What are the boundaries for me when I work. The doorwork industry is regulated, It may be by a bunch of muppets, but it is regulated. This keeps door teams low on convictions and the old guard would say low on experience. The days of high staff to punter ratios where you packed them in, got them pissed and then flew in knocked 'em down and dragged 'em out are gone. I miss some aspects of this but times change. Licensing, extensive CCTV that doesn't vanish and 'no win, no fee' litigation have put an end to that.
I still get to knock them down every now and then but usually when I've missed something earlier on and not diffused a situation properly.
It used to be that if it got heavy a win was a win. Now even going dynamic is a loss before the fist start flying towards me. Now patience and politeness seem to be the order of the day. Unless it's absolutely imperative we like them all to walk out. Not happy about it sometimes but we do, those are the days we're in. None of the highly effective techniques I've gathered over the years leave the box nowadays unless coked up 'roid rage lumpheads are in need of a quick sleep.
I have to rely on patience and politeness.
No-one told the punters. They may be reacting to the change in our manner or they may just be the product of very low moral standards and cheap recreational drugs but they really have gotten a whole load worse.
Getting verbal abuse has always been par for the course. I am a fat Cunt/Wanker/Dickhead and don't really need a punter to tell me that. Whose giving me grief now extends to everyone under the sun. Not just from the '10 yards and walking backwards' brave type but from the small skinny chav whippet and his misses and cousin as you ask them to take their drinks off the dancefloor. Or the pilled up space cadet who's eyes are in different time zones but still thinks it's wise to gob off as he's stumbling out the front door.
In physical matters everyone thinks it's worth having a punch, kick or glass at our backs when we have to restrain someone and one ejection turns into 2 or three as a matter of course. Even with slow and easy to understand explanations before they're shown the door. It's getting more of a challenge. Punters aren't getting harder, we're not getting softer, the bloody rules have changed and we're playing uphill, into a headwind and they've gotten whole load more players on their side since we started. It really takes my patience and my politeness but this is the game and I still like to play.
Occasional postings from a toe-to-toe customer services physical interface operative.
The ramblings and collected tales from a jobbing licensed doorman. Tales of drunken woe, machismo, loose women, loose fists and 99% boredom. Hopefully updated as thoughts worthy of an audience hit my mind.
'Over a decade at it and not winning any beauty contests'
4 comments:
I know this isn't in relation to the post you made, and i'd not be offended if you decided to delete this comment but I felt that you may well be the most impartial knowledgeable helpful person i could ask with the situation I am in. Ok, so I have been a doorman for over 3 years now, i'd still say i'm fairly new to it. Last night a gentleman came at me, saying ''i'm going to fucking smack you'' as usual, no difference, however my colleagues were restraining his friend infront of me (I didnt bottle it, he had just been dragged out of a different section of the club) so I had to push him slightly harder than usual to make a gap between him and me-my team. Due to the guys inebriation he stumbled backwards and fell over; again nothing different from many cases. However, I found this morning that he is a friend of the clubs manager, and had infact broken his wrist. Myself, my team all suggest reasonable force was used, i'm obviously inclined to agree. The manager has not only fired me from my door for the last 3 years (well, i've got to go in for a meeting later) the guy i pushed is pressing charges. A job is a job, shit happens. But will I get nicked and charged? Its all on CCTV that he came at me, I pushed him, and he stumbled backwards and broke his wrist. Whats your opinion?! Any other doorman I know I could ask would be biased as they know me and would say what I want to hear.
I didn't see the incident. I don't know whether you were too heavy or not, I can't help you with it but can wish you good luck.
I've seen some very good doorstaff go for things I and others do every week and some doorstaff stay despite getting it wrong time and again.
In general, if you've still got your badge you can get work all over the country, often for more money than you're on.
You think its got hard for doormen...try being a copper!
I guess the only benefit is that you get paid whilst suspended in the Police, as doormen you're sacked.
Well it seems as it stands that the gentleman hasn't got a leg to stand on, i've still effectively been suspended from working that particular door by the club manager, but he's a cock anyway. clearly your luck worked!
Post a Comment