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Walmart-Cookeville, Tennessee Complaint - Walmart Endangering My Daughter
Complaint
COOKEVILLE, TENNESSEE -- Walmart in Cookeville ,Tennessee-Jefferson Avenue
My daughter and I went to Walmart today (April 22,2004) to do our major shopping. We finally found a checkout open. This was at 9:00 pm. There were A LOT of unsavory people in only what I can call packs of males. My daughter was very uncomfortable shopping because of a lot of stares and they spoke Spanish so we could not understand what they said. We knew it was directed towards her. We decided to cut the trip short and leave.
We checked out and went to my car. My daughter took my purse and keys. She opened the passenger door and put my purse in the console and the keys in the ignition. The lock button accidently got pushed and we were locked out! A nice man and his son did stop to help. He was a mechanic but needed a coat hanger to open my door. His son went inside Walmart and explained the situation. They would not let him have one. So the man said, you take my son with you and I will stay with your daughter.
You see my buggy of groceries was half in and half out of my car. My frozen items melting. I went to the Security manager and explained what happened and the fact my daughter was out there in the dark with a stranger we just met. He wouldn't even go out there to my daughter! The only thing he said was well, We don't know if you are trying to get into your car or steal that car. I told him IF I wanted to steal a car it would not be a 92 Ford Taurus. There are a lot better cars out there to steal. Besides my car info is in it if he could just get my a coat hanger I would show him my ID. He told me to call a lock smith. DAH! My purse with all my money is locked up. I didn't have change for the phone! Then he told me "Maybe" customer service would call.
I went to customer service. In my favor I explained my situation. STILL no coat hanger! But he did call a lock smith. The woman standing there, an employee in the Toy department, told me to go to my daughter she would see to it that the lock smith got called. Then all of a sudden she showed up at the car with me and said she would stay until the locksmith got there. That we didn't need to be alone in the parking lot. She took her own lunch and stayed with us. So much for the security!
Walmart did not care that my daughter could have been in danger! The security, nobody. Except the nice toy department worker!
I had to pay 25.00 to get my door opened. All I needed was a lousy coat hanger on it's way to the dumpster! Never mind the danger to my daughters life....but by god that Head of Security would have hung us if we had took a candy bar! starwalker@twlakes.net
My daughter and I went to Walmart today (April 22,2004) to do our major shopping. We finally found a checkout open. This was at 9:00 pm. There were A LOT of unsavory people in only what I can call packs of males. My daughter was very uncomfortable shopping because of a lot of stares and they spoke Spanish so we could not understand what they said. We knew it was directed towards her. We decided to cut the trip short and leave.
We checked out and went to my car. My daughter took my purse and keys. She opened the passenger door and put my purse in the console and the keys in the ignition. The lock button accidently got pushed and we were locked out! A nice man and his son did stop to help. He was a mechanic but needed a coat hanger to open my door. His son went inside Walmart and explained the situation. They would not let him have one. So the man said, you take my son with you and I will stay with your daughter.
You see my buggy of groceries was half in and half out of my car. My frozen items melting. I went to the Security manager and explained what happened and the fact my daughter was out there in the dark with a stranger we just met. He wouldn't even go out there to my daughter! The only thing he said was well, We don't know if you are trying to get into your car or steal that car. I told him IF I wanted to steal a car it would not be a 92 Ford Taurus. There are a lot better cars out there to steal. Besides my car info is in it if he could just get my a coat hanger I would show him my ID. He told me to call a lock smith. DAH! My purse with all my money is locked up. I didn't have change for the phone! Then he told me "Maybe" customer service would call.
I went to customer service. In my favor I explained my situation. STILL no coat hanger! But he did call a lock smith. The woman standing there, an employee in the Toy department, told me to go to my daughter she would see to it that the lock smith got called. Then all of a sudden she showed up at the car with me and said she would stay until the locksmith got there. That we didn't need to be alone in the parking lot. She took her own lunch and stayed with us. So much for the security!
Walmart did not care that my daughter could have been in danger! The security, nobody. Except the nice toy department worker!
I had to pay 25.00 to get my door opened. All I needed was a lousy coat hanger on it's way to the dumpster! Never mind the danger to my daughters life....but by god that Head of Security would have hung us if we had took a candy bar! starwalker@twlakes.net
Comments:
Posted by Paul Pickle 6969 on 2004-04-23:
You cheap freak! Why didn't you just BUY a coat hanger? Surely the stranger would have loaned you ten cents if it meant you wouldn't be needlessly tying up his evening all night long! And also ... how do you know that the comments spoken in Spanish were directed toward your daughter when you also say that you could not understand them? Sounds like you are not only dumb, but a racist pig too!
