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Why oh why is it so hard for people to put shopping carts where they belong after use or at least not put them where they don’t belong?
Three times in the last week I have pulled into a handicap parking space only to see a cart left right in the middle of the space – a handicap space‼️ Of course, in addition, numerous carts are left in regular spaces, alongside cars and in some cases at the end of a parking lot nowhere near the store they came from.
My theory is these lazy, inconsiderate dolts are the same people who live paycheck to paycheck, carry credit card balances, fail to save for their future and who will not be helped by a budget.
It’s a theory mind you, but it seems to me that inconsiderate, irresponsible behavior is rarely limited to one element of a personality.
I bet they don’t carry life insurance either and their shopping cart is filled with junk food. They probably drive one of those Bentley SUVs, but would not leave their cart near it.
I had a cousin who made a very good living selling shopping carts. I bet he would have liked to have seen them all sent flying off an embankment.
Gadzooks, my theory may have reached its limit.😎
It would appear discussing shopping carts is in the same category as religion and politics.
Who knew 🤣😢🤣😢?
My, my, my, the post that wouldn’t die,
Some may have thought it funny,
Others wouldn’t let it lie.
One thing I know for certain:
It wasn’t meant to cause you pain,
Still, the man behind the curtain
Sometimes drives us all insane.
Next time you’re in the parking lot
And a Mercedes is in your lane,
Give your cart a mighty thrust
While you raise your hand and say:
“Hey RDQ, have a wonderful day.”
Not the dark gray one please.
Never fear, if I am alone I park in the far reaches of the lot where no others dare venture for fear of getting lost.
Let’s hope all this nonsense has been an economic value for HD. Who would have thunk it?
Imagine if we were posting about the folks in Washington, but not the East Wing of course.😁
As I said before, it’s not easy being green 🐸
If i recall, this is the second article you have posted about shopping carts and the people who leave them. Clearly this is one of your pet peeves. My thought all those years ago was that you did not consider that by leaving the carts in the lot, individuals are helping to support one of the few entry level jobs still available to youth. Now as a senior with three surgeries under my belt , I also understand that some have to use and abandon carts to be able to walk to and from the store. There are always different sides to the story.
Sorry no, I never considered that, but I also didn’t consider dropping trash on the ground to give a job to someone picking it up either. Sorry, I am being snarky, but holy cow.
It is a pet peeve of mine, not only because I see it irresponsible behavior but also because I don’t want to see my or anyone’s car scratched or dented because of that behavior.
My wife often uses a cart to help walk, but that is hardly a reason to leave them in parking spaces, next to someone’s car or on occasion in the middle of the road.
I shop exclusively at ALDI. Not only have I saved myself thousands on groceries through the years, apparently I’ve also saved myself the irritation of rogue carts. I’ve literally never seen one in the parking lot. Bonus!
For the first time in a very long time, I decided to take a break from Humble Dollar. I don’t have words to describe my disappointment and profound sadness that this was the post at the top of the feed. I used to love this site for the civil discussion, interesting ideas, and sense of community. If I wanted to be trolled or enticed to respond to click-bait, I’d head over to Reddit.
I’m just so bummed.
Cecelia – I understand your frustration, and took a break for a while myself. But I decided to be proactive, and posted a new article last night, one that I thought Jonathan might enjoy. Perhaps more of us need to post thoughtful pieces that generate insights to share. In my humble opinion, fewer posts, but ones that share meaning and personal financially related insights.
Why not just take a break from Dick’s posts?
Seriously? Shopping carts, irresponsible people is that upsetting?
Bogdan, if you’re awake, could you please turn off replies to Dick’s post. Seems like everything there is to say, has already been said.
You can reach Bogdan by email at Newsletter@HumbleDollar.com
I once posted here that Mr. Quinn reminded me of my first husband. Arguing with him was like beating your head against a brick wall and about as useful. I eventually came to my senses and left. I have decided on the same course here and am no longer going to respond to Mr. Quinn’s rants.
Interesting comment and comparison. I’d like to pursue it, but HD is not the place. I will, however, gladly read whatever you write.
