Do you return the cart to the corral?

[DaveH]

I return the cart, but I am NOT an angel.

 

[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. 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.

 

[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!