Honestly "tripod nightmare scenario" is putting it lightly. I saw a video last week where someone used a zip tie and a pen as a splint in a pinch. Margaretm99 is right though, those empty Sears feel kinda spooky.
Oh man, that's rough. Those old Sears stores are like tombs now. Bet you had to MacGyver it with some tape or something. Total tripod nightmare scenario. At least you got a story out of it.
Ugh, zip ties and a pen is some serious field repair. Makes me wonder what the weirdest thing anyone's actually used to fix a tripod leg in a real pinch. Like, did that actually hold up for more than five minutes? Those hollow department store floors echo like crazy too, not exactly ideal for stability. Whole thing sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.