You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, view attachments, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact contact us. Forgotten your password? Click here!
NOTE: Once you register and are logged in this welcome section will no longer be visible.
Yeah, you. You know who you are ..... the tall thin fiftysomething guy who crashed the door of TRU at the RI Mall 10AM this morning (I'm 49, I still can't bring myself to stand at the doors of a toy store, waiting for it to open. I'd just as soon pull up at 10:02, and risk losing out to one of these "door crashers").
I went over to the diecast aisle, there he was. I was all ready to be friendly to a fellow collector. He went straight for the Jada, I looked at the JL, which he watched from the corner of his eye (he was obviously going to look there next, and I guess I ticked him off by looking before him). I took a quick glance at the pegs (I had just been in Thurs) and said "nothin' new here today. They got some new stuff in at WM though" (right next door, the WM that never gets anything new!).
Nothin'. No response. Nada. He was a seller on a mission. Watched him check all the various pegs like a true pro.
Obviously not a HT member. He's prolly a "lurker". In fact, he'll prolly never see this unless it's put on the W/L thread as well!
Last edited by carnut2256; 08-20-2005 at 03:04 PM..
Location: Phone Booth / L.V. B.L.V.D. & Fremont St. / L V (dustbowl for die casts),NV
Posts: 1,512
Gadzooks N' Egads!!!
If N' it twas me I would a grabbed a random car and become as possessive as
could be. Of coarse you'd cup the piece in your hands so it couldn't be seen.
"Aye, I founds me my prescious . . .. I've been a lookin fur it many O' months now.
It be one O' the rarest finds evers (insert excessive drueling here). Ahhh one O'
da rarest White Lightnings ever!!!!"
Grab your cell phone and call someone and tell them you found that WL that sells on ebay for $200 bucks... Work a deal right there on the phone for $150, then tell end the "supposed" call with see ya in 15 minutes", and " You're gonna love these white tires."
Place your cell back in your pocket and smile while saying, "I can't believe I actually beat the scalpers to this one...."
__________________ I intend to live forever... so far so good!
He seemed to actually be having a very rough time of it already... he fumbled cars off the pegs trying to rush through them and move on ahead of me, and wound up swearing like a sailor. Pretty funny, but pretty sad too.
I have a guy similiar to that in our area as well. I very rarely make it to any store at opening but a few weeks back I happened to be out when TRU opened. This particular guy was standing outside waiting for the store to open. As soon as they were unlocked he ran, and I mean an all out sprint to the diecast section. Before I even arrived he had snaked 4 HW classics and was shuffling through the JL. So sad, but it also explaind why there are rarely any WL in my area.
A few years back there was a guy like that at the TRU I used to go to...since I'm in a wheelchair I asked him to grab a car that was too high for me to reach, which happened to be a Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt. Once he took it off the peg and saw what it was, he ran off with it! I just sat there in shock...now it's pretty funny to think about some 50 something year old guy running down the isle with a HW, but at the time I was really bummed.
A few years back there was a guy like that at the TRU I used to go to...since I'm in a wheelchair I asked him to grab a car that was too high for me to reach, which happened to be a Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt. Once he took it off the peg and saw what it was, he ran off with it! I just sat there in shock...now it's pretty funny to think about some 50 something year old guy running down the isle with a HW, but at the time I was really bummed.
That's pathetic. What a jerk. It makes me want to believe in the saying "What goes around, comes around". On behalf of civilized societies everywhere, I want to apologize for clowns like that, Badman.
that TRU has a bunch who crash the door. I have been there and there is an old man of 70's that walks in with a cart and looks like he has a bad back - he moves quick though once the door opens!. He has an in with someone there - I see him in the back from time to time waiting. I have given up on that store, I stop every so often but never anymore in the mornings.
that TRU has a bunch who crash the door. I have been there and there is an old man of 70's that walks in with a cart and looks like he has a bad back - he moves quick though once the door opens!. He has an in with someone there - I see him in the back from time to time waiting. I have given up on that store, I stop every so often but never anymore in the mornings.
Same here dave, I usually stop by at odd times. Just happened to have an early haircut appt. nearby.
That WM getting in some new stuff was totlaly unexpected though. That's the one that gets about one shipment a year!
