration and f
king chaos at some of the queues.You were told in advance to bring one small soft-sided bag that would fit under your seat. This I adhered to. I made sure I had nothing contentious in it – like a pocket knife or anything sharp. On entry to the venue the thing went through the scanner – absolutely no problems. Site security were perfectly happy.
Got to the venue. Wife goes through. I follow. Bloke tells me – no sir you can’t bring a tablet in. What? Like the one running the official f
king Olympic apps to let me keep up with the scores? The ones saying London 2012? Anyway. Bloke lets me through and points me at “confiscation”. Who were supposed to be giving you a ticket and looking after your “forbidden items”.
I hesitate whilst another bloke goes through explaining that his medium compact camera was NOT a professional job. He was pointing out that the pro-togs with their big cameras andlenses half a metre long would be sitting in the ‘togs area not in spectators seats a mile above the action. WTF? So the camera in your phone is OK but one that will get a marginally better picture isn’t? It's not like it was a pro-camera...it was just a compact!
By the time I get there tablet computers are OK now…because there would be too many to look after – there would be no space!
No f
king kidding! Half the people there had a tablet or smartphone with the Olympic app on it!?WTF?
There was no warning on the website (I rechecked after). Comedy.
So. Phers. If you are heading off to see something Olympic, and I sincerely hope that you do, beware the rules about your “hand luggage”. I’d advise taking nothing because if I’d been there a half hour earlier some schmoe might well have been insisting my rather expensive tablet got shoved in a cupboard with fifty other people’s only to go “missing”…
If they’d said no tablets in advance fair enough but they certainly did not…and as to the camera discrimination? What a joke.
I'm sure they'll iron out the inconsitent implementation of these rather vague "rules" that you can't get the detail of in advance...by the end....maybe.
Just FYI.
Having been to both road races, now quite excited about heading to some ticketed events. I will leave the big camera guns at home though.
From having been subjected to the security at various sites over the last week and a half, where the security is being manned by the military, it's a breeze. In fact, by normal 'big sporting event' standards, and by that I mean the ones that occur every 4 years, summer and winter, it's a pleasure.
However, where security is operated, and I use the term in the loosest possible way, by the Private Security Firm that's been in the press recently, it's an utter shambles.
At the main Park it's all military security.
However, where security is operated, and I use the term in the loosest possible way, by the Private Security Firm that's been in the press recently, it's an utter shambles.
At the main Park it's all military security.
egor110 said:
This highlights what's wrong with the country , everyone want's things instantly nobody seems able to wait, people no longer save they borrow and can't even wait a few hours to find out the f1 results.
Bless you going all Daily Mail on us 
I did offer to agree to disagree, but you had to go and make yourself look silly
Anyway, over to you for the last (no doubt amusing) word.
egor110 said:
Then in the first case you've got tickets for the wrong sport, in the second have some patience and just wait a bit.
This highlights what's wrong with the country , everyone want's things instantly nobody seems able to wait, people no longer save they borrow and can't even wait a few hours to find out the f1 results.
This highlights what's wrong with the country , everyone want's things instantly nobody seems able to wait, people no longer save they borrow and can't even wait a few hours to find out the f1 results.
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