General Etiquette Guidelines
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Posted by m-evans
#26

"5.  Be inclusive."  <-- I think this thread could use more of this.  Some things that are etiquette are getting to the point of 'don't do things that hinder my con experience at the expense of your own con experience'

As someone who is both a cosplayer and mother to three small children (6,4 and 2), 
    1. I will try to get to a somewhat out of the way place if someone wants a photo but I'm not going to walk to the designated photo area because that would take way to much time. 
    2. Strollers can be a necessity.  Not only does corralling 3 small children through a con dealer hall require constant vigilance, being able to contain 1-2 children to a stroller at various point makes the outing possible, two of my children wear SMO foot braces.  Their stamina for walking distances is not as high as children of similar ages and they need the stroller to be able to rest in from time to time.  While their braces are visible, most people don't notice them and with the braces my kids walk with a normal gate.  

I think the best etiquette for the con (and life) can be sumed up with the Golden Rule 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you' instead of a bunch line by line rules that often can't be followed do to various life circumstances.

Posted by brooks m-evans
#27

maerada wrote:
"5.  Be inclusive."  <-- I think this thread could use more of this.  Some things that are etiquette are getting to the point of 'don't do things that hinder my con experience at the expense of your own con experience'
As someone who is both a cosplayer and mother to three small children (6,4 and 2), 
    1. I will try to get to a somewhat out of the way place if someone wants a photo but I'm not going to walk to the designated photo area because that would take way to much time. 
    2. Strollers can be a necessity.  Not only does corralling 3 small children through a con dealer hall require constant vigilance, being able to contain 1-2 children to a stroller at various point makes the outing possible, two of my children wear SMO foot braces.  Their stamina for walking distances is not as high as children of similar ages and they need the stroller to be able to rest in from time to time.  While their braces are visible, most people don't notice them and with the braces my kids walk with a normal gate.  
I think the best etiquette for the con (and life) can be sumed up with the Golden Rule 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you' instead of a bunch line by line rules that often can't be followed do to various life circumstances.

I'm more of the opinion that instead of the "Golden Rule" we should just all take a deep breath on occasion and look at each other (both at GenCon and in these forums) in the best possible light. People criticizing cosplayers and parents with strollers have probably never considered being in similar situations or thought of all the implications. Instead of looking to be offended, perhaps it's better to gently educate and hope for a better experience at the convention for all of us because that's really what everyone wants. 

Posted by rogersba garhkal
#28

garhkal wrote:Linked to this for us who smoke..  DON'T Flipping congregate right around the doorways..  At least have the common decency to move a little bit away from it, that way you are not only 'not blocking' the door way, but you are not also making a 'wall of smoke' for others to have to pass through..

Thanks for being courteous, Garhkal.

Just so folks are aware, it is against Indiana state law to smoke within 8 feet of most public places or places of employment, including the ICC.

Posted by ascantla
#29

I kind of have to kick myself for not thinking to put be inclusive in the original post. But We are the most inclusive community I've ever seen.. EVER. Nerd and Geek kind are the most welcoming people that exist. How is it that you can cram over 70,000 into a space like the dealer hall and have people constantly bumping and stumbling into each other, as we all do at some point, and have no major conflict. There are some gatherings of different groups that can't get 1,000 people together without a fight breaking out.
In the end I think we all try to do the right thing. Sometimes we just need a little reminder when we get focused on what we enjoy.

And if you find yourself at your wits end with someone, just challenge them to a game or roll up a character and duke it out that way. :)

Posted by ytuni garhkal
#30

garhkal wrote:
leswhittaker wrote:
Yeah, don't block the aisles.  By extension, don't block the entry ways with impromtu cos player dance parties.  Hey, there's plenty of room under the tent for everyone, but there's times and places for different activities.  
That being said, there is NEVER a time and place for dubstep.

