Cardiff Security!

[Sabres]

I attended Cardiff on Saturday along with my wife and two young granchildren.

We enjoyed a couple of drinks before the meeting in Wetherspoons with relatives and met several old friends, all obviously intent on enjoying the day, as normal.

 

I purchased a programme and a couple of air horns for the kids on the way round to gate 7.

 

I was not surprised that security asked to check the bag I was carrying, but imagine my surprise when security incredibly asked me to remove and leave behind, a small plastic bottle of water, two cans of coke and four "fruit shoots" for the kids.

I was told that it stated on the tickets that Alcohol, drinks containers and anything which might be used as a missile could not be taken into the stadium.

 

No one could have been more pleased than me to see that security was being taken seriously, but...

My grandson was wearing a rucksack which contained an A4 wooden Programme board, along with several other items that could have been used as a "Missile". My wife was carrying a Golf Umbrella and the two air horns. I was also carrying my car keys with a Swiss Army knife attached. Whilst the insulated bag that I was carrying included the said drinks along with items of food for consumption when we got into the stadium.

It is my contention that the searches were for the benefit of the concessionaires within the stadium, an attempt to protect their very much overinflated prices and nothing more.

If it was for security reasons, why were there so many air horns allowed in, the difference between the air cannister (which were not checked, they could have been CS Gas) and childrens plastic bottled drinks and a can of coke is very little.

The programme boards, umbrellas, knife etc. could have done equally as much damage.

 

Perhaps they should have confiscated the home made programme sheets that were in one of the bags as well in case I was going to deprive BSI of a couple more £8 Programmes.

 

The taking of the childrens drinks was what really annoyed us, especially as when we did get into our seats, to see the number of people (Especially some of the Poles) drinking from cans, so much so that even though I would probably have bought one or two pints myself we went without, so the concessionaires missed out.

 

How many others were similarly targeted, Is it a fair and reasonable "precaution" or were we just a little too sensitive - I think not.

 

SABRES

[Sandie]

Amazingly our bags were not checked but on this occassion we actually got rid of our bottles before entering the stadium.

 

S@ds law - win some you loose some!!

[Rob B]

Just put in the other thread at the entrance we went in near the third bend by the river, the bags checking by security was stricter then ever but they were doing it before you got to the turnstiles not inside, must of been at least 30+ of them with big bins to put bottles in. I still managed to get two bottles of coke in my back pockets under my coat though.

 

Overheard one of the security guys telling someone that it had nothing to do with the risk of bottles being thrown it is because plastic bottles get left on the floor and if there was a mass evacuation people, especially kids can fall if they stand on the plastic bottles and be crushed in stampede.

 

He said they allow cartons of Ribena etc to be taken in as they just squash when stood on.

[SW17 Bulldog]

Also just posted on the other thread. We switched queues to move to a sensible steward who let us take in bottles of water and fruit shoots.

 

Agree you can hardly expect to take a picnic hamper in, but common sense should prevail.

[FairyTasha]

Yeah our drinks got confiscated Wasnt really happy. Had to buy their drinks that kept going flat after 2 mins! Even is it was Diet Coke!! £1.80 each! I oculd buy 2 for £1.40 in tesco. Next time we're hiding them under coats.

[Gemini]

This was discussed before the G.P. http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/ind...showtopic=35469

 

It's a shame you didn't know beforehand about the ban on tins and bottles etc., being taken inside the stadium. It seems only cartons are okay (unless you manage to miss having your bag checked.)

Ours were checked but we only had cartons of Ribena. It can't just be about making sure we all buy their food/drink because we had sandwiches, crisps and a chocolate bar each, which the stewards saw in the bags.

I agree with you though - it's pretty stupid because they allow other things in like air-horns that could be used as missiles and even set on fire, which a certain rider did several years ago.

[Drew]

It seemed very hit and miss depending on which steward you went past. The checking of bags wasn't always that thorough as I know someone who got in with drinks inside a rucksack. The security people were asking people to drink them by the gate if they wanted to. My wife bought some perfume in the afternoon which was inside a small unchecked rucksack that she took with her inside the stadium. I am glad we didn't have to drink that!

