Do you return the cart to the corral?

[MosMom]

On a mailing list I'm on, we had a question of the week surrounding the girl who was taken while her mom returned the cart. The question was "How do you return the cart when you have your kids?". I personally take the kids with me to return the cart after everything is loaded then we walk to the car together. I was a little surprised to see some say they just leave the cart. Then I called my best friend who usually agrees with me on everything (and who reads these boards *snicker*) and SHE TOO leaves the cart *sometimes*.

This is probably my biggest pet peeve as I have come back to my van to find carts rolled into it and just yesterday at Wal-Mart couldn't park in 2 spots because a cart was blocking both. I ended parking a little ways down and using that cart to get it out of the way. Is it really that hard to return the cart?

So, to get a better idea if I'm truly in the minority...you anti cart returners ;) can anonymously cast your vote. Do YOU make me want to hurt you and leave the cart out? :p

[glo]

yup...I do

[CamColt]

When I have my kids in the car(which I usually do), no, I wont leave them alone in a parking lot to go put the carriage away. But other than that, yes I would.

[The Mystery Machine]

If I had to walk 2 aisles over I don't return it which is rare by the way, most of the time I do. But after these child incidents sheesh...I fool myself thinking my 11yo dd is ok in the car when I return the cart to the corral. Now, I don't know.

[Kitty 34]

Yes :D

[newmousecateer]

Yep, I return the cart. If DGD is with me, she comes with to return it.

[AF Brenda]

I'm a cart returner, kids or no kids.

[Eeyore1954]

I return carts, but I'm no angel! Just a DINK (double income, no kids). If I had kids, I would think twice about it ... a friend of mine said she'd load the car, keep her kid in the cart, return the cart to the corral, pick up her kid and walk back to the car.

In this day and age, I think it's dangerous to leave any child alone for any length of time. Too many crazies loose... :(

[browneyes]

It's according to my mood, and according to where I'm shopping. Most of the time I put it back in the corral. I always do at the grocery store. If I'm at Walmart, most of the time I do, but sometimes I get lazy and put them where everyone else has them (they need more than 2-3 corrals in a parking lot that big, imo).

[MosMom]

Oh I'm totally for taking the kids with you to return the cart. I never leave the kids in the car...ever.

[gepetto]

I always return it. Some people will expend a lot of energy at Walmart heaving the cart up onto the median rather than just walking 20 feet to the corral. :D

[Harley Chick]

Always. When DH was out of work, he took a temporary job hauling carts at Costco. What a horrible job for an "old" man. He was in agony every night when he got home. Now, when we go to any store, he always brings a few carts in from the parking lot so the guys and girls don't have to lug them all.

[CamColt]

I should add after hearing about a child in a carriage being hit in a parking lot, and hearing you should ALWAYS strap your kids in the car first, before the groceries, I do that. And I usually take my carriage from the parking lot so I do in fact return it to where I got it. ;)

[becka]

I almost always return the cart. When I have DS I usually leave him in the cart while I unload then roll us over to the corral and carry him back to the car.

A few weeks ago it was raining and I had DS with me and the corral was quite a distance away so I put DS in the car, unloaded the cart and then I left the cart there. I felt really guilty about it but I felt like I didn't have a choice because I was not going to leave DS out in the rain or leave him alone in the car even for a minute.

[meeshi]

Yep I return the cart, but I usually shop without the kids. I do, however usually park right next to the cart corral anyway because I'd rather walk farther to the store and back to my car than when I'm returning the cart for some odd reason. :confused:

[mamajoan]

PLEASE PASS ON THE FOLLOWING REQUEST:

If you can not return your cart to the corral... PLEASE do not put it in the handicap parking hash marks, parking place or by the sign.


I encounter this everytime I go shopping. Handicap spaces are few and hard to come by.. to make the space smaller makes it even more difficult to manuever around the space with a w/c, scooter, walker, cane or oxygen tank. Thank you so much.
Joan

[Grog]

I return it about 90% of the time. Usually if I don't, it's because shopping took longer than I thought, the corral is a long distance from where I parked, and I am in a hurry to get home before everything melts:teeth:

On the rare occassion when I don't return it I do make sure it's in an area that won't inconvenience others, or run into thier vehicles.

