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Bag checks?!
Just heard there's going to be bag checks at the con this year. What's the over/under on how many hours it'll take to get inside with that stipulation? Let's say 10,000 people have a bag. And let's further say each bag takes 5 seconds to check (an unbelievably ambitious number). Let us further postulate there will be 6 bag check stations (also ambitious given the limited amount of ingresses into the BCEC). That's over *2 hours* if you're at the tail end of that line.
And for what, exactly? I can only assume that nobody is going to be checking inside any of the incredibly ornate costumes people wear to these things. It's certainly not for any *actual* security - perhaps the illusion and image of it, but that'd be about it. Who, exactly, came up with this idea?
With the floor only being open for 7 hours a day, is spending 1/3 of that time waiting outside really the way to go?
And for what, exactly? I can only assume that nobody is going to be checking inside any of the incredibly ornate costumes people wear to these things. It's certainly not for any *actual* security - perhaps the illusion and image of it, but that'd be about it. Who, exactly, came up with this idea?
With the floor only being open for 7 hours a day, is spending 1/3 of that time waiting outside really the way to go?
Quintious on
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Attended: East 14, 15 and West 16
Attending West 2019
Yeah, for those of us arriving from the West coast, asking us to arrive at 7 is like asking us to wake up at 4 am to go play video games. The whole first post was really just me impotently flailing against something that isn't going to change, no matter how utterly stupid and ridiculous it is. But someone's gotta voice the problems with this. I mean hell, let's take this a step further: I get in, I wander around for a while....then I get hungry. I go to Paulie's for a lobster roll for lunch. I come back....and wait in another line just to get in again. It's pretty ludicrous given the theme of the expo.
You could try and ask on twitter they have been answering a lot of questions about that, i would be shocked to see if they only had a few checking bags for a convention this big here is hoping they have lots so it goes fast. Also i think later in the day they have more doors open i would think, and people at those doors checking so it would not all be one line.
Attended: East 14, 15 and West 16
Attending West 2019
The search is mostly for "weapons and dangerous goods only." So as long as hundreds/thousands of people don't bring in big backpacks that are stuffed full of things, then I really don't think this whole thing will be much of a problem, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.
A stadium at a sporting event has no fewer than 8 different points of entry and the vast majority of people attending a sporting event don't bring any sort of bag with them. You're comparing apples to cleaning supplies.
Attended: East 14, 15 and West 16
Attending West 2019
An example of an unobtrusive policy would be something like Grand Central in New York City where Police reserve the right to search bags but this practice is seldom carried out and folks freely move about.
It doesn't hurt to be prepared for the worst case scenario but STOP posting wild conjecture about five hour lines.
Just be ready to open your bag and show the contents when its your turn dont be that guy or girl that takes an extra 5 mins unpacking half their life.
1, I didn't say 5 hour lines - I postulated up to 2. 2, it's no more wild conjecture than assuming that anything GOVERNMENT is involved in will be dealt with with a light hand and that there's even the remote possibility it's just going to be "the occasional random pull-aside" - especially since this is obviously panic-driven as a result of last year's marathon. Don't like my conjecture? There's this great "x" button in the upper right hand side of your browser, as well as a "back" arrow, that will take you right away from it.
As to your bit about me closing my browser: if I don't like what you're saying, I will let you know. You're more than welcome to do the same. You would think someone making thinly veiled allusions to the Fourth amendment would also respect the free exchange of ideas (a tenant of the First!)... but I guess some people like to pick and chose.
I digress, as some of the less charged people have mentioned, I do not think BCEC would operate in such a manner that would bring the convention to a halt or create an unsafe condition (droves of people queued in front of the building for hours).
Without knowing the scale of the search its hard to tell for sure how long each person will take. If you are that concerned plan ahead, get their early and dont carry the world with you.
As to doubting that they would "grind the convention to a halt" - Emerald City ComicCon tried a queuing setup not too far back....it took up to 4 hours to get into it, and it's much smaller. They put an end to the practice. So there is reasonable doubt that a facility would misunderstand just what it is they're undertaking.
As to your little sleight....I love all amendments, which is why I didn't put "STOP" in big letters trying to tell you to do something. On the contrary, I never told you to do anything - I merely responded with a potential solution towards your problem of making demands and not getting your way. Try your hyperbole and straw-man elsewhere. Or don't. Whatever.
It's still security theatre if they're not doing a pat down, but this isn't up to the PAX organizers, this came from above them.
One thing I will say, it's unfortunate the police will be spending their time on this rather than checking for crimes.
Out of curiosity, do we have actual confirmation that the Boston Police will be conducting these searches? Admittedly the only official information I have read on this subject was the tweet, which states "The building is requiring it..."
Attended: East 14, 15 and West 16
Attending West 2019
The Cookie Brigade: @Official_PAX will it be enforcers or bcec staff/outside security doing bag checks?
Official_PAX: BCEC and Boston PD
That's confirmation enough for me.
How many stadiums have you been to? I honestly haven't been to many, but they definitely didn't have 8 different entrances for bag checks. Exits, yes. Entrances, no. I also wouldn't agree that the "vast majority" didn't bring bags, but that's my observation so I can't really back that up. I wonder if there is any hard data on that, I'm kind of curious.
Ex-Agent to the Stars, ex a lot of other things too.
Pax East 2011, 2012 Veteran. 2014 now loading.
But hey, this is a minor inconvenience for the sake of safety. Also nothing new... NYCC had the same deal with no problem and so did every concert I've been to.
You're acting like a major venue (which has far more than a single entrance), that is managed by a citywide public safety department, has never conducted a security check, has no references for how to conduct a security check and has no idea people will be coming in a large amount.
You're also acting like Boston should say "We had a bombing at a public event recently, and although it is unlikely we will catch most prohibited items, we know that announcing bag checks can cause those wishes to do harm to find an easier target, so we should *NOT* add extra security to a major event. That won't bite us in the ass at all!"
You're also acting like everyone lines up at once. The queue line is open and slowly filling for hours before the event opens. (Which is what you were equating with ECCC, by the by. The queue they failed at? PAX has a whole room dedicated to and manages quite well. I've heard other cons also tried making people do a lottery for panels and it didn't work! I bet that means BCEC and BPD can't do security checks well!)
You're also acting like PAX organizers have control over this and that they read this forum (they do not.) Even if it causes lines and inconvenience, they can only pass that experience on to improve how things are done and I am sure they are giving their input already.
Do you really think before an issue arises, in a format not designed to have an effect on your postulated crisis, on something that cannot be controlled by the organizers or a mass protest, this is worth freaking out over?
And if it is, please take your random number spazz to people who can affect it: BCEC security is managed by the MCAA Public Safety Department 617.954.2000.
(Math is fun! Let's say 10,000 people have to pee in the BCEC at once, after the major panels let out. Given there are only 22 bathrooms and each person will take an average 2 minutes with handwashing, the lines for the bathrooms could be....wait...I just pulled all those numbers out of my ass.)
Oh, and by all means, go on and on with hyperbole about "freaking out" and "spazzing" when all I did was mention an annoyance and never at any point said "zomg this is the end of the world boycott PAX!!11!!". I'd love to hear more of that. But then again, I've always been oddly amused by the low-comprehension populace.
(That was all sarcasm, btw - wouldn't want to confuse some)
I believe someone posted contact info for the convention center above. If there's more info to be had on how this will be conducted and specifcs regarding pax, that might actually be relevant to this subforum.
Geth, close this thread.