Safe standing debate reopened.

[shavingryansprivates]

Feb 7, 2014 20:58:10 GMT 1 hessisgod said:

I'm of the view that there is no such thing as safe standing. I've been going to football for over 25 years and I've stood on a packed Rainham end, the kop and others. While the atmosphere was great, I think all seated stadia are progress. I can only imagine how the hillsborough families would feel as well if standing came back

Perhaps if all seater stadiums worked they would be progress. But the fact is, they don't work. Thousands of people stand in all seater stadiums every week in the Premier League alone, including most of the Anfield Kop. The fact is, the purpose of all seater stadiums has not been implemented. Clubs have turned a blind eye to people standing for the last 20 years, and they will continue to do so.





So the choice is, we either continue to let people stand in seated areas, with no supporting rail, which can lead to (and I personally have been victim to) injuries or falls. OR, we can implement Rail Seating, which is allocated in the same way seated areas are, but with a supporting Rail for increased safety. That way, the people that want to stand can in a designated safe area, solving issues such as blocking seated spectators views, and fan-steward conflict.





If you look at the Rail Seat design, it is literally unrecognisable in comparison to what we call terracing. It eliminates the risk of crowd surges (it's physically impossible unless you have a superhuman the size of a house who can also melt metal), and is ticketed in the same way seated areas are- i.e not like the old days when it was sometimes possible for people without tickets to get in, or for too many people to congregate in one area. 

The evidence is there- the Bundesliga has used Rail Seating for the last 15 years. I have stood in the Rail Seating area of Dortmund's Sudtribune several times, and I can vouch for it's safety. It's standing on a wide step with a metal rail in front of you, with a maximum of one person behind you, there is no safety risk. 

[gillsjan]

Welcome new member above.....

[Greyfox]

I agree Shavingryansprivates. And I'm pleased that like me you've noticed how many stand up at premiership matches.

I also remember half seeing Nottingham Forest v Gillingham and having to argue with supporters who insisted on standing up.
The stewards gave up in the end and I asked to be moved to a different seat. I appreciate it's a difficult problem for stewards to deal with especially if supporters get annoyed and frustrated. Sometimes violent.

I'm sure a safe standing area must be safer than the ( so called temp!!! stand) at the Gillingham End.
I was waiting for the local news to announce it had collapsed in the storm last Friday night.
I wouldn't want to be in a large away crowd in that stand. Safe standing surely must be safer than that.