

When large crowds assemble, is there a way to keep them safe? (2011) - hotgoldminer
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2011/02/07/crush-point

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QuantumGood
Video monitors visible to the crowd at key points, showing what is happening
in the crowd at different points, also available by app would help to create
the "social awareness" that the article says protects ants together in large
groups.

And I would think that churches and other groups that generate volunteers
might work with retailers to help avoid deaths and injuries.

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dmckeon
For retail, structuring sales so they do not involve crowds waiting to burst
in when the doors open would suffice. The retailer would trade human safety
for the shared sense of urgency of the "blitz" style sale.

Synchronous events, like concerts and sporting events, could rely on
structuring events so that arrival and queuing is less contention-driven -
both early and late arrivals get their reserved seats. Again, the urgency and
excitement of queuing for festival seating is lost.

For people who structure events with the intent of attracting crowds to
pretend that human safety is not put at risk by the retailer's or event
organizer's choices is disingenuous at best, lethal at worst.