Posted by chris75056_1 on 2004-04-23:
I gotta agree with Pickle on this, especially about the racism. Before you even left the store, your daughter had been raped and killed (in your own mind) by these 'Spanish' guys. Get a grip. There's no such thing as a 'good neighborhood anymore. While you've got both eyes on the 'ethnic crowd', some white guys are gonna sneak up and whack you upside the head.
Posted by LegalCollector on 2004-04-23:
well said chris. unreal.
Posted by bill on 2004-04-23:
Well said Chris and Paul. I am gonna give you both a star.
Posted by dvsmadcow on 2004-04-23:
ditto. get a grip lady, they (the hispanics) were probably just laughing at you for some reason! don't flatter yourself and assume that everyone is "checking you out" because they are looking at you!
Posted by sarahnkrystal on 2004-04-23:
Walmart didn't have to help you, you could realy have been stealing a car, and then they would have to deal with hearing from the owner of the car. I locked myself out of my car once and the POLICE don't even help you at that point. I suggest you invest in AAA, and then you won't have to worry about the problems. Cell phones are also useful for when emergency situations arise.
Posted by Paul Pickle 6969 on 2004-04-23:
Futhermore, how could the store have "endangered" your child when it was YOU who left her alone in a dark parking lot with a strange man! You should be behind bars!! People who intentionally endanger their own children and then blame it on everyone BUT themselves have no place in society!!
Posted by Slimjim on 2004-04-23:
I'm going against the grain here and agree, IF they had a coat hanger, why not let you use it. I'd even spot you if you needed a pack from the shelf and paid for them once you got in and had your purse. However, did they say you can't use one, or they didn't have one? Wire coat hangers are rarely sold these days and not as accesible as they use to be.
Posted by afrpennycentury on 2004-04-24:
A Wal-Mart employee helped you.
If you didn't know what the bad Hispanic men were saying, then you don't know they were talking about your daughter.
The people that wouldn't give you a coat hanger were probably responding to company guidelines because that kind of break-in probably happened before.
If your money was in your car, you could have asked the man to buy you a coat hanger and then you could have paid him back.
If you didn't know what the bad Hispanic men were saying, then you don't know they were talking about your daughter.
The people that wouldn't give you a coat hanger were probably responding to company guidelines because that kind of break-in probably happened before.
If your money was in your car, you could have asked the man to buy you a coat hanger and then you could have paid him back.
Posted by Barthenon on 2004-04-26:
1. You folks need to get a AAA card or some other auto club membership. They are paid to rescue you in times of distress.
2. Spanish people aren't out to get you. They were probably commenting your antiquated atitude toward them. You see, they can probably speak your language and theirs as well, and most likely heard everything you said.
2. Spanish people aren't out to get you. They were probably commenting your antiquated atitude toward them. You see, they can probably speak your language and theirs as well, and most likely heard everything you said.
Posted by dd2 on 2004-04-28:
I've got to say that leaving your daughter in a parking lot with a stranger is probably not the brightest move, however, I think the security at WalMart could've got up off their lazy butts to try to help you more. It is their parking lot. Bottom line is... if something would've happened to your daughter you'd probably be on your way to owning WalMart due to the incompetence of their security.
Posted by punkin535 on 2004-04-30:
in response to the last comment----technically the parking lot is not wal-marts, i doubt wal-mart owns the land that any of their stores are on. and if the police dept nor the fire dept will help you get into your car why do you think wal-mart will.
Posted by bestbestbuy on 2004-05-04:
get real lady! You left your child in a dark parking lot with a stranger!! What if you came out and both of them were gone? Did you think about that? And Wal-Mart is not going to assist you with vehicle theft. The police couldn't even help you in this situation. Use your head lady!
Posted by contrarymary on 2004-05-30:
You left your daughter in the parking lot with a strange man, yet were terrified of the "Spanish" men in the store? Was the man in the parking lot WHITE, perchance?
Posted by Tiggerfan1979 on 2004-06-02:
First off, your complaining about people that were staring at you and your daughter. Maybe they were not even saying anything about you all! 2nd, why didnt you take your daughter back in walmart with you instead of leaving her in a dangerous situation with someone you just met? thats poor judgement as a parent!
Posted by mad on 2004-06-08:
Lady you're unbelievable! You were freaked out about some "unsavory" Spanish-speaking guys, but you leave your daughter alone in a parking lot with a strange man.