Linked to this for us who smoke..  DON'T Flipping congregate right around the doorways..  At least have the common decency to move a little bit away from it, that way you are not only 'not blocking' the door way, but you are not also making a 'wall of smoke' for others to have to pass through..
In that regard, I do believe that Indiana has public smoking laws and you must be at least 8 feet from an entrance.

Posted by garhkal gamerdork
#31

gamerdork wrote:
Also, in the larger gaming rooms, it would be great if each table had one card of some sort, and only the person holding that card can talk! :)  Imagine a world in which gaming noise levels were bearable!
Game on!

The speaking stick!  Good idea!
rogersba wrote:
garhkal wrote:Linked to this for us who smoke..  DON'T Flipping congregate right around the doorways..  At least have the common decency to move a little bit away from it, that way you are not only 'not blocking' the door way, but you are not also making a 'wall of smoke' for others to have to pass through..

Thanks for being courteous, Garhkal.Just so folks are aware, it is against Indiana state law to smoke within 8 feet of most public places or places of employment, including the ICC.

Many places are the same, they just need to be a little more pushy on enforcing it..  Which is why i can't understand WHY each entrance has astrays to put OUT the smokes right next to them.  IMO that's ENCOURAGING smoking right next to the door..

Just thought of another one..

DON'T CUSS.  YES there are adults at most tables, but there are also kids around.

Posted by pinkparasol bith
#32

saburch wrote:
If you have a kid, bring a stroller.  It's way easier to manage children, and all the accompanying *stuff* you need to have with a stroller than it is to carry your bag, a diaper bag, wrangle the kid, and look at stuff etc.
And before anyone says anything else -- until GenCon gets rid of the "Family Fun Pavilion" you don't have a leg to stand on asserting that kids shouldn't be there.
It's less don't bring them and more realize that this is a crowded convention that is going to be populated mostly by teen/young adult/adult crowd and thus it is not going to be as kid friendly in regards to everything you'll need when caring for a small child or having kids that most people are not going to be constantly looking out for in order to not accidentally knock one over.

Last year I turned from a booth in the exhibit hall and almost got knocked over because someone's four year old was bored and pushed their stroller into me because his parents had looked away for a moment to buy something at the booth next to me. Luckily I didn't step on the kid and the stroller didn't have enough force to do more then make me stumble for a moment, but strollers are just as much of a problem as roller luggage in regards to being an obstacle if you are not willing to be responsible regarding such in a very packed area. Some parents and people who use said roller luggage sadly have a belief everyone else should be looking out for such obstacles and it's not their fault if you are knocked in the shins or accidentally kick one when trying to move through the aisles. It's why I advocate not bringing one in if you don't absolutely need one during that time.

Posted by tdb bith
#33

saburch wrote:
If you have a kid, bring a stroller.  It's way easier to manage children, and all the accompanying *stuff* you need to have with a stroller than it is to carry your bag, a diaper bag, wrangle the kid, and look at stuff etc.
And before anyone says anything else -- until GenCon gets rid of the "Family Fun Pavilion" you don't have a leg to stand on asserting that kids shouldn't be there.

I don't think anyone said "don't bring kids to GenCon".  I think they said "don't bring the stroller into the exhibit hall".  Not really the same thing.

Posted by bith garhkal
#34

garhkal wrote:
gamerdork wrote:
Also, in the larger gaming rooms, it would be great if each table had one card of some sort, and only the person holding that card can talk! :)  Imagine a world in which gaming noise levels were bearable!
Game on!

The speaking stick!  Good idea!
rogersba wrote:
garhkal wrote:Linked to this for us who smoke..  DON'T Flipping congregate right around the doorways..  At least have the common decency to move a little bit away from it, that way you are not only 'not blocking' the door way, but you are not also making a 'wall of smoke' for others to have to pass through..

Thanks for being courteous, Garhkal.Just so folks are aware, it is against Indiana state law to smoke within 8 feet of most public places or places of employment, including the ICC.

