Lost ticket? Replacement?

[Runnr_AZ]

Ok... so... I'm sure this is maybe the dumbest thing ever, but I managed to lose my Burning Man ticket. I know, right?

Obviously, I've read the FAQ and it states very clearly that one has to purchase another ticket. And, under normal circumstances, I'd just grab another one and take advantage of the refund program for the price of the second one. Reasonable enough.

However, these are strange times and, as you all know, the event is sold out. The option in the FAQ is no longer really an option without paying premium prices with no hope of any money back for the first ticket. Seems like a great event... would love to join you folks, but there's no way I can afford to go with all that extra cost.

Now, I know that BM has the ability to check / invalidate tickets by number... implying that these are all, really just entries in a database somewhere, just like hotel reservations or camping assignments or whatever.

Does anyone know if there's a way I can get my ticket transferred to will call?

Thanks!

[trilobyte]

No, there is not.

[Shambala]

No, there is not.

I would second what trilobyte said, but I would be more emphatic! There is no way to void a ticket by number, just like you can't void a lost $100 bill by the serial number. The lucky trash man who finds your ticket while dumping your barrel, will get to attend the Burning Man Festival FREE of charge this year. He may even want to sell it on ebay, and I hope he has the integrity to sell it for face value.

[Runnr_AZ]

You may be right, of course... obviously, I don't have any real insight into the operation that runs Burning Man except that they seem to be doing a great job with what must be an insane event to plan logistically.

That tickets cannot be invalidated is seemingly contradicted by the FAQ: "Before purchasing, find out the full name the ticket was purchased under, get both the 8 digit and separate 5 digit number/letter combo from the back of the ticket. Contact partiserv(at)burningman(dot)com with that information and we can let you know to the best of our knowledge if the ticket has been reported stolen or part of a scam."

And, it's worth adding that tickets ARE in fact invalidated on entry... correct? (To prevent people from selling dupes or whatever.) This is how they can give refunds for unused tickets after the event takes place.

Now, normally I'd have a way to rectify this situation fairly easily... but the complete selling out of the event makes the regular way of dealing with this situation impossible.

Certainly, I'm open to suggestions...

Thanks!

[Shambala]

You make some good points, so I will try to explain this in a bit more detail.

The tickets that are presented at the gate, are ALWAYS a hard ticket, and NEVER a computer copy or a facsimile image. They can't be scanned for a few reasons, and I assume the biggest ones revolve around the massive dust in the desert. It would kill the scanners. A small stub at the end of the ticket is torn off upon entry and effectively voiding the ticket from being used again.

The reason for reporting a scammed ticket, or checking the validity of a ticket, is for the scammers who make multiple photo copies, and show the same numbers to many unsuspecting buyers. It really just helps to cut down on the scams.

Still, the ticket itself is considered a negotiable commodity. The only way it can be replaced is if it's lost in shipping to you, and there is no signature for the receipt. Up to this point, it's just a piece of paper with almost no real value. Once you sign for it (DING), it has the full value of a moderately expensive watch.

If you don't believe me, contact BMorg and they tell you the same thing, only in different words!

[capjbadger]

No... you're got it wrong. Tickets are torn upon entry, thus you can't sell it after entry (well you could... but it wouldn't get anyone in).
Ticket are also not scanned or anything when you hand them over. There is no way to "cancel" a lost ticket.

The refund thing you read about is if you lost a ticket, you could buy a new one (provided there were any left on sale) and then if you found the old one, you could turn it in for the refund.

Sorry man... You're up a creek.

-Badger

[Savannah]

There was a guy on here two weeks ago who had lost his ticket. We brainstormed lots of ways he might be able to find it. It's hard to know if it helped . . . but he did find it. Had rather a poor attitude about it, too.

Just in case it would help:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=41740

Note: the only reason I was able to find this thread was by entering lost burning man ticket "bay bridge sue" into Google . . . because I remembered that she was particularly patient in her numerous replies regarding his dilemma.

[Runnr_AZ]

Thanks guys for the quick responses... I appreciate the advice. It's possible, of course, that the ticket will show up.

... The search continues...

In the meantime, if anyone out there is like, "That dude sounds like he's kind of retarded but basically a good person... I'd love to sell him MY extra ticket," feel free to hit me up.

[tahiti_treat]

I thought I'd lost mine yesterday, so I feel your pain. Mine were found in a pile of old bills - my husband had wrapped them up in the receipt, so they weren't obvious and just looked like another bill. So, check all your paper piles - unfold and shake out everything.

Good luck! I really hope you find it!

[Eric]

Note: the only reason I was able to find this thread was by entering lost burning man ticket "bay bridge sue" into Google . . . because I remembered that she was particularly patient in her numerous replies regarding his dilemma.

I spent about 20 minutes yesterday trying to find that damn thread for him- good job Savannah! Oh I wish the eplaya search function... functioned.

[Korwedge]

Last year, at the gate, They did not tear the stub off my ticket, they just took the whole thing.