[London Witch]

Our bags didn't get checked either. My son was actually removing his backpack and the steward just waved him through.

[Diesel]

Its the same at all big events, some stewards take a different stance on things.

 

At Download it seemed most were making it up as they went along.

[Rob B]

Ours were checked but we only had cartons of Ribena.  It can't just be about making sure we all buy their food/drink because we had sandwiches, crisps and a chocolate bar each, which the stewards saw in the bags.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Yep the security guy said food is fine, you are allowed to take snacks etc in.

 

Obviously there not going to check everyone of the 41,000 people bags there else it would be chaos outside the stadium.

[tiger of trelawny]

Sabre, we went in through Gate 3 and all the security did was give a cursory look inside my wife's bag. Didn't look beneath the scarf that was resting at the top of it though !!

 

I can understand what you're saying with regards to the comparision with drinks cannisters, air horns, etc etc .... all could be used as missiles. Where does one draw the line ? As for taking the kids' drinks ... that sounds really over the top. We had a parallel experience at the Slovenian GP in 2004. All around us were being let in with chairs (wooden, metal), tables (!!!), drinks coolers and so on. When it came to our turn to enter the stadium our telescopic flagpole (plastic, hollow and very lightweight) was confiscated !!!! Still got our own back by hoisting our Cornish flag up one of the flag-poles between turns 3 and 4 !!! And it was seen quite clearly on Sky !!

[SCB]

Every year my parents have been checked, until this year. However, this year I was checked.

 

I had no drinks but 3 air horns and 2 cameras, they let me in no problems. Good job I'm a good person and did not throw the air horns.

 

I agree, it's money orientated.

[Robyn1972]

Didn't get checked at all. (And that was with the pair of us carrying substantial camera bags!) What was more surprising though was that we both walked in carrying our bottles of water in clear view in our hands!

[crazysue]

For the first time we got a very strict bag checker.....our big bottle of coke was missed (he felt the bottom of the rucksack but the shape of it was missed by the huge Harry Potter hardback book!) but a little tiny bottle of fruit juice was found and my son had to drink it before we went in.

 

We went in Gate 1

[Bobbin' Along]

Went in at Gate 2 - no checks at all on our bags. Mother in law had her water in full view. I think some of them were cold and wet and couldn't be bothered to do thier jobs properly!

[M08]

Nope, went straight in with bottles, sweets etc all in my bag, and didn't get checked at all.

[Guest sjl]

Went in at Gate 2 - no checks at all on our bags.  Mother in law had her water in full view.  I think some of them were cold and wet and couldn't be bothered to do thier jobs properly!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also went in at gate 2 was asked to open my bag and was told to go in without my bag even being looked at -- didn't have anything in it anyway

[leanne1706]

I debated over taking my umbrella but in the end left it in the hotel as I've already had to chuck one at a concert recently... but as it happens our bags weren't checked at all - as Sandie said, it's S@d's Law!

 

I agree that it's great that there are security checks, and I guess the thing about kids falling over bottles in the event of an evacuation makes sense... but surely the same could be said for anything from the air horns to handbags.

 

I did find it funny that on the back of the ticket it said "nothing that could be used as a weapon or missile", yet there were no end of flags on sticks (which I think looked great, but surely they're a "weapon"?).

[BTL]

Went through Gate 3 - bags checked OK very thorough. But as I said on Another thread were you surprised with what nearly happened in London and DID happen in Glasgow.

[Sabres]

Went through Gate 3 - bags checked OK very thorough. But as I said on Another thread were you surprised with what nearly happened in London and DID happen in Glasgow.

 

Security I applaud, taking kids drinks is something else. And as for being aware of kids treading on, or tripping over plastic bottles - total baloney. The Gas canisters and plastic Beer Glasses were just as much of a hazard, especially when one considers the amount that was spilled on some of the stairways.

 

I reiterate, it was done to offer some protection to the concessionaires.

 

And if a mob was walking through any High Street equipped with the banners and poles on a Friday night they would get lifted as being in possession of offensive weapons.

 

I rest my case

 

Roll on next years GP, I will go equipped with the largest Apple and Orange cartons that I can find.

 

Many thanks for your responses

 

Sabres