I haven't shopped black Friday in many years. Never saw any violence, but did see chaos. I remember seeing someone carrying a stack of boxes of boots about 10 high through a tight crowd. I have no idea how she did it because there's no way she could see.

But the craziest crowds weren't at Black Friday, but at yearly manufacturer/distributor sales. Most of those either don't happen anymore, or aren't worth going to because the huge discounts are gone. Lines for those would run for blocks. I remember one in an old mall. It was at one end in an anchor store. The line had wrapped all the way to the other end of the mall and back around to the same storefront. They would place signs saying "Nothing in this store is worth hurting someone over". I remember going to one at a clothing manufacturer. Women were stripping down to try things on all over the place, because waiting for the curtained-off spaces would take far too long. I don't remember if there were any men there at all.

But the one I've only heard tale of still happens every spring: the Vietri distributor. My sisters went one year, and swore to never go again. I was in college, and had no money, so I missed it. But I heard it was madness, with people grabbing things out of other's hands, and everyone having to guard their hoard like an angry, wet cat, hissing and clawing.