You're in the front row,
and your favorite song comes on.
Suddenly you're surrounded by people
who are violently pushing and shoving.
You try to get away from them.
But as the song builds up,
more and more people start
joining in on the pushing.
And now you can't find your way
out of the crowd.
You're stuck
in a mosh pit.
How can you escape without getting hurt?
This is
According to the Oxford Dictionary,
a mosh pit, or moshing,
is "a style of dance that is violent
and involves jumping up and down,
while deliberately colliding
with other dancers."
That is, it's a chaotic dance
with the potential to get hurt.
And we're not just talking about
bumps and bruises,
there have been at least nine
mosh-related deaths
over the past couple decades.
Mosh pits commonly happen right
in front of the stage,
behind the barriers set up to prevent
people from climbing onto the stage.
These barriers are strong.
And typically, they're raised
so crowd controllers can keep an eye
on the mosh pit and see anyone in trouble.
According to the
Crowd Management Strategies
organization, between 1998 and 2008,
10,000 injuries happened in mosh pits.
They also estimate that
there can be 100-200 injuries
during major festivals due to moshing.
Moshing is a way to heighten
your enjoyment of your favorite music
with a natural endorphin
and adrenaline rush.
So follow these steps
so you can safely enjoy it.
Or safely escape.
Ideally, moshers move in a circle.
So when you're being swarmed,
follow the flow of people
by spiraling towards the center.
Don't fight the flow of the action.
The center is where you are least likely
to be hurt.
If you're stuck in the flow and
and can't reach the center,
keep going in circles
and try to stay behind a taller person.
They are the least likely
to fall back on you.
As fun as it might look on TV,
crowd-surfing is extremely dangerous
and you could get seriously injured
or killed.
Many people have died or become
permanently disabled
due to crowd-surfing.
If you fall and someone doesn't catch you,
the concrete floor will.
And that won't be a soft landing.
If you can't make your way out
and are stuck in the spiral of people,
wait it out.
The song will eventually end,
and the mosh pit will calm down.
That's when you make your move
out of there.
There are a few general rules
you need to follow to enjoy a mosh pit.
First,
finish your drink or leave it on your seat.
Don't bring it with you,
or you'll spill it over other moshers.
Second,
wait for an opening to jump in.
Don't force your way in.
It could start a fight
if you push the wrong person.
Once you're in,
jump up and down in place.
Or do a lap around the pit
following the flow of people.
Keep your hands open
and arms around chest level to avoid
elbowing and injuring others around you.
You will more than likely bump into people,
and that's OK.
They'll be expecting it, as should you.
Just remember you are there to have fun
and not hurt anyone.
Keep pace with the music
and the rest of the mosh.
There will be highs and lows of the song.
Take time to catch your breath
and be ready to dance harder
when the beat drops.
Make sure to help people up
if they've fallen to the ground.
Allow people to exit
if they are trying to get out.
In 2007,
at a Travis Scott concert,
a man was pushed from a third-story
balcony and dragged on stage.
He suffered fractured vertebrae,
a broken left wrist,
and fractured his right ankle.
Later a video was released showing Scott
encouraging a fan to
to jump into the crowd below.
The safest place to be is
in the middle of the venue.
Typically mosh pits occur near the
front of the stage.
But they can happen anywhere.
If you are going to join a mosh pit,
just keep these steps in mind.
The point is to have fun,
but you need to be aware that you might
sustain minor injuries.
The concert is over,
and you are exiting the building
when suddenly
the escalator speeds up out of control.
What do you do now?
Check out
How to Survive a Malfunctioning Escalator
to find out.