With the arrival of Vivid Sydney 2017 also comes the arrival of the crowds, road closures, and public transport mishaps.
During the 2016 Vivid Festival patrons were urged to find alternative routes into the city due to massive road closures, increased traffic and massive crowds in the Sydney CBD
The same precautions have been put in place this year so it is important you are aware of all of your surroundings so you can stay safe during this season. With more people in the one area the potential of getting hurt or injured is increased. Some important things you should consider when being a part of a large crowd:
- Keep your family and friends close
It is easy to lose your friends and family in the large crowds so it is important that you are always aware of their location.
Children often wonder off to look at something or pick something up off the ground, which means parents can lose sight of their children quite easily. In this situation children can get hurt and will have trouble re-locating you so stay vigilant and don’t let them out of your sight.
Older friends or family members may want to look at something else or and do a separate activity which can lead to your group being split up. In this scenario the buddy system never fails and it is important that you always have someone with you.
- Establish a meeting point
If your friend or family member happens to get lost and there is no way to contact them, a meeting point should be established before heading into the large crowds.
When there are larges crowds in one area, phone towers often struggle to compensate for the increased cellular traffic so service may drop in or out.
Mobile phones may often run out of battery or get lost so establishing a meeting is the best way to circumvent all possible situations.
- Respect the precautions and crowd control measures put in place
Fences, guard-rails and security personnel have all been put in place to keep you and every body else safe.
People often get hurt when these precautions aren’t respected. Whether it be by your fault or someone else’s, you should still be mindful of the safest way to proceed.
- Plan your trip
When you are heading into a heavily crowded venue it is important to plan you trip to avoid any unnecessary hiccups.
If you plan on driving, make a note of the best parking for your needs. For a family with small children street parking isn’t always the safest so it is better to look for parking complexes in the area.
If you plan on taking public transport, look at the available train and bus timetables so you aren’t waiting unnecessarily. Look at the times that best suit you and your needs.
If you require extra help at the train, ferry or bus station, such as an accessibility ramp, be sure to get there early so you aren’t rushing and can communicate with the station staff.
- Consider going through the week
Friday, Saturday and Sunday will always be the busiest times to attend an event such as Vivid. The festival runs through out the whole week so to minimise your risk of crowd related injuries consider going earlier in the week to beat the rush.
- Be mindful of others
Tensions can become high and tempers heated when people have to work around others. It is important to be mindful of other patrons and respect the space around you. Don’t stand or stop in walkways and don’t excessively monopolise space so everyone can have a pleasant experience.
If you are injured this winter season be sure to call one of our friendly lawyers for a consultation.
Zoe Brindle is a paralegal in Ruth Hudson’s practice group.
