Why do people leave shopping carts in the parking lot?

[tasha99]

Take them with you.

Clearly, you've never been to my Costco.

 

[MushyMushy]

Clearly, you've never been to my Costco.

But again, how did you manage to get them into the store?

 

[rie'smom]

Clearly, you've never been to my Costco.

It doesn't matter if your Costco parking lot is the Indy 500 with drunk people behind the wheel, bring your cart to the corral.

 

[mjkacmom]

It doesn't matter if your Costco parking lot is the Indy 500 with drunk people behind the wheel, bring your cart to the corral.

It's worse - NJ drivers, and lots of seniors! And there were more carts lined up where I parked it than in the corral - if Cosco wants you to use them, they really do need to provide more of them. Now, at Shoprite yesterday, I was parked 6 spaces from one, and therefore used it.

 

[Mom2Nick]

 

[rie'smom]

It's worse - NJ drivers, and lots of seniors! And there were more carts lined up where I parked it than in the corral - if Cosco wants you to use them, they really do need to provide more of them. Now, at Shoprite yesterday, I was parked 6 spaces from one, and therefore used it.

Then, if you take your child with you and he/she gets hurt, they are the first to call you an irresponsible parent.

 

[HGD24]

I don't understand the parents who say that they don't want to leave their child in the car while they return the cart. Just park your car next to or as close to the cart corral as possible, put your kids in their seats, leave the ignition off (or for those that turn it on while loading groceries, turn it back off), lock your car and walk a few steps or spaces to the cart corral.

Does it take a few extra minute or two out of my day? Sure. Do I have to walk a little further sometimes? Yes. Is my DD safe? Yes.

 

[mjkacmom]

I don't understand the parents who say that they don't want to leave their child in the car while they return the cart. Just park your car next to or as close to the cart corral as possible, put your kids in their seats, leave the ignition off (or for those that turn it on while loading groceries, turn it back off), lock your car and walk a few steps or spaces to the cart corral.

Does it take a few extra minute or two out of my day? Sure. Do I have to walk a little further sometimes? Yes. Is my DD safe? Yes.

But would you leave your children for up to 5 minutes? I'm not a paranoid parent - heck, my 8 year old even walks to school with her brother (and has since 1st grade). My kids use the gender appropriate restroom starting at 6 or so. I leave them in the care of dd12 sometimes. However, our Cosco has only a few corrals, and the parking lot is HUGE! We're not talking a few steps here. And it's so busy, you park where you can.

 

[phorsenuf]

A 5 minute walk is approximately 1/4 of a mile. Since we are going to the corral and back we should divide that in half. So it would be 1/8 of a mile each way. 1/8 of a mile is 660 feet or 220 yards.
So in that whole 220 yards there is no spot closer to the corral? Guess I wouldn't want to go to that store.

 

[rie'smom]

So what if it's a 2 second walk? If someone doesn't want to leave their child in the car or if they plain don't want to put the buggy in the corral, so what? So far, there is no such thing as the parking lot shopping cart police to demand that you do it.
It annoys some people, big deal. You don't get a ticket for annoying people or there would be tickets given out like crazy right here on the DIS.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

So what if it's a 2 second walk? If someone doesn't want to leave their child in the car or if they plain don't want to put the buggy in the corral, so what? So far, there is no such thing as the parking lot shopping cart police to demand that you do it.
It annoys some people, big deal. You don't get a ticket for annoying people or there would be tickets given out like crazy right here on the DIS.

No it is not illegal - but rude and ignorant.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

The shopping cart law... coming to a town near you:
http://www.ci.turlock.ca.us/citydep...eighborhoodservices/shoppingcartordinance.asp

Shopping Cart Ordinance
Shopping Cart Enforcement
The Turlock Police Department and the City’s stores are proud to announce the start of a new program to clear the streets of shopping carts. The program includes a new ordinance. For the benefit of Turlock residents here is a summary of the various laws pertaining to this problem:

Turlock Municipal Code Section 5-23
Unauthorized removal or possession of a shopping cart
It is unlawful for any person to do any of the following, if a shopping cart has a permanently affixed sign pursuant to Sections 5-23-03(a) and 5-23-04(a):

* Remove a shopping cart from the premises or parking area of a business establishment.
* Leave or abandon a shopping cart at a location other than the premises or parking area of the retail establishment.
* Alter, convert, or tamper with a shopping cart, or to remove any part or portion thereof or to remove, obliterate or alter serial numbers on a cart.
* Be in possession of any shopping cart while that cart is not located on the premises or parking lot of a business establishment.

How do shopping carts get abandoned, anyway?
People “borrow” them. But people should know that removing carts from a store’s parking lot - or even possessing a cart without the store’s permission - is illegal and subject to a substantial fine.
What can residents do?
First, don’t be part of the problem. There are many “personal carts” available, and most are inexpensive - much less than the potential fine for taking a store cart!
Why should I report an abandoned shopping cart?
For one, abandoned shopping carts are an eyesore in the community and actually attract additional litter. More importantly though, they present a danger to children who do not understand the consequences of “playing” with shopping carts.
What should I do if I need to use a cart?
Many residents now use personal, collapsible carts that are both sturdy and lightweight. These carts can be taken on local buses, and can be stored easily at home. Personal carts can be purchased at a variety of local stores or online by typing “portable shopping carts” into your web browser

Citations
Citations can be issued for violation of the law. We look forward to a cart-free city and ask for your help to make the program a success!

