A few things that may need to be addressed for 2013

[festivalfan]

1. The gate check staff at the ADA entrance should be smacked! Each day we were required to open all our bags, empty out contents so they could do a "thorough" search. It was a fiasco! No one was consistent with what was "allowed". We were patted down, so they could "find" what was hidden. I was shocked how the Staff Pro people treated those in wheelchairs, with walkers, and on crutches. My daily vitamins and meds were in the amber container, each days worth. I was told they looked suspicious and to throw them out! I said they were all I had for the weekend, the gate supervisor sensed a potential problem and advised me that if I wanted to enter, I must throw them out. Then I was told to spray my sunscreen lotion on me to make sure it wasn't alcohol. They didn't know the difference between a mister and a spray bottle, a parasol and an umbrella, they didn't know the difference between outside food (meal?) and a few baggies of snacks. Some let wagons and coolers through, and some screeners did not. The confusion with gate time opening created a never-ending line of cars going in circles at the entrance waiting for the 11 am opening, but the next day the gates opened at 9am. They need correct training, common sense, plus a lesson in respect to those with disabilities.

[calichristina]

wow thats kinda crazy...
i missed you guys though! =(

[Raquellita]

1. The gate check staff at the ADA entrance should be smacked! Each day we were required to open all our bags, empty out contents so they could do a "thorough" search. It was a fiasco! No one was consistent with what was "allowed". We were patted down, so they could "find" what was hidden. I was shocked how the Staff Pro people treated those in wheelchairs, with walkers, and on crutches. My daily vitamins and meds were in the amber container, each days worth. I was told they looked suspicious and to throw them out! I said they were all I had for the weekend, the gate supervisor sensed a potential problem and advised me that if I wanted to enter, I must throw them out. Then I was told to spray my sunscreen lotion on me to make sure it wasn't alcohol. They didn't know the difference between a mister and a spray bottle, a parasol and an umbrella, they didn't know the difference between outside food (meal?) and a few baggies of snacks. Some let wagons and coolers through, and some screeners did not. The confusion with gate time opening created a never-ending line of cars going in circles at the entrance waiting for the 11 am opening, but the next day the gates opened at 9am. They need correct training, common sense, plus a lesson in respect to those with disabilities.

Dang! It seems that they treated ADA people worse than regular GA people. That sucks!

[Cooter]

always have to wonder if someone who was entering via that route earlier tried to get something past, thereby ruining it for everyone else the rest of the weekend. and security searches are always inconsistent, it seems. some take their jobs way more seriously than others. they also sometimes keep it inconsistent on purpose, so people who are trying to sneak something in can't profile who is being lenient and who is not. pretty much the same at any airport, some get the full search, some walk right on through.

and in regards to food, no outside food means no outside food, whether it be a meal or a snack. a majority of venues i've been to are like this and it is addressed in the faq.

in regards to meds, they always say to keep medication in their marked bottles. how does security know if you are smuggling in something illegal mixed with something legal? if you got pulled over by a cop somewhere and had a bottle of pills it could be an issue, too. especially if one of them is some form of narcotic medication. what i do is save an old bottle with that prescription to keep on me or in the car with a few of the pills in if i need to.

"ALL medical prescriptions and accompanying names on those containers will need to match the person's proper ID"

really gotta blame the people in the past that were caught sneaking stuff in via various methods.

believe me, i have issues with security when i am out there, too. this year i basically had walking pneumonia at coachella. was leaving a set late one night and all of a sudden a walkway that had been open to go backstage all day was closed off. told security my situation, that i was sick as shit, had a lung disease, and could not walk the long way back there that was now required. they still wouldn't budge. so then told them i am on the lung transplant list, my lungs are functioning at 35%, please let me through. still nothing. so ten i just started to try to push my through, telling them i could not go the long way due to my health and to let me through now...now i need to go to medical. finally a supervisor heard and said to let me through. these security people are not allowed to think for themselves, it's "i was told to do this, so i'm doing this". and many are off duty millitary, so when given an order they don't budge. for better...or worse. i was ready to get in a fight over it, though.

