Black Friday: Is It Even Worth Going Out For?

Black Friday Danger

It's that time of the year, again. The day that Americans fresh out of their food comas begin the mad rush to take advantage of crazy Black Friday deals, but are all of these people making a mistake by going out? Sure the deals are nice, but given the crowds of aggressive people, are shoppers putting themselves at risk by going out for Black Friday? Well, today we are going to take a look at some of the numbers to see if going out on Black Friday is even worth going out for.

THE CHAOS

There are plenty of videos out there that show the madness that can surround Black Friday. From fights, to stampedes, to even shootings, Black Friday can bring the worst out in people. Take a look at this video to see what I am talking about.

https://youtu.be/-xL8rE9DT4g

Pretty bad, right? Now I know that this isn't every store on Black Friday, but regardless of where you go there is going to be a crowd and that alone can be worrisome enough to many people that we have written an article about defending yourself in a crowd.

But for those of you who feel you have the speed or the confidence to avoid stampedes of crowds bursting through the door, or you have the wherewithal to understand your surroundings and avoid fights just remember that an altercation can evolve to being very dangerous very quickly. As we have shown on many of our Defensive Gun Use stories, shooters typically only have a few seconds to make a life or death call and having to do that in a crowd immensely adds to the danger factor.

THE NUMBERS

But if you still feel that these events are rare and will not happen to you, I want to show you a site called Black Friday Death Count. You may have heard of this site. It tracks violent incidents on Black Friday and keeps a running chart of anyone who dies or is injured while out shopping. The site has been keeping track since 2006 and in that time they have counted 10 deaths and 105 injuries, along with 4 deaths and 1 other injury that have been seen as “honorable mentions” as they may not have been directly affected by a Black Friday crowd.

On top of that, last year, 2016 was tied for deadliest of all time with 3 deaths, all of them from people being shot on Black Friday.  These kinds of numbers ebb and flow, but whenever a rise in preventable deaths occurs and we know the cause, it may be time to start thinking of it as an issue. Now, I know that I am not going to get everyone to stay home on Black Friday and I don't even want that. It can be a fun time to go out shopping with the family after the Thanksgiving holiday and some people may even enjoy the rush of the crowd. I understand that.

However, if you are going to go out you need to be sure about what you are getting into and how best to defend yourself in case you are involved in any of the multitudes of dangerous events that surround this holiday. Or, there is another option…

ONLINE SHOPPING/CYBER MONDAY

Cyber Monday

In the old days, your options for Black Friday deals were pretty much limited to the catalogs you got in the mail and being at the right store at the right time. These days, though, are very different. Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are so prevalent online that there might even be more bang for your buck with getting all of your shopping done from the same bed that you have had your tryptophane ridden food coma in. Speaking for myself, that is what I do every year because of the sheer ease of it, not to mention the avoiding of giant crowds.

 

But if you are a person who has a tradition set in stone and is dead set on going out for Black Friday remember to stay safe, stay vigilant and remember to not let yourself or your loved ones be the victim.

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Black Friday to everyone. Let's start the holiday season safe this year!

About Craig Martin

Craig Martin grew up in the unincorporated town of Lewis, Wisconsin. From a young age, Craig was introduced to guns, as he was tasked with defending his backwood home’s wiring from a scourge of red squirrels.

Ever the animal lover, though; Craig couldn’t let these creatures die needlessly. So he would take his kills and leave them for the foxes, coyotes, and bears to eat at a deer feeder his grandfather built around their home.

His lifestyle made Craig understand that guns are a tool and ever since, has spread the word about how firearms are not a menace, like the red squirrel, but an item to help people. He instils this in every article he writes for USA Firearm Training.

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