Is Crowd Behaviour a Sign of the Times or Just Breaking News

[Architectlink]

Dear Senior Editor Scott Berinato:

RE your article: How to Control Crowds http://www.csoonline.com/read/050107/fea_crowds_pf.html

I've asked the paper to please keep my name confidential because these theme parks sue people for infringing on their rights.

I am an architect and our family just returned from a shocking experience at a local theme park last night. Your article points out that good crowd control should exit people from a venue at 2-3 people per square meter. You point out three problems with large crowds at venues: “Stampedes, crushes, riots. In crowds, trivial events can have tragic consequences.”

I wholeheartedly agree with your research! We visited an Orlando theme park yesterday with a group from our children’s school, and we were appalled at how little crowd control has become the norm these past few years at the XYZ THEME PARK after dark. Statistics show that the monorails alone have a daily use by 150,000 people a day (http://en.wikipedia.org) and it is obvious that in the last 26 years FAR more people are now attending these venues than the exits were ever designed to hold in 1971. Crowds can barely move down any of the streets between the hours of 9-11pm, and I watched as people in wheelchairs and scooters helplessly sat waiting to move a few inches. This is a huge disaster waiting to happen!

Are we allowing theme parks to grow beyond their capacity to provide safe and adequate crowd control?

Are we destined to encounter the same stampedes and crushes that have been occurring overseas at huge venues?

Are the park-hopper passes enabling crowds to reach super capacities never envisioned by the original designers?

[Architectlink]

...Additionally, I am shocked to encounter such crowds that one can barely move in any direction between the hours of 8-11 pm. As the crowds slowly pushed forward to both get into the parks AND to exit the park, I continually felt that if there had been any sort of disturbance, that thousands of people could easily become crushed by the lack of exits and the lack of available options. Park employees seemed overwhelmed with the frustration of the surge of people and I wonder if the top brass are even aware that they are putting thousands of people at risk each and every night with record breaking crowds.

It seems unconscionable that more and more people are unknowingly pouring themselves into antiquated systems that were never designed to hold these capacities. Stadiums limit the number of people that are admitted according to the number of seats available. But theme parks seem to have no limit to the numbers of busses, monorails, cars, taxis, and trams that are being admitted. Through the sale of park-hopper passes, it is ACTUALLY now conceivable that twice the allowable load of occupants from all of the parks could show up at one of the venues at one time, and there would be no way to keep these ticket holders out.

It is a disaster waiting to happen. The theme parks appear to have total authority over the code authorities.

You also state that “facilities are designed to maximize profit at the expense of creating safe crowd conditions. “They don’t design for the safe movement of people, … They’ll spend years studying design and structures and spend a couple of weeks on crowds. They say ‘Let’s put it here, then figure out how to get people in and out.”

Well, I want to thank you again for your article and I also want to start questioning code authorities on the requirements for theme park executives to provide accurate admittance numbers that mesh with available exits and crowd control.

I’d hate to tell them and their insurance companies that we told them so!

[felixthecat]

I see it as a "sign of the times".

It's all about lack of discipline!

For example, in the old days vice was hidden. Today it's in the open and in your face. Another ... parents would control themselves at sports events involving their kids - today it's not so unusual for a parent to get on the field and slug the empire or punch out another parent on the opposing team. Bottom line is people really don't have boundaries UNLESS the boundary is Bible based and then it's considered hateful etc..

Isaiah 5:20-21

20] Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

[21] Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

IMO, it's just more of the above happening more frequently and less people KNOWING what is right and wrong. When you throw God out of society it becomes every man for himself and "churches" today aren't typically preaching the Word of God so people let their emotions rule them rather than God's Word. The Bible gives you boundaries for behavior - discipline and how to live your life.

[Southern Lady]

Ahhh that is why I enjoy going to smaller mostly unknown attractions. My husband and I went to Iowa and found many things to do and NO crowds. Besides no crowds the prices were much much more affordable than the high priced Orlando theme parks. No to mention that it is very very hot this time of year.

[krw0315]

...
IMO, it's just more of the above happening more frequently and less people KNOWING what is right and wrong. When you throw God out of society it becomes every man for himself and "churches" today aren't typically preaching the Word of God so people let their emotions rule them rather than God's Word. The Bible gives you boundaries for behavior - discipline and how to live your life.

excellent post... well-put... wish I were as eloquent

[waitin]

excellent post... well-put... wish I were as eloquent

In agreement!! People ,even some Christians I know, are so undisciplined and just plain rebellious. It's almost as though some want to challenge anything or anyone , especially authority.

[felixthecat]

excellent post... well-put... wish I were as eloquent

Thanks for over looking the run on sentences ...
I get a tad excited when typing.

The answers are in the Bible. Our society can't get rid of God fast enough. The more we erase him from society the more trouble we have and the lower we sink.

[Sister-N-Christ]

I hadn't really thought of this. We were there at Christmas and were able to avoid the worst crowds by going opposite the way most go but there were times (during parades) when there were so many people you could barely shuffle a few inches. :gaah

[IMSAVED]

And in a disaster what are all those people going to do when they panic? Everyone will be trampled.

[WarriorX]

As long as we're talking about stampedes....... what about the hundreds of muslims that have been trampled on because of their false religion's "hajj" stuff? :rolleyes