Panic ensues in rush for cheap laptops


Recommended Posts

One thousand iBooks vs. many thousands of people. The gates opened at Richmond International Raceway at 7am and the stampede began.

Henrico County is offering 1000 used iBooks for sale for $50 to Henrico residents. Despite the increased police presence, it was not an orderly event. Many people were injured when the gates were opened and the rush began.

We're told some people have been waiting in line since 1:30am. Gates opened at 7am and the sale gets underway at 9am. Officials will only sell one computer per person and you must be a Henrico County resident. Bring a valid driver's license, a voter ID card, or a tax bill as proof of residency.

http://www.wric.com/Global/story.asp?S=3726762

http://www.nbc12.com/servlet/Satellite?pag...d=1031784206477

Henrico County Supervisors have decided to give its residents the first opportunity to buy surplus school computers. The school system has some one-thousand I-Book laptops and had originally planned to offer them for $50 to anyone on a first come, first serve basis. But the Henrico Supervisors held a special session Wednesday to change the county?s rules for disposing of surplus property, giving Henrico taxpayers the first option.

As a result of the change, the date for selling the surplus computers has been moved back to August 16th.  The sale will still be held at the Richmond International Raceway, with gates opening at 7 a.m. and the sale starting at 9 a.m. Purchasers will have to prove they are Henrico residents by presenting a driver?s license or voter ID car with a Henrico address or by having a Henrico tax receipt.

The sale will still be one computer per person.  If there are any left after the August 16th sale, Henrico will schedule another sale that will be open to out-of-Henrico residents.

People from as far away as California had announced their plans to come to Henrico County and purchase one of the cheap "i-books."

Now, some residents from other localities are upset. Beatrice Hyman moved from Henrico to Richmond two years ago. Her kids used I-books for a few months and she was planning to get in line to try and buy one for her grandkids that are going to college. Hyman says, "Because my driver?s license says City of Richmond, I don't think I should be kicked out."

This ordinance change doesn't just affect the computers but, any surplus item that the county now sells for a fixed rate, including bikes, office furniture, even police radios. It does not affect county auctions of vehicles.

Edited by JediXAngel
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

story.2.frenzy.ap.jpg

"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.

Rest of the Story

:rofl: That is utter madness! If Apple ever wanted to get a better market share they should have Apple Store only sales were they sold computers half off for 4 hours a week :p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ummm...... yikes?

17 Injured In Bargain Laptop Sale Stampede

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

RICHMOND, Va. ? 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.

An estimated 5,500 people turned out at the Richmond International Raceway (search) in hopes of getting their hands on one of the 4-year-old Apple (search) iBooks, which retail for between $999 and $1,299. The Henrico County (search) 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 since 1 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.

"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.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,165907,00.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That security guards face is priceless.

Oh, and not to self, put cow catcher on truck and meat plow way to the front.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"War of the Worlds" anyone? Where people kill to save their lives (or here to get something cheap).

If anyone read Paul Burke's novel "Father Frank" it's also the same scene when that "fake" Irish pub offers free booze for everyone on Sunday night.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"Which retail for between $999 and $1,299"

Not the models they were flogging for $50, they're ancient in computer terms and worth like $100-200 on eBay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

lmao nearly killing each other for crap laptops.

586386292[/snapback]

And They probably did not even know that It had Mac OS X. I bet when everybody goes home they will be like where is windows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And They probably did not even know that It had Mac OS X. I bet when everybody goes home they will be like where is windows.

586386353[/snapback]

LOL

I didn't think about that, you're probably right hehe

Where's the Start Button?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.