Many places are the same, they just need to be a little more pushy on enforcing it..  Which is why i can't understand WHY each entrance has astrays to put OUT the smokes right next to them.  IMO that's ENCOURAGING smoking right next to the door..
In a lot of those cases the installation of the ashtrays predates the institution of the smoking near entryways ban.  

Posted by bith tdb
#35

tdb wrote:
saburch wrote:
If you have a kid, bring a stroller.  It's way easier to manage children, and all the accompanying *stuff* you need to have with a stroller than it is to carry your bag, a diaper bag, wrangle the kid, and look at stuff etc.
And before anyone says anything else -- until GenCon gets rid of the "Family Fun Pavilion" you don't have a leg to stand on asserting that kids shouldn't be there.

I don't think anyone said "don't bring kids to GenCon".  I think they said "don't bring the stroller into the exhibit hall".  Not really the same thing.
No, those are pretty much *exactly* the same thing.

Posted by gharris bith
#36

saburch wrote:
tdb wrote:
saburch wrote:
If you have a kid, bring a stroller.  It's way easier to manage children, and all the accompanying *stuff* you need to have with a stroller than it is to carry your bag, a diaper bag, wrangle the kid, and look at stuff etc.
And before anyone says anything else -- until GenCon gets rid of the "Family Fun Pavilion" you don't have a leg to stand on asserting that kids shouldn't be there.

I don't think anyone said "don't bring kids to GenCon".  I think they said "don't bring the stroller into the exhibit hall".  Not really the same thing.
No, those are pretty much *exactly* the same thing.

No, they are not the same thing. There is a lot to Gen Con that is NOT the exhibit hall. If you bring a stroller to gaming events your kid is probably going to have an instant fan club at your table. If you bring a stroller to the restaurants and social events people will be happy to accommodate you. If you bring a stroller to the spa events....well they are pretty much custom made for that sort of thing. If you bring a stroller to the workshops and seminars you are probably going to be just fine.

However if you bring a stroller into the exhibit hall it is not safe for your kids or other attendees, you WILL be holding up traffic for everyone around you as you try to shove a stroller down a packed aisle and you WILL be creating an obstacle for everyone going by when you leave that stroller in the aisle- drag it into the cramped booths while you shop. 

You use any kind of "absolutely necessary"  justification because every person clogging up the aisle will use a variation of the same excuse- "my kid can't walk through the exhibit hall without a stroller!".

Part of being a responsible parent is realizing that your kids are not physically and/or emotionally ready for some activities, and that strollers are often not an appropriate solution because it is either unsafe or it will cause problems for everyone else involved. Part of being a responsible parent means that sometimes YOU have to change your vacation plans or what you will be doing on your vacation plans based on what your small children are actually ready for. Part of being a responsible parent means you may have to trade off child care duties, sit out parts of your vacation, or find a sitter. Being a responsible parent sometimes means saying you might have to wait until next year.

The Gen Con exhibit hall is an extremely crowded, over stimulating environment that requires a LOT of walking, and it is packed with people who aren't really paying attention to where they are going let alone their bags/backpacks/luggage/whatever. This is not an environment for strollers.

If we are talking about good etiquette rules at Gen Con creating a problem for everyone around you because it is more convenient for YOU is pretty much textbook BAD ETIQUETTE.

Posted by gharris pinkparasol
#37

pinkparasol wrote:
gharris wrote:
ascantla wrote:
We love to see Cosplay at the Con. Make sure when we want to take pictures we line up down the aisle and not across it. stopping 300 people behind you so you don't walk through someone's shot isn't easy. 

