Do you return grocery carts?

[golfgal]

Yes, but only because I know the whole Internet is watching.

Seriously though, while I was pregnant with DD, there was a case where a baby was kidnapped when the mom put the baby into the car then went to return the cart. That made me hyper-vigilant about making sure I was able to return the cart without letting the baby out of reach.

Oh, and there was the one day when there was a small car parked in the cart return. I didn't return the cart that day.

Did you get a picture

 

[Metsfan520]

I avoid all the problems. I take the cart home.

 

[Acklander]

yes, I return my cart but dont really care (or notice) if others do or not. I save my outrage for chair savers, line cutters and people who refer to Cinderella as Cindy.

 

[maxiesmom]

Ducking and covering.

That was my first thought too! Look out!!!

 

[DWGal210]

yes, I return my cart but dont really care (or notice) if others do or not. I save my outrage for chair savers, line cutters and people who refer to Cinderella as Cindy.

 

[snapppyd]

yes, I return my cart but dont really care (or notice) if others do or not. I save my outrage for chair savers, line cutters and people who refer to Cinderella as Cindy.

But if a cart rolled into your car and damaged it would you be outraged

 

[sam_gordon]

Oh my.

A thread that spirals out of control to name calling & bickering is a great way to start a weekend.

OP, I'm sure you didn't know but this is one of those threads.

Actually, I wanted to do a poll, but my browser took the thread and locked up (yes, I had 'include a poll' checked).

I'm one who always returns the cart to the coral or to the front of the store. However, I wanted to see if anyone would willingly (and honestly) admit to being the one who simply left their cart in front of their car (or blocking an adjacent space).

The responses so far are about what I expected.

 

[ols386]

Yes, I return the cart to the corral.

But I hate it in the winter when there is a bunch of snow or slush, making it difficult to even push the cart.

 

[Scurvy]

Always, no matter what. After having my car damaged by a runaway cart blowing downhill through a parking lot and after seeing a woman literally knocked down by another cart, I'd never be selfish and inconsiderate enough to leave a cart in the lot.

Absolutely not. I'm special and don't have to do that. Anyway, I wouldn't want to take a job away from the guy who collects them. I'm just doing my part at helping him with his job security.

usually.


unless....

It is raining, it is too hot, it is too humid, it is too cold, it is sunny, it is not humid enough, my kids are in the car, the kids are home with a babysitter, there isn't a cart corral within 3 cars of mine, I am too tired, I am in a hurry, that is what the cart people are for, it is a day of the week ending in "y", I didn't have to pay a quarter to get my cart, I found it by my space, I am headed to the bar and can't stop to put it in a cart corral, my feet hurt.....



Absolutely. I always put mine away.

You forgot: it's icy, windy, I'm stimulating the economy by making sure people need to visit body shops to fix the dings my cart makes in their cars, I have a hidden disability, my ice cream will melt, I will melt, nobody else does so why should I, there aren't enough cart returns, there are too many cart returns, I have a moral objection to containing carts and feel it's cruel not to let them roam at will, my heels are too high to walk all the way to the cart return, grocery shopping took all my energy, I don't care about my car and you shouldn't care about yours either so why bother, I'm afraid someone will kill/mug/kidnap me between my car and the cart return, plus I just don't want to and you can't make me and I don't believe a little old cart could possibly damage a big old car anyway.


There are a million excuses, and not one of them is good. They are just attempts to justify selfishness and laziness. (Unless maybe there's a car in the return - that might be good enough! )

 

[Scurvy]

Actually, I wanted to do a poll, but my browser took the thread and locked up (yes, I had 'include a poll' checked).

I'm one who always returns the cart to the coral or to the front of the store. However, I wanted to see if anyone would willingly (and honestly) admit to being the one who simply left their cart in front of their car (or blocking an adjacent space).

The responses so far are about what I expected.

You should check out some of the previous threads about this - there are at least a couple of posters who not only admit to it, they are very vocal about defending the habit. And they use some of the more ridiculous excuses listed already in this thread, but they are totally serious about it.

 

[MIGrandma]

Ducking and covering.

But seriously, yes I do return my cart either to a corral or back into the store.

Those who do not and have a "reason", it's still just a lame and lazy excuse. It's one of my pet peeves to see stray carts in a parking lot.

 

[Pakey]

Always.

And I'm one of those horrible people who park way out in the boonies in the parking lot so that nobody dings my car.

 

[Acklander]

But if a cart rolled into your car and damaged it would you be outraged

I had a teen learn to drive in my car - I don't think you'd notice a cart ding. Seriously though, I've always used my car as transportation - it's never been for keeping pristine (and I'm not knocking those who try to keep their cars perfect - I'm just not one of them). When I buy a car, I buy new and then drive until it dies. I'm 50 years old and have only had 4 cars. I take it on the beach, I go 4 wheeling, I've stuck the occasional bumpersticker on it, I park in lots where people have opened their doors on it, It's been bumped, and scraped, I've moved stuff half way across the country in it, and lugged a lot of work, firewood, luggage and so on in it. I've had a kid ride their bike into it (first time without the training wheels) I don't sweat the occasional dings - I consider that part of life.
I know many feel differently - but to me it's just a car and there is nothing in it worth getting outraged over.

 

[TTFN]

Once, about 25 years ago, I didn't return the cart. It haunts me to this day! In my defense, it was sleeting (a lot), and I had my DD's, ages 1 and 3 in the cart. But, I still feel guiltly about it.

 

[HelenaB]

Always.

And I'm one of those horrible people who park way out in the boonies in the parking lot so that nobody dings my car.

Me too.

 

[PuppyBrownEyes]

I always return them. Ive had too many leaning against my car and id hate to cause a dent to someone else's

Its not like its a far walk to return them

 

[npmommie]

who wants to take bets on how many pages this thread goes to?
and if it gets locked?

it's not going to end well.

and yes I return my carts. most of the time.
sometimes yep in a blizzard, the parking lot not plowed, can barely get the cart thru the snow. I leave it. there i said it, I have left the cart.

 

[Aisling]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. If the parking lot is full of cars, I return them so they won't be a hindrance to the cars. Otherwise I leave it because in a matter of minutes another person will park and take the cart.

 

[snapppyd]

My sister got her first brand new car last year, at the age of 63. She always had second hand cars before that. She only had it about a month when the side of it got scratched and dented by a runaway cart. I know it's "just a car" but how long would it have taken that person to put the cart back.

 

[dzorn]

Usually unless it is late at night and the corral is a distance away which is not very often. I tend to avoid dark parking lots late at night.

Denise in MI