Times you have seen things destroyed at flea market, garage sale auction.

[dumpsterdiver]

I read a post today about someone acid testing silver in an antique mall and it reminded me of a sight I saw years ago at an outdoor flea market.


This disabled guy was running away from someone trying to calm him down ran full speed into a lady at the flea markets tables and knocked down two tables full of glassware and china. I tried to offer to help but she (the vendor) was so distraught because she said it was the first time in weeks she had brought the good stuff. I felt really bad for everybody involved. But the guy went on his way and the vendor just looked devastated. I'm pretty sure there was zero chance of her recovering financially.

Just wondered if anybody else had witnessed anything similar and what the end result was?

 

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[clovis97]

I've been FMing at indoor places for about 10 years. Overall, breakage isn't too bad, but it is there.

Recently, I've been having some trains get intentionally broken by someone. I strongly suspect that this is a person with a mental issue that involves jealousy over the trains. (If I can't have them all, I'll make it so no one can.) When they are caught on camera, they will find out what the inside of a county jail looks like. IIRC, damaging an item for malicious reasons is a crime in our state, and I promise that this FM does not jack around with calling the police.

There are also accidents, but most of them are created by people who happen to be young or have no respect for other people's possessions. Most people are good, but you would be surprised at the number of finely dressed people who pull up in a high end, new car who will break something and/or leave a mess in your booth.

I'm not sure what the law reads about sheer accidents, and I'm sure that it varies by state. Technically, I think the people causing accidents are legally liable for the damage they create.

 

[mjlalt]

I think it would depend on if the person who broke an item was negligent in some way.
IMHO, If a glass object was on the edge of the table and someone brushed it with their jacket they shouldn't be responsible.

 

[Beachkid23]

I was at an antique mall and a lady was Rearranging her booth. I waked over and asked if she was having a sale too. She said no and walked away. I'm two booths away from her and crash!!!! She took a heavy object and set it on top of a 5 shelf display shelf. It smashed through all 5 glass shelves smashing everything on them too! What a heck of a mess!

 

[billjustbill]

Wind seems to be the cause of calamities at the monthly flea market. Two families had several 6ft tall wooden floor shelves loaded with china and ceramics. The wind gust hit and over they went. Most of the plates, platters, and vases became puzzle parts...

Awnings that aren't tied down or with not enough weights on each leg become open parachutes. The first of this month, tne fellow had two of those "pop up" awnings tied together and weighted with 2" PVC pipe two foot long and filled concrete on each leg. The whole awning and weights popped up and over the vendor. Fortunately, no one had set up downwind, but by the time the awnings come to rest the weights were still attached caused every leg to be kinked. He ended up keeping the awning covers, but trashing the frames.

 

[dumpsterdiver]

I've been FMing at indoor places for about 10 years. Overall, breakage isn't too bad, but it is there.

Recently, I've been having some trains get intentionally broken by someone. I strongly suspect that this is a person with a mental issue that involves jealousy over the trains. (If I can't have them all, I'll make it so no one can.) When they are caught on camera, they will find out what the inside of a county jail looks like. IIRC, damaging an item for malicious reasons is a crime in our state, and I promise that this FM does not jack around with calling the police.

There are also accidents, but most of them are created by people who happen to be young or have no respect for other people's possessions. Most people are good, but you would be surprised at the number of finely dressed people who pull up in a high end, new car who will break something and/or leave a mess in your booth.

I'm not sure what the law reads about sheer accidents, and I'm sure that it varies by state. Technically, I think the people causing accidents are legally liable for the damage they create.

I think we would all like to be a fly on the wall when you catch this jerk!

 

[tamrock]

I've had my time of bumping in to a table of china or glass at a flea market or antique shop. There was this one time I felt like deliberately busting things up at a flea market, but I didn't as it was part my fault and I should have looked where I was stepping. I saw something on a shelf in the corner of a booth. As I headed in to pick it up there was a garden rake set up next to the shelf against the wall. Well I stepped on the outward teeth of that rake and the handle slap me up side the face so hard my glasses went flying. It hurt and made me feel like busting that whole both to pieces, but like I said, should have looked where I'm stepping. I turned the rake around in a safer place and learned a lesson to look those booth over well before I dive in to have a look. I rearrange flea market booth all the time to prevent accidents. I've paid for damages two times now for me bumping into to things that broke at antique stores. I try to be carful, but some folks don't give much thought of safety or accidents when they set things up to display. I've lost count of all the sounds of busting glass and china at these flea markets, antique shops & thrift stores. Most time the people who broke the item are told it's okay and not to worry or they walk very quickly away from the scene of the accident. In the case of a out of control mentally ill person I guess you can only see it as being in the wrong time and place, but still it is a sad thing to happen. I'm involved once a year at a prom night held for folks who have like down syndrome and other mental handicaps. I tell you when some of them show up at that party they'll be going all out wild and out of control. I believe as many as 300 handicaps folks came last year to that party as it is a big event with live bands and their all dressed up and having a blast. I've never seen people who know how to party like those folks and there are for sure few accidents with damages at that party... Its like a riot.

