# How do people this dumb survive!?!?!?! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 31, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843 "2003-01-31T12:27:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/1 "2003-01-31T12:27:58Z")
I caught the tail end of this story on the Today show this morning, so forgive me if I’m light on specifics. With regards to a woman that had been kidnapped, they were discussing using a grocery store security camera. Apparently the kidnappee went into the grocery store and told the clerk that she had been kidnapped and to please call the police after she (kidnappee) left. The clerk “got distracted and didn’t call until a week later.”:smack: That is a quote from the clerk. WTF!!! She couldn’t have made a note to herself? Was there something shiny on the floor and she couldn’t decide if it was a quarter or a bottle cap!!! Even if you think it’s a joke wouldn’t you feel better off calling 911 just to be sure? It’s people like her that give slack jawed yokels a bad name. ---
**Author:** ![Waverly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/57b2e6/32.png) [@Waverly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waverly)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/2 "2003-01-31T13:13:25Z")
I heard the same thing on MSNBC last night. My BS detector is telling me that 1) the clerk is not being forthcoming, and 2) the media hasn’t gotten the full story yet and is running with a fairly sensational soundbite. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/3 "2003-01-31T13:33:40Z")
[Here’s more on this story.](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77145,00.html) One wonders if it really happened or if she’s looking for attention. We shall see, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/4 "2003-01-31T14:39:57Z")
That’s even worse! Who looks for attention by trying to sound like the biggest itdiot on the planet? At least the security cam should show whether she was in the store or not. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/5 "2003-01-31T14:44:34Z")
I like how she couldn’t call the cops because there wasn’t a phone book within immediate reach. Can any functioning adult in this country truly be ignorant of 9-1-1? My money’s on her being an attention-seeking nut of some sort. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/6 "2003-01-31T15:36:15Z")
She couldn’t bother to tell the cops, but SHE TOLD THE KIDNAPPER WHAT THE WOMAN SAID!?!?!? So he, I don’t know, beats the crap out of her for it, or maybe decides to kill her to be on the safe side, or at the very least makes sure she doesn’t get the chance to get help from an intelligent person. I can only hope she’s lying. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/7 "2003-01-31T15:46:22Z")
Anyone believe the clerk? If you answer “yes,” then be so kind as to consider yourself as the subject of this thread’s title question. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/8 "2003-01-31T16:20:59Z")
No way- this has “15 minutes of fame” written all over it. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/9 "2003-01-31T16:25:43Z")
This is the best part! > [@](#): > > After they left, the clerk unsuccessfully tried to find a phone book to call police Um, 911? ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/10 "2003-01-31T16:44:45Z")
In defense of the idiot, the clerk may not have considered the situation to be an emergency. 911 is not intended to be used for non-emergency situations. ---
**Author:** ![Sejal\_Traurig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Sejal\_Traurig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sejal_Traurig)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/11 "2003-01-31T16:54:07Z")
A kidnapping is an emergency in anyone’s book… 9-1-1 applies… I’m voting for the “15 minutes” theory personally… I HOPE the “15 minutes” theory is right… It would be a shame for this one person to singlehandledly disprove Darwin’s theories… ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/12 "2003-01-31T17:08:37Z")
Something else about this bugs me - the alleged kidnap victim was left alone at the checkout while the kidnapper went to get something. Why would she stay there? Why wouldn’t she take off immediately? I’d be out the door so fast, you’d wonder if I’d really been there in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/13 "2003-01-31T19:17:48Z")
_“The woman told the clerk she didn’t have time to take a coat because she was kidnapped.”_ She didn’t mention being kidnapped until the clerk commented on her lack of a coat?!?! ---
**Author:** ![SC\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@SC\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SC_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/14 "2003-01-31T19:37:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sejal\_Traurig \* > **A kidnapping is an emergency in anyone’s book.** Even an idiot’s book? ---
**Author:** ![Leifsmama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a698b9/32.png) [@Leifsmama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leifsmama)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/15 "2003-01-31T19:38:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SC\_Wolf \* > \*\*In defense of the idiot, the clerk may not have considered the situation to be an emergency. 911 is not intended to be used for non-emergency situations. \*\* I’ve called the non-emergency number for the police to report my bicycle having been stolen and was told to call 911 because they couldn’t dispatch an officer from the number I called. ---
**Author:** ![ceyjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@ceyjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ceyjen)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/16 "2003-01-31T19:43:29Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Waverly_ > My BS detector is telling me that 1) the clerk is not being forthcoming, and 2) the media hasn’t gotten the full story yet and is running with a fairly sensational soundbite. I’d have to say #2 is the most probable explanation. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/17 "2003-01-31T21:14:07Z")
I agree with **FairyChatMom** and **Hillbillyqueen** ; I thought the same damn thing about both of those issues. And then there’s the whole thing about how she [tried to give the clerk a check](http://www.lacipeterson.com/longview.html): > [@](#): > > The woman then quickly put some candy on the counter, signed her name to a check and gave it to the cashier, telling her to fill out the rest for the price of the candy. > > The cashier told her she wasn’t allowed to do that . . . _\_ > > The woman hurriedly completed the check, but the cashier had no time to ring up the purchase because the man returned. He took the check and insisted upon paying cash for the candy along with the rest of the groceries. :dubious: Now, granted, I’m of the mind that if somebody tries to gank you in public, you should scream as loud as you can before they take you home and lock you in their special soundproof dungeon where nobody can hear your ass. Sure, they might kill you for screaming, but at least there’d be witnesses. So, Honey, if my kidnapper takes me into the grocery store, I’m hollerin’ my ass off as soon as we walk into the joint, or at the very least I’m shoving blank checks down as many waistbands as I can manage! ---
**Author:** ![grayhairedmomma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/47e85d/32.png) [@grayhairedmomma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grayhairedmomma)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/18 "2003-01-31T21:58:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Sure, they might kill you for screaming, but at least there’d be witnesses. What if instead of threatening to kill you he threatened to kill the person you told or some other innocent person? ---
**Author:** ![auntie\_em](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@auntie\_em](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/auntie_em)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/19 "2003-01-31T22:47:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mornea \* > \*\*What if instead of threatening to kill you he threatened to kill the person you told or some other innocent person? \*\* Well, then I might think twice, but I couldn’t go down without a fight, so I’d at least have to take one good go at the motherfucker’s balls. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843/20 "2003-01-31T22:55:50Z")
I’d really like to believe that this is some story made up by an attention seeking imbecile, but find it frightening that a person would choose this path to their 15 minutes. Anybody else find that idea even more scary than this being the truth? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-people-this-dumb-survive/151843.md?page=2)