[catsrule]

yes

[cinlee3]

I usually return the cart but I take DD with me. I never leave her in the car by herself. I will try to park close to the cart return area. Occassionally I do not return the cart, i.e. when there is only one quite a distance away, but I will always push it out of the way where it won't damage another vehicle (not in the handicapped parking)

[nativetxn]

I only have one child and he is 27 years old. I return my cart.

[DaveH]

I return the cart, but I am NOT an angel.;) :cool:

[dizneegirl]

ABSOLUTELY I return it.

If I'm going to take a cart, I'll walk my butt to wherever it needs to go when I'm done with it. If I'm too lazy or tired (or whatever) to walk it to the cart corral, I don't take a cart.

I cannot STAND it when people just push it up by their front bumper and take off.

[Kermit]

I always return my cart, but my baby is easy to care for since it's still inside of me. :D The only place I ever really use a cart is at the grocery store. I usually tell them I'll take it out myself right now, but I'm sure I'll start letting them take my groceries out for me after I have the baby so that I don't have to worry about that.

[NancyIL]

Yes, I always return my cart. If one of my kids is with me (youngest is 12) - the KID returns it!

[shortbun]

Sometimes I don't return it. I don't return it when
ds is with me and safely buckled in the car. I don't
allow him to stand around in the parking lot while
I unload and I would NEVER leave him alone in
the car while I return a stupid cart. I have always
wondered why people think it's better to endanger
their children than leave the cart. Sorry-in the
minority and feel good about it. My child will never
be kidnapped and it's not littering nor wasting
precious resources. Not important enough to worry
about IMHO. ;)
mimi

[disykat]

I always try to park next to a return area and am always surprised their are so many empty spots next to the ones further out. I also return the cart in general, but have been known not to. When my kids were babies I had to position myself so they wouldn't roll away or be in traffic, while still unloading and keeping them dry- not an easy feat with two kids and a full cart. During the rain sometimes I couldn't handle it and tried to leave the cart in a place where it wouldn't roll. Then as they got older, they would get in the van then get back out again to walk with me to take the cart back. It really does take effort to care for your kids and be able to return the cart. I've seen many people leave their kids in the car and even caught a child once whose mom left him in the cart and he was rolling away. Now my oldest returns the cart while I watch him.

I think the best solution was when people would offer to take my cart up for me. I try to do this for others now.

[believe]

I don't feel that there are enough choices in your poll. I do return my shopping cart when:
1.) I don't have any children with me.
2.) We are parked right next to the corral, which when the children are with me I try to.
3.) The children are with me but I have another adult to wait with them.
4.) My children are being well behaved and it is nice enough weather to have them walk to the corral with me.

If I am unable to return the cart I do make it as secure as possible so it does not 'run' into a vehicle. I do not consider myself 'lazy', I consider myself a Mom who is making the best choices for her children. My children can't be replaced or repaired!!!! DH and I are on opposite shifts, so the girls are with me 99% of the time.

[MosMom]

Geesh! The lazy dog part was kidding. Calm yourself. The poll was half joking. Breathe in.. breathe out.. repeat.. :) That is why there were smilies all over it.

For the record: I don't endanger my kids either and I return the cart.

[Liz]

Most of the time. If the cart corral is way far away I don't always. Sorry!

[believe]

MosMom, Sorry if I took your poll/comments the incorrect way...I guess I focused on the other half that wasn't joking;) .

[shep]

I return it also if the kids aren't with me, but if i can't return it I try to put it so that it won't move and hit someone elses car..

[Bob NC]

If I can't return it to where it belongs, I just won't use one. No excuses about kids in the car, rain, or long walks. Excuses are easy.

[believe]

Just curious...for those who return their carts to the corral 100% of the time: How often are your kids with you and what are their ages?

I am one that returns it approximately 95% of the time. My kids are with me 99% of the time and they are 2 and 4yrs old. I only get a cart when I have to have one, which is almost every time I go shopping since I only shop once a week.

