With all the great music, a seemingly inexhaustible supply of alcohol and the near constant threat of sunstroke, it might be hard to remember that you're not the only one at Riverbend trying to enjoy yourself.

After spending my fair share of nights with my view blocked or in danger of being trod upon, I decided to provide a guide to courteous Riverbending.

Since it would be preachy and more than a little creepy for me to wear my Ms. Manners mask to offer up my own suggestions, I decided to ask you, the public, what irksome behavior you think needs to stop.

* Like many longtime 'benders, Chelsey Strutton and her family come out early to set up on the Coke Stage Lawn. When they try and leave, however, people on the edge of the sidewalk won't let her through, she said.

"They act like they've paid for the spot, but we all paid general admission," she said. "They should leave a path through."

* Kim Ellis has been coming to Riverbend for about 10 years. Like me, Ms. Ellis is a fan of symmetry and is bothered by the chaotic arrangement of squatters spread about willy-nilly on the Coke Lawn. She wants -- no, needs -- even rows.

* Unum Gate section coordinator Duffy Hudson said that, on the whole, people are typically courteous and follow the rules at the festival. Unfortunately, they also follow the 80/20 rule -- one bad apple for every four good ones.

His suggestions for making everyone's life easier? Keep your pin somewhere where the attendants can find it, not tucked out of sight or in inappropriate places (shame) and don't try to enter or leave with contraband, especially alcohol. There's a zero-tolerance policy on that last one, even if you've only got just a sip of beer left.

* Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union representative and 20-year Riverbend veteran Jimmy Johnston suggested (and I second this) that talkers stand apart from listeners during the performance.

"If they're just there for the social thing, and you're there to hear an artist and they're standing in front of you blocking your view and talking instead of watching the music, that bothers me," he said. "I think I've told people before, 'Look, if you didn't come to hear the music, I did. Please let me enjoy it.'"

* Tim Henry is the captain of the good ship Comfortably Numb, which is enjoying its second year tethered to the dock at Ross's Landing. To all those experiencing Riverbend from the water, Mr. Henry suggests observing a no-wake policy for the area behind the Coke Stage and that those operating larger vessels keep their eyes open for smaller boats.

* I've often worried about the fate of small children in the forest of legs at Riverbend, so I asked Alex and Jennifer Shaw for some things they worry about with their son Cody and daughter Alexandra at the festival.

"People need to watch where they're going," Mrs. Shaw said. "When we were coming in, the Saturn people were moving their cars around and about hit him (Cody) because they weren't paying attention."

Honestly people, most of this is common sense. In general, you know how to behave in public, but for some reason, as Mr. Hudson said, there's that 80/20 rule in effect at Riverbend. Let's all try and play nice, eh? We've only got one day left.