Post by: jefnvk on August 16, 2005, 09:13:22 AM
I guess the NASCAR crowd isn't the wildest that this track has ever seen
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/16/computer.frenzy.ap/index.html
RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) -- A rush to purchase $50 used laptops turned into a violent stampede Tuesday, with people getting thrown to the pavement, beaten with a folding chair and nearly driven over. One woman went so far to wet herself rather than surrender her place in line.
"This is total, total chaos," said Latoya Jones, 19, who lost one of her flip-flops in the ordeal and later limped around on the sizzling blacktop with one foot bare.
More than 1,000 people turned out at the Richmond International Raceway in hopes of getting their hands on one of the 4-year-old Apple iBooks, which retail for between $999 and $1,299. The Henrico County school system was selling 1,000 of the computers to county residents.
Officials opened the gates at 7 a.m., but some already had been waiting for hours in line. When the gates opened, it became a terrifying mob scene.
People threw themselves forward, screaming and pushing each other. A little girl's stroller was crushed in the stampede. Witnesses said an elderly man was thrown to the pavement, and someone in a car tried to drive his way through the crowd.
Police would not immediately comment on the number of or extent of injuries, though witnesses said they mostly had scrapes and bruises.
"It's rather strange that we would have such a tremendous response for the purchase of a laptop computer -- and laptop computers that probably have less-than- desirable attributes," said Paul Proto, director of general services for Henrico County. "But I think that people tend to get caught up in the excitement of the event -- it almost has an entertainment value."
Blandine Alexander, 33, said one woman standing in front of her was so desperate to retain her place in line that she urinated on herself.
"I've never been in something like that before, and I never again will," said Alexander, who brought her 14-year-old twin boys to the complex at 4:30 a.m. to wait in line. "No matter what the kids want, I already told them I'm not doing that again."
Jesse Sandler said he was one of the people pushing forward, using a folding chair he had brought with him to beat back people who tried to cut in front of him.
"I took my chair here and I threw it over my shoulder and I went, 'Bam,"' the 20-year-old said nonchalantly, his eyes glued to the screen of his new iBook, as he tapped away on the keyboard at a testing station.
"They were getting in front of me and I was there a lot earlier than them, so I thought that it was just," he said.
Post by: Sindawe on August 16, 2005, 09:18:03 AM
Post by: Ben on August 16, 2005, 12:57:21 PM
Post by: TarpleyG on August 16, 2005, 01:09:26 PM
Post by: saxman357 on August 16, 2005, 02:26:56 PM
Quote from: jefnvk
Jesse Sandler said he was one of the people pushing forward, using a folding chair he had brought with him to beat back people who tried to cut in front of him.
"I took my chair here and I threw it over my shoulder and I went, 'Bam,"' the 20-year-old said nonchalantly, his eyes glued to the screen of his new iBook, as he tapped away on the keyboard at a testing station.
"They were getting in front of me and I was there a lot earlier than them, so I thought that it was just," he said.
Well, I guess in a situation where you're going to be waiting in line for hours a folding chair would look less out of place than a baseball bat. Helps to plan ahead. Wonder if he was one of the folks who trampled an old man with a walker.
"I took my chair here and I threw it over my shoulder and I went, 'Bam,"' the 20-year-old said nonchalantly, his eyes glued to the screen of his new iBook, as he tapped away on the keyboard at a testing station.
"They were getting in front of me and I was there a lot earlier than them, so I thought that it was just," he said.
Post by: duck hunt on August 16, 2005, 02:35:33 PM
Saw some Indian guys in one of the pics. Angry? Dunno.
By the way, to clarify, this whole fiasco was Henrico county, not Richmond proper. It's making us look bad in Richmond, but it wasn't us!
Post by: griz on August 16, 2005, 03:03:23 PM
Post by: mfree on August 17, 2005, 02:32:34 AM
Post by: Nightfall on August 17, 2005, 06:08:36 AM
Post by: grampster on August 17, 2005, 10:38:04 AM
"For he shall be trampled for a Mac" 1Windows, Ch3, Vs 1.0
Post by: duck hunt on August 17, 2005, 12:21:19 PM
Post by: jefnvk on August 17, 2005, 03:09:59 PM
Quote
My husband pointed out that this isn't a very good sign as far as how things will go if we get to gas and/or food rationing situations......
Not a bad observation at all. If this was to save a few hundred dollars on something that wasn't all that necessary, what will happen if it gets down to very limited food?
Post by: Guest on August 17, 2005, 10:34:05 PM
Seriously, how hard would it have been to have set up a website where people could pre-purchase their machine and pick it up in person in a nice orderly fashion?
Whoever it was that assumed that people would *NOT* turn into a rampaging mob was the real fool here.
Post by: mtnbkr on August 17, 2005, 11:49:15 PM
Chris
Post by: Ben on August 18, 2005, 03:44:42 AM
Quote
Whoever it was that assumed that people would *NOT* turn into a rampaging mob was the real fool here.
I believe that would be public education administrators.And yeah, the whole mob scene over a stupid laptop is pretty scary when projected to things of real importance like food and fuel. A good reason to be far from cities, have plenty of egress routes, and keep extras of the necessities in life around, so you can wait things out. I'm pretty set with the latter, but it'll be retirement before I'm well set in the former.