I will for sure never use the word rant again, even though nothing I have ever written actually meets that definition.
Nevertheless, perception is reality.
Dick, please read the room. It is clear that the majority of the HD community regard this is a rant, regardless of what you might term it.
You write some really interesting and thought provoking articles. Please focus your time and energy on those efforts.
Be assured I read the room, I especially read and understand a select group in the room, but keep in mind the HD community is many more people than tend to express themselves through comments.
The fact I used “rant” in the title triggered a negative reaction in some people before they read the piece or thought about what it is saying. That is evident in many of the comments that took this over the river and through the woods.
Nevertheless, the R word will never appear in a post again. But I suspect that won’t change much. When you remind people of their ex-husband it’s always going to be an uphill climb. 😟
To me the important thing is to provoke thought, challenge assumptions and norms when appropriate, test ideas and theories and, yes, to read the room and the people in it.
Unfortunately, that approach tends to make some people uncomfortable, but it’s not the intent.
Interesting dynamic isn’t it But clicks are important too 🤔
Can’t argue or dispute that, Dick. You generated some serious clicks with this one.
Is this website about personal finance topics, or has it devolved into some weird click bait competition? I agree with others that Mr. Quinn seems to solely focus on what gets him the most attention- be it positive or negative.
I’d push back on calling it just a personal finance website. It’s really a comprehensive retirement resource—a holistic mishmash of everything retirement. Yes, it covers portfolio management, Social Security strategies, and withdrawal tactics, but equally the lived experience of retirement itself. The philosophical questions, the physical realities, the emotional journey, the day-to-day texture of this life stage, it’s all there. It’s more than a typical finance-focused site; it’s the full spectrum of retirement life in one place.
.
From the About section: Managing money may be simple, but it isn’t easy. Most of us struggle to save diligently, invest intelligently and figure out what will make us happy. HumbleDollar aims to help readers make rational financial decisions, especially when it comes to retirement. But we’re also acutely aware of the human side of money.
This used to be a personal finance website. Yes, of course retirement is a component of that, but I’m not sure where the idea that Humble Dollar was created to be a “holistic mishmash of everything retirement” came from.
“But we’re also acutely aware of the human side of money” – doesn’t this support my point? Dan Smith recently posted something similar, which suggests this theme resonates with others too.
I think we all have different perspectives on what fits within HD’s ethos, and that’s natural. I really value your articles and comments, they’re excellent and insightful. Perhaps when content doesn’t resonate with you, you could simply focus your energy on the pieces you do enjoy? Your voice and experience are valuable to the community, so I hope you’ll continue sharing them
.
We need some levity in our lives, especially when it’s a website dealing with such serious topics as investing, healthcare and retirement. I think certain people take things too seriously even after Mr. Quinn admits he is not entirely serious.
Just saw this article and thought I would share:
https://behavioralscientist.org/why-dont-people-return-their-shopping-carts-a-somewhat-scientific-investigation/
Just came back from the supermarket – guess what? 🥵
Can’t AI fix this problem?
An abundance of artificial intelligence is what gets us into these situations 😁
When I see how much has been written, so far, about AI my eyes start to glaze over. I’m waiting for the development of AW, or “Artificial Wisdom”. Now that would be something to learn more about!
As I’ve mentioned before: We really needed to solve natural stupidity before we moved on to artificial intelligence 😉
This article seems out of place on a financial website and disrespectful to Jonathan, who specifically requested Dick stop posting these types of rants. No one comes here to read this blather.
As Dick stated many times in the comments below, it’s humor and we need a dose of that occasionally. I’m sure Jonathan would have agreed.
Jonathan had long ago asked Quinn to refrain from making posts that criticized behavior he considers irresponsible. If RDQ hadn’t done it countless times then Jonathan might have considered a single instance like this humorous.
Actually he also told me I was a big part of HDs success even while criticizing me for what he saw as me pushing on others things like retirement income replacement percentage. He also didn’t like how I pushed back on some issues.
I told him my views on anything were never intended to encourage others to do as I did or do but to provide alternative food for thought. Why would I or anyone care what someone else decides to do?
