Earlier today I went to a local store called Anttila. To make a long story short, my cloak was stuck in thye escalator, and it was torn rather badly.

Hell, when it was stuck it took them ages to get the damn thing stopped. I was lucky I was in the lower end of the escalator so that I could hit the "stop" button myself... Had I not done so myself, I could have been strangled!¨
So, I get ushered outside, I was so shocked
I did not realize HOW bad it was until I got home, and so I called them and asked what to do about getting re-imbursed about my cloak... after all, it's worth well over 250 euros. (Cashmir wool, custom made, partially hand-sewn....). So, this nice young man tells me to come to see their customer services.

Só, there I go. And there some ***** looks me down her nose and tells me that their escalators are standard and it was my fault my cloak was stuck. So I get nothing.

But I AM NOT GIVING UP.

Too bad I am not American... I could sue them. Now, I am just going to call the manager tomorrow, and going to tell him that unless they pay, I am going to sell the story to tabloids and blame them for discrimination... had they torn the costly COAT of some 30+ woman, they would have reimbursed her completely, terruibly sorry, hope you won't sue and all that.

If THAT fails, then tabloids it is.

Regular updates will follow. My fellow Finns, follow your tabloids. In case you see headlines on the subject of escalators, it's me :)

(Soon to be celebrity? Hail cloaks!)

[ January 23, 2003, 20:18: Message edited by: Taluntain ]

You have cloak?!.......cool, where do you buy those?

I didn't buy it, that's why it cost so friggin' much... I had to buy the fabric and had it custom-made... okay, a friend of mine sewed it for free, and I can make a decent one myself these days, but still. The work costs, too.

Making a cloak is easy. You can buy the... things you use to cut the fabric to right shape and the instructions for sewing from fabric stores, if ou get lucky. I think Burda, it's an international fabric-cutting-shape-making-thingy-maker has at least two different models in their selections.

(I am so going for the tablods, even if I get the money. There can be no better free advertising for ytthe Cloak Alliance...)

First, let me tell you I'm sorry your cloack got ruined. Second, sorry to burst your bubble. :D

If their elevators are standard, nobody would get money back. Throwing it on discrimination is something a lot of minorities use who know they're wrong, yet try to throw you on the defensive by intimidating you. I speak from personal experience. (I've teached)

And if the manager has any sense of a brain, he won't be intimidated by your threat. It's too bad your cloak got damaged, but unless there's a problem with their elevators, it's pretty much your own fault.

On that note, is it possible your own insurance could pay for it? I mean, it's propertial (sp?) damage after all. :hmm:

[ January 23, 2003, 00:47: Message edited by: Faragon ]

Just out of curiosity, do you always wear a cloak?

I'm sure Sir Bel will give you some grounds on which you can make your claim. He knows a thing or two about the law. ;)

Ah, tragedy, what was the cloaks name again?

Cloaks are pretty easy to make, I've made 8 of them. I usually use a pie design, sewing triangles into a half circle. It's an efficient use of fabric. When you're talking about a lined piece that has to be nice since the lining will show, fabric effieciency means a lot.
As for the US, FL at least , the company probably would have been partly liable for the cost, but not completely since the machine was in normal working order. If they could prove that you were negligent (ie, not pulling your cloak close to your body) then they could argur their way out of liability.
Personlly, I've learned to gather my cloak and skirts around me whenever I'm near escalators or stairs.

I'd have to say I agree with the point made here. I feel for you for something like that doesn't feel good, not on the emotional side any more than it does in your wallet. But without studying the law any more than the basic knowledge anyone has, it's still common sense that as long as the escalator works, it isn't their fault. Any number of people could and would use "accidents" for their advantage if it would.

I don't mean to sound blunt. But fact is, whereas in the US they assume people are dumb enough to require a 1000 signs of warning and people looking after them before they can prove it was the individuals own fault; in Finland they don't need the signs to expect that any person using an escalator is aware of the risks. If you have special clothes that can get stuck in such gadgets, then it is your own responsibility to make sure that doesn't happen. And should the accident happen, they can't be expected to pay for it. Really, it's a tough luck, but I don't think there's anything you can do about it.

I would not have thought that anyone would dare to wear a cloak in public these days.

:eek:

But then again, I'm in Singapore, with an average daily temperature of 36 degrees celsius. Even my customary T-shirt and jeans is sweltering.

Of course, these days I wear green army fatigues most of the time. :mad:

Don't think you're gonna get any reimbursment for your cloak, but good luck anyway.

Thank you for your support and realistic advice, but I do believe I have a chance... this sort of thing does not happen often here in FInland, and with cloaks being so rare clothes, I probably might have a chance.

If I don't get money in any other shape, way or form, I'll get it in the way, shape and form of tabbloids. And at least it's free ad time...

I know I am being same kind of a dumbass we keep talking about here most of the tiome here, sayong "Damn, these people are idiots, suing because hot coffee is hot?" but if I can get free publicity for cloaks... Well, I can be dumbass because of that.

(CLoaks to te streets... viitat kaduille...)

Come on Shura, think about it, its Finland and bloody cold up there. Plus Ara is a lunatic ;)

i think you'd need to argue a case that a sign / advert caught your eye and distracted you from the job in hand, which was getting safely to another floor.

I wouldn't mind a cloak like Garrett's in Thief. Although, i'd look a total eejit wearing it.

Cloak Discrimination!

Good luck arabwel, hope it goes well for you! :)

[ January 23, 2003, 21:12: Message edited by: Mortensen the Second ]

Well, where I live, the reenactor group is pretty visible, so people hardly blink when I go out in a cloak because I can't find a jacket... :D

[ January 25, 2003, 07:21: Message edited by: Stefanina ]

If your little fantasy is realized, you had best hope they don't find this thread, it's plausible evidence that you are commiting fraud and extortion, if you've a mind, I suggest you stop.

YOu see, I am not going to bugger them for thousands of euros because I was distraught over the fate of my cloak. I am sorry that I did not make that clear. All I want is that they recompensate for the value od my cloak, which is the cost of fabric + the cost of workmanship, seeing as my friend is almost a professional, and I did pay her in a non-cash sort of way, in favours. I am going to be perfectly happy if they pay me 200 euros.

I am, currently, tyoing up a letter to the manager. Calm, composed, with hurtful dignity and subtlety... I truly hope it won't go to the tabloid stage.

But by Whatever, come RopeCon and come Cloak Alliance, I will have a story to tell...

(Tired and more or less confused)

Whew.

Yeah, I see kids running around with these really, really super baggy jeans on. And my first instinctive reaction is, "Don't go on an elevator." They'd probably lose an apendage, if not their life.

Is it possible to tuck the fabric under and hem it, Ara?

Stephania, I can't believe you have eight cloaks. Heck, I don't even have one.

/me is thinking about getting a cloak, for some strange and mysterious reason...

:lol: ejsmith, I don't own eight cloaks, I've made eight.
I only have three of the cloaks I made, 1 black velvet with a black/silver velvet lining, 1 blue velvet with a black velvet/blue and gold glitter lining, and 1 grren cotton duckcloth with black fake suede lining. (Fake suede can go into a washing machine, real suede cannot)
I also have a woll half claok, but I did not make that one.
The other five I made went to other people.

Anyone here has a bright red cloak that they wear over blue tights emblazoned with a huge 'S' on the chest?

Oh yeah. The red elastic underwear has to be worn OVER the blue tights for the whole world to see.

Don't forget the bright red boots.

:)

Er, no. Really, that outfit sounds like it would clash way too much :D