Navigating through Crowded Spaces

On my commute this morning I came up with the idea that a brief exposition on dealing with crowds would be helpful to a general audience. This weekend I attended a punk concert which brought to life many of my past show experiences. Coupled with my daily commuting, and the increased heat seeming to bring people out in droves I have decided to unveil for the first time some of my secrets of how to get around in crowds.

The first place I would like to talk about is commuting. Keep in mind the two objectives that all of these techniques are focusing on is first getting where you need to go in a timely fashion, and second being considerate of the people around you. I am not providing an ends justifies the means approach here but rather honing in on a complete experience where you get to where you got to go quickly and with little disruption to the people around you.

The trip begins at home so if you want to have a pleasant commute make sure you leave enough time to get there. Also leave with the proper mindset, if you are rushing then there is good chance you will be frustrated by situations. Another thing to keep in mind is delays are unavoidable so when you get confronted with them recognize them as situations out of your control. As you board a subway, bus, ferry, or pass through a toll make sure you have your fare, id, or any other item you need to pass through the entranceway. Preparation is the key to being quick, and carefree. I personally don’t like to rush so I only hustle when it is absolutely necessary otherwise I am doing everything I can to make things as relaxed as possible.

Be conscious of the people around you and keep as much space as you can between you and others. When walking in a pack keep an eye on the feet in front of the person in front of you so you can begin to match their strides in a fluid fashion. When someone clips my heels from behind I tend to stop and let them pass. It gets the tailgating pedestrian off your back and on your way, and also at the same time gives you an immediate blocker into the commuter pack.

As you walk look for clear spaces and gravitate towards them. Many times people get caught in the middle of large groups while the sides continue to flow around the pile-up. As you allow your awareness to stay with what you are doing you will find that there are tons of openings all along your path. As you become aware of space even within crowded situations you will be surprised how much openness is always there. If the crowd gets to be too much remember you can always contact the sky to experience a glimpse of the infinite surrounding you. Putting your attention on your feet also can ground you and pull you down to the earth when you find yourself caught up in the bumrush.

Stay off your cellphones and don’t text when in crowded space. Do not stop on stairways to tie your shoes. Stay out of doorways on trains. Move to the middle of the platform and look for areas that don’t have as much bunching. When boarding buses don’t stand in the front doorway but rather move into the back where you won’t be jostled. The more you pay attention, learn to move with purpose but not speedily, and keep yourself calm the better your experience will be.

A proper commute into work is so important because it sets the tone for the rest of the day. Then on the way home it does the same for your time spent at home. Also stay away from people that appear like they are stewing in aggression or themselves oblivious to space. The best way to avoid trouble is to avoid the people that seem like timebombs ready to explode.

Let’s switch to concerts. Say you want to get to the front row because you absolutely adore the person performing. Once again if you get there early and camp out a spot you will have a better chance to get your coveted front and center spot. Keep in mind when putting yourself in the middle of crowds if it makes you nutty then you probably shouldn’t be there.

When entering the cluster forming around the stage don’t try to go through the center area via the back. The best way to get in is usually by walking along the side where it is less crowded and there is room to walk. Then once you have made it to about three to seven rows back (in a general admission standing crowd of course) begin making your way to the center. Once again look for the spaces, and aisles created by the people standing. If the show hasn’t started yet then get to a good mid-level spot and wait. Once the act goes on you can once again make a small surge forward towards the stage area.

Keep a pleasant demeanor as you navigate through the crowd. At shows people are there to have fun so the chances of them being receptive to you are greater if you are having fun. Once again stay away from people that are seeing the experience as territorial. I’ve noticed over the years there are tons of people that like to stake out ground, and put their foot out beyond their own body perimeter. I personally do not like that technique because you are causing people to have to step on you. This is what I consider a classic knucklehead move. I don’t want to investigate it any further but suffice it to say it is not one of my techniques.

Rather than bull through crowds of people I tend to wait until someone else decides to make that move and then I walk right behind them real close. To anyone in the crowd you appear to be with the person. In this case the bigger the person you are following the better.

Another technique I have seen work really well but that I personally don’t employ is the pretend you are security, a photographer, or bringing a drink to the band. All you have to do in these ploys is raise something above your head such as a drink, a camera, or even just your hand. Then you say something like “security, coming through” or “drinks for the band” or “press”

Another thing is have a sense of purpose. Put your eyes on the spot where you want to go and treat it like all you are going to settle for is getting to that spot. In my younger days I used to be a master at getting to the front row at general admission shows. The technique of getting from the second row to the first row is as follows. Be aware for openings, or people leaving their spot. Also if you can get just one arm on the fence in front of you then place it there. A lot of times people will give way and you can then take the space they create for you.

Another great way to create space is through dancing. When I dance I am not just vibing to the music but I am also making space. I flail my arms, and swing my feet. As people give me a little space, I move in and out of that area attempting to create a wider circumference. Often when you do this other people who like to dance will occupy your newly created circle with you, and then all of a sudden you went from a stale standing only environment to an open dancing expressive one.

When in moving crowds where you have little control of where you can go because the area is jam-packed then it is important not to move outside of the flow. Let the impetus of the crowd move you forward, and make directional adjustments once you leave the sardine situation.

And in closing enjoy the experience. Part of learning to enjoy our lives is learning to appreciate all aspects of it, including the mundane.

Please let me know if this has been helpful, if you have your own prized techniques, object to any of mine or would like me to expound further on any of this. Your input is appreciated.