I agree with everything you said except this. There is never a good reason to stop in the aisles to take pictures. A lot of people want to see a "no cosplay in the exhibit hall" rule for this very reason.The thing I would add to this list is "Don't be the person who is trying to bring a stroller into the exhibit hall". Just.....no. It causes even more traffic clogs, even if people are trying to be "polite" about letting you through, and with the crowds of people not looking where they are going (as well as the ever present fat guys oblivious to where their backpacks are hazards) it just isn't very safe. Find a sitter, visit during nap time, trade off exhibit hall trips, whatever, just don't bring a damn stroller into the exhibit hall!
While I agree that people should never be stopping to take pictures in the exhibit hall and thus clogging the aisles, as a cosplayer myself I would be upset if I was forced to go all the way back to my hotel to change out of my cosplay and into regular clothes, come all the way back to browse the exhibit hall for an hour then go all the way back to reapply my cosplay and make up and come back. A lot of cosplay is not easy to swap out like a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Instead of banning costumes enforce the rule of using designated photo op areas to take pictures instead. It doesn't take much to tell a person that you appreciate their interest in your costume but can they wait for you to finish purchasing your stuff at a booth and meet them out at a photo spot.
I also agree with you regarding strollers. Most strollers are cumbersome, overly large, and take up so much space. Add in if you have several children with you; like one or two in the stroller and one or two hanging on to the stroller you're asking for a disaster regarding someone knocking into a child or bumping the stroller on accident and stressing out/scaring the kid. If your child can walk don't take a stroller in with you, as I've seen many a times a child wanting out and instead of the stroller being used for the kid it's used as a shopping cart as the child holds on to the side and once again you're taking up more space then you should be and courting disaster with someone not thinking to look down when they're browsing booths.

Just to be clear, I didn't say that I thought cosplayers should be banned from the exhibit hall. I have actually compliments polite cosplayers in past years who had the good sense to tell people who wanted to take a picture that they needed to get out of the aisles first! 

The idea of starting a ban has been brought up in past years  because taking pictures of cosplayers in the aisles is a chronic and obnoxious problem that needs to be addressed. People need to stop taking pictures of cosplayers in the aisle and cosplayers themselves need to tell people that they won't pose for pictures in the aisle. The designated photo ops locations are there for a reason! I don't think any banning cosplay ideas will ever get any serious consideration if people just follow these basic etiquette rules. I have no doubt that a considerate cosplayer like yourself would agree!

Posted by jhs
#38

When you cram 65K+ people into a relatively small space, there will be conflicts.  You will be bumped into, you will be delayed, your foot will be squished on occasion, you will wait in line for meals.  Accept this.  If you react negatively, this will end up being a major part of your gencon experience and will be the worse for it.  If you smile and move on, say no problem, or chat with the person ahead of you in line, you will forget these things and be happier for it.

So, sure, be nice, be aware of those around you, and be considerate of them.  But when someone whomps you with the backpack of holding, which the will, smile and move on.  It happens.

Posted by brooks gharris
#39

gharris wrote:
saburch wrote:
tdb wrote:
saburch wrote:
If you have a kid, bring a stroller.  It's way easier to manage children, and all the accompanying *stuff* you need to have with a stroller than it is to carry your bag, a diaper bag, wrangle the kid, and look at stuff etc.
And before anyone says anything else -- until GenCon gets rid of the "Family Fun Pavilion" you don't have a leg to stand on asserting that kids shouldn't be there.

I don't think anyone said "don't bring kids to GenCon".  I think they said "don't bring the stroller into the exhibit hall".  Not really the same thing.
No, those are pretty much *exactly* the same thing.

