Hide from Paparazzi Using Decoy Tactics (Escape Route)
The safest way to reduce unwanted photography is to coordinate a private, staff-managed trip to an ordinary approved exit. A lawful privacy screen may help, but hidden doors, misleading directions, and blocked routes can create serious safety risks. Confirm the building’s approved egress plan, accessibility needs, and local approvals before using or changing any route.
A sudden crowd or camera presence can make a normal departure feel stressful. Planning ahead can reduce confusion: agree on who will guide you, which approved exit to use, and how staff will protect privacy without obstructing anyone’s way out.
I use “decoy” cautiously here. A staff member may manage attention through ordinary, truthful crowd coordination, but no one should direct people toward a false exit or interfere with a photographer’s lawful movement. The goal is a calm departure, not a concealed escape route. A route that is safe in an emergency must stay visible, usable, and consistent with the building’s approved plans.
Planning: Confirm the approved route and privacy objective
Planning means checking that a proposed departure uses an existing, authorized route and serves a clear privacy need. Before acting, identify the property’s rules, the local code authority, and who may approve staff coordination or temporary screens. A route must work for emergency egress as well as for a planned departure.
Start with the property owner or venue security lead. Ask which exits are approved for public use, whether staff may coordinate a departure, and whether an accessible route is available. If a plan involves construction or a change to a door, wall, alarm, or fire-rated assembly, contact the building official and fire marshal before work begins.
The governing rules depend on location and building type. Confirm the locally adopted building and fire codes, the occupancy classification, the approved occupant load, and any relevant accessibility duties. The 2010 ADA Standards may apply, but local rules and amendments can add requirements. A code professional can help resolve unclear details.
A useful plan answers four questions:
- Who has authority to approve the route and any temporary privacy measure?
- Which ordinary exit and accessible route are approved?
- Who will guide the traveler and communicate with venue staff?
- What will staff do if the planned route becomes crowded or unavailable?
Do not rely on a route simply because a door looks like an exit. Some doors are for staff, service, or emergency use only. Using them without permission may create security, access, or safety problems. If the approved route is blocked, stop and ask authorized staff to choose another approved exit.
Takeaway: Agree on the route with the property before arrival. Do not improvise a hidden path or assume a door is available because it appears convenient.
Access & Clearances: Keep the route usable and visible
Clearance is the open space people need to move through a route and operate its doors. Measure it in the finished, in-use condition, not just on a drawing. Accessibility benchmarks do not replace local egress rules, fire-door requirements, or occupancy-specific limits.
Where the 2010 ADA Standards apply, an accessible route generally needs at least 36 inches of clear width. A doorway generally needs at least 32 inches of clear opening with the door open 90 degrees, measured between the door face and the stop. The standards include limited exceptions; do not assume an exception fits a particular location.
For an interior hinged door, the ADA standard sets a maximum opening force of 5 pounds-force (lbf). Fire doors may be subject to an exception, but required self-closing and latching features must remain in place. Where a closer is used, the door must take at least 5 seconds to move from 90 degrees open to 12 degrees from the latch under the ADA standard.
These are accessibility benchmarks, not universal design instructions. Locally adopted egress rules may require more width, and fire-rated doors may need specific hardware. A qualified architect or code consultant should check the governing edition, local amendments, and the building’s approved plans.
| Item to check | Benchmark where applicable | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Accessible route width | 36 inches minimum | Clear width after people, furniture, and screens are in place |
| Door clear opening | 32 inches minimum | Opening with door at 90 degrees, measured at the narrowest point |
| Interior hinged-door opening force | 5 lbf maximum | Applicable door type and any fire-door exception |
| Door closing time | At least 5 seconds | From 90 degrees open to 12 degrees from the latch |
| Exit signs and alarms | No obstruction | Devices remain visible and accessible |
A temporary opaque screen may protect privacy, but it must not narrow the route, hide an exit sign or alarm, block emergency lighting, or interfere with sightlines needed for safe movement. Staff should remove it promptly if conditions change. Never lock, disguise, or delay an exit door.
Takeaway: Check the route’s real clear width and door operation, then confirm the local code requirements. Keep all life-safety features visible and unobstructed.
Execution: Coordinate staff and use only approved measures
Execution means putting the agreed plan into practice without changing the building’s approved egress or deceiving people about where exits are. Staff coordination, clear communication, and a lawful privacy screen may support a private departure. Construction or hardware changes require proper approval and permits where required.
Before the traveler arrives
Have a qualified architect or code consultant map the approved exits, accessible route, door swings, rated assemblies, and security-controlled doors. Ask property staff to confirm who can authorize the plan. If changes to the building are proposed, seek approval from the relevant building official and fire marshal before work starts.
Agree on a simple staff procedure. One person can communicate with the traveler, while an authorized venue lead checks that the selected ordinary exit is open and usable. Staff should know the alternate approved route and the person responsible for making that decision. Do not share private timing or location details more widely than needed.
