What do you do with the shopping cart....

When I go shopping and I am done, I don't put the shopping carts back, but leave them in the parking lot (hooked to the curb) because I have my babies in the car. Today, this woman (obviously doesn't have any kids) decided to whack my car with her car door as my punishment for leaving the shopping cart. At least I drive a crapy car, so it hurt her car more than mine So, what do you do with the cart after your done?

I should also point out, that I seek out carts left in the parking lot and park next to them for the same reason I don't put them back.

 

I usually put them back. When L&L were little, I tried to park as close as possible to the cart return, even if it was a little further from the store, then I could grab a cart, put them in it, shop, put them back in the car, return the cart. As long as I was within a couple of parking spots from the return, I took it back. Now that they are walking it's much easier!

 

I still always park next to the cart return. I figure, if it's farther from the store, it's just extra exercise for me, anyway. That way I don't have to worry about leaving the kids unattended. But, if I do have to travel a bit to the cart return, I always lock the doors and keep my eye on the car :good:

 

Ditto! I park close, unload them from the car, shop, return to carseats, return cart, go home

 

Same, I park close to the cart return and return them... It's just so annoying when I want to park somewhere and realize there is a cart in the way.

 

I do usually try to park next to the return, but their were no spots available near it this round.

 

I park next to the return and always put them back. This is my pet peeve and DH is so bad about it, it drives me nut-so! Even if I have to park further away, I get a spot where it's safe for me to unload the kids, then the groceries and return the cart.

 

Perhaps you and I are alone in this world, BUT I will use the "for moms with kids" parking spot and they are NEVER near the shopping cart return. Therefore, I do not always put the carts back. If I am alone, I will put the carts back. But if I have children with me - FORGET IT. Its difficult enough having to take kiddos to the store, they really should consider putting a shopping cart return near the "with children" spots.

So don't feel bad - I am with you! And that lady should not have taken her frustrations out on you - violence (even against a car) is never a good thing.

Niki

 

When I have the kids I don't put the carts back unless I'm near a cart return, either. I have to be either across the aisle or 2 spaces away. Otherwise, in the middle it goes.

 

A couple years ago I saw this story in the news where a woman put her kids in the car, then stepped just a few feet away to put the cart away, and someone jumped in her car and took off, kids and all. (Fortunately the kids were found shortly after.)

I usually shop by myself, but when I do take the kids I just stick the cart where ever it will fit (without blocking parking spots). I've never heard of spots for people with kids, what states do that? I live in WA state and shop in both WA and OR.

 

I live in Texas. Most grocery stores/pharmacies will have a few spots close to entrance, much like a handicap spot, for new moms/pregnant women. Our grocery store, HEB, has spots for "parents with children". But the nearest place to put the cart away is back at the entrance of the store or 10 spaces away at the cart return.

I agree that I usually go by myself - my only time alone how sad but somestimes you just cant help it.

We also had an incident here at a Target where the woman said usually she puts the kids in first, turns on the car, then loads the bags, and goes home. But this particualr day she put the bags in first and had her kids with her and she was carjacked. If her kids had been in the car, they would have gone with the criminal. Just something to think about.

Niki

 

I put the kids in, put the groceries in, then lock the car, put away the cart, and come back. The keys don't leave my pocket.

 

Wow, that was rude of her! :shok: I would have been really mad! I don't care if you are annoyed with someone, you don't take it out on their car!

I don't always return the carts to the corrals. Sometimes they just aren't close, and I will not leave my kids unattended in the car just to put a cart away. I do put the carts in between the curbs, and out of the parking space, if I am unable to return them to the corral.

 

I love, love, love HEB! :lol:

Ours also has the same spots, but they are close to the cart returns as well as close to the entrance of the store. I try to park as close as possible to a cart return so I can put it back. The parking lot has at least 10 of them, so it's not difficult (they really put a lot of thought into the planning of the store and it's well-run) to find somewhere nearby. I usually load the kids in the car and quickly put the cart away or, I'll unload them at the cart return and then walk over to the car. I try to be mindful of the people who have to go out and collect them, especially in the summers because down here, it is humid and extremely hot. The least I can do is put my cart back.