Posted by browneyedgalof67 on 2004-07-10:
First of all it is Walmart's responsibility to make their customers feel safe while shopping if they wish to continue doing business. Second of all security at Walmart?
Posted by ledgirl on 2004-08-23:
This was VERY helpful. I think most of the people you ran into (security and employees inside) must not have kids to not understand what it means to be locked out of car at night. Hopefully this never happens again. Walmart security is a joke. I've seen them drive by, and puh a buggy out of the driveway only to let it hit a customers' car. Thy must get the security peeps out of the cracker jack box.
Posted by Txspike on 2004-10-04:
Next time call the police dept. Also i wold suggect getting a cell phone for the emergecy.
DANG i had to pay 68.00 to unlock mine:<
Send a letter to Walmart HQ and let them know how you were treated. I doubt you will get a reply tho.
DANG i had to pay 68.00 to unlock mine:<
Send a letter to Walmart HQ and let them know how you were treated. I doubt you will get a reply tho.
Posted by csmmouse on 2004-10-18:
seems to me that you are the fool! why should walmart GIVE you a coat hanger to use? why not use the phone? why not be more careful not to lock your keys in your car? hope you never bring your sorry rear in my store
Posted by dixiegirl3179 on 2004-11-09:
I must just have an awesome walmart where I live because again I have a story to counter this one. One night I got to walmart and parked my car right on top of a large drainage grate in the parking lot. I forgot my wallet in the car so I stuck the key in the door to unlock in and while I was pulling it out my dumb clumbsy butt dropped my keys into the grate which had water in it so they were totally submerged. This was the only key to my car so I was pretty screwed. Another customer came over to offer assitance but there wasnt anything we could do so I went inside and went to the auto parts section to get one of those magnetic part retriever things that mechanics use. When I asked a sporting goods associate who was in the dept for whatever reason (its right next to sporting) and told him the story he said, "I'll help you get them out" and came outside and first tried putting a bag on his arm and reaching down for them but couldnt reach. Then he (with the assistance of another customer) pulled the heavy metal grate off and got a rake and skimmed around on the bottom and pulled them out for me, then put the grate back. He was out there for quite some time with the permission of his supervisor and on the clock just to help me. He didnt have to stick his arm in that nasty water or risk hurting himself to move that grate but he did. I made note of his name and found out the name of his supervisor and sent a Thank you card to the store. His help saved me alot of trouble and possibly alot of money to have a new key cut. This is why I love walmart.
Posted by Snickerdoodle on 2005-04-04:
Wal-mart wasn't wrong. If I was that manager I wouldn't have given you a coat hanger either, not even if you offered money for it. Why? Because there have been smarter criminals. Better safe than sorry. For all the manager knew, you could have been a car thief.
I also don't see how the Hispanic men worked their way into your story. It had nothing to do with a coat hanger -or- Walmart. But..okay.
- Pamela.
I also don't see how the Hispanic men worked their way into your story. It had nothing to do with a coat hanger -or- Walmart. But..okay.
- Pamela.
Posted by mattworld22 on 2005-09-02:
WalMart is not AAA. They are not required to "loan" you merchandise that you would have destroyed and did not offer to pay for because you were careless.
Why didn't you simply drag your cart back into the lobby and borrow someone's cell phone to call for assistance? Why is it the responsibility of WalMart to give you merchandise because you were irresponsible? Grow up.
Why didn't you simply drag your cart back into the lobby and borrow someone's cell phone to call for assistance? Why is it the responsibility of WalMart to give you merchandise because you were irresponsible? Grow up.
Posted by blue_green_girl on 2006-06-11:
I would make a bet that if the hispanic men were making comments about you then it may have been in the field of..."why is that woman staring at us like we are a bunch of criminals?"
I will have to ditto some previous comments...leaving your child with a stranger is dangerous. Even if you "traded" and had his son with you...not safe. Why did you find this even necessary? Being a parent means you have the responsibility to think these things through.
I will have to ditto some previous comments...leaving your child with a stranger is dangerous. Even if you "traded" and had his son with you...not safe. Why did you find this even necessary? Being a parent means you have the responsibility to think these things through.
Posted by ghostbuster on 2007-07-04:
You are the one that put your daughter's life in danger by leaving her alone with a stranger, perhaps she needs to be taken away from you until you know how to be a more respobsible mother. Also maybe your daughter was making a scene to have all those Spanish people talk about her, or maybe you are racist and expect Spanish people to be up to no good. I would be suspicious too if you asked for a coat hanger. Plus I don't think a coat hanger would work in your case because walmart coat hangers are plactic not metal. Also how exactely did you buy things of your money was in the car.
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