Don't trust the Burning Man box office staff.

[cjgeorge2012]

<this is a copy of a letter of complaint>

Dear Burning Man Box Office Staff,

I looked at the web site just before leaving to drive up on Friday. It said (and still says) that tickets were available at the box office at the gate. I arrived just before sunset and was told by the box office staff that tickets stopped selling Thursday night at midnight. They then told me that they had a few left and could sell me one for $350. I got my $350 out in the form of cash. Then the staff demanded drugs in order to complete the transaction. I told them i only had a little pot in a film container--other than that all I had was non-alcoholic beer. They then took a nugget of pot and claimed to be undercover police and told me that I was busted. Eventually, they gave me a ticket, but not before totally blowing my welcome and making me tremble in fear.

As I left the window, one of the staff said to tell anyone who asks that I got the ticket at Will Call. I was asked where I got the ticket when I got to the gate, I did as I was told, and I was promptly and thoroughly searched. Clearly, I was given a code to deliver.

Please give me an explanation and apology. I need to tell you that I have lost respect for the Burning Man staff and see you as hostile and manipulative. Fortunately, I managed to have a good time in spite of your disgraceful welcome. I will spread the word that the Burning Man box office staff should not be trusted.

Thank you for your attention regarding this matter,

Chris George

[Dustdevil]

I smell something, a troll perhaps......

[Badger]

Please give me an explanation and apology. I need to tell you that I have lost respect for the Burning Man staff and see you as hostile and manipulative. Fortunately, I managed to have a good time in spite of your disgraceful welcome. I will spread the word that the Burning Man box office staff should not be trusted.

I hear that the staff at Knotts Berry Farm and kind and non-manipulative...

[bigpurple]

I am very sorry that you had what you percieved to be a bad experience getting into burning man. I hope you can take a few valuable lessons away from this experience.

1) Everyone is searched on the way in - this is to find stowaways NOT drugs.

2) Undercover cops will ask if the "can have a bud" or whatever. When they do, if you don't respond with "Get the fuck away from me" you will get a $250 dollar souvenir.

3) Burning man is about self reliance - and there are many pranksters that will encourage you to stand up for yourself and break away from herd mentality. If someone tells you No, tell them Fuck off right back.

Being the butt of a practical joke is sometimes hard to take. Burning Man culture is not a hippie love fest, even though some think it should be. I am glad you had a good time anyway.

[Rabbi Dali Rick]

Those Bastards.......



delusionally,
the rebbi

[cjgeorge2012]

Chris,

I apologize sincerely for any problems you may have had. I will direct your email to the correct department. The DPW builds the city, maintains and services it, then cleans it up. We leave ticket sales to a different department. However, this is the exact kind of behavior we no longer accept in DPW, and I know that other department heads feel the same way. Sorry your original interaction with our staff was a crude one. I have worked full time for Burning Man since 2000 and have an enormous amount of respect and admiration for our volunteers and staff. DPW spends months in the desert to create an environment that participants can fill in and bring to life. Thank you for transcending a harsh welcome, and please don't judge us all by one situation. We will do everything in our power to figure out where our break down occurred and who was responsible.

Sincerely,
Ada Lee Durgavich
DPW Logistics Superintendent