During the departure
Use a calm, direct handoff. Staff can ask bystanders to keep a passage clear, follow venue policy, and avoid sharing the traveler’s location when there is a legitimate privacy concern. They should not threaten or physically restrain photographers, misstate where an exit leads, or block public access to a route.
If a temporary screen is approved, place it so that it does not obstruct circulation, signs, alarms, emergency lighting, or required safety sightlines. Keep it attended and remove it if crowd flow changes. A screen is a visual barrier, not a substitute for a secure door or a way to control who may leave.
The following examples are illustrative planning scenarios, not reports of specific events:
| Scenario | Safer response | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| A traveler faces cameras near a venue entrance | Staff check an approved side exit and escort the traveler along its normal route | Sending people toward a false exit |
| A lobby is crowded | Staff pause the departure or use another approved, accessible exit | Pushing through a crowd or narrowing the path with a screen |
| A temporary screen is considered | Staff confirm approval and keep signs, alarms, and circulation clear | Covering an exit sign or creating a concealed corridor |
| The chosen exit is unavailable | The authorized lead selects another approved route | Forcing a locked door or using an unapproved staff-only route |
If authorized construction is part of the plan, use permitted and documented work. Preserve required fire and smoke ratings, door hardware, accessibility clearances, exit signs, emergency lighting, and alarm interfaces. Never make unpermitted changes to rated walls or doors, exit hardware, alarms, sprinklers, or ventilation.
Takeaway: A reliable departure depends on staff roles and an approved route, not on false directions. If the setting changes, pause and let authorized staff reassess.
Verification: Inspect, test, and rehearse
Verification means checking that the route still works after planning or approved work. It includes measuring clearances, testing required doors and hardware, and confirming that staff understand the procedure. A route that has not been checked may fail when a crowd, screen, or temporary object changes the space.
After any permitted alteration, arrange required inspections. Measure the finished clear opening and accessible-route width with doors, screens, and other items in their normal positions. Test door operation and required hardware, and confirm that fire doors still close and latch as required. Record approvals, inspection results, and any limits on use.
Before a planned departure, staff should walk the route and check:
- The selected exit is authorized, open, and not blocked.
- The accessible route remains clear and meets applicable requirements.
- Exit signs, alarms, emergency lighting, and safety sightlines are unobstructed.
- Door hardware works as required, and no door is locked or disguised.
- The responsible staff member knows what to do if the route becomes unsafe.
Rehearse the communication process without creating a public spectacle. Staff should know how to pause the departure and who can choose an alternate approved exit. If an actual emergency occurs, follow the building’s emergency procedures and directions from responders; privacy plans do not take priority over life safety.
Takeaway: Document the approved procedure, inspect the route, and brief staff. Recheck it whenever the layout, crowd conditions, or building use changes.
FAQ: Common questions about privacy and approved exits
These answers address common concerns about leaving a public venue with less unwanted attention. The key distinction is between coordinating a private departure along an approved route and creating a concealed or misleading route. Local law, venue policy, and emergency instructions still apply.
Can a venue use a different exit to protect a guest’s privacy?
Yes, if authorized staff confirm that the exit is approved for that use and the route is safe and accessible. A staff-only door is not automatically an acceptable alternative.
Are decoy directions a safe way to draw photographers away?
No. False directions can confuse the public and interfere with emergency movement. Staff should coordinate a truthful, orderly departure instead.
Can a temporary screen be placed near an exit?
Only if the property approves it and it does not block or narrow the route, obscure signs or alarms, or interfere with safe movement. Remove it if conditions change.
Does the 36-inch route width apply everywhere?
It is a benchmark under the 2010 ADA Standards where applicable. Local egress codes may require different or greater widths, so confirm the rules for the specific building.
Is every door with an “exit” sign available for a planned departure?
Not necessarily. Use a door only as permitted by the building’s approved plans and venue procedures. Ask authorized staff rather than testing a locked or restricted door.
Can a fire door be held open during a departure?
Do not defeat required self-closing or latching features. Follow the building’s fire-safety procedures and seek code guidance if a door’s operation is in question.
What if the planned route becomes crowded or blocked?
Pause. Ask the authorized venue lead to check conditions and select another approved, accessible route if one is available. Do not push through or improvise a concealed passage.
Who should approve route changes or building work?
The property owner or manager, the relevant building official, and the fire marshal may all have roles. A qualified architect or code consultant can help determine what approvals and permits are needed.
Can staff promise that a route will prevent photography?
No. Staff may help protect privacy and manage a departure, but they cannot guarantee that no one will take or publish photographs. Laws and property rules vary by location.
A calm, coordinated departure offers a practical way to reduce attention without compromising safety. Confirm the route, preserve access and life-safety features, and rely on authorized staff rather than hidden paths or misleading tactics.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Steven Langford. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
