haldir Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 ha ha gotta love people in crowds Aug 16, 10:08 PM EDT Va. Laptop Sale Turns Into a Stampede By KRISTEN GELINEAU Associated Press Writer RICHMOND, Va. (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 as 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. An estimated 5,500 people turned out at the Richmond International Raceway in hopes of getting their hands on one of the 4-year-old Apple iBooks. The Henrico County school system was selling 1,000 of the computers to county residents. New iBooks cost between $999 and $1,299. Officials opened the gates at 7 a.m., but some already had been waiting since 1:30 a.m. 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. Seventeen people suffered minor injuries, with four requiring hospital treatment, Henrico County Battalion Chief Steve Wood said. There were no arrests and the iBooks sold out by 1 p.m. "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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firebird Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 UNBELIEVABLE!! I wouldn't wait that long for computer if they were free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuCulain42 Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Never underestimate the mob mentality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VelveteenRabbit Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Sweet. I love mobs... Really highlights our civilization! The real shocker is that they took six hours to sell out!!! Must of only had one checker, probably an employee on loan from Best Buy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkstar Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 That's funny that the same thing, 4 year old ibook is on ebay right now for $26.00 starting bid. Hmm, it's from Virginia too...coincedence probably though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokingwreckage Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 4 y.o. iBooks? They did this for 4 y.o. iBooks?? What'll they stampede for next? Old pants? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enchantra Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 What I think is more sickening is the fact the 20 year old thought hitting people with a folding chair was perfectly legitimate. It's an act that can send people to a hospital or even kill them - all for a $50 computer? Truly sick. So they budged in line - I've seen people do this a lot and not get hit for it, though they do get some serious glares. Heck I wouldn't even want a four year old apple computer. Most Apple's aren't worth the parts they're made from in my opinion, though I'm sure there are many here who would disagree with me on that. The only Apple product I've heard good things about is an Ipod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokingwreckage Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 I love my iPod . My wife got it for me. Best. Present. Ever. But I wouldn't queue for it. Does it seem that the Patient gene has got caught up with the Stupid gene? Imagine what these people could achieve if they started something USEFUL at 4:00 AM. Well, maybe they're less dangerous to the rest of us if they don't try to achieve anything..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Digital [email protected] Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 I hope they do this around me. You know how easy it would be to sue the vendor for negligence? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coogle Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Suing the first American Offensive Tactic or AOT for short! Anyway.. idiots... it's an old apple.. I mean... an apple.. that's been used by school kids... !!!! It's probably full of apple now And so many greesy fingerprints you could be mistaken for thinking it's the screensaver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrome Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 someone in a car tried to drive his way through the crowd. There were no arrests Am I the only one who sees something wrong here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warlordgarou Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 I'd buy one, but not for more than $50. I couldn't see waiting in line more than 20-30 minutes, and I certainly wouldn't have waited in line for 6 hours, then bludgeoned someone with a chair in order to get one. It's four years old - all I'd be using it for is typing shorts stories and drafts while watching TV. It's not going to run anything I normally use anyway - it's four years old, and worse, it's an Apple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VelveteenRabbit Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 Where are all the ardent Apple defenders?? My girlfriends 3 yo laptop essentially self destructed, and it was an HP! I can't believe getting that worked up about them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qwyksilver Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 As much as it kills me, I do have to defend Apple a bit. My wife's Powerbook she was given by the IT Dept of her school kicks some serious butt. The hardest issue I have with the computer is the interface, because I have become so accustomed to Windows machines (I was a Mac guy until about '91, then switched to Windows the year before college) Her desktop Mac is also a fairly nice machine, though it hasn't been as well protected, so it got fairly slagged with spyware. But that is nothing a reformat of the HD doesn't fix, and we upgraded her OS at the same time. She uses them both primarily for work related stuff, which means a lot of digital editing and writing of music and video for her classes. She has now fallen in love with her MIDI connection so she has been playing her keyboard and having the software automatically generate sheet music notation, based on what she plays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vil-hatarn Posted August 17, 2005 Share Posted August 17, 2005 She has now fallen in love with her MIDI connection so she has been playing her keyboard and having the software automatically generate sheet music notation, based on what she plays. Oohh...me want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.