Store Clerk Attacked With Canned Food

[Ringman]

A store clerk refuses to sell beer to a customer, and then the customer got mad and started to toss canned goods at the poor clerk.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Portland police are asking for help in identifying a man who attacked a convenience store clerk with canned food.

The man tried to buy beer, but the clerk refused to sell to him, the television station reported.

Police said the man became enraged, picking up cans of beans and sweet peas and hurling them at the clerk.

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/14797218/detail.html

[ThePhoneGoddess]

PLAIDMAN ARE YOU OKAY?!!!

[Plaidman]

Checking in. I'm fine. Wasn't my store, or any stores in our district or we would have heard it. Hm.

[blas]

NO BEER FOR YOU!

The worst I ever had was a pen and money thrown at me. Maybe I should stop ripping on my neck of the woods, lest I move somewhere where people are actually that terrible.

[Plaidman]

NO BEER FOR YOU!

The worst I ever had was a pen and money thrown at me. Maybe I should stop ripping on my neck of the woods, lest I move somewhere where people are actually that terrible.

Try having people leap over the counter and try to strangle you. That's happened. More then once to me. Over the same damn reason the clerk in the link got attacked.

[blas]

That's what the 2x4 behind the counter was for. Just in case. Never had to use it, thank God. We also had hammers and tire irons to loan to customers in need, but I always imagined better uses for them.

[Plaidman]

I wish we had those. We aren't allowed any type of weapon. Not even mace. We're not even suppose to have box cutters anywhere near the register. Because no customer attacks us clerks, unless WE provoke them to.

[blas]

Sending a "care package" your way. How do you feel about Exacto knives?

[XCashier]

I wish we had those. We aren't allowed any type of weapon. Not even mace. We're not even suppose to have box cutters anywhere near the register. Because no customer attacks us clerks, unless WE provoke them to.

Um, who came up with that lame idea? Especially considering you work at a CONVENIENCE STORE, and convenience stores are notorious for having problems caused by lowlife customers?!

Jeez, even the Drug Store From Hell kept a baseball bat behind the photo counter. And considering the scummy customers I encountered, as well as the unconcerned management, I did feel a little safer having that bat within my reach (never used it, but it was good to have handy).

[Plaidman]

Don't know who came up with it. All I know that's in the handbook, and we will be fired on the spot if we have anything that can be considered a weapon. Which is funny. since we've had a few people die in our stores because we had no way to defend ourselves. Mohammed-Imad "Dimitri" Harb being a famous one, seeing as he was killed by a police man's lover.

[ThePhoneGoddess]

Whew. Okay, Plaidman, just checking. Glad you're all right.

[daleduke17]

That's what the 2x4 behind the counter was for.

Why, for some reason, can't I get the image of a gas station clerk holding the 2x4 as a baseball bat and taking batting practice?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Plaid, just get yourself a squirt bottle and fill it with ammonia and water. Set it behind your counter with a cleaning rag. If anyone asks, it's to wipe down the counter from time to time to cut down on the flu and cold bugs so rampant this time of year. Keep a bottle of hand sanitize handy to add credence to your story. Keep it full so it stays primed. Keep a broom or mop handy.

Anyone gives you any trouble, a shot to the face will take the fight right out of them. Ammonia in the eyes. While he's staggering around blind, beat him down with the broom. A woman I know took down a guy in a convenience store using this method.

As I said in an earlier post, you can really put a hurting on someone with a ball point pen. Aim for the face, it's hard to see coming and hard to block. Same with keys. Set of keys makes nice brass knuckles.

Non-weapons, such as hammers, pipe threaders, screwdrivers, box cutters, etc. make lovely weapons and look completely innocuous lying around in easy reach. I once chased a guy off my parents property with a toasting fork like you'd use on a grill. Be creative. You could probably justify having a tire iron back there, if you kept it with a jack and a can of fix-a-flat. Context is everything.

And I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you don't get strip searched going into work every day. If you know how to use a blade, they fit into all sorts of places and are easy to conceal. If you don't, don't use one. Get some mace or something.

I'm frankly appalled the management places so little value on your safety.

[Rapscallion]

I have to point out that customerssuck.com cannot advocate violence as a solution, but, you know, self defence is looking rather interesting. Anyone else got more tips? Ones that will not get the user in trouble?

Rapscallion

[Sir Spaniard the 12th]

I'd have to go with having something nearby that you have a reason to, that can be used to defend yourself in that situation. A broom or mop is a good example. Even, say, a spare one.. with a loose head on it. That's what my workplace had. Luckily I never had reason to use it.

But really, anything can be used effectively, provided you know what to do..
How dangerous to a person is ammonia-water? That could end up biting you in the ass later if it's pretty bad.