You can have my bag...

[Amanita]

..When you pry it from my cold, dead hands!

Since several of us mentioned this issue over at CS in a thread about movie theatre rules, I thought I would bring it over here.

I really, really hate it when stores try to make you surrender anything you're carrying. Yeah, I know it's to prevent theft and all, but unless they've got something akin to a secure nightclub coat check for people's stuff, I just don't feel comfortable handing over my belongings, to be left "behind the counter".
Sometimes I need to carry things like my camera- no way in hell am I handing over a very expensive piece of property. And other times, even if my sketchpad isn't terribly valuable from a financial point of view, it's irreplacable.
If a store insists I surrender my property while I'm shopping there, are they liable if something should happen to it?

A friend of mine had something of his stolen in this manner- he checked the package he was carrying when he went into a store, and the clerk left it laying on the counter. A group of teenagers came in, and walked off with it. The clerk basically told my friend to suck it up, that the store was not responsible for anything.
I remember going into a record store in San Francisco which shall remain nameless- their posted rules about bags left me with a bad taste in my mouth, because of the way they were written- some of them were aimed specifically at "the ladies" and perhaps they were trying to be funny with comments like "Leave the luggage at home", but it came across as snarky.

Somebody on CS mentioned a theatre that tells people to "leave your bags in your car". What about those of us who don't have cars, hmm? I may not carry as many bags around as a friend of mine (she looks like a pack mule), but when I go out for the day, I need at one for stowing purchases in, or the like.

Yeah, I have turned right around and walked out of stores when somebody demanded I hand over the one bag I carry. It's the store's choice to make the rules,that's fine. But it's my choice not to patronize places that treat me like a thief or insist on taking control of my belongings.

[Cat]

Amen!!

The only time I will surrend my bag is airports, court (ugh jury duty), or the like. If they want me to check at a store, I will leave (with no fuss, I understand the employees must enforce the rules)

I love having my bag with me, its a security blanket (and I am a pack rat) so no, paws off.

(the bag addiction is getting bad, I'm thinking of getting a Chershire Cat (from the new movie) messenger bag this weekend....heehee)

[kiwi]

I will only ever surrender my bag at an airport or to the police. If you want to inspect my bag then as a business you need to make that a condition of entry at the ENTRANCE of your building.

I am a member of costco, they have a right to look through my bag because I gave them that right when I signed my contract.

I did not sign a contract to shop at walmart (not that I ever do anyway) or at a movie theatre. None of the theatres around here search bags and if they did I would stop going.

I always have water and snacks in my bag because of health issues I have, they are not "movie" snacks but I am not giving them up because other people are causing you to loose money.

[KellyHabersham]

The one time I recall walking out of store like that was a few years back when the school where my mom taught was having a carnival night. I'd wanted to visit the little book fair they were having in the library, but as I walked in, one of the women working there asked me to leave my backpack outside the door Which would've meant having it unattended where anyone outside could walk off with it, so I just turned around and walked out.

[Fryk]

I don't get it. Why aren't the stores liable for anything stolen from them if they're going to force you to turn it over?

[DrFaroohk]

I suppose one could argue...

A) You know the store doesn't allow bags

B) You brought a bag anyway

C) The bag isn't necessary to survival (unless it is, like your baby's diaper bag or your medication bag or something)

Or not. I don't really know what it's like to carry a bag around. Except for a diaper bag. No one is taking my damn diaper bag. What if I soil myself?

[Boozy]

I don't get it. Why aren't the stores liable for anything stolen from them if they're going to force you to turn it over?

Because they put up a sign saying they aren't liable.

And they don't force you to turn it over. You are free to leave the store. Which I do.

[Amanita]

Sometimes one needs to carry things with them, at the same time they need to run errands.
Personally, I hate carrying purses and bags, but sometimes it's unavoidable. Not everything fits into pockets, unfortunately. I admit, a friend of mine really needs to cut down on the crap she carries every-freaking-where. But she still needs to keep her medicine and water on her, and I have a diabetic relative who needs to keep her supplies on her, as well as a small amount of sugary food in case her blood sugar crashes.
Even when travelling, as I mentioned, I keep my camera on me pretty much any time I leave my hotel. And it's not practical to run all the way back to my hotel, drop off the camera just so I can enter one store, then go back and retrieve the thing.
A store so anal as to try and take my (small) camera pouch would not be getting my business.

I just don't get the theatre mentioned over at CS which requires ALL patrons to leave their bags in their cars. Not everyone HAS a car! Unless this place is in the middle of absolute nowhere, too far from any place to walk from, and completely unreachable by public transit.

The book fair that Kelly describes really sounds messed up- they didn't even offer a safe place for her knapsack, they just expected her to leave it outside the door. Riight!

[Wingates_Hellsing]

I wonder what would happen if I rocked a drop-leg to carry my extra crap (which I've done, once... it was awesome ) would they try to make me give it up?

The whole idea is bull-crap. Even if you did stop some theft (even moderately experienced thieves won't need a bag to steal some stuff), chances are they're driving off perfectly legitimate business that they would otherwise have. There's easier and more effective ways to cut down on theft.

Which reminds me of these freaking cage things the local Best Buy has. In order to get something that's both moderately popular and new, you have to find out where the cage is, who can open it, get them to do so, then follow whatever BS procedure they have to make sure you buy it... ugh If GameStop didn't suck so much I'd have bough BFBC2 somewhere else...

[Cat]

Those cage things always amuse me......I've seen $20 earbuds locked up, but $40-50 (various other electronic item, I forget what, just the price) out for grabs. I know it's based on high theft items, still, it amused me.


Oh, I got the Cheshire Cat bag,...its on the bigger side....hope I don't run into issues in stores.

[fireheart17]

The only place I've encountered that makes you leave your bag outside is my local library and my local supermarket. The former is due to safety concerns, the latter is semi-obvious.

Of the two, both my sister and I used to leave our backpacks out when we went to the supermarket, but we always took our valuables in with us (keys, wallet, mobile phone etc.). Library was a different matter. The kids at the local school will always drop their backpacks off at various locations, but their bags are huge. (it's a private school)

Nowadays, I'll leave my backpack WITH the supermarket staff and take my valuables in, so that the only things in my bag are my laptop and textbooks.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

Safety concerns? like what?

No, wait... I think I know

*mumble*freakin' waste of time*mumble*

I could see how the supermarket makes sense, still, one wonders if it's worth it.

[powerboy]

Those cage things always amuse me......I've seen $20 earbuds locked up, but $40-50 (various other electronic item, I forget what, just the price) out for grabs. I know it's based on high theft items, still, it amused me.

Same here. I often wondered about that. You would think that it would make more since to lock up the higher priced ones

[Plaidman]

Safety concerns? like what?

No, wait... I think I know

Can ya explain, I'm still lost on that one.

The only place that I ever really seen enforced that leave bag at counter was Powell's City of Books. Likely because that bookstore is a city block and like, five stories. They put your bag in a shelf, and give you a number. No-one can touch your bag cept employees, and they're always too busy too bother getting anything, and even then theirs cameras pointing at them. The only way to get your bag is to give them back your number, and they give you your stuff bag.

[Fryk]

I just think it's bullshit that these stores essentially aren't liable just because they say they aren't. I think the ridiculousness of that should be blatantly obvious. If someone is taking care of your property, and it becomes lost or damaged while in their care, they should be liable no matter what sign they put up by their door.