Patterico's Pontifications

12/4/2008

Wal-Mart Trampling Arose from Line-Cutting Dispute

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 9:28 pm



It was the Line-Sitters vs. the Car-Sitters:

A line-cutting dispute among shoppers who waited for hours outside a New York Wal-Mart and those who stayed inside their cars led to the stampede that killed a store worker, Newsday reports.

I don’t condone trampling people to death in order to pick up “The Incredible Hulk” DVDs for $9, and I don’t want to imply that I do. But if I were forced to choose sides, I’d go with the Line-Sitters.

68 Responses to “Wal-Mart Trampling Arose from Line-Cutting Dispute”

  1. Yes, a line is a line. The Car-Sitters are probably the same people who drive on the freeway in the right lane, which is going to turn into an off ramp, past all the cars crawling along in traffic being good guys, and then at the end of the lane go “Oh! I didn’t know this lane was going to end! Guess I’ll have to cut in, in front of you all.”

    Patricia (ee5c9d)

  2. I remember the “lines” to get on buses at the terminals of SEPTA, Philly’s public transportation system. Right around 330 when the local high school kids would be coming home would always be a real delight. Charming kids.

    Jack Klompus (b0e238)

  3. Adult human beings were incapable of maintaining a bare minimum of civilized behavior. A modicum of rational, mature decency one expects in a society was impossible to maintain. So as a result a young man is dead, the company will be blamed for the death of an employee and fleeced, and representatives of retail workers’ unions are lashing out. Organized labor doesn’t miss a beat to get its manifesto into media hands. Wal-Mart tacked on how many credits as corporate America’s most evil force with this incident because its clientele doesn’t know how to behave like normal adults?

    Jack Klompus (b0e238)

  4. This is why the liberal illuminati hate Wal-Mart, they’re killer stores.

    daleyrocks (5d22c0)

  5. Jack – I would bet good money that they were Obama voters.

    daleyrocks (5d22c0)

  6. I have been at one early-morning Black Friday sale — last year — and missed the 5:00 am opening because I realized I was parked illegally. I got in about fifteen minutes later with no problem. There were no injuries, no frayed nerves — there was almost like a festival feel to it, at first.

    I had to wait in line to select a camcorder from among several on sale for up to 60% off. My first choice was gone by the time it was my turn, two hours after my arrival, but not my second choice, which has worked just fine for me. Of course, after getting the big ticket item, I had to get accessories and take advantage of other sales on software, DVDs, CDs, etc. Then, the checkout line, which took another two hours. Fortunately, I brought an mp3 player and full pack of batteries, and listened to every song at least twice.

    If the Nassau cop’s account is accurate, I can see how the whole Wal-Mart thing happened. Some orifices who are used to getting their own way through intimidation decided they would take advantage of the huge crowd, jump to the front of the line and steal the places of those who stayed out in the freezing cold, daring everyone else to stop them. I didn’t do BF this year — I was able to get everything I needed online at the same prices, and didn’t want to take a day off anyway — but if I did, I wish I could honestly say that I wouldn’t be pushing back against the thugs. But I can’t. I can’t stand to see punks win.

    L.N. Smithee (47463a)

  7. And my friends wonder why I hate people…

    Scott Jacobs (90ff96)

  8. I blame Wal-Mart. And President Bush. And, Kyoto.

    JD (bda7e2)

  9. You left out Halaburton

    Scott Jacobs (90ff96)

  10. And Darth Cheney

    JD (bda7e2)

  11. Rove. Definately Rove’s fault…

    Scott Jacobs (90ff96)

  12. Scott

    Hating people is a time honored profession…..

    EricPWJohnson (d66a90)

  13. Daley doesn’t: Wal-mart shoppers tend to vote republican. Far-far lefters wouldn’t be caught dead in a Wal-mart, and it is well documented that those in economically unstable situations tend to vote republican too (don’t ask me why).

    truthnjustice (3d65f9)

  14. I’m with L.N.Smithee- shopping online does just fine. The Walmart in nearby Delray Beach is always congested with mopey geezers blocking aisles. And all the malls parking are impossible for the Holidays. Besides which mutants see a chance to victimize you. There are a series of unsolved murders at the local upscale Town Center- one incident a mom and her little girl.

    Did the searching for Cabbage Patch BS in the early eighties. Bah humbug. Anyway places online have great prices. And Amazon saves me 6 1/2 % sales tax while throwing in free shipping. But it still pays to shop around. Got best price on one of those mini laptops on Ebay from Canada.

