Club Arnage

Hi guys,

currently I've svereal enquiries about the regulations about bringing your own beverages to the track - and I want to put appropriate advice into the CA Guide.

IIRC, last year the security controlled all bags at the entrances and glas bottles were confiscated, but cans and plastic bottles were fine. Does anyone know if there is a change in this regs for this year?

We got glass in with no problem last year Werner, but probably better to take beer in tins.

We were fine taking in tins last year, however it did occur to me that if they are having electronic body scanners on every entrance, then essentially EVERY OTHER person walking onto the circuit will be pulled for carrying metal containers.
Given the level of security in France at the moment, Large quantities of liquids in metal containers?

I don't know the answer this year.

Methinks impossible to give appropriate advice as, being France, past performance and written guidelines are academic! Certainly don't recall any controls last year although we had our vino in pouch thingies just in case.

Also arguably worth distinguishing between campsites and trackside as rules may vary - remember a few years ago campsite officials made a token effort (for about 10 minutes) to stop bottles coming in to Arnage campsite.

I can't find any official guidelines on glass but pretty sure there were some in the past. The only thing I can find was on the back of the 2014 EG tickets there was stuff about glass bottles (in English), the 2015 EG had no English on the back. 2014 was referring to law 06/12/93 which is no doubt still in effect. Or not as per the alcometers!

Section 4.1.3 of the general rules is pretty vague and could result in anything being seized:
At the entrance of the Venue, Ticket holders agree to submit to a search of their person and to a visual inspection of all luggage (such as handbags, rucksacks etc.) and the inside of their vehicle (including the boot), by any police officer and/or any employee of the event organizer approved by the Chief of Police, and may be invited to present the items in their possession. Items prohibited under the rules and regulations implemented by Le Mans circuits shall be seized by the competent authorities. The organizer disclaims all liability for any items seized by the competent authorities. (http://ticket.lemans.org/conditions-generales-de-vente)

I think the best advice is no firm advice. As per above, they are a law unto themselves. So expect the unexpected.

We had a similar issue at the Nurburgring a few years back. We tried smuggling in about fifty cans hidden under some hats in a big cool box, and in a scene reminiscent of Escape from Colditz, we nearly got away with it. They initially believed we were taking in a massive box of hats, but the cans rattled at the last minute and we were busted by the laughing security guards. So we ended up lobbing dozens of cans over the wall and across the ditch. The moral of the story is to use your initiative and remember; the drinker will always get through! :)

I got pulled and searched on Friday last year going from Houx towards our Friday extravaganza.  I had cans but the guard wasn't having any of it.  Of course, it could have been the axe, Mr T's mace, and crucifix tattoo on my cheek that tipped him over.

There were about six cans in the rucksack, so I drank 2 in front of him, and that seemed to do it.

I suspect he was a bit bored.

Aricus

Last year, probably due to Le President ( aka twat ) waving the start flag, all that the security staff were checking were chair bags, presumably for sniper rifles.  ;D

Also remember the vast majority of the crowd is French, and not being able to get a bottle of wine into the circuit for lunch would be an affront to their civil liberties.

We took in a dozen bottles of beer and a bottle of champagne with no issues.

A few years back I heard that at Bathurst, the fans were going in a couple of weeks early and burying cases of beer, because they were limited to one case per person per day.

The 93 law started because the bikers were throwing bottles on the track (possibly full ones too!)

Just don't be daft about it

I checked the Bathurst thing with an Aussie colleague the other day and although she couldn't say for definite, she said that alcohol is basically banned at all sporting events in Australia, so it is highly plausible.

As for Le Mans, I've never had any trouble with bottles at the circuit, although I've always camped inside the track, so I've never had to clear security. The only time it was an issue was when Jamiroquai played about 15 years ago and security wouldn't let any glass bottles in to the arena. I seem to recall this resulted in me and my mates necking about 20 stubbies in front of security and then handing them the empties

I think you did well there, Barry. We took some Cider for JJ on Post 19 and it was taken away as it was in glass bottles. I've never been stopped with my usual Stella cans in my backpack, though - but that may have been only by luck!

Unless you were sneaking beer in in backpacks, every entry from Houx last year refused any alcohol in coolers.  This had nothing to do with glass.  They allowed it in during the week, but on race day it was strictly enforced.  This was all under a local ordinance change that went into effect the week before the race.  What a farce.  So basically, if you want cold booze and plan to do serious drinking (vs. sipping 4 cans of warm crap you sneak in), you're apparently obligated to get your wallet out trackside.  Utter waste of time in my humble opinion.