[DVC-Don]

I return almost always. I had over $900 damage done to my then 9 month old truck a few years ago. It was a very windy day and as I was coming out of Wal-Mart, I watched as an empty cart side swiped my truck from across the lot. I parked way away from all the other cars. If I had parked with all the other cars, maybe it would have hit one of them first. I had to have the whole right side of the truck repainted. My deductable you ask? $1000.:rolleyes:

[MosMom]

I'm a stay at home mom and my kids are with me 99.9% of the time. They are with me and my DH together maybe 30% of the time. My daughter will be 5 on Tuesday and my son is 6 weeks.

[Mermaid02]

As someone who used to go get those carts.... here is my answer. On a rainy day yes I do..... on a nice day..... nope I don't. We used to FIGHT over who got to wander the parking lot for carts on a nice day...... it's nice to get out of the store!;)

[AF Brenda]

I return my cart 100% of the time, and when I'm at the store, my kids are with me about 90% of the time. They are 8 and 6.

[disykat]

Or what I'd like to know... How do the people who return the cart 100% of the time do it without endangering their kids? Do they leave the kids in the parking lot while they unload the groceries? Do they leave them in the car while they return the cart? I'm really curious, because I've done the wait in the car while I unload and then get back out with me to take the cart back thing and simply haven't had the patience to do it 100% of the time. (and that is coming from someone who has manhandled carts for a living and is very aware of parking lot damage - I still admit to a few times when I've just left the cart)

[Serena]

I take the cart back about 90%. I mean through out my grocery shopping career. lol

[AF Brenda]

Well, I'll prepare myself for the flames that I'm sure are about to follow, but here it comes.

I put the kids in the car, then I put the groceries in the car. I lock the doors, walk the approximately 30 feet to the cart corral, and then come back. The round trip takes approximately 1 minute.

Flame away!

[vickyBaby]

I do the same thing Brenda.

And I have a huge ding in my door from someone who didn't bother to put their shopping cart away. Grrrrrr.

[Sharon A.]

No flames here Brenda. I do the same thing. I make sure the doors are locked too.

[gepetto]

I used to do the same thing, Brenda. Now my oldest is 11 and I make him take the cart back. :p

[Leota]

I hate it when people don't return their carts! Not because I think they're lazy or whatever - but I'm sick of scrapes & dents in my car because someone can't figure out how to put their cart in the corrals that are placed about every 10 cars.... I mean, how hard is it, really?
I shop with my son about 25% of the time now, cuz he's old enough to stay home alone - But even when he was a baby & was with me 90% of the time - I could take the cart back, either with him locked in the car, or on my hip or holding my hand - It didn't seem like such a tough thing.....

No flames here, Brenda - I think you were pretty generous with the time frame, it seems like about 30 seconds to me...

[AF Brenda]

That's the day I'm waiting for gepetto!!!!

;)

[DVCajun]

I usually return the cart. However, I won't walk far from my car to do so, and under no circumstances will I leave my 1 year old DS in the car while I return the cart. In fact, that was my first thought when I heard about the infant in Texas-- *what* was the mother doing leaving her children alone to return a cart?? I also will not cart DS's 25 pound self with me to return the cart. He's too little to walk with me. When I do leave the cart, I make sure it's anchored against something, like another car. ;) just kidding.

[AF Brenda]

The mother in Texas left the baby in the car seat, not buckled in, with the door wide open. A locked door would have prevented that abduction.

[DVCajun]

Maybe my vehicle is unique, but I can't lock the doors and leave the vehicle running at the same time (my auto lock doesn't work, and the key is already in the ignition). I'm also not going to leave DS in a hot closed up car for even 30 seconds. To each his own. I'm certainly not flaming others for their choices.

[Sharon A.]

Leaving a kid in the car with the engine running even with the doors locked is almost as stupid as leaving the door unlocked altogether. All someone would have to do is break the window and they're gone.

30 seconds in a hot car is not going to hurt anyone. If you're that concerned you could always run the cart back and take even less time.

It's all about common sense. Everything carries a risk, even walking through the parking lot. I mean, somebody could bean you over the head and knock you unconscious and then take off with your kid. Are you going to start wearing a helmet to the grocery store?