    Lies and Injustice is wrong about Walmart shoppers, at least here. What I see are mostly old Jews, transplants from NY and they vote overwhelmingly liberal all the time, unless they make a mistake and vote for the likes of Pat Buchanan because they are too lame to figure out the dem-designed butterfly ballot. At least they saved us a algore presidency.

    madmax333 (0c6cfc)

  15. Would it have been better if W-M had hired armed guards with orders to shoot to kill line cutters?

    PCD (7fe637)

  16. “At least they saved us a algore presidency.”

    – madmax333

    We’ll see how happy you are about that when we all get killed by ManBearPig.

    Leviticus (064f6f)

  17. Wal-mart shoppers tend to vote republican.

    Really? Are you going to maintain that the specific shoppers that trampled this man to death were likely Republicans?

    JD (bda7e2)

  18. We need to institute public beatings in this country.

    Justin (747191)

  19. “Wal-mart shoppers tend to vote republican.”
    Haha what a baseless steaming pile. I’ll personally escort you on a tour of the giant Wal-Marts in Philadelphia and introduce you to the biggest concentration of Democrats you’ll ever see.

    “it is well documented that those in economically unstable situations tend to vote republican too”
    So well documented that it need not require one iota of proof to back up this laughable assertion.

    Jack Klompus (b0e238)

  20. Wal-mart shoppers tend to vote republican. Far-far lefters wouldn’t be caught dead in a Wal-mart…

    There it is, folks, the community-based reality in action!

    Rob Crawford (04f50f)

  21. “Far-far lefters” haha.
    In other words wealthy poseurs who slap a million bumper stickers on their Prius, buy all of their groceries at Whole Foods, mouth platitudes about “social justice”, send their kids to Quaker schools, and would never socialize with the unwashed, working class minorities who shop at Wal-Marts if they’re not doing their landscaping.
    Central Austin had a big movement to stop a Wal-Mart from being built nearby. They even did the classic “human chain” protest. When you talked to the people leading the charge it wasn’t long before you realized they didn’t give a crap about low wages and poor benefits but they didn’t want tons of Mexicans from the East Side in their well manicured progressive neighborhood.

    Jack Klompus (b0e238)

  22. Items on sale at the Valley Stream Wal-Mart included a Samsung 50-inch Plasma HDTV for $798, a Bissel Compact Upright Vacuum for $28, a Samsung 10.2 megapixel digital camera for $69 and DVDs such as “The Incredible Hulk” for $9.

    Wal-Mart created the mob scene by offering only limited numbers of items at the deep discount prices. Any fool knows in such a situation, the shoppers will run through the door and the store, knocking down and trampling anyone in their way.

    slp (2abdb0)

  23. don’t ask me why

    Has anyone wasted their time by asking you “why” about anything? You make the most assinine declarative sentences, and follow it up by requesting no one ask you “why!” Petey needs your empty bucket IQ companionship.

    Mossberg500 (9fd170)

  24. Jack – I am going to be down in Austin next week.

    JD (bda7e2)

  25. Samsung 50-inch Plasma HDTV for $798

    That is a hell of a deal.

    JD (bda7e2)

  26. Wal-Mart created the mob scene by offering only limited numbers of items at the deep discount prices. Any fool knows in such a situation, the shoppers will run through the door and the store, knocking down and trampling anyone in their way.

    Please. Wal-Mart can hardly be blamed for the feckless, morally turpid actions of a pile of morons.

    Yes, Wal-Mart had very low prices on a few items they only had 10 of. They still did not force people to behave how they behaved.

    Those people all had free will. They made the decision to do what they did.

    Blaming Wal-Mart removes all responsibility from the part of the ones who actually killed the man.

    Scott Jacobs (a1c284)

  27. Any fool knows in such a situation, the shoppers savages will run through the door and the store, knocking down and trampling anyone in their way.

    There. Fixed that for you. The trick is knowing that you’ve got a mob of savages.

    Wal Mart had that sale going on at lots of other stores, didn’t they? And other tramplings? Didn’t think so.

    Pablo (99243e)

  28. I blame Wal-Mart. And those smiley faces. And especially Sam Walton. But not the people that did the murdering by stampede.

    JD (bda7e2)

  29. …and it is well documented that those in economically unstable situations tend to vote republican

    Great. Let’s see the documentation. Links, please.

    Pablo (99243e)

  30. Falling prices kill, JD.

    Pablo (99243e)

  31. Guns don’t kill people, low low prices kill people…

    Scott Jacobs (a1c284)

  32. What was the voting breakdown for this area?

    JD (bda7e2)

  33. An avalanche of tumbling price tags and whistling smiley face. A formula for death and mayhem. I say arm the senior citizen greeters. Any fool knows.
    JD: Austin = tremendous fun.

