What single thing at faire hurls you off into the depths of rage?

[Molden]

I guess that's my problem with this whole thread. I'm not apt to to into depths of rage over anything. Gross injustice or threat of bodily harm will spur me to action, but not into rage.

Of course, mess with my coffee in the morning ... 

*Stands up and applauds ... LOUDLY!*

I agree whole-heartedly Iain! I myself go to Faire for FUN and to enjoy Friends, those I know and those I've yet to meet. If it HURLS you into the depths of RAGE - get out! Go somewhere else and be HAPPY! Lyfe is too danged short.

If anything hurls me into the depths of rage - it's this thread and similar ones where people choose to wallow in negativity. 

And I also agree Iain, morning coffee isn't something to be trifled with. 

[Kiss-me-Kate]

Tearing up the parking lot...not a good idea.

WHO would be dumb enough to do that in OUR parking lot?  It is a fricking rock quarry!  I wonder if they left their axle anywhere in said parking lot...

I think the only thing that has totally set me off at faire, was some dude who thought he could cop a feel -on my daughter-who was twelve at the time.
My very large, and muscular cousin told him he got a ten second start...

[Lady L]

I meant turning the parking lots into rock quarry/pits.

[Merlin the Elder]

...I think the only thing that has totally set me off at faire, was some dude who thought he could cop a feel -on my daughter-who was twelve at the time.
My very large, and muscular cousin told him he got a ten second start...

Ten seconds? That's rather generous. I'm not violent by any means—quite the opposite—but he would have immediately been looking up from the ground, my foot on his throat, as we waited for security/cops.

[GirlChris]

My issue is very definitely unchaperoned kids that "belong" to someone at faire. The kind who've seen the shows a million times and spoil the jokes, who wander into other booths and distract customers, who try and wiggle their way into bits.

I'm horribly accident prone at faires, and it tends to be these kids that get me hurt because they don't have a sense of boundaries.

[ArielCallista]

I agree with ya GirlChris...another thing they do that reeeeally annoys me is when they go hang out in shops and gripe about the prices and try to tell the people working there that they want it for a much lower price (like they are gonna pay $50 for a $180 bodice) cuz they think they know what its actually worth...(these kids don't consider the cost of labor) and then when the shop workers tell them they can't sell them for that cheap they talk bad about the product in the store, telling shoppers that their stuff is crap and you can buy something similar alot cheaper from their parents shop at the other end of the park...I had a kid do this to me in moresca telling me that their bodices were crappy and made out of cheap fabric and that her mom could make the same thing for like $10...I quite literally laughed. I didn't mean to laugh in the kids face, but its highly unlikely that they could get materials identical to moresca's of better quality for $10...Also calling moresca's crappy and made of cheap fabric is kind of ridiculous...

[Rowan MacD]

 That should be reported to whomever is in charge of vendors at that faire.
  Nothing will shut the kids up faster than their parents letting them know that that kind of 'help' will get them blacklisted from an event.  Backstabbing will get you the same currency in payback.
   Nobody that has ever worn a Moresca could believe that they are cheap.

[Aiacha]

My issue is very definitely unchaperoned kids that "belong" to someone at faire. The kind who've seen the shows a million times and spoil the jokes, who wander into other booths and distract customers, who try and wiggle their way into bits.

Wow, there was a kid like that at a Sound and Fury show I was at; he had sat front row at every performance that day.  If I were the performers I wouldn't have handled it as well, but they did what they could to put some humor into the situation.  It had just rained and quickly cleared up, so the stage was wet.  There was a large broom-like squeegie and they had the kid squeegie the stage.  Then when he was done, they gave him a couple bucks and sent him for ice cream.    He came back, but they did what they could.

[analise]

Y'know, it's funny. The only time I've seen a kid interrupting a show to the extent it seems to be talked about here, it was very obviously not a kid belonging to someone at the faire. The performer tried to play along for a while but it got bad enough that he had to pretty much step out of character and point blank tell the adults the kid was with to manage their child.

Part of me understands where the kid could've been coming from. Especially in this day and age where most of the entertainment is one way...the TV doesn't talk back to you. It's a totally different experience to see such up-close-and-personal stage entertainment (I'd even class it as something different from seeing a play). And if the kid had been to, say, a Fight School show...they would've seen the performers playing along with audience and the audience participating (there are a lot of jokes that happen because so many in the audience are "frequent fliers" and shout things out, for instance. "Belaying pin!" Er, I guess only people who've seen Fight School at MDRF would get that. Anyway!) and if the kid hadn't been taught (or something) boundaries...that could've carried over to another show with a certain amount of audience interaction. Except there comes a point when the performer needs to continue on the audience needs to shut up and listen and this kid was interrupting continually.

I guess my point is...I'm surprised to see people mention ren-kids because I can't think of a single time I've witnessed them be a "problem" at faire. Whereas I could say the same for non-ren-kids who don't understand that while there's a lot of license at faire for doing things you normally aren't supposed to do in public (running around and yelling, hah)...there are still boundaries to it.