[frenchie]

They also required me to throw away my mints, which was the first I've ever heard of that. Not one other person around me had that same issue and it was super frustrating. The staff in the ADA check in were rude, inconsistent and offensive in their actions and accusations. I've never had to throw mints away before and that wasn't announced prior to our search.

[JNPatton]

Most days GA security was just as expected, then on Sunday they got crazy. I saw some girl on a bike though, is that allowed?

[Janell24]

Last year they said no Ice Chest's but my friend and I saw tow women carry one in

[StagecoachFan4ever]

I'm shocked to here the people entering the ADA parking entrance had such a horrible experience! My husband and I were commenting and praising the experience we had this year...We have attended the Stagecoach festival every year and each year has in our eyes improved. This year we were unable to purchase our tickets as they sold out while on hold as many others I'm sure. So we ended up purchasing them via craigslist san diego. We were sceptical but had high hopes everything was lagit (paid face value for admission, and $375 <----way above face value for car camping pass) But it was all worth it! Everyone from the vehicle search were curtious and respectfull, however confused as to where to direct us for camping. After that issue was settled we were welcomed and directed by the Lot 5 manager to a spot closest to the venue(sorry I don't remember his name. The young lady (Lindsey Peck) at the info booth was most helpful to us the entire 5 days we were there, she assisted us in ADA shuttles (Ryan who took care of getting our ADA Access bands and shuttling us to the venue when needed), I thought I had lost my smart phone and she was quick to radio lost and found and she checked several times, (we found the phone monday while packing up to leave in our tent...lol)
The first day there we left San Diego pouring down rain to arrive to a sunny but windy Indio....There were two guys patrolling on bikes stopped and offered to help us put up our EZ UP. Just to add once we were in the venue the staff volunteer on the ramps to the left of the stage (again I forgot his name) was Awesome he helped get wheelchairs on and off the ramps in a timely manner and he was constantly jumping over the railing to retrieve dropped items. I do apologize for not remembering the names of the many people that made our weekend a wonderful experience. Thank You All

[frenchie]

To be honest, that was the only headache we had. The rest of the event went smoothly and so many things were improved from previous years. It wasn't enough to ruin the weekend, but it put a damper on the beginning of the day Hopefully they can have some more experienced security working that gate in the future or else there could be some serious issues.

[Cooter]

what were the exact issues at the ada gate?

plus a lesson in respect to those with disabilities.

how were they disrespectful?

[frenchie]

what were the exact issues at the ada gate?



how were they disrespectful?

The staff searching bags were all very inexperienced and had no idea what was allowed and what wasn't. They would ask one another what to do and there was no consistency. The person next to me didn't even have to open their backpack, but I had to take every single item out of mine. One person got through with a full water bottle and then another had to pour theirs out. Some let in food (snacks, chips, candy, etc) and I had to throw my new package of mints away. Still in the wrapper, might I add. They were rude and short with us and barked orders. This was an entrance that had to have an ADA placard and accompanying paperwork from the DMV, plus ADA wristbands. It wasn't a general entrance line and that should eliminate some of the headaches but it seemed to be more of a hassle than any other entrance.

[festivalfan]

It seemed they staff at the ADA entrance was "in training". While in line waiting, someone would walk by telling us to be prepared for a search, then advising us to "get ready" the gates are opening. Everyone would pack up , fold up their chairs, throw away the food and beverages they were eating, move up 2 feet, then wait. Out came the chairs again and started all over again. It was difficult for those with equipment and challenges to keep readjusting.
The staff at the entrance would "bark" orders to stand here, turn around, empty your purse etc. When I said ok, my meds aren't labeled, my mistake I'll take them to my car, they said no, not allowed, and if I chose to leave the line, I'd have to go to the end of the line . I told them the meds were ok the day before.
I have difficulty accepting the excuse that some people may have spoiled it or tainted the way the screeners view us. They were not trained to screen appropriately. The didn't know what to look for, and how to do it properly.

