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I'm headed to bonnaroo with a caravan of friends. This is the first festival that any of us has ever been too. We were trying to get an idea of what the security situation would be like at the entrances and in lines to get into roo. I've been looking at other threads but they mostly seem to dance around the issue. If we are underage and want to bring in a couple of cases per car will we be hassled? Are there cops patrolling the lines or doing random searches? Just getting the lowdown on what to expect would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance
The first year I went, everybody in my car was underage and we had no problem with having beer. It all depends on who searches you I guess. And if you're driving good so you don't get pulled over. A cop definitely will have a problem with it. The cops do patrol the lines but I've never seen them searching anybody in line. They're mostly there to make sure people are safe on the side of the expressway.
Post by Jello Biafra on Jun 7, 2010 15:08:58 GMT -5
bury the cases under all your stuff. all they will ask is if you have any weapons or drugs. maybe they make you all get out and they open the car doors and peak around for 30 seconds. it's nothing too intrusive.
you'll be fine.
no there are not cops that walk up and down the lines and it is event staff that do the 'searching'.
There are cops that randomly check cars going in, b-roo secrity will not care about booze as long as it is not excessive or in glass. Going into Center Roo they do a general patdown like most venues.
This will be my 8th year and I have never seen this.
You must be referencing people who got pulled over for a moving violation and allowed a search.
Why would the cops be able to search for just going into a festival?
Once you are on Brushy Branch Rd and you pass that last line of cops that is it. And even then you're not on private property at that point so they do not have any right to search.
Post by questionablesanity on Jun 7, 2010 15:18:55 GMT -5
OP, don't listen to b Burton. There are pics on this forum of people getting searched by the drug task force. They are at every entrance during all hours. They randomly pull vehicles out of line and take everything out of your vehicle, and search thoroughly, then make you put it back in. I witnessed it last year at the tollbooths. A truck was getting searched during the rain. Two pour guys were just waiting in the rain while the cops pulled everything out and threw it on the ground. Trust me, they will be there.
Your chances of getting randomly searched by law enforcement is very small, but if you do, they will probably just make you pour it all out.
A Thieve's Parade 2/24 Conspirator 2/26 Kevin Smith 3/11 Keller 3/17 Papadosio 3/18 JJ Grey 3/25 Bela Fleck/Edgar Meyer 3/26 Toubab Krewe 3/27 O'Death 4/11 Budos Band 4/22 EOTO 4/28 Summer Camp 5/6-29 All Good
Emoney serves more of a purpose than any of you, especially Nate, whose incessant, garbled ramblings are so mindless and pointless that I get depressed just seeing them.
If you're trying to bring in your own beer, the cops aren't so much what you have to worry about. More so the corporate assholes that would prefer you to purchase their own overpriced beer in Centeroo. As long as you don't do anything overly insane, you should be safe from the cops. Hide the beer in the bottom of the cooler, or better yet, just keep it warm and hidden somewhere random.
I must be going to the wrong festival in Manchester every year, I've never seen police searches anywhere on the farm, including the tollbooths. Definitely use care approaching the Manchester exit, drive speed limit and move over for any troopers on the side of the road. Don't crack a beer until you are parked. Basically, don't be stupid and all will be fine.
If you haven't seen the DTF guys at the entrances then you haven't been looking hard enough. THey are there - and they probably search one or two cars out of the line every 20 minutes or so.
Your chances of getting singled out are low - but they definitely exist.
I have been personally searched by the NONO WORD task force, last year, and it is not fun. they are total douches, and play the whole good cop bad cop "just tell me what you have" speech, even when i had NOTHING.
as far as alcohol and underage persons goes..... venture at your own risk, but really they worst case is they take it all, and you just gave the security ppl free cases of bee to drink when they get off.
I must be going to the wrong festival in Manchester every year, I've never seen police searches anywhere on the farm, including the tollbooths. Definitely use care approaching the Manchester exit, drive speed limit and move over for any troopers on the side of the road. Don't crack a beer until you are parked. Basically, don't be stupid and all will be fine.
Wow - where were you c amped last year or the year before? I saw pently of people getting busted for stupid stuff out in the campsites. Most of them were acting dumb in the first place.
Basically - be careful, don't act all freaked out - you may or may not get pulled from the line for a search.
I've been 4 times, and 3 out of the 4 its been regular, quick searches by the staff. Basically they took some glass lq bottles, and open water bottles. Nothing major, no going through bags or anything like that. They basically just move things around to see what they can find in plain sight.
BUT..... 2 years ago, we got the shitty search. They said they were from the sheriff's dept, and raped our minivan. No joke, or exaggeration, they took everything out of the van, opened every bag, took everything out of the bags, went through my folded clothes, searched every little section of the van. It was a huge shit pile on the ground that we had to put back in. We lost: all our liquor - cops said TN law says you can't bring in out of state lq a kitchen knife wrapped in a towel - for the watermelon and honeydew we had some paraphernalia - no complaints, we expected that
Ironically, even though they spent 30 minutes tearing our van apart, they never touched our roof rack.