What can I do if I see an abandoned shopping cart?
Call Neighborhood Services at 209-668-5550 ext 6609, or fill out the online citizen complaint form.

It's not illegal to abandon the cart in the store parking lot... yet.

So when does this thread get clique status?

 

[rie'smom]

No it is not illegal - but rude and ignorant.

Ignorant?

 

[MushyMushy]

So what if it's a 2 second walk? If someone doesn't want to leave their child in the car or if they plain don't want to put the buggy in the corral, so what? So far, there is no such thing as the parking lot shopping cart police to demand that you do it.
It annoys some people, big deal. You don't get a ticket for annoying people or there would be tickets given out like crazy right here on the DIS.

No, it doesn't annoy people. It costs them money when that cart puts a dent or scratch in their car. Why is it so hard to believe that it would piss people off? And I have yet to ever hear of someone taking responsibility for being the cause of that damage.

I don't know, maybe some of you have so much disposable income that you don't care what happens to your car. But we work hard for ours and we try to take care of it for as long as we have it.

 

[akhenaten]

How did you walk them into the store from your parking spot?

So take your cart back into the store and walk your kids back out. There you go.

I don't...they get put right into the shopping cart that the last shopper left by my parking space!!...

 

[EMom]

I don't understand the parents who say that they don't want to leave their child in the car while they return the cart. Just park your car next to or as close to the cart corral as possible, put your kids in their seats, leave the ignition off (or for those that turn it on while loading groceries, turn it back off), lock your car and walk a few steps or spaces to the cart corral.

Does it take a few extra minute or two out of my day? Sure. Do I have to walk a little further sometimes? Yes. Is my DD safe? Yes.

I don't know where you live, but where I live, it's 90+ degrees for nearly half the year. Many days, you'd love to be closer to 90 degrees than 100. How hot does in get INSIDE a parked car? Hot enough to fry a baby brain and begin melting frozen foods immediately. So when DD was little, my strategy was to QUICKLY open the car door, start the engine and the A/C at full blast, load the groceries (with the refrigerated items being placed near an A/C vent) and then get her in her carseat so we could get in motion. By that time, the car was as bearable temperature-wise for her as sitting in the cart, strapped in, wating for me to get her in the car. Your goal down here is often to get your stuff and yourself into the car and in front of a full power A/C vent just as fast as you humanly can.

What I was not going to do was walk off and leave a running car so it could be stolen or leave my child in a running car so I could return a cart. I also was not going to turn off the car so it could reheat in two seconds flat and have my food go bad instantly, not to mention that would mean we'd walk right back to an oven with wheels.

If I was next to the corral, I'd put the cart back. If not, I'd push it on to the grassy median and make sure the wheels were held in place by the curb so that it wouldn't roll. We don't get many windy days here, so rolling carts due to wind isn't a real problem. And if you push the front wheels up on the curb as I did, they do stay put. I also shopped at places that employed workers who would carry your bags out for you and then take the cart back with them. I happily tipped them.

So extreme heat is one reason some of us with small children have to leave the car running and therefore, we will not leave our children in the car to return a cart. Also, we want to get them in the A/C and out of the blazing sun as soon as possible. I'd never leave a child alone in a car for "a minute or two" anyway. First, you're likely to get the police called on you here for doing that. Second, a close relative's child was kidnapped in just "a few minutes" so I'm just not that casual about walking off and assuming all will be well.

A child's well-being is much more worthy of concern than some potential ding on a vehicle. My child is older now and I have a nice, new car......But when I pull into a parking lot and see a mom loading kids into a car and leaving her cart where it is, I completely understand....especially on a hot day. If she has 3 kids, I pity her trying to get a baby, a toddler and a preschooler across a parking lot to return a cart, then get back to her car and still NOT get run over. Sorry, those kids are more important than my car.....or anyone else's.

 

[tasha99]

But again, how did you manage to get them into the store?

On the way in, we didn't have a cart. On the way out, it's extremely uncomfortable maneuvering through traffic with a cart to the car. You really can't judge, not seeing the parking situation, but I don't even have little kids. At Costco, I don't return the cart and my kids are 18, 16, and 11, and usually not even with me! It's a dangerous situation, and I'm not making the trek two times, even when it's just me. I'm not alone because pretty much no one returns their carts from the Costco parking lot hinterlands.

 

[phorsenuf]

My goodness, these Costco stores seem like such a dangerous place. Glad I don't have one.

 

[crz4mm2]

My goodness, these Costco stores seem like such a dangerous place. Glad I don't have one.

 

[akhenaten]

My goodness, these Costco stores seem like such a dangerous place. Glad I don't have one.

Last time I was in Costco a woman riding one of the shopping cart wheelchairs knocked over an old man....
it is a dangerous store...