Greeter Bypass For Early Entry

[Ravenness]

I’m Raven and I help build out a long time participating theme camp on the Playa.

Please, you must add a “greeter bypass lane” just for the early entry period. There are waaaay too many Burner Virgins coming in now with early-entry and causing hours of delays at the greeters. Year after year now, major theme camps are not ready for day one, or even day 2 for the event.

Example. We waited 20 minutes for just one van full of Birgins to pass the greeter station on FRIDAY. They had a proper greeting and it was beautiful. It was certainly not appropriate for the design of early entry.

Please note, thousands of pounds of Co2 is released by vehicles idoling in these lines. It’s time BM addressed this. 40lbs of Co2 is released from just one tank of gas from only one car.

Bottom line, a greeter-bypass-lane for camp builders helps in every way. It helps the environment, it helps the infrastructure and it is so important to us, the return camp builders.

Reduce the crazy pressure on the large number volunteers needed to work. Ease the pressure on BM-.Org. Ease the pollution. Ease the renasion caused by huge delays in the arrival of needed materials transported to the playa, to have it all tied up for hours unnecessarily.

It is just logical.

[Papa Bear]

You appear to be under the mistaken impression that the people here represent the org, and can make the change you desire.

We aren't, and we can't. We're participants, just like you. You need to send your complaint to the org itself. This might be a good place to start: https://burningman.org/network/about-us/contact/

The other merits of your suggestion aside, if your build team is coming in on Friday, and a 20 minute delay is what causes you not to be ready for participants on Sunday or Monday, you're doing something wrong.

Delays during early entry are part and parcel of the experience, and can come for a variety of reasons other than virgins at greeters - including weather, brush fires, and a lack of volunteers to staff shifts at gate. They are something your camp needs to plan ahead for, just as you would plan ahead for a variety of other situations.

[Sham]

I had a 3 hour wait at the gate on Friday. The fun and excitement started in the lines waiting to get into Black Rock City. If there were an "express lane", virtually everyone would be waiting in that line, and all the regular entry lanes would be hardly used.

My solution was to leave my hotel 3 hours earlier, and even though I had to wait in the line, I got to my camp at the time I wanted to. Next year, I anticipate a 4 hour wait, and will head towards the entrance even earlier.

I remember coming through the entrance in 2008 with my artcar and having absolutely no wait. I don't think I had early arrival back then, but if I did, it was just a day early. I was in the Greeter area for at least 15 minutes talking with friends, and there was NO ONE behind me. The entry area was sparse.

I am pretty sure the event was not sold out back then, and tickets could be purchased at the gate. Then something changed.....

[BBadger]

Yeah, I could see the need for a quick entry line bypassing the greeters station (note gate though) if it's not that important to get your hugs and all that. Maybe it'd come in handy for multiple trips, etc. or people returning.

Is it even that bad? I remember that I actually had to change lanes to go into a lane that had a greeter, not find a lane to avoid one.

I don't know about that CO2 argument though. It seems kind of petty and ridiculous to be so worried about the CO2 generated by people idling in their car in the greeter line in the last 10-15 minutes of their 9-10 hour journey hauling thousands of pounds of gear, supplies, and people. The majority of that "40 pounds of CO2" is from the drive to the playa to attend the event itself, not from burners sitting in cars behind people getting hugged by greeters. You're probably expending more CO2 trying to maintain 5-10mph in your lowest gear, periodically accelerating and braking to keep a relatively constant speed.

I also maintain that the best way to not produce your 40lbs of CO2 per gas tank on your way to Burning Man is to not attend at all.

[Captain Goddammit]

That environmental argument does nothing but make people using it lose all credibility. You can’t hang a number like that on something that has nothing but variables. “A tank of gas” isn’t a consistent number. Different engines produce different amounts of emissions. And there’s such a thing as shutting it off when you’re not moving.

I know that’s not the main point, but using that one at all only hurts your case.

About the greeter-bypass, I went to Burning Man before some of those greeters were born. I don’t need it either, if there was a bypass option I’d use it, but that’s just how entry is.
I don’t see how the greeter station is what causes camps to be a day late or more.

[Ratty]

OK. Lets just pretend that you have an 'express' lane. A lane where you roll your window down 2 inches and a Greeter quickly slips your paperwork through the slot. There have been signs up for a mile explaining the concept. I guarantee that virgins will use the lane. They will all jump out of the car, scream and hug etc... You can't stop them. Sorry, It's Burning Man.

Plus, when the lines get too long at Greeters they stop the rituals and rush people through. Speed Greeting. They tell them to come back later for their virgin welcome. If you would really like to be heard then contact the BM Org. By the way, this isn't a new idea.

[motskyroonmatick]

I'd say 5 out of the last 10 years I have arrived greeters hasn't been operational and I miss it! I end up asking incoming camp members who hit greeters to pick up extra copies of the book and map.

If I wanted a bypass lane I would just go to the far left and move a cone, go through and then put it back.

[Token]

This is the kind of thing you would do if you were running an experiment in community and culture.

But who does that crazy thing anymore.

Would cost the BORG nothing to have a lane or two for folks who don’t give a flying fuck about greeters.

Put down an automated magnetic counter and have data for the equally annoying census.

Would be fun.

[unjonharley]

Bitch, about the line because you can't get your burner when "YOU" want .

Bitch "again" about the line because you can't get your burner off fast enough ..

HuH ?

[Traveller in Time]

By the way

Welcome to ePlaya, you have just passed the greeters with an emotional welcome ceremony . . .

[Picky]

I’m Raven and I help build out a long time participating theme camp on the Playa.