No, they are not the same thing. There is a lot to Gen Con that is NOT the exhibit hall. If you bring a stroller to gaming events your kid is probably going to have an instant fan club at your table. If you bring a stroller to the restaurants and social events people will be happy to accommodate you. If you bring a stroller to the spa events....well they are pretty much custom made for that sort of thing. If you bring a stroller to the workshops and seminars you are probably going to be just fine.However if you bring a stroller into the exhibit hall it is not safe for your kids or other attendees, you WILL be holding up traffic for everyone around you as you try to shove a stroller down a packed aisle and you WILL be creating an obstacle for everyone going by when you leave that stroller in the aisle- drag it into the cramped booths while you shop. 
You use any kind of "absolutely necessary"  justification because every person clogging up the aisle will use a variation of the same excuse- "my kid can't walk through the exhibit hall without a stroller!".
Part of being a responsible parent is realizing that your kids are not physically and/or emotionally ready for some activities, and that strollers are often not an appropriate solution because it is either unsafe or it will cause problems for everyone else involved. Part of being a responsible parent means that sometimes YOU have to change your vacation plans or what you will be doing on your vacation plans based on what your small children are actually ready for. Part of being a responsible parent means you may have to trade off child care duties, sit out parts of your vacation, or find a sitter. Being a responsible parent sometimes means saying you might have to wait until next year.
The Gen Con exhibit hall is an extremely crowded, over stimulating environment that requires a LOT of walking, and it is packed with people who aren't really paying attention to where they are going let alone their bags/backpacks/luggage/whatever. This is not an environment for strollers.
If we are talking about good etiquette rules at Gen Con creating a problem for everyone around you because it is more convenient for YOU is pretty much textbook BAD ETIQUETTE.

I don't know... by that same argument people in conventional or electric wheelchairs have no business in the hall because it is crowded and non-conducive to those forms of transportation. I'm not at all arguing that strollers are not a serious inconvenience, but then again the exhibit hall itself can be a serious inconvenience by its very nature. 

Finally, as long as the exhibit hall has the Training Grounds which: "This area also includes a space for crawling and newly walking toddlers to run freely without all of the traffic throughout the convention center" you really can't argue that strollers don't belong. GenCon has provided an area specifically for kids of stroller age inside of the hall. 

To reiterate I've always attended alone so really don't have a vested interest in the matter one way or the other, but I'm willing to put up with as many strollers as there are in the exhibit hall if it makes a young parent's life a bit easier and allows them to enjoy the convention. 

Posted by bushmaster brooks
#40

brooks wrote:... I'm willing to put up with as many strollers as there are in the exhibit hall if it makes a young parent's life a bit easier and allows them to enjoy the convention. 
Second that! 

Posted by gharris brooks
#41

brooks wrote:
gharris wrote:
saburch wrote:
tdb wrote:
saburch wrote:
If you have a kid, bring a stroller.  It's way easier to manage children, and all the accompanying *stuff* you need to have with a stroller than it is to carry your bag, a diaper bag, wrangle the kid, and look at stuff etc.
And before anyone says anything else -- until GenCon gets rid of the "Family Fun Pavilion" you don't have a leg to stand on asserting that kids shouldn't be there.

I don't think anyone said "don't bring kids to GenCon".  I think they said "don't bring the stroller into the exhibit hall".  Not really the same thing.
No, those are pretty much *exactly* the same thing.

No, they are not the same thing. There is a lot to Gen Con that is NOT the exhibit hall. If you bring a stroller to gaming events your kid is probably going to have an instant fan club at your table. If you bring a stroller to the restaurants and social events people will be happy to accommodate you. If you bring a stroller to the spa events....well they are pretty much custom made for that sort of thing. If you bring a stroller to the workshops and seminars you are probably going to be just fine.However if you bring a stroller into the exhibit hall it is not safe for your kids or other attendees, you WILL be holding up traffic for everyone around you as you try to shove a stroller down a packed aisle and you WILL be creating an obstacle for everyone going by when you leave that stroller in the aisle- drag it into the cramped booths while you shop. 
You use any kind of "absolutely necessary"  justification because every person clogging up the aisle will use a variation of the same excuse- "my kid can't walk through the exhibit hall without a stroller!".
Part of being a responsible parent is realizing that your kids are not physically and/or emotionally ready for some activities, and that strollers are often not an appropriate solution because it is either unsafe or it will cause problems for everyone else involved. Part of being a responsible parent means that sometimes YOU have to change your vacation plans or what you will be doing on your vacation plans based on what your small children are actually ready for. Part of being a responsible parent means you may have to trade off child care duties, sit out parts of your vacation, or find a sitter. Being a responsible parent sometimes means saying you might have to wait until next year.
The Gen Con exhibit hall is an extremely crowded, over stimulating environment that requires a LOT of walking, and it is packed with people who aren't really paying attention to where they are going let alone their bags/backpacks/luggage/whatever. This is not an environment for strollers.
If we are talking about good etiquette rules at Gen Con creating a problem for everyone around you because it is more convenient for YOU is pretty much textbook BAD ETIQUETTE.