[ryanpatricksmom]

I return the cart 100% of the time. I have always parked near the corral so it's never been a safety issue. These days my kids are 11 and 23; I only need to worry if they're together!

[vickyBaby]

Originally posted by Sharon A.
Are you going to start wearing a helmet to the grocery store?

http://www.nflhelmetstore.com/giants.gif

[Boots]

Boots returns her carts too!

[shep]

I guess I'd better park in the fire lane so nobody runs me over with their car either..:eek: and then I can push the cart back into the store..

[A kid at heart]

I don't always return the cart, I try but sometimes I just can't for whatever reason. I have left my child in the car when I've done it, with the doors locked.
When they get the carts at our stores they use those machines to bring them back.

[Bob NC]

I've returned my cart 100% of the time. My kids are now 11 & 7 and I've been doing it since they were 0. I do most of our shopping and most of the time have the kids with me. If it's raining or weather is otherwise bad, I'll park next to one of the corralls. If there isn't a space next to it, hey, I'll just do whatever it takes to return the cart. If it means the kids are in the rain for an extra 15 seconds, well, that ain't gonna kill them. I know everyone will have a different reason for not returning the cart, but let's face it.....If there were a $10 refundable deposit on it you'd return it 100% of the time. This is just another example of people coming up with excuses to get out of doing what they know is right. (Can ya tell I've had damage from stray carts too?)

[Dixie Luvr 98]

Well, I was at the Wal-Mart Supercenter today and would have loved to return the cart to the corral. The problem was the corrals were all full to the point that the carts were blocking half of the driving lane:(

[cotye]

I usually do... unless the corral is totally full or really really far away. I just hate it when carts are lying around and hits your car. :mad:

[Amusement Park Junkie]

100% of the time. This is probably my biggest pet peeve also. I hate seeing the cart ram into cars. It's like most things, people can always come up with an excuse. I don't buy leaving the kids in the car as an excuse. I agree that the safety of the children is more important than a ding or dent. But...How did you get the cart in the first place? Reverse the process. Put the kids in the car. Unload the cart. Put the kids back into the cart and return it. Carry and/or walk the kids back to the car. The same way you got the cart in the first place. DD is now a teen, but when she was a baby and I took her to the store with me, this is what I did. Now that I have everyone riled up, let me add that I still think the majority of the time carts are left by people who are lazy (or don't even think about it) who don't have kids along. Not by parents who have young kids with them.

[disykat]

Has anyone else noticed that newer stores seem to be building less cart corrals? We have a two year old Alberton's and the ONLY cart corrals are at the front - not a single one in the rest of the lot. IMO if they had more corrals, more people would return. I would choose a store based on parking and corral availablity - I miss my old store!

[dizneegirl]

I was at Walmart just last night... they put in 7, count them, 7, brand new cart corrals, in addition to those already in the parking lot. There were 3 carts in the parking spaces across the aisle from one of the new corrals.

That is pure, unadulterated LAZINESS. To not be able to walk your butt across the aisle to return the cart... there's absolutely NO excuse for it.

[A kid at heart]

Then call me lazy. (when I don't return it)

[DocRafiki]

I do, unless it's raining or the cart return spaces are way too far... like at WalMart. If it's worth it for them to have us return the carts, they'll build enough return spaces.

That's a good idea to bring your kids with you to return the carts... teaches responsibility, I bet.

[DocRafiki]

We used to FIGHT over who got to wander the parking lot for carts on a nice day...... it's nice to get out of the store!

That's what I was thinking, Mermaid. I've had those kids offer to help me out to my car, and I refuse. It makes me uncomfortable. But then they're like, "PLEASE let me help you to your car!" They're obviously aching for a trip outside.

There are lots of reasons to return your cart. Saving the employees from having to do it is not one of them, in my book. Sometimes I'm glad I parked far from the corral so I can enjoy the weather a little longer and get a tad of exercise.:D

[German_Racer]

We must return the cart. Here in Germany the cart is locked to the next cart with a little chain. To open this lock a 1-Euro-Coin must be layed in.
To get back the coin the cart must be returned to the corral.