Please, you must add a “greeter bypass lane” just for the early entry period. There are waaaay too many Burner Virgins coming in now with early-entry and causing hours of delays at the greeters. Year after year now, major theme camps are not ready for day one, or even day 2 for the event.

I'm almost positive that the left-most lane at Greeters is never manned (before or during the event) and is meant to be exactly what you are looking for.

But if there is a Greeter around, feel free to correct me.

[Captain Goddammit]

Bitch, about the line because you can't get your burner when "YOU" want .

Bitch "again" about the line because you can't get your burner off fast enough ..

HuH ?

I'm just bitching because they let you in at all! Crazy Oregonian.

[Sham]

Why not make EVERY line an express line? Skip the Greeters and the WWW guide and go screaming off at 10 mph to camp. My guess is everyone (including first timers) will head for an express line. For me, I'll stay in the regular line because no one else will be in it.

[lucky420]

I’m going to switch lanes often, like I do at the grocery store

[Token]

My guess is everyone (including first timers) will head for an express line.

Wouldn’t that jam a whole fucklot of culture?

It would be hilarious!

Just imagine all the dejected greeters crying into their electrolyte water.

Take it a step further and replace all the lanterns with solar LEDs and watch the lamplighters revolt.

I’d pay to see that.

[Sham]

Take it a step further and replace all the lanterns with solar LEDs and watch the lamplighters revolt.

I’d pay to see that.

Damn, I saw solar lights on sale at Harbor Freight. They could put 4 of them on each pole and let the Lamp Lighters rest at sundown.

[BBadger]

I usually head for the self-greeter line. I know it has taken away greeter jobs, and the automated voice behind monitor always pisses me off telling me how to burn before I put my shit in the bag, but it just seems to save me time.

[Sham]

I can envision 10 "Greeter Free" lanes that have some sort of FastPass transponder required or automated toll booths that charges a $25 convenience fee before entering the commerce free city. A fast food drive-thru type speaker board can play recorded messages regarding all the usual subjects: seat belts, speed limit, not driving during white-outs, no open alcohol containers, don't drive after reaching your camp, Welcome Home™, have a great burn, etc.

While still on the commerce side of the city line, vending machines could sell WWW guides in the "Speedy Greeter Free" lines (SGF). Other Burning Man books could also be dispensed (sold) in these machines to help defray the cost of the vending machines. A small price to pay for saving time. More machines could be added as popularity increases. Red/green traffic lights could identify open/closed SGF lanes.

For those longing for a more nostalgic feel, Coca Cola might offer up some BRC/Coke branded hug machines. Hugging is free, but maybe you'll buy $4.00 drinks from these vending machines provided by Center Camp Cafe.

[Token]

That is all kinds of funny!

And now a gentle reminder of the original purpose of the greeters before it devolved into the amateur comedy hour hug-fest dust angel debauchery ...

Greeters was the one place the BORG can cram propaganda down your throat and tell the BLM and county that they educated the participants. Like in legit, for real, information in your hand.

You know, things like: Don’t shit on the Playa, don’t touch without asking, no hard-ons while shirtcocking...

But instead we get stinky hugs and dust angels from manic unwashed comedy hour.

It’s all good. Greeters need their therapy.

[Ratty]

Please don't hate on the Greeters.

[unjonharley]

Please don't hate on the Greeters.

There are only a few (Jaded old burner) that are anti- Greeter .. They will burn out on BM quick enough ..

[Sham]

Please don't hate on the Greeters.

There are only a few (Jaded old burner) that are anti- Greeter .. They will burn out on BM quick enough ..

I love the Greeters. Every one that I can find gets a nice gift from me. It's my official start for my week of mayhem.

[Canoe]

I'm almost positive that the left-most lane at Greeters is never manned (before or during the event) and is meant to be exactly what you are looking for.
But if there is a Greeter around, feel free to correct me.

Someone from Gate has always asked and directed me to a low/no greet lane. Usually towards the right, but not necessarily the rightmost. I have no idea if this was planned, or if they were load-balancing based on greeter staffing at that instant.

(First year, greeters didn't believe and remained in disbelief that I'd never been before. LOL)

[Token]

Ummm, no. I’ll harsh as I please, thank you very muchness.

Please don’t feel singled out.

I hate on lamplighters, temple guardians ... pretty much *anything* guardians, census science project ... and rangers too, from time to time, but mostly based on merit.

Pretty much anyone volunteering for something completely unnecessary is fair game.

[Ratty]

Token, Did they have Man and Temple guardians in the years before the Man burned early?

[gaminwench]

*Ratty* No, I don't think so.

*I could be mistaken; correct me, if so*

[Ratty]

I just figured the 'guardians' were there so nobody burnt it.

Token, what department do you work? (Please say Fluffer, Please say Fluffer, Please say Fluffer.)

[Token]

2001 - 2007 no guardians.

2007 1/2 onward, guardians, curators, “oh look at me, I’m important and have authority”, etc.

I don’t volunteer for anything BORG.

I’ve built big art, mutant vehicles, flame effects, fire conclave 8 years, performed on stage for countless events. It’s my vacation and I ain’t working for The Man.

The BORG turns over $30M a year from ticket sales alone. They don’t get have me for free.

[Bless]

OP smacks of elitism.

[Perpetual Burn]

OP smacks of elitism.

But WTF? I'd like a fast pass... if I didn't understand logistics and Playa Points(yeah, OP Google that)

You got a pyramid or two? You'll be welcome from 360 degrees... but if you just suck at waiting in one line once a year... then go back to Beverly Hills...

Jk, just ask the ORG about the underground railroads... they're real... dead serial.