If I'm being honest, it's really sort of a pet peeve of mine. The Kroger that's much closer to our house always has carts left all over the parking lot. DH and I stopped by one morning to pick up some milk and there were at least three spots that were completely blocked. You might think that you're scooting it out of the way, but once you're gone, you really don't know how many other people are going to take a cue from you and do the same. I just think it's kind of rude (and trust me, I get the whole "I have kids, this is complicated" bit).

That all being said, yeah...there's no excuse for someone to be rude or passive-aggressive about it. If it bothers you so much, round them up yourself and put them away (I do that too, but that's the OCD in me :blush. Don't take your frustration out on someone's vehicle.

 

I try not to take the kids our shopping by myself or if I do I use their stroller if I'm just getting a few items. But I sometimes have to use a cart. My kids safety comes first. I never leave them unattended in a car. Locked car or not. If I park right next to a cart return I return the cart. Otherwise people can just get over it. But that is me. My priority is my babies not someones hang up about shopping carts.

Twice I have had someone take the cart to a return for me after I had unloaded it. So while there are rude people out there nice people are out there as well. If it was so important to that women she should have nicely offered to return the cart.

I remember back in the day when there were no shopping cart returns. People dealt with it then. It isn't the end of the world if you leave a shopping cart outside the return in the parking lot.

 

Another option is to shop at Publix where they still come out to your car, load your groceries for you AND take the cart back to the store. No tips allowed! :ibiggrin:

 

You might want to be careful not to imply that people who do take that whopping 10 seconds to return a shopping cart don't care about their children as much as you do.

 

I wonder why in the world she would turn on the car first? Isn't that a little weird? :umm:

 

Not if you live in FL and its 100 degrees when you come out of the grocery store and load your kids. Plus, the ice cream will melt :lol:

 

:laughing: :good: I guess I haven't run into that problem here!

 

I try to park near the return too, but if I can't, I leave the cart sitting too. In the grand scheme of things, there are too many whack-a-doodles out there for me to leave my kids for too long...and here most of the cart returns are MILES away! And there's only a couple in the whole parking lot! :aggressive:

Tina I turn my vehicle on too because of the heat, but I keep my keyfob separate so I can lock/unlock my vehicle while it's running!

 

Yeah I turn the car on first too. Then I put the girls in their car seats, and then load my groceries. If there is a cart return nearby then I return the cart, but if not then I just put it at the front of my car.

If I didn't turn on the car first the girls might have a heat stroke.

 

I would never leave the car running with the kids in there out of my reach for sure... I just put everything and everyone in, take the keys with me then I return the cart... whether it's 95 or 30. But yeah, there are returns everywhere or I wouldn't bother.

 

At the grocery store near our house I try to park next to the return if I can, otherwise I leave the cart at the front of the parking space. When the boys were still in their carriers, I always put them in the car before unloading the stuff from the cart, it was just easier that way. Now that they are a bit bigger I put the groceries in first.

I will say though that my pet peeve is when I get to the store and there are NO carts outside. That was a pain with 2 car seats, but even more so since the boys are bigger, heavier and don't want to hold my hand while walking through a parking lot. On those days I am very grateful that some other mom didn't return her cart either so that I can use it.

edited to add that I almost never turn the car on with the boys in it without me, the exception being last winter when the wind chill put us between 20 and 40 below for a couple weeks and I had to get groceries.

 

or in Texas where it was over 100 in June.

 

99.9% of the time I can find a spot right next to the cart return & that is easy enough. However, that spot is not always available. If the return is more than a couple parking spots away, I just put the cart near the top of the parking space--in the center--where it's easy enough for someone to park w/out having to get out & move a cart. So, I do try & be courteous about it's placement...since this can really tick some people off. lol I've also spotted someone just getting out of their car & going into the store & asked them if they would like my cart.

 

I park as close as I can to the cart return. Once my kids and groceries are in the car, I lock the car and return the cart. It never takes more than about 45 seconds, and if it's not dangerously hot out, I just don't worry about it. (Well, this is what I used to do. Now my kids are in school.)

 

It can definitely be hard to manage shopping with babies, so I totally get why you’d leave the cart by the curb. Sometimes, convenience and safety come first, especially with little ones. I’ve seen a lot of people do the same thing, so you're not alone in that. As for the lady hitting your car, that’s just rude, no matter what the situation is. Maybe stores could improve things for parents by offering more convenient cart returns. In the same way comparison shopping helps save time and effort, parking next to a cart can sometimes be a practical choice.