Do you return grocery carts?

[happygirl]

Only if there is a baby in the cart lol lol

 

[JessicaR]

Better I fix my hair or make that fast phone call BEFORE I start to drive. I mean, unless people would like for me to back out of the spot while talking on the phone.

Oh, one of my biggest pet peeves in the parking lots are VULTURES. You know, those people who follow you as you walk down the aisle instead of moving on. I usually make sure to take the looooooong way, make sure everything is nicely packed in the trunk, check my voicemail, change the CD, and anything else that I just need to do before I leave...

exactly. I didnt know my spot was timed. I have been known to make a call or two when I get back to the car. I do not use the cell while driving.

 

[disney1990]

Yes, I return the cart -- always have -- my entire life. Heck, DH & I even take carts out of the parking lot (left by cars) back into the store to use. If there are 2 carts, we push the extra one back too.

 

[S. C.]

Why do you ask?

 

[Acklander]

No, it's nothing to get outraged over, but for those of us who lease our cars and have to pay for those scratches and dents when we turn them in, it's a little bit upsetting. Not trying to start an argument, just offering a different point of view.

in both my posts I stated that i understood that others may feel differently about it and I have no arguments with that. I also stated that I return my carts - I just don't get bent out of shape if others don't. If you choose to lease a car instead of buying it, then you get to live with the worry of every little ding. I choose to buy my cars instead of leasing, so I don't have to get bent out of shape over what the rest of the world is doing with their shopping carts. It is truly a non-issue to me.

 

[MELSMICE]

I'd say that 98% of the time I do, but in cases of extreme weather, I'll admit that I do not and I don't begrudge or judge anyone else that doesn't. Who cares?

I must be an old geiser, but there never used to be cart corrals when I was younger.

I always return my cart. I usually park close by the cart returns. My theory is that my car is less likely to get hit by carts here because the people that actually return them get them where they belong and the people that don't return them are too lazy to make it there, so the carts won't be around.

My DD works at a grocery store & does carts. I have always parked next to the cart corral when possible because I figured it was one less person that could dent the side of my car. LOL

She told me the worst place to park is next to the cart corral because she said sometimes when they're trying to get the carts out of the corral they have a stray that rolls away or the whole line of them gets out of control & rolls into a car.

Needless to say, I don't park there anymore!

 

[prettyblueskies]

in both my posts I stated that i understood that others may feel differently about it and I have no arguments with that. I also stated that I return my carts - I just don't get bent out of shape if others don't. If you choose to lease a car instead of buying it, then you get to live with the worry of every little ding. I choose to buy my cars instead of leasing, so I don't have to get bent out of shape over what the rest of the world is doing with their shopping carts. It is truly a non-issue to me.

I absolutely agree with you, it was my decision to lease so I'm the one that has to worry about what others do around my car. Paying for the scratches and dings isn't fun, but that's the risk I take. Again, I wasn't trying to start anything, and I really am sorry if it came across that way.

 

[Missy1961]

Did anyone else grow up in NJ when the stores did not have these cart corrals??
I swear they were never around when I was growing up (I am in my mid 40's)

I live in suburban NY (Long Island) & most of the stores here don't have the corrals now. It wasn't until Costco (then called Price Club) opened here that we had a store with cart corrals. The grocery store I shop at the most doesn't have them. So I either push the cart all the way back or I don't use a cart. And this shopping center has about 3 or 4 other stores with carts--Toys R Us, Michaels, Staples, Burlington.

 

[locolala]

I shop on base so I pay someone 3 bucks to bag my groceries and haul them out to my car, then load my car and take the cart back inside. Otherwise, I would take them back to the corral.. it's a lot of work going all around the lot gathering carts at the end of the night, like I did as a teen.

 

[Theosus]

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.

I always return the cart to the corral, unless a handicapped space is closer, then i leave it right in the middle, for their convenience. They dont have to go far for a cart.

 

[lakelandgal70]

I'm curious... after taking your groceries (or whatever you shopped for) to your car, do you return the cart to one of the 'designated' corral's (or to the store entrance)?

Yes always! Annoys me that people don't. I have watched many people leave it right outside the door of a store. Uh ya can't walk just a few more steps?

 

[LBIJim]

Did anyone else grow up in NJ when the stores did not have these cart corrals??
I swear they were never around when I was growing up (I am in my mid 40's)

When I was a kid in an urban area, you couldn't even bring the cart into the parking lot. They had 4-foot high poles at the edge of the concrete area so you couldn't get onto the asphalt. Carts couldn't fit between the poles.

You either had to carry your bags to the car, or leave your cart outside the exit and bring your car up against the poles. Us kids used to earn some pocket money by helping people bring their bags to their cars, or else "extort" money by offering to "watch your cart" while you retrieved your car.

Nowadays I always return the cart to the corrall. The market I frequent most often makes you put a quarter deposit in a slot to use a cart. You get the quarter back when you return the cart. Still, some people don't care about their quarter. They'll leave the cart anywhere. Sometimes I might earn a buck returning abandoned carts to the corrall.

