Submitted by chunkylover5E t3_yi3c7l in news
mangledmonkey t1_iuhopx2 wrote
Reply to comment by cmrdgkr in South Korea probes Halloween crowd surge as nation mourns by chunkylover5E
That's less of the issue than the absolute lack of any safety planning crowd control, or event management since the Itaewon Halloween festivities aren't actually a planned event by any city/neighborhood/government. Korean authorities are very hands off where these unorganized events are concerned and if there was even a fraction of the covid protocols(population control, screening, registration, etc.) being used this would have been avoided entirely.
They should have organized the area into a festival setting with entrance and exit checkpoints and controls a long, long time ago. What a mess. I actively avoided Itaewon during these events because it's just a shit show of massive crowds, usually very drunk, and dirty tight alleyways that get absolutely clogged beyond belief time after time. It's sad to see such a tragic loss that was entirely preventable if even any slight measures would have been taken to manage the crowds that everyone knew were going to be there.
cmrdgkr t1_iuhpr0j wrote
While that certainly would have helped, the lack of awareness absolutely was a major factor in this happening. In other countries people would have been uncomfortable long before the crowd density reached that level.
Fact is, everyone would feel it was fine to keep doing that simply because they were so used to it and so accustomed to seeing that many people around them all the time at things like this. We've talked to people who have gone to the fireworks before and they've told us that when it was over, getting back into the subway was exactly like this, they felt like they floated down the stairs because there were so many people. We always avoided it because I knew it would be a mess.
mangledmonkey t1_iuhy81g wrote
Yea, Koreans are pretty abysmal at awareness in a social setting. But, you're charging people with the expectation of crowd mechanics and capacity limitations which isn't really something to be expected from the average person. Imagine you're inside of one of those clubs or restaurants, owners are telling people they're closing and to leave (it was reported that some restaurant owners were closing up and kicking people put and into the crowd without knowing about the size and scope of things outside). And you went when it was busy, certainly, but not like it now is. The last train just let out, a massive crowd from the already busy streets just poured out from the densely packed alleyway restaurants and bars and clubs, and now that pack of new crowd for the final train is coming towards your exit path, and the path behind is also already packed to the gills. Can't go in anywhere, people from the crowd incoming start pushing, from up a narrow and steep hill, down toward you while people behind continue to try to push up. A group uphill heard there was a popular celebrity and are vying yo get to see them down behind where you are at. They push, suddenly, and strongly, and behind you, someone falls on the slippery, littered, and uneven pavement leading up towards the bottom of the alleyway. A few more people trip on them. Suddenly, everyone is completely falling all over each other, and the crowds behind you and above you up the hill don't stop because they physically can't see or feel what's happening. No amount of awareness, aside simply not going, prepares anyone for that. Event planning, safety procedures, and careful organization of large crowds are basically the only thing to prevent these issues at such a scale.
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