Yep that’s what I was thinking, too. He’s probably seen and encountered some shit. Some gig work like Uber Eats allows customers to pay in cash so there’s a fair chance that he is a natural target for theft through armed robbery or assault. If I had to do this work, I would want to be armed as well. Nobody in their right mind wants to do this kind of shit work though.

Lol yeah had to throw them in, because I guess essentially they DO get the training. They prob get de-escalation training too, but why bother when as a cop you get a few free oopsies a year.

Ok, but how would you know it was a prank? If you have someone who has suddenly entered into your personal space exhibiting erratic but persistent confrontational behavior, I think there’s some justification towards reacting with violence. I dont think most of us are conditioned or trained to react to threatening behavior in the most effective way, like cops and military are. So that means flight, freeze, or fight. You don’t have the benefit of knowing it was a prank, you just have a situation rapidly unfolding in front of you. Unfortunately in this situation Colie was armed, and responded with that measure. I think most of people would be ok if the response was just a phsyical fight without a gun, but then again how many people have the capability to “win” that way?

I can agree with this. Assholes from all walks.

That’s awful nice of the managers to take that on. I honestly think that anything that involves biohazard should not be handled by store employees at all.

Anecdotal, but it seemed like 80% of the time it was the poorer folks doing this shit. Have a sister with 4 kids, super close to welfare level and her and her kids do this shit (mostly her kids do this and she just lets them). Shes just tired and inattentive all the time. What I’ve noticed gets her attention is when a store clerk or other customer calls them out and shames them.

So public shaming may help the problem, but in today’s world some of these people may turn rabid Mama bear on you. Some stores make you count items on hangers going in and then going out. That actually might work. But I’d rather see societal behavior change instead.

Side note: My sister has worked years of retail before so no idea how tf she does this.

I find the kind of behavior you’re describing as a sort of non-necessary survival mode behavior. They want to not just get the product they need, they want to get the best darn carton of strawberries in the entire batch. We’re not talking looking over a few cartons, we’re talking those people that will go through EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. That side of the spectrum. I feel like people who do this might be predisposed to hoarding tendencies or other obsessive disorders. Don’t get me wrong, fk those people, but I really want to believe there’s a reason behind the madness.

Used to work retail so I feel this. Crazy thing is that sometimes it only takes one or two customers (and their gremlin children) to cause this kind of chaos. I’d go into fitting rooms and shit would be thrown all over the floors. Every now and then there would be extra surprises…like food or drink containers, or used diapers, or urine in the wastebasket. Fun times.

I honestly don’t think this is a bad idea for the US…for now at least. Right now your typical options for official statements from government leaders are either through (1) politically polarized media like CNN or Fox, (2) paid subscription to better journalism, or (3) social media monopolies like Twitter (X) and Instagram. Can we really not fund something entirely independent of a mega-corporation to get official info out?