Knock-on effect in action
An unusual accident occurred outside a post office in Kingmont, West Virginia, reminiscent of a Rube Goldberg contraption. An 87-year-old woman was backing out of her parking spot when she accidentally hit the accelerator. This caused her car to spin 180 degrees and hit a van. The van was knocked to the side and hit a jeep. The jeep started to roll forward and hit a concrete barrier. The poles holding the concrete barrier in place snapped, and the barrier fell over, landing on the foot of 75-year-old Patricia Piercy. Piercy was subsequently taken to the hospital for her foot injury. She was the only one hurt. (Source: wdtv.com)
Enough to drive a man to drink
"I sympathise with Jason [from yesterday's Sideswipe]," writes a reader. "Having finished our weekly shop, which included wine, we were at the checkout when our son and his girlfriend appeared and asked for a lift home. The checkout operator, who had been very chatty until then, demanded to know who they were. Somewhat startled we told her, and assured her that the wine was for us, not them. She demanded to see my son's girlfriend's ID, given she was in school uniform and said she was underage. I thought this was a little over the top, but was frostily informed it was 'company policy'. Her student ID was duly produced (which merely proved that yes, she was underage), and after a lengthy discussion on what our intentions were when we left the supermarket, we were grudgingly allowed to keep the wine. I understand the need to ensure that alcohol is not purchased for minors, but honestly, a little common sense, not to mention manners, goes a long way."
Hands off that DVD!
Jason's supermarket experience reminds Paul of his encounter at an electronics and media store. "While out shopping with my daughter, I selected some DVDs. My daughter unloaded the basket at the counter for me and the teller saw one was R16 and said, 'We can't serve you. She touched the DVD and she is under 16.' Someone could be watching, they said, and then they could be prosecuted. 'For what? She is not watching the movie,' I say. 'Too late,' they say, 'she has touched the movie.' I offer to get another one off the shelf. 'Sorry we can't serve you,' they say. 'Come back tomorrow and we can serve you.' Guess what? I never went back."
Military police in Santa Catarina, Brazil told local news outlets that two bank robbers wrapped themselves from head to toe in aluminium foil to avoid tripping the alarm at Banco do Brasil branch in Praia Grande. Crazy thing is, it worked. Trussed up like a couple of baked potatoes, the pair were caught however, on the bank's CCTV.