The reality is that generating hits on HD is what makes it viable, what generates income and when it is linked to other sites it attracts more users. Sometimes that’s what outside the norm does. How dull it would be if we all thought alike, plain vanilla so to speak.
Also, take a closer look, I am certainly not the only one posting on a subject with tenuous links to money and finances.
For the record I have never insulted or written unkind words toward an individual.
You have made numerous valuable contributions to HD, especially those that are based on your knowledge of employee benefits.
However, I also have no doubt that you have written more articles and forum threads criticizing the behavior of other people who you think are acting irresponsibly than all of the other HD contributors put together. Jonathan repeatedly asked you to stop your rants but you chose to ignore him.
Jonathan made it clear that he wanted HD to be a site with a positive tone aimed at helping others with financial matters. Do you really think he wanted HD to rely on rants about the irresponsible behavior to remain viable?
The fact is Jonathan was the person who labeled something I wrote a rant. He even wrote an article himself titled “A Quinn Worthy Rant” And FYI. nothing I have written actually meets the definition of a rant.
As I said, his objections were repeating my position on something which he saw as promoting that position and my not accepting conventional wisdom widely accepted by others.
Dick, you are splitting hairs on what is considered a rant. If you have to state in the subject line it’s not one, it most likely is, and smells like one to me. I can’t believe a personal finance site is allowing subjects like this to be posted, and you are continuing this behavior like a belligerent young boy. I feel it’s in bad form of Jonathan’s legacy. I also find your continuing rants about folks that claim SS after FRA to be in poor taste, especially after Jonathan had asked you to refrain from such commentary.
So, I’m not allowed to express an opinion or defend that opinion? Labeling something a rant does not make it so.
I don’t believe I ever ranted about SS. I have said more than once that a goal of maximizing lifetime benefits received as a determinant of when to start SS is ridiculous and it is and I’m not the only one to say that. That is not a rant.
I have also said several times that replacing 100% of base income in retirement is a desirable goal. And it is. I never said it was necessary as it is obviously not, but I got labeled as implying that.
I have said budgets are a crutch that do not change irresponsible financial behavior and offered a simpler approach. I was accused of telling people not to budget.
What I would like to see though is more people who complain about so-called rants to stick their neck out and write a Forum posts on a topic they are passionate about and see what happens.
oh my‼️ this comment IS becoming a rant 😱 guilty as charged.
To paraphrase: You can’t please all of the people all of the time, but you can sure p**s off the ones you don’t please most of the time. Unfortunately, negative opinions are often more potent and vocal than positive ones.
LOVE THIS POST!
But then I think I have a sense of humor.
So many don’t and are looking very hard for things to “take offense at”.
👍
As my old Polish grandmother used to say, “It will only bother you if you let it bother you!”
For those of you, like me, who sympathize with Mr. Quinn’s sentiments on shopping carts, may I suggest Cart Narcs? https://cartnarcs.com/index.html
I want one of those magnets for Christmas. If I had her address I’d send one to Kristine.
You commented to bbbobins to not base assumptions on those who write or comment. Your third paragraph take on this post is nothing more than an assumption, or theory in your words.
Dude – chill, enjoy the satire
Oh my, I thought I made it clear it was not a real assumption just trying to make an exaggerated point about behaviors at which I failed miserably.
https://sl.bing.net/bOKjyUUwxBQ
My goodness, everyone, can we not just be finished with Cartgate and move on?
It’s about time but people are so into it!
I agree. In fact, I wish the whole post was deleted. I never saw so many comments going off to never never land.
You can’t even do contrition without an unjustified attack on those offering a different perspective.
Perhaps the quality of your threads would be improved if you
a) considered whether the right platform was here rather or your personal blog;
b) tried to self censor your more judgmental comments on others; and
c) don’t try to dress things up as a joke when called out,
I don’t want to get too cod-psychology on you but it’s clear you as a couple are going through some stuff so I’m inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt. But meet members halfway and maybe offer some mea culpa.
