Saturday Stampede to enter RIAT via the Blue Route

[Wooner69]

I've been going to RIAT for many years, and generally enjoy the annual event.
Yesterday though (Saturday) was a absolute shambles to gain entry via the blue route.
Arrived 06.15am, got to the Airbase without any problem. Trouble started gaining entry to the car parks, which appeared to be undermanned. Then a snake like queue was being organised by 1 chap, who was trying to do 10 different jobs at once and who I felt rather sorry for, as it seemed his colleagues hadn't turned up..
As the start of the queue started to move there was then an almighty stampede towards the far gate..
I feel really frustrated by this, total ignorant people (who had arrived a lot later) trying to queue jump, and trying to push people out of the way, also bearing in mind I was stood with a few elderly gentleman.

The security have tried all sorts of ways to set up an effective entry over the years, with some being quite good, with others being bad.
This year though is the worst I have seen, and for the unlucky ones in the blue car park, I would like to know your comments.

On the plus side the flying display this year was really good despite low cloud early on

[tankbuster81]

Totally with you on this,as i arrived at 06:00 and experienced exactly the same.Most of us were tired from long drives/early starts,so the recipe for fireworks is almost guaranteed! As you say,suddenly the whole (Ridiculous,snake like queue) collapsed with rows of latecomers, simply throwing themselves into our queue's,and like lots of people, i had words with many people! It's not on!. No organisation from RIAT at all on this one.They are only interested in the security queue system it would seem.This need's to be addressed as a matter of urgency.I've read elsewhere about the same issue this morning,and some "moron's" doing the same ,then swearing and shouting at people who challenged them.A real Tinderbox,and potential for violence to ensue. Proper staffing and policing of this is paramount!!!!

Andy

[CJS]

Funny, cos I was in the same "stampede" and - apart from a few huffy British tuts - I saw most people shrug it off and get on with it.

I would imagine the best thing DBH could do to eliminate this for next year would be to open the showground at the same time as the carparks, although that perhaps isn't as easy as it sounds.

[DeltaPapa]

I experienced the same a few years ago at the red entrance. We had to park in the field the other side of the road because we arrived at 6.40. The red car park opened at 7.00. We queued waiting for the gates to open but they held us back while those who arrived after 7.00 headed straight to the front and were allowed straight in. There was almost a riot.

[tankbuster]

I normally arrive at the Blue Car Parks about 6 and given the stories here I'm glad I changed my routine. I left about an hour and a half later than usual at 6-15, sailed into the Blue Car Park mainly as a result of being diverted halfway back to Swindon for the alternative Blue route. My initial cursing turned to joy when I realised that I had been taken 5 miles out of my way but missed all the queuing. After parking up and visiting the facilities, I joined the very orderly queues, and about 20 minutes later reached the security point, 5 minutes later I was in at 8.35. 90 mile journey, 2 hours 20 door to door. The sun shines on the righteous, everything just worked for me.

[Wooner69]

Funny, cos I was in the same "stampede" and - apart from a few huffy British tuts - I saw most people shrug it off and get on with it.

I would imagine the best thing DBH could do to eliminate this for next year would be to open the showground at the same time as the carparks, although that perhaps isn't as easy as it sounds.

Well maybe that's all you saw but I had an unlucky chap with a walking stick almost go to ground, and you say a few "British tuts"- so it's only the good old Brits that complain then.
Perhaps if I go next year I'll turn up at 07.30 and join the scrum and queue jump like everyone else!!

Opening the gates at 06.00am makes perfect sense, but this will never happen.

I think have a similar style Guide rope system and more staff.

[Rampvan]

Gates at silverstone opened at 05.30. Expected visitors were 140,000

[Thunderstruck]

I must have been fortunate then. I arrived in the Blue car park at 0545, parked up and walked to the queue on the road, about 50yds from the gate. Waited for the gates to open and a relatively quick entrance, though security was checking EVERY bag when I went through, so queues behind were building.

Probably the easiest traffic I've ever had into Fairford, though you have to leave earlier and earlier each year it seems!

There was only 1 guy 'managing the queue though and we did hear some shouting over the hedge from the car park when the crowd started moving.

[FarnboroJohn]

We reached the Blue car park just before 0800 and made a pitstop in the loos in the car park (great move DBH!) Then joined the already moving queue and were astonished to find it moving at normal walking pace rather than "shopper's amble". The only hold-up was that half the queues at security had x-ray machines and half didn't, and the people directing weren't efficient. I stood briefly in a machine queue and then stepped over a rope into a non-machine one with nobody approaching it. No problem!

There were a few people obviously queue-jumping even when called on it but not enough to get excited about. No doubt they will get their come-uppance at the Pearly Gates when they try the same thing...

Yellowjackets of all flavours helpful and 1930 seemed just about enough for a late sprint round the static. 2000 would allow a more leisurely stroll, but I am not complaining.