Hey Dave,
Guess that means R2 would have been a law breaking menace to society.  Shame, he always seemed such a quiet lad ;D. Seriously, sounds like the crap they pull at many of the NASCAR venues over here, they go on about it being a county ordinance, but in reality it's just another way for them to get their grubby mits into your wallet.
Mercifully the road courses here pretty much let you bring in anything under the sun.
Fax

That would constitute an affront to anybody's civil liberties to be fair.

There was a rumour recently about the concessions on the circuit going cashless and us long suffering punters having to buy a pre-paid card to (over)pay for beer and food.
Does anyone know if this is the case or has this plan been dropped?

Steve

You would hope it's been dropped. Can you imagine the trouble.

Test day didn't have any kind of cashless system, so would be suprised if they'd introduce that in race week.
Didn't hear any news about it, so it won't be for this year I guess.

Apparently not happening, there is some system where you can load your ACO membership card with credit, but cash will again be king this year and I suspect for many years to come.
As with most things rumoured at LM, think about the reaction of the majority of the spectators, the French.

According to today's TImes the only lager at the football matches will be 0.5 percent Carlsberg, at a price equivalent to £7.39 a pint!!  :o :o

That's quite strong for Carlsberg isn't it?.....

Once it's  :-\been through the body, maybe

Written rules on the entrance to Arnage campsite today, NO ALCOHOL! Our car was loaded to the roof so had no problems, next member of our group to arrive had visual check of all boxes in boot, fortunately only party tent.

Would image enforcement will be sporadic but take care out there

That will last until Monday afternoon then.

Motorhome search for Security reasons, looking for terrorists and guns etc. However, all they did was look inside the MH, they did not look in the toilet/washroom, nor in the locker under the bed.
This was at 3.30am when there were no cars coming in, and at least 5 on the gate !
They were not looking for drinks on Houx.

Got a photo of the reglement at Arnage but can't host photos from here. My interpretation is that it applies to sporting arenas, all alcohol, I.e. trackside. At Arnage the new layout means spectators have to walk through the campsite to get to the banking.

Have been in and out of Arnage several times in car an never opened anything.

Having said all that plenty of self brought alcohol on the banking at Arnage/Indianapolis last night and no chechs visible.

So methinks,like the breathalyzers the law is actively in place and actively not enforced.

 We got searched going to the track no glass bottles at all. Emptied them to plastic walked another way in the shorter route only for no one to be on the gate we walked to the track no one scanned tickets nothing so could of took bottles

The security bods over at Antares were looking for any alcohol and I was searched there twice (but had nothing).

Over at the main entrance opposite parking blanc it was a bit more hit & miss.  Got searched twice in one day then not for two days.

I got searched three times, each time I had bottles of wine or spirit but they were not obvious, the third time there were three large boxes of stubby beer and a large number of wine boxes. The chap said this was ok and I told him they were not being drunk there but taken home, either way he was not fussed. Maybe because I do not necessarily look like a lager lout, more of a wine slurper... ;D

>Martini...LB

At about midnight saturday the JEDI disposal unit sat outside the gate at Tetre Rouge and got pissed. FREE .Thanks for all the donations. Lesson learned.In next years guide for those about skint.

we were searched a couple of times getting into the track. The time the guy felt the hidden bottles, he asked if they were glass, we said no, he obviously knew they were but shrugged and let us through.

One thing we found reduced the searches was to have a half empty bottle in hand as we approached the gate, down it and dispose of the empty and they gave a token search or just waved us through. I know it meant we had to drink a beer on the walk from the campsite to the track, but it was a hardship we were all prepared to endure.

Depended completly on which gate we used to go to the track. On one gate it was 'drink your cup, but you can bring it in empty', the others couldn't be arsed whether it was full or empty. Chugging a pint is still, managable.  ;D

I was "searched" on Thu going to qualies in the evening, but not very well as I had 6 x 500ml cans of beer in my bag and they didn't find them!

As Paul noted above, we were stopped & searched from the Tram at Antares back into the circuit late on Fri night, but we didn't have any boopze on us, then.... although we weren't searched on our way IN to the circuit from BN earlier on Fri - when again I had a load in my bag!

Sat: not searched. I took cans in.

Sun: searched. I had no beers on me as I was driving later in the day.

One thing you CAN be sure of, never expect consistency when it comes to the ACO!

We took beers through.
ANY quantity carefully wrapped in towels, jumpers and coats at the bottom of the bags.
Cameras and other equipment on top.

Sacrifice a couple of "stubbies" right on the top of the bag for the searchers to "find".
Worked every time!