San Francisco Smashup

The old Russian ladies here in Ess Eff seem to love to go to the Trader Joe’s on Masonic on Sunday afternoons when those of us who work are trying to go shopping, and proceed to block up the aisles as they contemplate the canned goods. I have often felt the urge to get them out of my way by throwing a bottle or five of Two-Buck-Chuck at them, while screaming “You don’t work!! Why don’t you go grocery shopping on Tuesday mornings and stop blocking everyone’s way?”

@SanFranLefty: Similar here are the tiny old ladies that not only block aisles with their carts, but whack into your butt with them.

Ketel One FTW!

Of all the crazy shit I’ve seen in the Outer Richmonds and Sunset districts, this doesn’t surprise me. I only wish I was there to film it better.

We’ve got lots of local crazy right here in sleepy Santa Monica. Including in the alley behind my office.

BTW, my favorite part of the video is the old Asian lady whipping out her cell phone to videotape it. Classic.

Or maybe that’s my second favorite part, with the weird Muzak in the background being #1.

@Dodgerblue: Well, this is a different type of crazee than the typical San Francisco crazee – she wasn’t taking a shit in public and screaming about chips implanted in her head.

ADD: And SFist has more info on the incident from the person who shot the video that’s gone viral. SFPD one hair-trigger away from a wrongful death suit:

At the Delano’s at 27th & Geary in SF. I shot this after she had been going at it for a while and she’s starting to slow down. She was throwing bottles at other customers before. I know she’s Russian because that was the language she was yelling at the poor store clerk and the security guard who tried to stop her. Six cops ended up coming, and the first one pulled his gun the second he turned the corner and yelled out “Raise your arms or I’ll put a bullet in your fucking head!” While this was going on, I bought some mac & cheese from a panicking cashier.

@SanFranLefty: It takes 6 SF cops to subdue a crazy old Russian lady? Don’t they get trained in how to handle crazies?

@SanFranLefty: Heard Muzak, but totally agree re: the videotaper … when confronted, we whip out our smartphones and hide.

@Dodgerblue: Given the number of crazies in this city, you would think they’d know how to do it. Blame Inspector Callaghan, I suppose. The new chief, who was a #2 at LAPD and came by way of Mesa, AZ, wants to give the cops Tasers so they have more options than blowing someone away or breaking their arm (or breaking their own arm).

She must have been upset at hearing that Rush Limbaugh is off the market.

@SanFranLefty: I’m inclined to think that the cop who threatened to bow her away was trying a bluff, something to shock her. After all, he didn’t do it, probably pretty quickly realized he was dealing with insanity.

I just think, imagine, you drive up and get out and walk into this scene, and you are supposed to solve this problem? Don’t make light of the danger, I would be scared shitless, a three liter jug of Paul Masson can make a big dent in your head, if its hurled at you.

To me, this is the situation a taser was meant for. An out-of-control, maniacal person, there is nothing to do but physically subdue them, and that is gonna be traumatic, no matter what method you use.

@Promnight: But you don’t stand at the end of the aisle and snap video. Or like Gramps just plant yourself in direct firing line and watch. Go to the other side of the freakin aisle and tip the mother over on her! Gang tackle her from behind when she’s all slippy on the spilled booze. She looks big, but probably unsteady on her feet.