Don’t give me anything, please. The post was valid, had a point to make just about personal respect and individual responsibility- which as had been discussed repeatedly is a factor in financial management.
I do wish I had used a different analogy with other behavior because those comparisons clearly set people off in very unintended directions.
I was called rude and one person aligned trying to park in a handicap space with my Mercedes which I found a bit beyond rude, if not petty.
Time to move on. But the next time some of these folks consider where to put their cart, maybe they will think twice. Mission accomplished.
I doubt anyone reading HD is one of your inconsiderate cart abandoners. Nor are they in your financially irresponsible cohort so what mission have you exactly accomplished?
Don’t base your assumption on those who regularly write or comment. There are thousands of others you never see and many are referred by various social media sites, so it can be anyone. Who knows for sure?
Humble Dollar goal and I quote in part. Aims to help readers make rational financial decisions especially when it comes to retirement. Certainly not every post needs to to be deep or thought provoking, but in my humble opinion opinion this post would have been better served on X or other social sites. It doesn’t fit here. I don’t come to this site to read about grocery carts.If you post a lot sometimes you mss no matter the intent.
Rather than attack, why not use any post as a chance to create or direct a positive conversation about one of the points made? I think it’s a better focus of energy and intellect. Like after I park I always look around for anyone who might appreciate me grabbing their cart as they finish loading and return it to the store. I want folks like Dick as part of my circle. He makes you think and question things you see and hear every day that make you shake your head or smile.
The written word is tricky compared to the spoken one. Take comedians, for example, if you were reading, as opposed to hearing a set, you may come away thinking that the comedian was total and absolute butthole.
Occasionally I am a sinner, still, I try to avoid being misinterpreted by re-reading and editing my messages multiple times before hitting the post or send button.
Dick, I love ya, I get ya, but maybe consider the unintended tones that your posts might sound like in someone else’s ear.
As for the shopping cart thing; the culprit could just as well have been an arrogant millionaire, or an individual with a very challenging physical handicap.
Yes it could, but yet most people seemed to jump to the conclusion that what I mentioned was applicable only to lower income people. I mentioned a person with a Bentley too just to illustrate that wasn’t true. But that failed in the rush to judge.
The lack of personal responsibility has nothing to do with income. The actions I mentioned have been discussed or mentioned many times on HD sometimes in the context of financial literacy and retirement planning.
Irresponsibility is rarely compartmentalized.
As aside, the other day a woman with cart full and two screaming children finally got everything in her car. She then placed the empty cart right behind the car parked next to her and drove off. A few minutes later the person in the other car came by and put the cart in the empty parking space next to her. The cart corral was about 30 feet behind both cars. I moved the cart to the corral. It drives me nuts, I admit it. But contrary to what Kristine thinks, it does not make me rude.
I’m nearly afraid to make this observation, but I find it interesting, and it’s just how my mind works:
The original article and its negative reactions offer a fascinating case study in how poor framing destroys a valid message.
The core point is simple and undeniable: abandoning shopping carts, especially in handicap spaces, is irresponsible behavior and should be called out.
Yet that message has been completely lost in the noise created by the article’s tone. That tone nearly guaranteed people would focus on the sharpness rather than the legitimate concern. Lead with negativity, and people stop listening. The message drowns in its own delivery. Strip away the prose style, and most would agree with the underlying point. But wrapped in the framing used, even a reasonable observation becomes pure noise.
That being said, RDQ was the main voice that drew me to Humble Dollar in the first place.
”Yet that message has been completely lost in the noise created by the article’s tone.”
Years ago I started a taxpayer’s association due to continuing significant increases in property taxes. When I started I made it clear that our tone should be one of concerned not angry taxpayers. I knew from listening to some at town meeting that the people that spoke with an angry tone would drown out their message. My goal was to have the association educate and take positions on subjects and then let the townspeople vote according to their own informed decision.
Actually the tone was intended to draw attention to irresponsible behavior, what I failed to consider was the tendency for all of us to frame things in the context of preconceived beliefs.
HD is supposed to be about personal finance. How is frustration with abandoned shopping carts even relevant?