    Jack Klompus (cf3660)

  34. Jack – Are you still down there?

    JD (bda7e2)

  35. Yeah I’m here until the 22nd then visiting the family in Philly until the New Year then off to Ft. Benning for BCT. Hooah!

    Jack Klompus (cf3660)

  36. We should try to go grab a burger or a steak sometime next week.

    JD (bda7e2)

  37. I’m down. Good eatin’ here. We can laugh at the hippies.

    Jack Klompus (cf3660)

  38. My email is johndallen at sbcglobal dot net. Drop me a note when you get a chance. I will be down there from Tuesday morning until Thursday night.

    JD (bda7e2)

  39. Comment by Pablo — 12/5/2008 @ 6:41 am

    Haven’t you realized that the liesntyranny one will occassionally ask others for documentation,
    but never provides any for its’ outlandish, incomprehensible gibberish.

    Another Drew (46c816)

  40. My email is

    You just signed up for farm porn, my friend. 🙂

    Scott Jacobs (a1c284)

  41. Midgets, Scott. Midgets.

    Jack Klompus (cf3660)

  42. Farm porn staring midgets?

    Scott Jacobs (a1c284)

  43. I fucking hate midgets. And clowns.

    JD (bda7e2)

  44. I think my favorite clown is Eric the Clown from Seinfeld who tells George he’s “living in the past, man!” because he’s still talking about Bozo.

    Jack Klompus (cf3660)

  45. and it is well documented that those in economically unstable situations tend to vote republican too

    Given the results of the 2008 Presidential elections, we can conclude one of two things:

    1. The majority of people in this country are not in economically unstable conditions

    OR

    2. Truthnjustice is full of crap.

    Steverino (69d941)

  46. “2”

    Another Drew (46c816)

  47. #43 midgets and clowns? Makes me recall the question back in ’80 about how anyone could actually vote for a B movie actor for Potus. Of course the apt reply was why not? We had a clown for four years.

    If you want all sorts of really strange people check out Todd Browning’s ’33 classic flick
    Freaks.

    As for trampling and bad behavior, I had a friend who tried cutting in a line to get Stones’ tickets for a show at Philly’s Spectrum. Had to give up when kicked and spat upon.

    madmax333 (0c6cfc)

  48. One of us! One of us!
    Hey max the Spectrum’s days are numbered. The wrecking ball is looming.

    Jack Klompus (cf3660)

  49. 48-
    I assume they have a replacement? Such memories- the Broad St. Bullies of the the mid-seventies (you’ll recall Kate Smith’s singing God Bless America to really energize things) and those Dr. J Sixers. Is the Valley Forge Music Fair still standing? And I was there for the expansion of the King of Prussia mall. Did they ever do a thing to improve the Surekill Schuylkill Expressway? I know I spelled it right because I used to live along the Schuylkill next to Valley Forge Park.
    Anyway from liberal Philly to liberal Austin is something. Of course I went from lib New Haven area to not so lib Montgomery Co. back to uberlib Palm Beach co.

    madmax333 (0c6cfc)

  50. Yes, now maybe Wal-Mart can start using the Hitler-Smileyface logo like from Goldberg’s book. Or so the Wal-Mart-Bashers might say.

    One way to perhaps prevent such a tragedy in the future, in addition to the barriers they had, plus extra security on hand (both of which I believe they had IIRC) would be to a procedure I experienced at a Comp USA some years ago for a big sale.

    We stood in line and they handed out numbers to get in the door, like Take a Ticket at the bakery, and a card for you to claim one of the item you had come for (the super-cheap laptop in my case, for example). In big sales like a 50″ TV for < $800, the shoppers know what they’re there to buy, and if they change their mind they don’t have to use the “reservation to buy” card, but give it back to the store. So nobody has to rush or run over some poor shmoe.

    This was in So Cal so standing in line wasn’t going to kill anyone, but it could work in the cold zone. Just let people check in and then wait in their cars until it’s close to opening time.

    By the way, the shoppers were scum but it’s hard to stop moving forward when pressed from behind by a crowd oblivious to the fallen man, lest you become trampled yourself. If you’ve ever been at a concert when people are being squeezed against the stage that’s another example of this danger.

    Knowing Wal-Mart, this will never happen again even if there is no lawsuit or punative legislation.