Jim

 

[Planogirl]

I always bring the cart to the corral. It's way too windy in this area not to.

 

[Aisling]

Why do you ask?

To see if there are any inconsiderate lazy spawns of satan here on the Dis.



I'm REALLY happy that this thread didn't turn mean.

 

[LBIJim]

Better I fix my hair or make that fast phone call BEFORE I start to drive. I mean, unless people would like for me to back out of the spot while talking on the phone.

Oh, one of my biggest pet peeves in the parking lots are VULTURES. You know, those people who follow you as you walk down the aisle instead of moving on. I usually make sure to take the looooooong way, make sure everything is nicely packed in the trunk, check my voicemail, change the CD, and anything else that I just need to do before I leave...

You mean you don't suddenly remember that you "forgot" something at the store and start to walk back in? That REALLY twists the vultures' panties.

Jim

 

[npmommie]

My DD works at a grocery store & does carts. I have always parked next to the cart corral when possible because I figured it was one less person that could dent the side of my car. LOL

She told me the worst place to park is next to the cart corral because she said sometimes when they're trying to get the carts out of the corral they have a stray that rolls away or the whole line of them gets out of control & rolls into a car.

Needless to say, I don't park there anymore!

LOL, I always park next to the corral, and I never thought of this.
guess I will change spots too, LOL

 

[LBIJim]

Where we shop they are all attached by a chain with a lock and key. You have to insert a quarter to release the cart, then when you put it back you get your quarter back.
QUOTE]

Even those quarter-deposit cart corrals can cause some grief. My Shop-Rite has two sizes of carts: green for normal, black for huge. Invaribly some stupid or inconsiderate yahoo will return the green cart to the black row, effing it up for other black cart users. (I always use a green cart, so it doesn't affect me, but I always have to shake my head when I see this).

Jim

 

[Kycha]

Did anyone else grow up in NJ when the stores did not have these cart corrals??
I swear they were never around when I was growing up (I am in my mid 40's)

That's because the baggers used to load your groceries in your car back in the day. Some stores, they bagger would follow you out to your car and load the groceries. Other stores, you left your cart at the carport outside the entrance and drive your car up to have your groceries loaded. In both cases, the bagger would put the cart in the appropriate place. No need for a cart corral.

Thank God there are some stores around that still do this. Weis'(when I lived in PA) would have a parking lot attendant that would corral carts and help load groceries. And now, here in KY, at Kroger every bagger asks if I need help getting my groceries in my car. I always decline. But it's a great service for people who can't do it themselves. Also at Kroger, they will do your shopping for your. It's not a service that they advertise. But many times I have seen a store employee either do the shopping themselves with the customers list, while the customer sits comfortably on big couches at the front of the store. Or the store employee pushes the cart for the customer and helps them reach stuff on the shelf. Usually the customer is a little, old lady.

Anyway, back to the OP. Yes, I always(almost) return my cart. The only time I haven't is because the corral is blocked due to snow. I've noticed that whoever plows our local Walmart, has a habit of pushing all the snow into the cart corral rather than pushing/dumping the stuff at the back of the parking lot.

 

[Michelle67]

Yes, I return the cart -- always have -- my entire life. Heck, DH & I even take carts out of the parking lot (left by cars) back into the store to use. If there are 2 carts, we push the extra one back too.

I do that too. I had my headlight busted out by a runaway cart someone else left once. The worst part was that the lady that couldn't be bothered to put it away actually watched as the cart rolled across the parking lot and slammed into my car. She looked right at me, and I saw the look on her face like "Oh, ooops," and then she drove away. I've been paranoid about loose carts ever since.

 

[MELSMICE]

That's because the baggers used to load your groceries in your car back in the day. Some stores, they bagger would follow you out to your car and load the groceries. Other stores, you left your cart at the carport outside the entrance and drive your car up to have your groceries loaded. In both cases, the bagger would put the cart in the appropriate place. No need for a cart corral.

Thank God there are some stores around that still do this. Weis'(when I lived in PA) would have a parking lot attendant that would corral carts and help load groceries. And now, here in KY, at Kroger every bagger asks if I need help getting my groceries in my car. I always decline. But it's a great service for people who can't do it themselves. Also at Kroger, they will do your shopping for your. It's not a service that they advertise. But many times I have seen a store employee either do the shopping themselves with the customers list, while the customer sits comfortably on big couches at the front of the store. Or the store employee pushes the cart for the customer and helps them reach stuff on the shelf. Usually the customer is a little, old lady.

Anyway, back to the OP. Yes, I always(almost) return my cart. The only time I haven't is because the corral is blocked due to snow. I've noticed that whoever plows our local Walmart, has a habit of pushing all the snow into the cart corral rather than pushing/dumping the stuff at the back of the parking lot.

Where my DD's work they have a drive up service. You check out, go get your car & drive it up to a special exit. There is a service worker that will load the groceries in to your car. They are not allowed to take tips.