Does anyone really think I have a theory relating shopping carts to financial behaviors?
You’ve posted your views on shopping carts and your assumptions about the financial habits of those who don’t return them to the corrals 3 or 4 times in the past few years. So yes, I’d say that it is clear that you do, in fact, have a such a theory.
Oh my, a joke, exaggeration, hyperbole, satire…seems not recognized in the HD community all that much.
And then the “just joking” defense in response to those who called out your post as being in poor taste and inappropriate for HD. There’s actually a term for this. It’s a play on Schrödinger’s Cat and describes a person who makes offensive statements, then decides whether they were joking based on the reaction of people around them.
As parkslope pointed out, Jonathan asked you multiple times to stop posting rants here. And as Kathy pointed out, you have your own blog for posting this kind of content. Enough already.
Offensive? Only to people who formed their own biased judgement that had nothing to do with the post, not one thing implied a relationship with income or any class of people unless, of course, someone assumes irresponsible behavior is income based. I never observed that.
However, doing some quick research just now does seem to indicate a relationship between income level and responsibility on the basis that concern over income related matters tends to distract someone from responsibility.
What do I know, I am not a psychologist.
Extremely well stated.
If you shop at ALDI, they have a system where you have to insert a quarter into the handle of the shopping cart to free it from the other carts. And it works. Everyone returns the carts to the staging areas to get their quarter back. I have never seen a cart loose in their parking lot.
Simple solution. Plus, they probably do not lose a lot of carts either.
This rant reminds me of this video….”It’s Getting Real in the Whole Foods Parking Lot”
Whole Foods Parking Lot – Music Video [HD]
So this was supposed to be a joke? Why did you think it was funny? Why did you post it on HD instead of your own blog? Instead of repeatedly claiming you were joking, how about spending your time considering why you thought it was appropriate to post it here. Maybe the time you spend reading garbage on other social media sites has distorted your view of what belongs here.
OOPS, see below
I understand the annoyance with regard to the shopping carts. However, not everyone who is living paycheck to paycheck, can’t save, has credit card debt, and so forth is “lazy, irresponsible, and inconsiderate.” There are many reasons why a person or family may be struggling financially, from job loss to health crises to a house fire to a special needs child. When I was in grad school and on bedrest due to complications during my first pregnancy, I can assure you that we were living in a very financially precarious state for a few months. I’m thankful that our families and church and classmates helped us out during that period. You don’t know what everyone’s story is.
Do you really think I was proposing a serious analogy?
Haven’t we long ago established in posts on HD that those behaviors are not limited to low income people, that irresponsible financial behavior or any behavior is not unique to income levels?
Did I not also mention a person driving a Bentley?
Oh my, a joke, exaggeration, hyperbole, satire…seems not recognized in the HD community all that much.
Do people think what I wrote was a serious analysis of irresponsible shopping cart vagrants?
Does anyone really think I have a theory relating shopping carts to financial behaviors?
😢
If I actually offended anyone, sorry, but next time please put the cart where it belongs. 😁
I may not share your view of the world but I love your posts!
I get it Dick.
Surely you are old enough to have learned that jokes and satire, and especially sarcasm, do not go over well on the web. It is not just HD. Actually, sarcasm doesn’t seem to go over well in person in the US.
What on earth was the point of this post? Please don’t post just for the sake of posting.
You are correct.
Most of the people I’ve encountered are seriously lacking in a “sense of humor”.
Comment Deleted
Dick, this is a rant. Pure and simple.
Please read the room – the HD community is looking for interesting articles on finance, retirement and human nature.
Not grumbles about shopping carts and social media.
Wow, what a load of assumptions!
Dick I have supported you several times when you have received, in my opinion, unwarranted downvotes, but in no way can I support this vitriolic writing. Even if you want to call this post hyperbole, or anything else, what it is is downright hurtful.
👎
PLEASE be more thoughtful in your posts.
Please don’t tell me you think they were serious assumptions. Downright hurtful to whom?