    Geo W (73e8d4)

  51. 26, Blaming Wal-Mart is like Liberals blaming Bush for whatever is irking them at the moment. It usually is a bogus beef, and the person bitching has an agenda they are trying to sneak under the radar.

    PCD (7fe637)

  52. max – The Sixers and Flyers have been playing at the Wachovia Center next door for awhile now. The Spectrum has pretty much been used for minor league hockey and occasional concerts. My first concert ever was at the Spectrum when I saw Billy Squier and Ratt.
    VFMF wow, that’s a blast from the past. That hasn’t been around for years but I do remember their great TV ads along with the ads for Ideal Clothing: “If you’ve got a passion for fashion / and you’ve got a craving for saving…”, and the great Action News theme song still closes the Channel 6 news.

    Jack Klompus (cf3660)

  53. Haven’t kept up but doesn’t Chicago ban the likes of Walmart? We get wgn on cable but I don’t pay much attention. People seem to enjoy the low prices and employment opportunities at Walmart even if they are stiff competition for others.

    Jack, ah yes, all that nostalgia. My Philly memories go back to the Phillies blowing a pennant under Mauch. And that really great 66-67 Sixers team.
    Guess best times of my life were when I was at Villanova. We all have our memories of favorite things, but my favorite place was Vegas as a child in the fifties. The place was only around 50k pop. then. Think I picked up some radiation that warped my mind and world outlook from the above ground nuke tests ninety miles away.
    Was there ever a better Police Commish/Mayor in Philly than Frank Rizzo? But I suppose Street has his supporters. Jessica Savitch, coke and drowning like Mary Jo Kopechne…. Larry Kane….Jerry Blavat….Dick Clark. And bb studs like Barkley, Andrew Toney, Moses Malone, etc. A great town.

    madmax333 (0c6cfc)

  54. The 83 Sixers rocked. Last damn sports championship parade I saw until this past October!

    Jack Klompus (cf3660)

  55. Jack – I would bet good money that they were Obama voters.

    Comment by daleyrocks — 12/4/2008 @ 11:09 pm

    Really? Are you going to maintain that the specific shoppers that trampled this man to death were likely Republicans?

    Comment by Junior Detective

    Other comments?

    truthnjustice (3d65f9)

  56. Yeah. You’re not very bright.

    Jack Klompus (cf3660)

  57. Jack, is there a negative rating for Lumens?

    Another Drew (46c816)

  58. I’ll be it comes Al Gore approved if so!

    Jack Klompus (cf3660)

  59. Comment by Junior Detective

    That never gets old – it just gets funnier every time you trot it out. What’s next on your routine, some Henny Youngman jokes?

    Dmac (e30284)

  60. Other comments?

    Do you even pay attention to your own posts? One of the responses you just listed wasn’t a comment, it was a question.

    Dmac (e30284)

  61. “I’m paid to make an idiot out of myself. Why do you do it for free?”
    –H.Y.

    Jack Klompus (cf3660)

  62. Comment by Jack Klompus — 12/5/2008 @ 12:08 pm

    With that level of talent, who could he get to pay?

    Another Drew (46c816)

  63. “Daley doesn’t: Wal-mart shoppers tend to vote republican. Far-far lefters wouldn’t be caught dead in a Wal-mart”

    tnj – I knew some idiot prog would leap to provide a knee jerk response to my deliberately inflammatory comment. Congratulations, moron boy, you won.

    Did you pause to think about the location of this particular Wal-Mart idiot boy, close to New York City in blue, blue New York state? Did you happen to take a look at the pictures of the shoppers at the store on the news? If you did, did you happen to notice any characteristic as a group they largely shared? I’ll help you out here, the pictures I saw showed the shopppers to be mostly black. Now how did black people vote in the most recent presidential election moron boy? Am I going too fast for you?

    Why don’t you blow me ’til I burst mindless progtard.

    daleyrocks (5d22c0)

  64. tmj is getting worse, not better.

    JD (059bab)

  65. Did you happen to take a look at the pictures of the shoppers at the store on the news?

    Are you suggesting that Poindexter actually look up a story, read it in it’s entirety, attempt to comprehend the summation and then form an objective opinion about it? That’s a joke, right?

    Dmac (e30284)

  66. Dmac – I didn’t suggest he read, only look at the pictures. I wouldn’t want him to strain himself.

    daleyrocks (5d22c0)

  67. Looking at that picture makes you a racist!

    Pious Agnostic (b2c3ab)

  68. The stooopidity is jarring sometimes, even when you expect it.

    JD (059bab)


Powered by WordPress.

Page loaded in: 0.1113 secs.