You can usually tell who these guys are? They don't even want to say hello and ask if you collect. I actually look forward to meeting people in the die cast isle. I enjoy talking about this much loved hobby. It is funny because my wife eventually comes by and almost always pulls me away. I could stand there for hours talking. A few weeks ago I went to Pennsylvania to visit my parents and my dad and I went out to all the Walmarts at night when they restock the pegs. We ran into the same 3 guys at every Walmart. They didn't even say "hey". How rude! Only in for the buck.
A few weeks ago I went to Pennsylvania to visit my parents and my dad and I went out to all the Walmarts at night when they restock the pegs. We ran into the same 3 guys at every Walmart. They didn't even say "hey". How rude! Only in for the buck.
I've run into a couple of these in my area. First one was at a HL. I was standing there looking through the JLs and this guy came up behind me. I turned and smiled at him, hoping to strike up a conversation, but all I got in return was an icy stare. So I turned and went back to looking. He was getting so frustrated with me being there that he was pacing and swearing under his breath. Very disconcerting. I finally gave up and walked off. Last thing he did before looting was to stare at my hands as I walked off to make sure I didn't have anything. Wish I had.
Second guy was at a TRU. I was standing in front of a couple pegs and going through the JLs. They had just gotten in a shipment of some new cars I hadn't seen around here so I was looking to see if there were any I wanted. This guy comes up right behind me and I can feel him hovering and staring at me. Even though there were 15 more pegs of JLs, I thought he might want to take a look at the new ones in front of me so I stepped to the side. He rushed in and cleaned out the 3 or 4 pegs of the new JLs. Every single one except the few I had in my hand. And what really got me is that there were multiples of almost every new car. I waited until he left then I stuck what I had in my hand back on a peg. Hopefully someone else got to them before he came back.
In all honesty, these type encounters (coupled with the fact that by the time I get off work the scalpers have cleaned out everything) has kinda soured me. From now on I'm thinking of just buying sealed boxes from trusted sources online. It's exhausting to try and compete with these scalpers.
I've run into a couple of these in my area. First one was at a HL. I was standing there looking through the JLs and this guy came up behind me. I turned and smiled at him, hoping to strike up a conversation, but all I got in return was an icy stare. So I turned and went back to looking. He was getting so frustrated with me being there that he was pacing and swearing under his breath. Very disconcerting. I finally gave up and walked off. Last thing he did before looting was to stare at my hands as I walked off to make sure I didn't have anything. Wish I had.
Second guy was at a TRU. I was standing in front of a couple pegs and going through the JLs. They had just gotten in a shipment of some new cars I hadn't seen around here so I was looking to see if there were any I wanted. This guy comes up right behind me and I can feel him hovering and staring at me. Even though there were 15 more pegs of JLs, I thought he might want to take a look at the new ones in front of me so I stepped to the side. He rushed in and cleaned out the 3 or 4 pegs of the new JLs. Every single one except the few I had in my hand. And what really got me is that there were multiples of almost every new car. I waited until he left then I stuck what I had in my hand back on a peg. Hopefully someone else got to them before he came back.
In all honesty, these type encounters (coupled with the fact that by the time I get off work the scalpers have cleaned out everything) has kinda soured me. From now on I'm thinking of just buying sealed boxes from trusted sources online. It's exhausting to try and compete with these scalpers.
we have 3 full time scalpers here in Greenville,s.c. This is all they do for a living. They hoard things,push people,buy everything for at least 85 days and then return what they don`t sell. They`ve even started fights,and have pushed things into the aisles to slow other people up.
I run into people on rare occasions on the diecast isle. Most of the time they are rude, won't even speak to me, or worse, treat me like the plague!
I did meet one person once, got to know the guy, did some trading and helping each other out. I still keep in touch with him.
I have not had too many encounters where I live now, but when I do, they are usually not pleasant.
I learn quickly where to stay away from, and where I stand a chance.
I've never run into anybody with enough nerve to do some of those things like blocking an aisle, pushing or shoving, or tying to get me to move on. I sure as hell wouldn't put up with it. But I think from now on, when I do run across one of these "professionals", I will either make that phone call that Kenny suggested, or do the "Wow! I can't believe I found this!" trick.