 

[Beachkid23]

I've had my time of bumping in to a table of china or glass at a flea market or antique shop. There was this one time I felt like deliberately busting things up at a flea market, but I didn't as it was part my fault and I should have looked where I was stepping. I saw something on a shelf in the corner of a booth. As I headed in to pick it up there was a garden rake set up next to the shelf against the wall. Well I stepped on the outward teeth of that rake and the handle slap me up side the face so hard my glasses went flying. It hurt and made me feel like busting that whole both to pieces, but like I said, should have looked where I'm stepping. I turned the rake around in a safer place and learned a lesson to look those booth over well before I dive in to have a look. I rearrange flea market booth all the time to prevent accidents. I've paid for damages two times now for me bumping into to things that broke at antique stores. I try to be carful, but some folks don't give much thought of safety or accidents when they set things up to display. I've lost count of all the sounds of busting glass and china at these flea markets, antique shops & thrift stores. Most time the people who broke the item are told it's okay and not to worry or they walk very quickly away from the scene of the accident. In the case of a out of control mentally ill person I guess you can only see it as being in the wrong time and place, but still it is a sad thing to happen. I'm involved once a year at a prom night held for folks who have like down syndrome and other mental handicaps. I tell you when some of them show up at that party they'll be going all out wild and out of control. I believe as many as 300 handicaps folks came last year to that party as it is a big event with live bands and their all dressed up and having a blast. I've never seen people who know how to party like those folks and there are for sure few accidents with damages at that party... Its like a riot.

I'm sorry, but the rake part had me in tears laughing. Been there and it hurts! I was showing off with some friends and nailed myself in the face. Hurt almost as bad as running into the sliding glass door when my mother said come help!! Quick! Double thick too. We were at a Christmas party and a lady went running though the house to go to the lani and the door was closed, beer hurts coming out the nose!

 

[dieselram94]

I'm sorry, but the rake part had me in tears laughing. Been there and it hurts! I was showing off with some friends and nailed myself in the face. Hurt almost as bad as running into the sliding glass door when my mother said come help!! Quick! Double thick too. We were at a Christmas party and a lady went running though the house to go to the lani and the door was closed, beer hurts coming out the nose!

LOL!!

Sent from my SCH-R930 using Tapatalk 2

 

[tamrock]

I'm sorry, but the rake part had me in tears laughing. Been there and it hurts! I was showing off with some friends and nailed myself in the face. Hurt almost as bad as running into the sliding glass door when my mother said come help!! Quick! Double thick too. We were at a Christmas party and a lady went running though the house to go to the lani and the door was closed, beer hurts coming out the nose!

I sure got to be the clown that day. it's like out of the blue someone whacks you in the head with a pool cue.

 

[duffytrash]

I saw a guy bring a glass -five gallon water jug, into a marble show on a cart..filled with marbles.....it was plenty heavy...as he wheeled his display around the room, he was loud-mouthed and bragging ...tryin to convince us the jug was worth $500.00.....he got louder and louder as he rolled that bottle thru the ball room....still no takers...he was leaving and in disgust, as he bounced the cart over a threshold...the jug burst and several thousand marbles spread thoughout the ball room on the tile floor....karma has a place at marble shows....

 

[dumpsterdiver]

I've had my time of bumping in to a table of china or glass at a flea market or antique shop. There was this one time I felt like deliberately busting things up at a flea market, but I didn't as it was part my fault and I should have looked where I was stepping. I saw something on a shelf in the corner of a booth. As I headed in to pick it up there was a garden rake set up next to the shelf against the wall. Well I stepped on the outward teeth of that rake and the handle slap me up side the face so hard my glasses went flying.

The only way this story would have been better is if it was one of those antique malls with video cameras everywhere and you could post a youtube link to this event.