This sentence : “My theory is these lazy, inconsiderate dolts are the same people who live paycheck to paycheck, carry credit card balances, fail to save for their future and who will not be helped by a budget.”
Maybe the person left work late and have to beat the bus to their children’s’ house because they have elementary age children.Or maybe the wind blew the cart into parking space.They may not be retired and have the luxury of a leisurely trip to the store.
Please take a moment to look at the many posts below where other HD contributors also believe your comments are serious and as a result have posted down votes and reflect on what they are trying to say to you.
If this were an actual lamentation, instead of yet-another-Quinn-rant, it would express sympathy for people working two or three jobs to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table, who are running late to pick up the kids from day care. Or, worse, have the kids in tow.
It appears that getting worked up over nothing much is what keeps Mr. Quinn going. Otherwise he would find something useful to write, and he would stop hanging out on sites that simply annoy him.
So any of that is an excuse for not following a simple courtesy to avoid damaging another persons car by just putting something where it belongs?
You choose to live in Joyzzay you have to accept the consequences!
Good point
Sorry, Mr. Quinn.
It is a rant.
The “theory” comes across as prejudice in disguise.
Against who?
Who?
Fair question.
Answer: the people identified in the third paragraph of your post, ones who lack your middle class values and higher socioeconomic status.
If you intended to be using hyperbole, you may have been, based on the harsh comments, who understood your use of hyperbole.
The same behaviors that have been discussed and criticized by numerous posts and comments on HD over the years? The financially irresponsible?
It’s all very well trying to describe it as hyperbole etc but when every one of your threads starts with some punching down on some class or other of people it doesn’t look like it.
We get it – very few can ever aspire to be such a paragon of prudence and comfortable retirement as yourself. But many at least make the effort to understand we are not all the same and we all have our unique flaws.
Because today’s slobs have no respect for others and our American values went down the toilet over the past few decades.
One of your rants by any other name is still a rant. Jonathan practically begged you to refrain from making posts like this multiple times up to shortly before he passed. Given you numerous posts, I’m sure he was concerned that HD might devolve into a site dominated by your holier than thou threads such as this one.
holier than thou? because I always put an empty shopping cart where it belongs and frequently put ones that I didn’t even use back in the corral? If that is what you mean, yes, I am guilty.
“My theory is these lazy, inconsiderate dolts…”
Wow. You just cemented my opinion that you are one of the rudest, most opinionated people I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading.
Living in a location where MANY people have handicapped placards and license plates, I can assure you many handicapped people APPRECIATE the carts that are left in the handicap spots. Shopping carts are frequently used as a walking assistance device (think pseudo-walkers). I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve seen someone get out of a vehicle and hold onto the car door as they reach to grab the nearest cart.
Ms Hayes, do you not know Hyperbole when you read it?
My wife uses a cart to assist walking so I am well acquainted.
However, finding a cart in the middle of the parking space such that the disabled person can’t park their car, must find another space or leave their car, struggle to get out and remove the cart so they can park is not helpful.
People who do leave the carts that way are just as I said.
I can assure you we DO NOT appreciate finding carts in the limited number of handicapped parking paces or to have carts slammed into our car.
Have a nice day.
Wow. You sure took my comment wrong. It was just a joke, exaggeration, hyperbole, satire.
Ha. I guess people just can’t take a joke anymore.
Clearly. It was obvious my comment was meant to be a joke. Everyone should have known I was exaggerating. Seriously, why would anyone take it literally? Just a little tongue-in-cheek wordplay.
I have to agree with Kristine— it’s way over the top to characterize all those who leave shopping carts in handicap places as you did.
Seriously? You take everything that literally?
Pretty much—isn’t that to he point of written communication?
No, frequently not.
I agree about the shopping carts in most parking places, but the ones in the handicap slots may be there because the users of those locations may not be able to take them to the proper return point. When I see the physical condition of many users of those slots, I’m totally willing to give them a pass.
You’re kidding. So, it’s okay to leave the carts in the middle of the parking spot so the next person looking to park in the handicapped spot can’t park their car? That’s an excuse?
