Wearing a Hi-Vis Vest Gets You into Everything for Free | Hacker News Reader

Wearing a Hi-Vis Vest Gets You into Everything for Free

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17 pointsdarkwinx10 comments

I was an environmental activist back in the 1990s. When I started everyone wore the usual anarchist get up. I turned up in a pair of safety boots, black trousers, high-vis coat, shirt & tie and a hard hat. We could walk in most places together "I'm just escorting this lot off the premises".

Was great fun.

Honestly the vest isn't even required in many cases, it just effectively covers up for a lack of confidence. You'd be surprised how frequent you can do things you otherwise couldn't if you walk with authority and act like you belong.

Not saying it's a good idea or that I've personally done it, but I know it works more often than you'd expect.

I tested the theory of "no one questions an orange cone" in college, securing myself a front row parking spot for a few weeks. Someone eventually took the cone and the spot, but I think the results would hold up to peer review :)

And this is why we can't do nice things for people anymore.

I think it's kind of awesome and sad at the same time.

We're programmed to trust uniforms from an early age. Anything that looks official isn't questioned.

My pet peave is when retail stores have some guy with a pad and marker checking receipts on the way out. I'll keep walking and my wife will accost me as if I'm either an asshole for not stopping. I think it's only because she feels obligated to follow the "rules". I made a purchase. I'm leaving.

I do the same thing. If you have reason to suspect me, stop me, but otherwise I'm going to keep walking, especially if it's Fry's. I purchased the item, I'm under no obligation to volunteer for inspection.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shopkeeper's_privilege

In some states you can legally be stopped by a "shopkeeper" and required to provide a receipt to prove purchase.

> Shopkeeper's privilege is a common law recognized in some parts of the United States under which a shopkeeper is allowed to detain a suspected shoplifter on store property for a reasonable period of time, so long as the shopkeeper has cause to believe that the person detained in fact committed, or attempted to commit, theft of store property

Emphasis added is mine. Nice try, but unless they suspect me, this doesn't apply. I'm more than sure they can't get away with "suspecting" every single customer who leaves to even a crazy judge.

Costco requires it as part of your membership agreement.

So does Sam's club to my knowledge. They can do that due to you having membership agreement in place, but places like Fry's have no legally enforceable reason to require it for every customer.

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