Not being able to buy bop bands at night for other people

[munchingfoo]

I have just been sitting wondering what the justification for not allowing people to buy more than one bop band (for friends who will turn up late when there is a massive queue or sold out) at night in the union.

I have been running through all the possible reasons in my head and I can't think of a single one that actually holds up to criticism.

The way I see it is that it would actually eleviate a lot of the bop's problems (when really busy) if people turned up at opening time and bought bands for their friends coming later.

I know that on some days, like today, the union allows bands to be bought in advance in larger numbers but this just adds to my confusion at the reasoning behind the limitation at nine. Is there really a difference between 1PM and 9PM in relation to buying bands?

The only thing that I can think of that sems to fit the bill as far as a reason is that one day someone took it upon themselves to decide that only allowing one band was a good idea and the idea just stuck.

Could someone please explain to me the reason that we cannot buy bands for others?

[hr]

I'd like to change the world but they won't give me the source code.

[Ben Reilly]

Because there used to be a lot of problems with groups of people buying two, two people wearing them to go in, both of which were loose. One of them would take the band off and give it to the other who would then go out and give it to somebody else.

etc., etc.

[hr]

http://www.yourunion.net/main/representation/

[munchingfoo]

this is one of the reasons i thought of with respect to failing to criticism .

Surely if no one checks if a band is loose then even worn bands can be taken off and used in this way?

[hr]

I'd like to change the world but they won't give me the source code.

[Ben Reilly]

There is a difference between a band being a bit loose and falling off- which is what it would do it if it was cut and then somebody tried to put it back on.

[hr]

http://www.yourunion.net/main/representation/

[munchingfoo]

Ah, i never thought of that. Maybe it's because I don't think i could get the band over my wrist even on the biggest setting

[Dave the Explosive Newt]

Actually, being bored after a bop and working deftly with my dissection kit shows me that bop bands are fully recyclable.

[hr]

This Sinner account is not affiliated with Will Watson.

[Thalia]

Yep, it's amazingly easy to take one off without damaging it even without a dissection kit

[hr]

The shadow proves the sunshine...

[Jos Dad]

Quoting Ben Reilly from 00:17, 17th Dec 2005
Because there used to be a lot of problems with groups of people buying two, two people wearing them to go in, both of which were loose. One of them would take the band off and give it to the other who would then go out and give it to somebody else.

Are these bands made from sustainable sources? Whatever happened to the good old method of stamping the wrist with "St Andrews Students' Union" or "Urgent" or some such. Admittedly, the ink was probably carcinogenic, but what the hell - you only die once.

[Cain]

i've taken one of safely without even trying to.

of course, i was absent mindedly playing with it while on the phone, and secured it once again.

one of my academic brothers kept all of his bop bands in a drawer, found out what colour they were doing on any given night, then went and looked that one out, thus avoiding paying for a substantial number of bops.

Why not, as Jo's dad suggests, hand stamp?

[hr]

I hold an element of surprise

[Ben Reilly]

Because the stamp was incredibly easy to forge.

[hr]

http://www.yourunion.net/main/representation/

[Al]

It was also incredibly easy to spot a forgery.

[Thalia]

I doubt it would be any easier to forge than a bop band is to take off.

But that still doesn't fix the problem of the fact that you can't buy a band for a friend who was going to be there late - for example, one of my academic daughters lives in glenrothes and in fresher's week she was too late to get a band because i wasn't allowed to buy her one and she didn't get to st andrews until after 10.

Couldn't there be a way to buy a ticket (for example) for someone else and then hand it in for a band when the person gets there?

[hr]

The shadow proves the sunshine...

[Midget]

[quote]Quoting Thalia from 19:46, 20th Dec 2005

Couldn't there be a way to buy a ticket (for example) for someone else and then hand it in for a band when the person gets there?

[quote]

Bloody hell, someone's come up with a bright idea on the sinner, not just another moan.

[hr]

IMAGE:img9.imgspot.com/u/04/241/18/160019.jpg Too far.

[Ben Reilly]

In Freshers' week tickets were available for all events; as they are for all non-standard events. As to having tickets for bops, etc., I believe that it is because it would cost too much. I am not sure about that though, and you should ask Chris or Oli.

[hr]

http://www.yourunion.net/main/representation/

[Al]

The "tickets" wouldn't have to be tickets as would need to be printed for a gig though. Something similar to a guest card could be sold to people on behalf of those unable to get a band beforehand. These could be then swapped later for a band.

[ARTooD2]

Or just pre print lots of tickets but leave the date blank then fill in and stamp on the night??

[hr]

Many Bothans died to bring you this information...

[Ben Reilly]

I know that Chris will want to know your suggestions, so I'll point him in the direction of this thread.

[hr]

http://www.yourunion.net/main/representation/

[garnet]

that makes sense but why can you buy them earlier?

The union is crazy who makes up the rules? a monkey

[Guest]

Quoting Ben Reilly from 17:44, 20th Dec 2005
Because the stamp was incredibly easy to forge.

[hr]

http://www.yourunion.net/main/representation/

ben is it not a lot easier to take a bop band off then forge an ink stamp ..... just saying u know

[Students Association]

Ink stamps were either very messy (the ink rubbed off or just smudged, making forgery very easy), or marked people's hands for a day or two. Neither were good options, so an alternative was sought.

Any money made by the Students' Association goes straight back in, to fund our welfare and representation services.
Printing extra tickets isn't cost effective, and if someone doesn't claim that ticket, they're effectively preventing someone else from enjoying the Bop, as the numbers are very carefully monitored and controlled for safety purposes.

I think it's a great shame that people go to such great lengths to avoid paying for the Bop, but would gladly take a grant for their society, or would ask for help with a problem landlord. Where do they think the money comes from to fund this?

Anyway, that's probably a topic for a separate discussion.
Going back to the current topic, the reason you can't buy bands for other people is that we want to make sure that we don't let more people into the Bop than we are allowed to by law, and we want to ensure that the Union continues to raise funding to make up for the lack of funding from the University.