[Cooter]

that's because they are working for 3 days and that's pretty much it, they have to learn on the clock. it's like that at every festival i have ever been to. ever. one day you get an awesome person checking you the next it's some guy who wanted to be a cop but could never qualify so you give him a yellow shirt and all of a sudden he is off on his power trip. you get people that respond to an ad and get thrown into the fire. sure it sucks, but if you go in expecting it then it is much easier to deal with. hasn't changed in the 20 or so years i have been attending various fests, don't expect it to anytime soon.

[frenchie]

I guess there is an expectation that people working at an entrance geared entirely toward ADA guests would have a bit more training, respect and decency than they showed.

[bnlfan5680]

They still need to hire more women for the entrances. Friday was so bad that the security people working the gates said screw it and stopped the male female lines. At the main entrance for day parking people women seemed to outnumber men 4:1. There were times when the men had absolutely no line. Saturday and Sunday were better but still the men had some empty lines. They need to put signs up on the tents to let people know which lines are for female and which are for men. The same thing happened last year. There seemed to be more women working, but it still was not enough.

[Country Gypsy]

Our ADA experience was pretty possitive, and am going to write directly to Goldenvoice to thank them.

We only had to use the ramp one night,( because with the new standing room this year I did not get knocked over as I did last year with people trying to crowd in).... and Austin,who was at the ramp and, who was in a wheelchair, was truly concerned for peoples' welfare. The staff had to constantly juggle wheelchairs as people came and went in a narrow area. I, too, wish I had thought to get names so I could pass on their kind efforts to their department.

I did have one problem. the first night I was told I had to have an escort in, even though I am not in a chair, since I had an ADA access bracelet on. I was sent to the customer service station , and there I was told they were just unaware of new situations and offered to come and deal with it for me. When finally being allowed to go in, the staff were not going to let me in with my inhaler because it did not come in a package with my name on it.

I am sure as each new situation arises, staff will be educated to each exception to a standard rule. I was please just to see all the efforts Goldenvoice DID implement.

[bnlfan5680]

They also need more water stations. I was only able to find two of them on the entrance side of the field. With the grounds being so big, they need to have more, especially with the heat. There should have been refill stations on the far side of the field near the food tents. I don't think it should be that hard to have them outside of every restroom area.

[caligirlUCR]

Tent camping needed more than one shower trailer - the ladies line was 3 hrs long every day and the security yelled at the shower guy for cutting off the guys line and allowing ladies to shower in there for a few hours. It was pretty insane . . . . also I absolutely hated the new location - I would like the original tent camping location back. It was 100% better!!! The other locaton had nice big trees that you could go hang out under and the ground was level! Walking and carying stuff in or out, even with a wagon was horrible. Also on monday morning when I am walking back in the camping area with an EMPTY wagon - why do I have to walk all the way around and thru security!!!! So annoying.

[JNPatton]

also I absolutely hated the new location - I would like the original tent camping location back. It was 100% better!!! The other locaton had nice big trees that you could go hang out under and the ground was level! Walking and carying stuff in or out, even with a wagon was horrible. Also on monday morning when I am walking back in the camping area with an EMPTY wagon - why do I have to walk all the way around and thru security!!!! So annoying.

I had issues getting back in after we left lot 5 to pick up ice. Security implied that we would be allowed back but when we arrived with 60lbs of melting ice we were told that we would have to walk around. Eventually someone from our site came out to take the ice and security wouldn't let them back in. Eventually we got it through, it was just ice after all, but we had to walk back through security at the other gate with the beer. Not too big of an issue.

[Chevgirl357]

I had issues getting back in after we left lot 5 to pick up ice. Security implied that we would be allowed back but when we arrived with 60lbs of melting ice we were told that we would have to walk around. Eventually someone from our site came out to take the ice and security wouldn't let them back in. Eventually we got it through, it was just ice after all, but we had to walk back through security at the other gate with the beer. Not too big of an issue.

It was almost comical if that securioty guard hadn't been such a royal arse! We had I think it was 100 lbs of melting ice and a broken cart. Also a 30 pack of beer with the handle breaking. And they literally wanted us to walk a MILE back around when we had already been to that end and the security guard over there was DIRECTING people to the front of car camping. And then they made car camping (Saturday) an entrance to the venue. I don't get too upset because I EXPECT the security guards to have wrong information at this point. But I AM glad we got the ice in!