I have been on my fair share of investigations. In the first year, I attended public paranormal investigations as a customer on an almost weekly basis. Sometimes more than once a week. I have also hosted my fair share of public investigations as well through Black Rock House and National Trust events. One common trend across the board is there is always that one. That one person that almost seems like their purpose is to ruin it for everyone else. I have identified the many types this person may present themselves as.
The partner who has been dragged along and doesn’t want to be there:
They sit in the corner with their arms crossed sighing. Words under their breath expressing their less than impressed attitude. ‘What a load of crap ghosts aren’t real’. You see they don’t want to be there and they let everyone know it. Their partner or friend or brother or sister has wanted to come along, but didn’t want to come alone. So they drag this poor sap out for a night that really don’t want to participate in.
The giggly group looking to be scared:
This is a somewhat common one. It usually tends to be a group of girls but men aren’t exempt from a case of the giggles. Im not talking about a funny moment in the night where everyone may have a laugh. No you know who this group is. They are a small group of people who from the very beginning can’t seem to hold in the laughter. As soon as the lights go out and everyone is quiet, they get an uncontrollable bout of the giggles. Then the whispering and then more giggles.
The person who thinks it is funny to scare their friend:
I hate this person. I am usually the victim of these kinds of people (especially in horror movies). You know that moment when everyone is silent in a dark room and you are waiting for something to happen, all of a sudden they make a loud noise or bang on something. Their friend screams, they laugh and they got exactly what they wanted (whilst also scaring the crap out of everyone else in the room.)
Another big problem is the misconception people have of what to expect is going to happen. They want the ‘Zak Bagans experience’. They expect the equipment to be going crazy all night and feeling weird sensations and being scared and running down the hallway shouting ‘OMG Bro’. In reality, a lot of nights nothing will happen at all and people are surprised that you are sitting around waiting and some could even find it boring if there isn’t a lot of activity. We have a lot of things to thank ‘Zak Bagans’ for in the community and this is one of them! There are a lot of more types out there, but these are the common ones. Why do they behave this way and what can you do to take control of the investigation so it is not ruined for everyone else? I put the questions out to the llifs followers and this is what they had to say:
Michelle Cromar: Good question, I tend to lean towards a persons fear threshold. If they have never been in a haunted situation before, they will do things to cover their emotions up and usually thats giggling because they are crapping themselves. As for the scaring eachother, from personal experience, usually I find this happens when you have a wolf mentality in the group followed by their pack, and they have to act tough and not scared to still keep the leader of the pack role. So its hierachy crap right there. I tend to lay down the rules and prepare them first and make it known I am the wolf and their in my backyard…professionally of course LOL. If they step out of line, again, I reinforce. If they still refuse to adhere to the directions given again, they become my trigger object…sent to a room on their own with an digital recorder and camera. Watch the attitude change when confronted about the idea. Works for me LOL
Todd Fox: There is always one ! Usually it’s to mask their fear. But there are also habitual whingers. If someone farts they’d complain they cant smell anything! If had this a few times not enough food and drink, too cold, too dark, too many cobwebs etc. The best cure for this behavior is to ask them if they wish to do a lone vigil ! In other words put up or shut up
What about the people who attend these investigations, how do they feel about their investigation being ruined?
Jess Vinter: It’s frustrating because it ruins it for everyone else who genuinely wants to be there. I think people are right when they say a lot of people act up out of fear but they need to know that certain behaviours aren’t acceptable and won’t be tolerated. Maybe to help prevent silly behaviour you could say before the tours start that if anyone is going to act up they will kindly be asked to leave because it’s not fair to ruin it for everyone else who does take it seriously and want have paranormal experiences.
Janelle Portelli: As a non believer (used to be believer) I remember so many investigations where I stopped taking things seriously so to speak. However going through that process never compelled me to spoil anyone elses experience or make a public event difficult for the team or business running such things. That’s just me though. People are individuals and all deal with things differently, sometimes not so well. Any public event is a bit alike managing seating people at a wedding, just you have no idea who anybody is.
Too it’s the paranormal, not everyone going on such things is an enthusiast or even respects the concepts most investigators hold dear, and sure some go on ghost hunts purely to take the piss, and act alike assholes while doing so.
I guess they are the guys you make ghost bait as mentioned already in this thread, believers or not lots of folks have a hard time in the dark without a torch or a thunder buddy.
Heather Briscoe: I enjoy the small groups, if there is a non believer I hope they have an experience to sway there thinking!
So what advice did our followers have in how to deal with these people? Surprisingly they all seemed to have similar thoughts!
Glenn McPhee: Seperate them. Giggles can ruin the experience for the others. But split the group so everyone can still have a fun and exciting experience
Tony Curigliano: That has always annoyed me. if their behaviour affects others enjoyment of the investigation then need to pull them up as isn’t fair on others who want to experience ot properly. happens at horror movie screenings a lot too! i like the idea of making them go in alone
Erin N O’Leary: Used to host investigations at mayday hills asylum in beechworth.
Taking the uruly gigglers to the cellar and making them to be the first to walk down or last to walk up always halted the stupidity. Its pretty messed up down there 
So what do you do next time there is an annoying person on the tour? If you are a guest, politely try to take your guide/investigator aside and tell them you know it isn’t their fault but could they maybe separate them etc as it is ruining your experience. They will be more than happy to help if they can because if they are any good sort of investigator, they will want you to enjoy your experience as well. If you are running the investigation, the advice above is pretty straight forward. Separate them and lock them in a dark room. Then see how tough they are! I have been pretty lucky in that I haven’t had to use this trick yet. There have been some difficult people of course but I haven’t had to lock them in the Black Rock House cellar yet. What is funny is that it is probably the most not haunted place of Black Rock House but I am sure the thought of just being locked in the cellar alone is enough to scare them straight!
Thankyou to all of you who participated. I am going to do more of these threads where you will get to have your say on different paranormal topics and it will be mentioned in the blog. We can all have a voice. The paranormal community doesn’t belong to one person, it belongs to all of us!
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