a spinoff- the grocery cart and kids

[JVL1018]

I always put my cart in the corral(I lock my kids in the car and go run it over)..however I could not care less if other people do, as long as they don't leave their cart in a spot so that I couldn't park there.
I have never gotten my car damaged by a shopping cart, I bang into my own car with my cart by accident when I go to load it and nothing ever happens to it...maybe a small mark, but it comes off when you rub it anyway.

 

[FSUGrad97]

Another Publix shopper who also does not return the cart. 99.9% of the time there is a bagger close by, I'll push it over to them. If not, I do exactly as Miss Jasmine said and just pop the wheels up on a curb.

Me too! Most of the time, a bagger comes by on a cart sweep, but if not, I do the same as Magickndm does. Even at newer Publix stores, most do not have a cart corral anywhere in the parking lot.

 

[Hannathy]

I find these excuses are just that excuses. I always take the cart back. I happen to live in a wonderful part of the country that we can have 99 degree summer days and then go weeks with negative 20 degree days in the winter and even with kids I am able to get the cart back. Unfortunately our country is filled with people who only look out for themselves be it the parking lot or at Disney.

 

[salmoneous]

it is more than exercise to carry a 1 year old and 3 year old through a heavy traffic parking lot and I will not do it.

I'm just curious - how exactly do you get into the grocery store?

 

[Alice's Mom]

Here's how I see this.

Pull in to parking spot
unload kids
walk to cart corral and get cart
go shop

NOW your return- should look like this
Unload cart
walk to cart corral and put cart away
RELOAD KIDS into car...

This has been my method for over 5 years now, I voted always put cart away on that poll. I mean come on is it really that difficult?? I went shopping the other night and when I came out it was raining and we still followed this routine.

I'm also someone who doesn't hunt for the closest parking spot. I have seen people hunting for spots in circles as I drive into the parking lot, park and walk toward the store, I don't get it.

 

[FreshTressa]

I return the cart 99% of the time. In fact, since the kids are older it is more like 100%.

But when they were little (they are 14 months apart)...I recall on a couple of occasions putting the cart up on a curb so it would not roll when these three conditions existed..


1)Weather...I like in Washington State....lots of rain here.

2)No cart corall

3)It was a long walk back into the store

Call me lazy. I did not want to leave my kids in the car for as long as it took to return the cart into the store (could be as long as 5 minutes)
I did not want to get any more soaked than we already were.

So...normally....a good shopper and shopping cart returner. But, I'll be lazy in extreme circumstances.

Now that the kids are 7 and 8, I don't care if they get wet coming with me.

Here, it is illegal to leave your kids alone in a locked car...even for a moment.

 

[In a hurry]

If you park next to a corral then you don't have to lock your kid in. I just put them in their seat, unload the groceries, and put the cart back in the rack (where I ususally get it in the first place!)

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

I always park in the space next to the cart return -- presto! no problem!

 

[JennyMominRI]

Hey--the best thing about grocery carts and kids--when the kids are old enough to have THEM return the cart!



Anne (Who always returns the cart)

You are so right

 

[Magickndm]

Unfortunately our country is filled with people who only look out for themselves be it the parking lot or at Disney.

You come to this conclusion just because some don't return grocery carts?

 

[rparmfamily]

Yikes. We all do what we can and can't believe how nasty some of you are about returning a cart!!

 

[Hannathy]

Not returning the grocery cart is just one thing on the long list, just read some of the other posts about people who push in front of others at parades or cut lines or think rules about age don't apply to them, or reusing mugs, So yes I do think it is a problem in this country with the me me me thinking.

 

[sleepyone]

I neer could understand that logic. What exactly is going to happen to the kids in that few seconds?
Afraid someone is going to steal them? Lock the doors, but really, what are the chances of that happening?

It's just a lame excuse is all.

I don't know what will or could happen but, it's illegal to leave your kids in the car alone in TX. I worked with a police officer whose pet peeve this was and she was quick to hand out warnings.

I'm one of the parents who park near the cart corral or by the front of the store to return baskets. There is no way I'd leave my kids in the car.

 

[Michie]

Well thats not the way I do it...I unload the groceries, load my daughter into her car seat..close and LOCK the car up and then return the cart...then UNLOCK the car get in and drive home...very simple and there is NO reason that you can't either do it that way or bring your kids with you to the cart corral.....its pure laziness not to return the shopping cart to the corral!

Totally agree!!!

 

[Michie]

I know that there is another thread on this subject and I admit I have not read it yet BUT is this REALLY that big of an issue? If you do or you don't ...who cares?! If you don't want your car hit with loose carts PARK WAY OUT! Shop at a store like Publix that brings your groceries out for you and takes the cart with them....no tipping allowed!