So in summary - yes, hardcore searches by the police exist. But it is very rare. In the 30 minutes they spent on us, and the 20 minutes we spent repacking, hundreds of people probably passed though the regular searches. I think there were 2 special search lanes compared to 10+ staff lanes
Same as everyone else - don't be obvious, don't be stupid. Most of the cars I saw pulled over were dirty, had "Bonnaroo or Bust!" written on the windows, were RVs, cars loaded to the hilt with like 7 people in a Civic all wearing tie dye.
We had a wookie selling that was busted by a mountie right outside our camp on a Sunday morning. The mountie was cool - give me your stash and money, or get arrested. The wook wasn't sure which to take, but we told him give up the goods and go free. And the mountie did let him go free, and didn't search him or anything to confirm/harass.
I've been 4 times, and 3 out of the 4 its been regular, quick searches by the staff. Basically they took some glass lq bottles, and open water bottles. Nothing major, no going through bags or anything like that. They basically just move things around to see what they can find in plain sight.
BUT..... 2 years ago, we got the Leno-y search. They said they were from the sheriff's dept, and raped our minivan. No joke, or exaggeration, they took everything out of the van, opened every bag, took everything out of the bags, went through my folded clothes, searched every little section of the van. It was a huge Leno pile on the ground that we had to put back in. We lost: all our liquor - cops said TN law says you can't bring in out of state lq a kitchen knife wrapped in a towel - for the watermelon and honeydew we had some paraphernalia - no complaints, we expected that
Ironically, even though they spent 30 minutes tearing our van apart, they never touched our roof rack.
So in summary - yes, hardcore searches by the police exist. But it is very rare. In the 30 minutes they spent on us, and the 20 minutes we spent repacking, hundreds of people probably passed though the regular searches. I think there were 2 special search lanes compared to 10+ staff lanes
Wait, they took open water bottles? At the gate? You aren't talking about Centeroo, you're talking about they took open water bottles out of your car as you were driving in?? Why?
if you object, you can always turn around, go back to the end of the line and try again in 10 hours. bonnaroo is private property, and you agree to these searches to enter.
True, that just sucks if you wanted to, for instance, bring in some liquor that doesn't come in plastic bottles by dumping it into gallon jugs or whatever. Or brew some tea and bring it in via plastic container. Or whatever.
Wow - where were you c amped last year or the year before?
In 2009 we came in from the tollbooth off of Bushy Branch Rd, basically from the north end of the farm. I highly recommend that approach if you can figure out a way to get there, but its not easy. Anyway, we were camped next to Pod 9 Dr. Peter Venkman (I think). Never saw a cop or DTF agent on the way in or near the camp site.
We missed 2008. In 2006 and 2007 we arrived late Thursday or early Friday morning from the main entrance off of I-24. Again, I don't recall any police. That's not to say they aren't there, so don't be stupid.
Does anyone know if all three tollbooths are open right from the get go? I heard that the Bushy Branch Rd. entrance may not open until later in the day on Thursday.
I'm really confused as to how police have any authority to search your car without reasonable articulable suspicion. Unless there is some sign posted that says "Past this point, police may search your vehicle", you have not consented to a search.
Post by summerteeth99 on Jun 9, 2010 2:39:08 GMT -5
what people are forgetting or at least seem to be really naive to is...the police will INVENT probable cause if they so wish (i.e. "his eyes were bloodshot", well no shit officer i woke up at 2am to come here and i've been driving for hours)....and in court it will be your word vs. theirs. wonder who will win that argument?
I'm really confused as to how police have any authority to search your car without reasonable articulable suspicion. Unless there is some sign posted that says "Past this point, police may search your vehicle", you have not consented to a search.
I'm not bringing anything in, but I'll be damned if I let cops tear up my vehicle
This is posted in all caps on Bonnaroo's website: DUE TO HEIGHTENED SECURITY CONCERNS, ALL VEHICLES WILL BE SEARCHED UPON ENTRY TO THE PARKING AREA. SORRY, NO LARGE RENTAL TRUCKS OR BOX TYPE TRUCKS ALLOWED.
As you're entering the grounds, you'll also see signs saying something similar. In other words, if you enter, you have consented to a search.
I'm really confused as to how police have any authority to search your car without reasonable articulable suspicion. Unless there is some sign posted that says "Past this point, police may search your vehicle", you have not consented to a search.
I'm not bringing anything in, but I'll be damned if I let cops tear up my vehicle
This is posted in all caps on Bonnaroo's website: DUE TO HEIGHTENED SECURITY CONCERNS, ALL VEHICLES WILL BE SEARCHED UPON ENTRY TO THE PARKING AREA. SORRY, NO LARGE RENTAL TRUCKS OR BOX TYPE TRUCKS ALLOWED.
As you're entering the grounds, you'll also see signs saying something similar. In other words, if you enter, you have consented to a search.
NTRT is right. If you don't want to consent to a search, then don't enter the grounds. Just don't be stupid guys; nothing is worth going to jail over.