Sharp Elbows necessary in this hobby?

[bh3443]

I ran shows over 4 decades and I've seen it all.
The elbow issue is a regular thing. I had on one occasion witnessed a fist fight over who was going to look at a box of 1989 Leaf singles next. My security broke it up but not before several punches were thrown and landed.
Our shows opened at 9am but for an extra dollar you could get in at 8:30. The early bird special was well intentioned but it caused many arguments over who looked at what first. It also caused the old :I'll buy those and I'll be back in 1/2 hour which usually meant never will I return! More yelling erupted.
Elbowing was the least of our worries when dealers used the bellman's cart and dollies as weapons and blockades keeping everyone away from their tables before these few dealers were ready for business, usually well after the show opened I must ad. I saw a dealer (more than once) ram a cart into another dealer or collector.
I always tried to see the good in everyone. However, pure evil exists in some hobbyists. Over the years I witnessed dealers and collectors clash in words and punches over silly things that translated into "I hate the world, so everyone's going to fel my wraith."
I tried reasoning with the problem hobbyists, however, I ended up doubling my security staff to eject those few that tried to ruin the events for everyone.

The worst part is that our shows were family events and therefore my family and other families saw these despicable displays of childish and sometimes violent and vulgar displays.

In closing, a bargain box could cause some real ugliness at a show!