Most of the year in FL and TX the car is too hot to put the kids in without turning it on and starting the ac while loading the groceries. And having them stand behind the car is not safe...even with me there with them. People are crazy in the parking lots! So you are left with a running car with your kids in it....seems the cart isnt very important after all!

Parking lots can be very dangerous places. People have all kids of places to hide. And in the hot months in FL and TX youhave people trolling the lots waiting for people to leave kids and animals in hot cars. They will approach and "watch" you...very nerve wracking.

I usually shop where I can have someone bring my groceries out...I hate working up a sweat putting it all in the car. If I don't and a corral is next to me...sure I'll put it back. But other then that...if I don't doesn't make me a bad person....I just don't care!

Carts on wheels That makes them mobile.

 

[Desnik]

Where I go food shopping there is no place to return your cart. There is no one to help you with your bags either! Boy, some people are really lucky! I would love to have that option!!!LOL Anyway, I usually go shopping with my DS(3) and when I unload the cart I keep him in it and by the time I'm done there is usually a person who is outside collecting the carts or someone who is more than happy to use the one I used. They are really great about keeping the carts out of the lot! When we go to Target there is a cart corral and I always put the cart in it when I'm done shopping. However, I NEVER leave my kid in a car unattended, not even for a second! Where I live, you do that and you'll get in big trouble, possibly arrested. The lot does have security driving around. And to those who say it's not a big deal to leave your child in a car for a few seconds, alot can happen in a short amount of time. There were times in my home I turned my head for a second or two and one of my kids got hurt! You all know that saying , "all it takes is a second with kids..." Some live in areas that you really can't turn away from your kids or personal items for any amount of time!

I didn't read the original thread, but am wondering what the big issue is about the cart returning?(why it was first brought up?) Was this brought up because of carts hitting cars, or is it an issue of people being considerate?

I use to work in a grocery store and the parking lot was on a bit of a slope. Anyway, there were cart corrals, and most people didn't bother using them. When it got windy, carts would roll all over the place and yes they would hit cars! We had people that were suppose to be in charge of keeping the lot clear of any carts. Well, alot of the times they were slackers and the grocery store would have to pay for the damages to these peoples cars! It was so crazy, the store would have accident reports because of the carts all the time!

 

[goodeats]

I don't always return the cart to the corral. It's just not a big deal to me. Sometimes if I'm in a good mood, or feel like doing a good deed, I take the cart up, but that's probably only 50% of the time. I park them on a cement stopper or on one of the planters. I never leave it willy-nilly.

We all have our 'things'. This just isn't one of mine.

 

[jodifla]

In South Florida, the norm is just to leave your cart in the parking lot. There are no "corrals."

I NEVER take my cart back to the front of the store, even before I had kids. And I certainly wouldn't drag a kid back and forth to the front of the store to return the carts. The Publix lots are huge.

Like earlier folks said, Publix has people who routinely go out and round up the carts.

And after I had DS, I'd just grab a cart on the way in to the store and put him in it, so I didn't have to carry him in on the way in, either.

 

[delilah]

Here, it is illegal to leave your kids alone in a locked car...even for a moment.

This is a really good point. I have a nurse in my office who has called the police on more than one occasion about children left alone in vehicles. If you are just walking by a parked vehicle, you would have no way to know if the child has been there 30s or 20minutes. Additionally, children have been kidnapped on more than one occasion in this area--like from the parking lot of the store where I usually buy my groceries. True, the parents in these cases have usually run inside to buy something, and left their keys and kids in the car.

 

[DisneyPhD]

I know that there is another thread on this subject and I admit I have not read it yet BUT is this REALLY that big of an issue? If you do or you don't ...who cares?! If you don't want your car hit with loose carts PARK WAY OUT! Shop at a store like Publix that brings your groceries out for you and takes the cart with them....no tipping allowed!


Most of the year in FL and TX the car is too hot to put the kids in without turning it on and starting the ac while loading the groceries. And having them stand behind the car is not safe...even with me there with them. People are crazy in the parking lots! So you are left with a running car with your kids in it....seems the cart isnt very important after all!

Parking lots can be very dangerous places. People have all kids of places to hide. And in the hot months in FL and TX youhave people trolling the lots waiting for people to leave kids and animals in hot cars. They will approach and "watch" you...very nerve wracking.

I usually shop where I can have someone bring my groceries out...I hate working up a sweat putting it all in the car. If I don't and a corral is next to me...sure I'll put it back. But other then that...if I don't doesn't make me a bad person....I just don't care!

Well said.

I don't have the warm weather problem as much as cold weather. But then again not every persons life/ situation is the same.

Really I have never seen a group of people get their panties in a knot over such a dumb subject before. I don't think I have ever said this before, but this topic really needs to be let go.