Purse rules at the Target Center

[wamer27]

Could you bring multiple 5x9 purses? I’m diabetic and have had zero hassle bringing my insulin pens in. Then again all I bring is pens and glucose tabs in my pockets. If I were you I’d just find a cheap bigger coat and put a smaller purse in it and don’t pull it out when going through, but have no metal in it. They are looking for guns is the whole point. You could just check the coat and leave it there when leaving. If I’m going to a concert, zero chance I’m walking in with a coat as we never get seats for shows in the past. My brother forgot to leave his smaller knife in our vehicle and got in just fine to gopher hockey game two seasons ago.

Hopefully you can get an Uber home, you should tip well for both hour rides!

[bfrabel]

I'd email or call them and try to get a better explanation of what the "medical bag" thing is all about. Explain just what you explained here about your anxiety and autism. If you get a positive response saying that you should be alright, then you could print that out and show it to the guard if you happen to get hassled. Your reasons sound medically related to me, so I don't see how they could deny you entry, especially when it says a "medical bag" is allowed.

Especially if you have a friend or family member with that can back up your story. If you could get a doctor to write you some kind of short note, that'd be even better. Does what you said about having glucose tabs mean that you are a type 1 diabetic? If so, even better.

I would think chances are once you get to the checkpoint, nobody will care anyways. The guards want to keep things moving, I'm sure they'd rather wave you through than to have you hold up the line and clog things up and cause extra work for them. As long as you don't have any weapons or drugs in your "medical bag", I'm sure you'll be just fine.

[GaiaGoddess]

Originally Posted by elnina

Yes, I see...
Why those strict restrictions at this place and a bit more relaxed at the other?

https://www.targetcenter.com/arena-info/faqs

My only guesses are because Target Field is oudoors and all about sports and Target Center has sports and other events like concerts, and it's indoors which might make it different. I'm not sure if they are owned by the same company, that would make a difference, too.

[GaiaGoddess]

Originally Posted by Unsettomati

The last time I 'travelled' to Target Center was in July. Of course, I didn't have luggage, so 'travel' is a strange way to word it. I drove from my home (about 45 miles south), parked in an adjacent ramp, had dinner at a nearby establishment, and then went to the concert.

To me, anytime I'm leaving town I consider it travelling, especially if I go to multiple places in a day and it's not close to home. I WISH it was July, it being winter is a major part of the problem because I'll need ear muffs and gloves too so if I put those in my coat pockets, I'll have less room for the other stuff.

Were it winter, I'd probably have a small travel tube of lotion (my hands get so dry and cracked in the winter air) but I'm hard pressed to imagine what I could possibly need other than that. And certainly nothing that wouldn't fit in the aforementioned 5"x9" dimensions. Hardly seems a bother at all, much less some deal-breaking burden.

I wish I could bring lotion too, and chapstick, I use both of those almost on an hourly basis but those won't save my ass if there's an "emergency" so I can leave them at my friends' house. The smallest purse I have is 5x7 so it should be small enough but it has a strap so it is considered a purse, not a clutch (their words!) so I'm just worried they wont let me in with it.

For comparison, I checked the United Center (Chicago's equivalent). They limit bags/purses/etc. to 10"x6". Maybe those two extra inches make all the difference?

I thought about driving down there Saturday (the band is playing there then), I love that place, they have their own parking lot so it's less stress to find a place to park which to me is a big deal. If it were summer and there would be no weather issues I would have totally done both shows back to back.

[GaiaGoddess]

Originally Posted by wamer27

Could you bring multiple 5x9 purses? I’m diabetic and have had zero hassle bringing my insulin pens in. Then again all I bring is pens and glucose tabs in my pockets. If I were you I’d just find a cheap bigger coat and put a smaller purse in it and don’t pull it out when going through, but have no metal in it. They are looking for guns is the whole point. You could just check the coat and leave it there when leaving. If I’m going to a concert, zero chance I’m walking in with a coat as we never get seats for shows in the past. My brother forgot to leave his smaller knife in our vehicle and got in just fine to gopher hockey game two seasons ago.

Hopefully you can get an Uber home, you should tip well for both hour rides!

I only have one purse that is 5X7 so it should be the right size but it has a strap so it's technically a purse, not a clutch (according to their site). I have a coat with big enough pockets but I won't be able to check it then, which is fine, I'm always cold anyway and would rather keep all my things on me since it's a source of anxiety if I am separated from my stuff when I'm in a big city far from home without my car.

Yeah if they're looking for guns, I don't see why there is even a bag rule at all since they search them anyway. The metal detector would see that even without searching purses!

I checked the price for an Uber from my house and it would cost $250 total. I can't afford that. I am driving to a friends house in St. Paul and we're all going in on an Uber from there, unless my friend drives. But if the weather is still bad next Sunday I won't be able to drive anywhere so I don't know what i'll do then.

[GaiaGoddess]

Originally Posted by bfrabel

I'd email or call them and try to get a better explanation of what the "medical bag" thing is all about. Explain just what you explained here about your anxiety and autism. If you get a positive response saying that you should be alright, then you could print that out and show it to the guard if you happen to get hassled. Your reasons sound medically related to me, so I don't see how they could deny you entry, especially when it says a "medical bag" is allowed.

Especially if you have a friend or family member with that can back up your story. If you could get a doctor to write you some kind of short note, that'd be even better. Does what you said about having glucose tabs mean that you are a type 1 diabetic? If so, even better.

I would think chances are once you get to the checkpoint, nobody will care anyways. The guards want to keep things moving, I'm sure they'd rather wave you through than to have you hold up the line and clog things up and cause extra work for them. As long as you don't have any weapons or drugs in your "medical bag", I'm sure you'll be just fine.

I think you're right that they would just check my purse and let me go through, that's what happened last time I was there (when I didn't even know about this rule so I actually had a bigger purse that time!). I will email them, never thought of that! I'm not a diabetic, not that I'm aware of anyway, but sometimes my blood sugar crashes and I need to eat something right away or take some glucose tablets, it doesn't happen regularly (maybe once a year) but I don't want to take the chance of it happening when I have no access to food, that's why I bring the tablets with me everywhere.

[Shawn Ford]

Originally Posted by bfrabel

Nice try, but Target Center isn't a store. It's a professional basketball arena. The 2nd oldest one in the USA after Madison Square Gardens in NYC, and the reason for the ban isn't because they're afraid people are going to steal basketballs. Or at least I don't think it is.

If only.

[rrah]

Lots of arenas and even smaller venues have adopted similar guidelines. Many will allow for a larger bag if it is clear. You might check. I had to purchase one last year for a concert. Lots of choices on Amazon and probably locally.