Heck, that could go for anybody who visits faire and doesn't get that while there's a lot of license at faire, there are still boundaries. Like the drunk guys who go a too far in their ogling, etc.

[Kiss-me-Kate]

...I think the only thing that has totally set me off at faire, was some dude who thought he could cop a feel -on my daughter-who was twelve at the time.
My very large, and muscular cousin told him he got a ten second start...

Ten seconds? That's rather generous. I'm not violent by any means—quite the opposite—but he would have immediately been looking up from the ground, my foot on his throat, as we waited for security/cops.

Here were the circumstances:  It was in public.  It was all cast party, and I didn't want to ruin everyone's evening.  Secondly, he didn't know she was 12, he thought she was older-closer to his age.   He was 18 at the time, and VERY drunk. 

He is actually a very nice, respectful young man, when alcohol isn't involved, and he is terrified of me.   

[Drudonn]

Wow, there was a kid like that at a Sound and Fury show I was at; he had sat front row at every performance that day.  If I were the performers I wouldn't have handled it as well, but they did what they could to put some humor into the situation.  It had just rained and quickly cleared up, so the stage was wet.  There was a large broom-like squeegie and they had the kid squeegie the stage.  Then when he was done, they gave him a couple bucks and sent him for ice cream.    He came back, but they did what they could.

I remember that! The kid wanted to participate in the show?   ....he got his wish!

I've generally had pretty good experiences at faire. I've gotten a couple of snide remarks from vendors once in a while, because I'm young and so I don't look like I'd have the money to spend on their products....however, there are plenty of other places to shop! But my memories of faire are positive, all in all....glitter wars in the Magic Cauldron, escaping the rain in a chain mail jewelry shop a friend works in, where he "woo'd" another friend (she looked so terrified to have this giant kilted Irishman barking at her LOL ). And I have not been attacked by drunks or children....yet...

[will paisley]

I guess my point is...I'm surprised to see people mention ren-kids because I can't think of a single time I've witnessed them be a "problem" at faire. Whereas I could say the same for non-ren-kids who don't understand that while there's a lot of license at faire for doing things you normally aren't supposed to do in public (running around and yelling, hah)...there are still boundaries to it.

I haven't seen boothie/performer kids at all at MDRF (or if I have, I haven't had any reason to think that's what they were).  I've seen them be a problem at smaller faires, though.  They're generally running around while their parents are busy working.  If the parents have the attitude of the faire being a village that will take care of their children for them, and the kids haven't been taught to behave, it can easily be a problem.

I have seen playtron kids and non-ren kids alike be a problem at MDRF.  In both cases the children are usually too young for the "faire boundaries" bit to be an issue; they're just playing in a place and nobody's telling them not to.  I've seen far too many parents treat the tavern as a play pen while they stand outside and talk and drink, and the performer has to stop the show and yell out "Who are the parents of this child?"  I've seen the Hack and Slash show come to a screaming halt when toddlers are playing on the steps of the stage, their parents nowhere to be found.  These kids aren't trying to interact with the show - most of the time they don't even know there's a show going on.

[Merlin the Elder]

I guess I'm either just never present when a problem occurs, or our home faire (Scarby) doesn't have the problems that I'm reading about here. The latter would seem unlikely simply due to human nature being what it is.

Someone mentioned a while back in this thread that if we are getting into a rage at faire, we shouldn't bother going because it's supposed to be a fun time. I may be ignoring things around me so that I can enjoy my limited time at the faire.

[Drudonn]

I guess I'm either just never present when a problem occurs, or our home faire (Scarby) doesn't have the problems that I'm reading about here. The latter would seem unlikely simply due to human nature being what it is.

Someone mentioned a while back in this thread that if we are getting into a rage at faire, we shouldn't bother going because it's supposed to be a fun time. I may be ignoring things around me so that I can enjoy my limited time at the faire.

The wizard's greatest power--willful ignorance!

[Lady Rosalind]

I think the only time I've had issues with vendor kids was the first year at our home faire's permanent location, and a later faire (Same kid).

1. There was still construction equipment in the castle. A vendor's 9 year-old TURNED ON THE TABLE SAW.  Our Duchess happened to be walking in at the time, heard the saw start up and scorched his ears. Not that it did any good...

2. This same kid CLIMBED THE INSIDE OF THE CASTLE FACADE, and was to be seen merrily waving out of the tower window, to the dismay of many. Considering the facade is held up by 2x4s, I still can't believe he actually thought it was okay.

3. At another faire a year or so later, we were doing a show which involved putting the Spanish Ambassador in the stocks for insulting the princess and Queen. The same kid decided to get a little too into the show (which he was NOT a part of), and hauled off and hit the actor across the behind with a juggling stick as hard as he could. The actor, needless to say, was furious. That was the very last faire we saw that kid, or his parents (his mother saw the whole thing, and she was horrified).

So yeah, misbehaving kids, and grabby male patrons (The Kissing Bandit of '08), just irk me.