Leaving a crowded shopping mall one day, I heard a child screaming particularly loudly. A little girl was sitting on a ledge, crying uncontrollably, with BLOOD streaming down her foot! Her father was trying in vain to console her. Her mother was trying (also in vain) to control the bleeding. As I carried on down the escalator, I looked back to see a distinct pair of shoes lying on the ground…
An unmistakable design.
Crocs shoes have been blamed for numerous cases of escalator-related injuries. Those particularly at risk are young children, with kids as young as 2 wearing them. What happens is the shoes sometimes get caught in the “teeth” of escalators, resulting in horrific injuries and sometimes permanent damage.
The company has mainly responded in 2 ways:
- Inserting safety tags into packaging. Attached to the shoes, you’ll find a bunch of warning tags in as many as 6 different languages. The shoe design, however, remains essentially unchanged.
- Suggesting that the accidents are a result of the escalators, or even parents who are unable to control their overly playful children.
Comforting isn’t it?
Watch the following video of “Crocs Safety Scrutinized” featured on CBS News in September 2008. There’s some pretty gruesome foot injuries, but towards the end, a presenter gives a useful safety suggestion.
She recommends putting the strap of the shoe facing forward so that if your child IS unfortunate enough to get his/her shoe caught somewhere, his/her foot can escape easier. But then again, you wouldn’t put your child in any footwear that’s potentially dangerous, right?
I always thought this kind of thing is just stuff you read about in the news, till I actually came across it myself. Next time you’re out shopping, see if you can spot any kids in Crocs shoes. Are there any other unnecessary safety hazards you can think of?
Early Years Childcare 
Posted by p a t t on 7 September, 2009 at 2:44 am
yaks!
but why is it only crocs?
Posted by MarkLim81 on 7 September, 2009 at 9:53 am
Don’t know, but it’s probably related to the soft material and the way it moulds to the feet.
Posted by mumzzy on 9 September, 2009 at 7:45 am
crocs are pricey ! but comfy. and can get really cheap ones in U.S. … ahhh thanks for sharing, wun buy any crocs for my bb.
Posted by MarkLim81 on 9 September, 2009 at 8:06 am
Hehe, I’ve heard it’s comfy, but I’ve never had a pair. For adults OK kua.
I heard pasar malam got for RM20? 🙂
Posted by p a t t on 9 September, 2009 at 8:26 am
that’s cos they filed chapter 11 ;p
Sketchers are more comfy, and prettier too!
Posted by MarkLim81 on 9 September, 2009 at 8:45 am
“More pretty” depends on whether you like those funky rubbery colours. 🙂
Posted by mumzzy on 9 September, 2009 at 8:55 am
oh ya ka? didn’t know already bankrupt…Mark, i got it for RM6 in US factory outlet 🙂 neh neh 😛
Posted by MarkLim81 on 9 September, 2009 at 9:00 am
Haha, means your is Ori?
Would you dare to wear something that costs RM6? ^_^
Posted by p a t t on 9 September, 2009 at 9:02 am
oh sorry sorry – i double checked and there are updates on the article: – they are not bankrupt
While it was true that the company was in the red and downsizing at one point, the latest results were highly satisfactory with revenue in Asia up 30.5% in Q2 of 2009 from Q2 of 2008, overcoming the initial challenges from rapid growth. Crocs has also completely repaid the US$17.3mil (RM60.5mil) borrowed under the company’s credit facility as of June 30 this year
Posted by MarkLim81 on 9 September, 2009 at 9:16 am
Wahlau, you did a credit check on them ah?
Well, you could take the YoY improvements as a reversal to the mean, coming off the negative effects of the subprime fallout. Combined with the fact that most of the cases started being brought to court in the US only around mid 2008… >.<
Hehe, or in laymen terms: Look at all the stores, always on cheap sale! (In UK anyway).
Are they really that comfy? I heard that your body heat makes them mould to your feet each time you wear them! =-P
Posted by p a t t on 9 September, 2009 at 9:28 am
onyl pasar malam cheap sale here in this part of the world ;p
for me – they are comfy after awhile (as in fter the moulding) – but i dun like it that the sweat has no palce to go….
Posted by mumzzy on 9 September, 2009 at 10:55 am
I think real lah…factory outlet, somemore in US wor…i dun think anyone dare to sell fakes there. and also, the reason i got it cheap was because the shoes were placed at the kiddies area…my feet are small mah 😛 kekeke
Posted by MarkLim81 on 9 September, 2009 at 11:18 am
If you’re saying your feet are same size as kiddies, then you better be careful when wearing those shoes as well. =-P
Posted by I'm a Full-time Mummy on 9 September, 2009 at 12:40 pm
creepy… i was just googling this ysday! saw on news got 1 kid in HK got involved in an accident for wearing this Crocs sandal. personally, i nvr like it, looks like clown shoes.. 😛
Posted by MarkLim81 on 9 September, 2009 at 12:43 pm
You don’t have to go so far, aren’t there cases in Malaysia and Singapore?
What’s wrong with clown shoes? 🙂
Posted by I'm a Full-time Mummy on 10 September, 2009 at 5:13 pm
ya meh? didn’t know MY & SG oso got case… 😛
pay so much to look like a clown… nah…. 😛
Posted by MarkLim81 on 10 September, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Why not? Some women put on make-up until they look like clowns! 🙂
Yea, of course Malaysia got cases. Malaysia boleh!
http://tinyurl.com/r238zt
If you read through the comments section in that link, it seems that a common problem is people think only the imitation copies get caught in elevators, but that’s clearly not the case. And a lot of people seem to have experienced it in Malaysia!
Bleh, each time I think about it I think how ridiculous that the company not only doesn’t do anything about it, but act as though nothing is going on.
We’re not talking about cuts and scrapes, it’s permanent physical damage, to such young kids!
Posted by I'm a Full-time Mummy on 11 September, 2009 at 3:08 am
Hahaha… lucky I don’t wear make ups… else you will have something to say on that… 😛
Btw, did you cover about “Shichida Method”? Read it in one of my friend’s facebook profile.
Posted by MarkLim81 on 11 September, 2009 at 5:14 am
Haven’t fully covered the Shichida Method, but I think I briefly mentioned it. Teaching babies ESP, remember?
Are you interested in sending Ben? I think it’s quite expensive.
Posted by I'm a Full-time Mummy on 13 September, 2009 at 4:08 am
No, I downloaded their brochure from their website just no time to read it yet. If I were to get my Benjamin to learn anything, it’d better be Jenny’s Method, k?
Posted by MarkLim81 on 13 September, 2009 at 9:47 am
So is your brochure enough, or you want me to post something? 🙂
How long has this Jenny method been established? What are the pro’s and con’s? Any good recommendation from people who’ve tried it before? =-P
Posted by Irene on 8 October, 2009 at 9:12 am
I will never wear the common crocs design *LOL* horrible, ugly design. I can never afford it too ;p too expensive. No need waste that kind of money.
Posted by MarkLim81 on 8 October, 2009 at 9:18 am
Haha, fashion is totally subjective. But there’s plenty of more normal looking Crocs designs now, and the boring original design is always on sale here.
I’ve heard that Crocs shoes are really comfy, but I’ve never tried. My current pair of shoes is one of those “feels like you’re walking barefoot” types, supposed to be good for you, but I can really feel my leg muscles aching.