John

[rocketeer]

Sorry to say that I was also in the Saturday early birds who got overwhelmed by queue jumpers, many of whom were abusive and not going to "stand down" for anyone. It came rather close to blows a few yards ahead of me and will give many of us(not so young anymore) cause to rethink next year.
Surely there's something to be done about this problem recurring?

[R4118]

hmmm I arrived at 7.15 Saturday, no queue, no trouble parking.
Arrived at the FRIAT gate and we were let in before the general public. Was on the grounds at 7.30.

No queuing, no pushing, queue jumping

Special gate works very well I think

Same story for my Friday entrance come to think of it.

[Wooner69]

I must have been fortunate then. I arrived in the Blue car park at 0545, parked up and walked to the queue on the road, about 50yds from the gate. Waited for the gates to open and a relatively quick entrance, though security was checking EVERY bag when I went through, so queues behind were building.

Probably the easiest traffic I've ever had into Fairford, though you have to leave earlier and earlier each year it seems!

There was only 1 guy 'managing the queue though and we did hear some shouting over the hedge from the car park when the crowd started moving.

You were definitely lucky, anyone from the gate to the entrance on the road should've been fine.
The first 3 lines of queuing people were quite well spread apart, once line 4 & 5 appeared there was very little room in the field..Then of course once it started to move, so did everyone with a huge groan. All 8 of 9 lines then became 1

[Wooner69]

hmmm I arrived at 7.15 Saturday, no queue, no trouble parking.
Arrived at the FRIAT gate and we were let in before the general public. Was on the grounds at 7.30.

No queuing, no pushing, queue jumping

Special gate works very well I think

Same story for my Friday entrance come to think of it.

Heard a few people say the FRIAT entrance was great, 5 minutes, no queue, almost straight in.

[wezgulf3]

hmmm I arrived at 7.15 Saturday, no queue, no trouble parking.
Arrived at the FRIAT gate and we were let in before the general public. Was on the grounds at 7.30.

No queuing, no pushing, queue jumping

Special gate works very well I think

Same story for my Friday entrance come to think of it.

Heard a few people say the FRIAT entrance was great, 5 minutes, no queue, almost straight in.

That's because the FRIAT gate had a very nice gentleman organising it, no queue jumpers on gate J just enter in the order you arrived. Can't see why it can't be like it at all gates, I'm sure there was some Tuts but why should people just arrive and push in??

Wes...

[Phil Standfield]

I have been for many years and not sen this as bad as this year. Normally there is Blue topped RIAT staff by the corner of the road/junction to Kempsford campsite who direct people coming out of the campsite/people walking back along the road down the road into the field and to the back of the queue.
Saturday at 6-55 2 of us came out of the campsite got to the junction only to see a young member of the event security staff in yellow shirt stood by the junction who very clearly did not have a clue or wanted to be there just stood there directing us into the queue on the road, but as being old fashioned we both walked into the field and joined the very big queue which was in four or five lines as soon as we could see the queue on the road move the whole field just seemed to turn into a mass rush to be able to get through the gate. The first Blue topped RIAT staff i saw was after security and was scanning entry tickets, i think there were alot of people having ago at at the Blue tops that were after the ticket scans about the queues.
Sunday was slightly better in the carpark but still did not see more than one Blue top in the carpark although there were 2 Blue tops by the drop into the airfield to stop people joining from up the road as such.
Apart from that thought the rest was done very well.

[Brevet Cable]

Saturday I came out of the Kempsford campsite at around 06:30.
Plenty of people in front of me wandering straight down the road rather than joining the back of the queue ( surely they can't all have been FRIAT members )
I joined the back of the queue in the carpark - about halfway down the first row - and I agree with the OP about the one poor bod having to organise the 'snake'.
I did notice that they had plenty of people directing the cars in the field , which was a bit excessive considering how slow the traffic flow was at that time.
Didn't notice any pushing & shoving , but there was plenty of queue-jumping at the entrance gate which was ignored by both the staff & police who were standing around mostly doing nothing.....worse still , a couple of the staff were actively directing people walking up the lane or leaving the carpark via it's entrance gate towards the front of the queue rather than doing their job properly & directing them to the back.
The usual boondoggle at the check-in area , with the lemmings all joining the back of the middle queues despite there being plenty of empty lanes either side ( and evidently everyone was deaf , as they failed to hear the staff shouting at them to use the other lanes )
100% 'magic wand' , random bag searches.

Sunday , on the other hand , I wandered out of the campsite at about 08:30......no queue in the carpark , the back of it was about 20 yards down the lane from the campsite entrance.
'Magic wand' was random , bag searches random....so much for the repeated message over the tannoy all weekend about the UK's 'heightened security condition'.

[pbeardmore]

One of the reasons I have stopped going on the weekend is the horrible queue jumping at the entrance. It is very depressing to know that you and others have gained their place in line my getting up very early and others role up who clearly were way back in the traffic queue and just casually walk to the front of the pedestrian queue. Sorry to hear this issue still has not been sorted, all they need is to hire a couple of hundred barriers to create a proper queue.

Thurs and Friday for me next year.