I don't know... by that same argument people in conventional or electric wheelchairs have no business in the hall because it is crowded and non-conducive to those forms of transportation. I'm not at all arguing that strollers are not a serious inconvenience, but then again the exhibit hall itself can be a serious inconvenience by its very nature. Finally, as long as the exhibit hall has the Training Grounds which: "This area also includes a space for crawling and newly walking toddlers to run freely without all of the traffic throughout the convention center" you really can't argue that strollers don't belong. GenCon has provided an area specifically for kids of stroller age inside of the hall. 
To reiterate I've always attended alone so really don't have a vested interest in the matter one way or the other, but I'm willing to put up with as many strollers as there are in the exhibit hall if it makes a young parent's life a bit easier and allows them to enjoy the convention. 

If you are in the designated stroller area you are fine. If you move out of that area and start wandering the aisles you are causing a problem. It is that simple. Basically that is the same as saying taking pictures of cosplayers in the aisles is fine, otherwise why did Gen Con set up designated spots for picture taking? Take pictures and keep your strollers in the designated areas!

Note too that there are side doors leading into the exhibit hall that are right next to the Training Grounds. You do not have to clog up the aisles in the exhibition areas to get to the Training Grounds. You can't use the Training Grounds as an excuse for wandering the exhibit hall.

I would hope that nobody would say that we should exclude people in wheelchairs. Yes, they technically do also hold up traffic but there is a big difference- nobody is choosing to be in a wheelchair, but you are choosing to cause problems in the exhibit hall if you choose to bring a stroller. I would also note that by far most of the people who I have seen using wheelchairs in the exhibit hall have been very aware of their surroundings and will move with and around traffic if they need to- and you never see anyone leaving a wheelchair in the aisle while they shop like people do with strollers. 

Posted by brooks gharris
#42

gharris wrote:
brooks wrote:
gharris wrote:
saburch wrote:
tdb wrote:
saburch wrote:
If you have a kid, bring a stroller.  It's way easier to manage children, and all the accompanying *stuff* you need to have with a stroller than it is to carry your bag, a diaper bag, wrangle the kid, and look at stuff etc.
And before anyone says anything else -- until GenCon gets rid of the "Family Fun Pavilion" you don't have a leg to stand on asserting that kids shouldn't be there.

I don't think anyone said "don't bring kids to GenCon".  I think they said "don't bring the stroller into the exhibit hall".  Not really the same thing.
No, those are pretty much *exactly* the same thing.

No, they are not the same thing. There is a lot to Gen Con that is NOT the exhibit hall. If you bring a stroller to gaming events your kid is probably going to have an instant fan club at your table. If you bring a stroller to the restaurants and social events people will be happy to accommodate you. If you bring a stroller to the spa events....well they are pretty much custom made for that sort of thing. If you bring a stroller to the workshops and seminars you are probably going to be just fine.However if you bring a stroller into the exhibit hall it is not safe for your kids or other attendees, you WILL be holding up traffic for everyone around you as you try to shove a stroller down a packed aisle and you WILL be creating an obstacle for everyone going by when you leave that stroller in the aisle- drag it into the cramped booths while you shop. 
You use any kind of "absolutely necessary"  justification because every person clogging up the aisle will use a variation of the same excuse- "my kid can't walk through the exhibit hall without a stroller!".
Part of being a responsible parent is realizing that your kids are not physically and/or emotionally ready for some activities, and that strollers are often not an appropriate solution because it is either unsafe or it will cause problems for everyone else involved. Part of being a responsible parent means that sometimes YOU have to change your vacation plans or what you will be doing on your vacation plans based on what your small children are actually ready for. Part of being a responsible parent means you may have to trade off child care duties, sit out parts of your vacation, or find a sitter. Being a responsible parent sometimes means saying you might have to wait until next year.
The Gen Con exhibit hall is an extremely crowded, over stimulating environment that requires a LOT of walking, and it is packed with people who aren't really paying attention to where they are going let alone their bags/backpacks/luggage/whatever. This is not an environment for strollers.
If we are talking about good etiquette rules at Gen Con creating a problem for everyone around you because it is more convenient for YOU is pretty much textbook BAD ETIQUETTE.