As you have CHOSEN to ignore, several people including me have indicated why a shopping cart may be in the handicap space— a disabled shopper may not have been physically able to return it. You are able to take your wife to the store, but suppose she had to get there by herself? How would she get back to the car after putting the cart away?? You seem to be upset because a cart is blocking your Mercedes. Why don’t you just get out and move the cart? You apparently are in reasonably good condition, so this is an option. You’re being very unfair to those who can’t do it, and must leave the carts.
So your view is the disabled person goes in the store, wheels the cart around the store, wheels it back to their car, but can’t place the cart where it belongs or at least out of the way?
Now, if the cart is left in the middle of the disabled space by anyone and a disabled person tries to park there, what do they do? You said they may not have ability to move the cart. So, that means they must drive to another space which may be hard to find since they are limited.
Your argument is illogical and has nothing to do with me or my car. why would you even assume that?
Besides, who said anything about the people I talked about being disabled? That was the point, they are not disabled, but they have disregard for those who are.
The disabled space was just an example, not the entire point of the post.
I wonder if the commentators who are defending those who leave shopping carts all over the parking lot are also ones who do not return carts to the corral.
That thought crossed my mind. Thou protest too much, me thinks. 😎 I’ve been sitting here trying to figure out the comments. I have resisted replying with my real thoughts.
A little bit curmudgeonly are we?
I cannot disagree more. Thoughtlessness crosses all economic tiers.
Disagree with what?
Direct quote from your ‘lamentation’:
My theory is these lazy, inconsiderate dolts are the same people who live paycheck to paycheck, carry credit card balances, fail to save for their future and who will not be helped by a budget.
The point was the transfer of irresponsible behavior. A tongue in cheek comparison, no more.
Maybe it depends on where you live and/or where you shop. I rarely see carts in parking spaces. In fact, I can’t remember the last time. Left off the road against a wall or a streetlight yes, but not often in parking spaces and if one is there it’s on the line between two spaces, not in the middle. The places I shop seem to have plenty of shopping cart “corrals”.
From what I remember from shopping with my sister in England, you have to deposit a coin to get a cart. You get the coin back when you return the cart.
Well, you are lucky. I’ve experienced the issue shopping in three states.
There are plenty of corrals too. They are just too lazy to walk the extra ten feet to use them.
A few years back one store tried the coin deposit idea, but it didn’t last long.
Most UK supermarkets do this; it still doesn’t stop people leaving them in the lot. I’ve been known to wheel a few back to the cart park and pocket a couple of pound coins for my effort…free money is a wonderful thing 😁
Aldi here does use it—and has for years.
It isn’t just the handicap parking slots, it’s everywhere. Sometimes when returning to your parked vehicle there is a shopping cart right next to your vehicle. It can be upsetting, but I just take the cart and place it in the cart corral.
When I go on my walks, I take a plastic bag and pick up trash. The day after halloween was extra work.
I also take a plastic bag and pick up an average of about 6 beer cans per day, every day, on my 2 to 3 mile walk in my rural neighborhood. My states’ 10-cent beverage container deposit law is useless. A $1 deposit would be a start. I have been fantasizing about installing dirt-bag cameras along the road to catch the perps… Sorry this is starting to sound like a rant, I will stop now.
Perhaps the lazy dolts are the wealthiest who have made good financial decisions. I have read that they evade taxes more and donate less percentage of their wealth to charity. Their wealth has bought them the privilege of not having to roll that cart back to its proper home. Let the grocery store worker clean up after me – isn’t it their job?
Golly, you may have a point.
Shopping carts are an evil invention. They make you buy to much at the grocery store 😉
Of course, once upon a time, you shopped several times a week and the person behind the counter found what you wanted, wrapped it, and handed it to you. You might have taken your own small shopping cart with you. Milk showed up on the doorstep, and the fish man’s van made the rounds on Friday.
In Greece the shopping carts are tiny and so are the aisles.
I haven’t been to Greece for five or six years, but I always loved the small grocery shops and markets with their super-fresh, mismatched-sized vegetables bursting with flavour—so much better than the uniform offerings in UK supermarkets.