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Author Topic: Woman trampled unconcious over DVD player Thomas Procyk Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1842 From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 11-29-2003 01:11 PM                     Here is the link. ----- Woman Knocked Unconscious While Shopping ORANGE CITY, Fla. - A mob of shoppers rushing for a sale on DVD players trampled the first woman in line and knocked her unconscious as they scrambled for the shelves at a Wal-Mart Supercenter. Patricia VanLester had her eye on a $29 DVD player, but when the siren blared at 6 a.m. Friday announcing the start to the post-Thanksgiving sale, the 41-year-old was knocked to the ground by the frenzy of shoppers behind her. "She got pushed down, and they walked over her like a herd of elephants," said VanLester's sister, Linda Ellzey. "I told them, `Stop stepping on my sister! She's on the ground!'" Ellzey said some shoppers tried to help VanLester, and one employee helped Ellzey reach her sister, but most people just continued their rush for deals. "All they cared about was a stupid DVD player," she said Saturday. Paramedics called to the store found VanLester unconscious on top of a DVD player, surrounded by shoppers seemingly oblivious to her, said Mark O'Keefe, a spokesman for EVAC Ambulance. She was flown to Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, where doctors told the family VanLester had a seizure after she was knocked down and would likely remain hospitalized through the weekend, Ellzey said. Hospital officials said Saturday they did not have any information on her condition. "She's all black and blue," Ellzey said. "Patty doesn't remember anything. She still can't believe it all happened." Ellzey said Wal-Mart officials called later Friday to ask about her sister, and the store apologized and offered to put a DVD player on hold for her. Wal-Mart Stores spokeswoman Karen Burk said she had never heard of a such a melee during a sale. "We are very disappointed this happened," Burk said. "We want her to come back as a shopper." ----- Commentary: Proof that Americans are the most voraciously despicable consumers on the planet. Who cares if someone is dying under my feet? I must BUY BUY BUY meaningless cheap gifts for people so that I can do my part in boosting the economy. Besides, they'll probably hold the merchandise for when she gets out of the hospital! And for what?!? Half the shit will end up returned or in a landfill anyway. Seriously, what the hell did the store expect lining shoppers up ourside and blaring a siren? People are sheep and will herd when called. Stores thrive on this shit. They know when one animal wants something the other has, they'll stop at nothing. They should make it illegal to line up thousands of people -- clearly more than the store can handle -- and then let them all in at once. Set up turnstiles! Ropes! Corral the animals! Attention Wal-Mart Shoppers, there's a sale on Aisle 5, so get spaztic with your plastic, man it's great to be alive! =TMP=  |  IP: Logged Travis Hubrig Expert Film Handler Posts: 175 From: Minot ND, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 11-29-2003 03:58 PM                     I think the store should be held responsible... They need to be responsible for crowds and the possibility of someone getting hurt because of their lack of control at their facility. If someone got trampled at a theatre, I guarantee there would be a lawsuit.  |  IP: Logged Jason Black Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1723 From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 11-29-2003 04:00 PM                        TMP, I'll be the first to say it publicly here...watch a lawsuit come about out of this incident. ok, so Travis beat me to it, but we had to be typing at the same time.. And IMO, Wal-Mart should be held liable for all her medical expenses. It peeves me that people are so damned desperate to save a buck that they get up at who knows when in the AM and fight one another for parking, line space, and items within the store(s). I went to Belk on my way to work Friday AM to grab a couple pair of jeans... there were a decent amount of folks in the store and each register had no less than 10 people in it. I turned around and walked out. %30 savings aren't worth the hassle to me. It was, however, refreshing to see how theatre patrons must feel while waiting in our ticketing/consession lines. Granted, we have a higher concentration of people in a given location at one time for more specific time frame obligations.... Stories like this depress me... and they piss me off.  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 11-29-2003 05:43 PM                     How nice ... Wal-Mart's gonna place a DVD player "on hold" for her. That means she's still gotta pay for it.  |  IP: Logged Floyd Justin Newton Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 559 From: Phoenix, Arizona, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 11-29-2003 06:50 PM                     Just goes to prove...GREED "Knows-No-Boundries".  |  IP: Logged Rachel Craven Madam Moderator Posts: 2190 From: Pensacola, FL Registered: Dec 2000 posted 11-29-2003 06:54 PM                     Walmart couldn't give her the DVD player for free. That would be considered a gift, and admitting they were in the wrong. Although it would be nice for them to do so (and she deserves it, and MUCH more), it would be stupid business if they did.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-29-2003 07:06 PM                     Well, I guess here's another good reason to join in the Wal- Mart boycott. They are as bad as DTS about sweeping major haooennings under the rug so to say..... Walmart really does suck! This kind of reminds me of that old Jery Lewis film called The Big Store....the part where Jerry is left standing in just his underwear after the mad sale rush..... She'd be far better off sueing them for millions in light of all the publicity this has already received. Mark  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 11-29-2003 07:25 PM                     I would beware of the next stampede: the one on the way to the repair center for those $29 cheapie DVD players. You get what you pay for. Sure, Americans can cry and whine about millions of manufacturing jobs and now white collar high tech jobs getting exported overseas. But when you are enough of a selfish, shortsighted dumbass to only buy on basis of getting the cheapest price --then you deserve to get your damned job exported too.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 11-29-2003 08:28 PM                        The newspaper here is running a series of articles about Wal-Mart and its business tactics. I'm convinced that Wal-Mart is a creation of the devil himself. It's evil, I tells ya!! Now excuse me -- I've gotta run out and see if I can snag one of those $29 DVD players...  |  IP: Logged Jeff Stricker Master Film Handler Posts: 481 From: Calumet, Mi USA Registered: Nov 1999 posted 11-30-2003 06:57 AM                     Amen, it used to be the blue color jobs were exported offshore; now that most are gone, there's a mad rush to export white color technical jobs. Engineers in India will work for 1/6 of what they are paid in the States or Europe. You can bet that Walmart DVD player came from somewhere overseas --- it wasn't designed in US or Europe, either!! Merry Christmas  |  IP: Logged Jesse Stanley Film Handler Posts: 19 From: Chillicothe, OH, USA Registered: Jul 2001 posted 11-30-2003 10:13 AM                     I give most of them $29 dvd players 6 months and they will not be able to read half of the DVD's.  |  IP: Logged Mike Fitzgerald Expert Film Handler Posts: 224 From: Castle Hayne, NC, USA Registered: Jun 2002 posted 11-30-2003 11:32 PM                     My wife went to Wal Mart Friday morning for one of the Foreman grills for our daughter and after waiting for a hour in line the person in front of her cleaned out the pallet took about 40 of them for his cart and would not share any. I complained to the store manager who acted like he could care less and I wrote to them. Lets see if I even get a answer.  |  IP: Logged Jason Black Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1723 From: Myrtle Beach, SC, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 11-30-2003 11:37 PM                        Mike, Don't bet on getting a reply. The old addage 'first come first served' and 'while quantities last' will be the line they feed you of they do bother to take the time to reply.  |  IP: Logged Rachel Craven Madam Moderator Posts: 2190 From: Pensacola, FL Registered: Dec 2000 posted 12-01-2003 12:01 AM                     Yeah, remember they are there to make money. If a customer that gets there first wants 40 of the same item, who is the store to turn them away as long as they are paying for them. There is no limit on the quantity you can buy. Might not seem fair, but...  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 12-01-2003 02:18 AM                        quote: And IMO, Wal-Mart should be held liable for all her medical expenses. Sorry, I don't agree. That's like saying that if a drunk and uninsured driver crashes into you at 80mph and gives you a serious injury, the manufacturer of the car should be held responsible. The yobs who trampled all over her should be held liable for her medical expenses... after they've been thrown into jail for a very long time.  |  IP: Logged

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