I don't know... by that same argument people in conventional or electric wheelchairs have no business in the hall because it is crowded and non-conducive to those forms of transportation. I'm not at all arguing that strollers are not a serious inconvenience, but then again the exhibit hall itself can be a serious inconvenience by its very nature. Finally, as long as the exhibit hall has the Training Grounds which: "This area also includes a space for crawling and newly walking toddlers to run freely without all of the traffic throughout the convention center" you really can't argue that strollers don't belong. GenCon has provided an area specifically for kids of stroller age inside of the hall. 
To reiterate I've always attended alone so really don't have a vested interest in the matter one way or the other, but I'm willing to put up with as many strollers as there are in the exhibit hall if it makes a young parent's life a bit easier and allows them to enjoy the convention. 

If you are in the designated stroller area you are fine. If you move out of that area and start wandering the aisles you are causing a problem. It is that simple. Basically that is the same as saying taking pictures of cosplayers in the aisles is fine, otherwise why did Gen Con set up designated spots for picture taking? Take pictures and keep your strollers in the designated areas!Note too that there are side doors leading into the exhibit hall that are right next to the Training Grounds. You do not have to clog up the aisles in the exhibition areas to get to the Training Grounds. You can't use the Training Grounds as an excuse for wandering the exhibit hall.
I would hope that nobody would say that we should exclude people in wheelchairs. Yes, they technically do also hold up traffic but there is a big difference- nobody is choosing to be in a wheelchair, but you are choosing to cause problems in the exhibit hall if you choose to bring a stroller. I would also note that by far most of the people who I have seen using wheelchairs in the exhibit hall have been very aware of their surroundings and will move with and around traffic if they need to- and you never see anyone leaving a wheelchair in the aisle while they shop like people do with strollers. 

I'm not disagreeing with you that strollers are a huge inconvenience. I suppose I'm just willing to put up with them and disagree with you that they don't belong in the hall. I really do appreciate how articulately and politely you present your arguments and guess we'll just have to disagree on this point. 
 

Posted by austicke bushmaster
#43

bushmaster wrote:
brooks wrote:... I'm willing to put up with as many strollers as there are in the exhibit hall if it makes a young parent's life a bit easier and allows them to enjoy the convention. 
Second that! 

Well said. Stroll away!

Posted by mvotruba
#44

I agree with most of the suggestions so far.

+1 Shower AND change clothes daily - You may be nose blind to your smell...I'm not.
+1 Smoke away from doors - I don't want to breathe your second hand smoke.
+1 Be considerate with your strollers - be mindful of others and how you block flow of traffic

+5 Watch out with your oversized heavy bags!!!  I few years ago, when my daughter was 11, some jerk swung his big backpack around and hit my daughter with it.  Didn't notice or didn't care.  My daughter's eyes watered up.  We took a break while she recovered.  Look, you don't have to bring your entire D&D library in your backpack into the dealer hall.  If you really have to cart that much stuff, it is YOUR responsibility to watch for those around you.  DON'T swing it around in a packed hall.  NOT COOL.  I completely disagree with the post that says to just move on when hit with a backpack.  I read this as saying it is OK to bring and hit people with them for the inconsiderate gamers who do.

Overall, my biggest let down is knowing that the people that NEED these suggestions WON'T come here to read them...or worse, read them and disregard them.  I guess the best we can hope is that the few of us who do will do our part. 

Posted by bith
#45

What designated stroller area?

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