Another baby-in-car thread - Page 2

[NaomiLorelie]

At my grocery store they always offer to take my stuff out even if it is just me which seems rediculous. I do accept the help when the kids are with me.

When I shop other places though, I always return the cart unless it's just too far away. People that just leave their carts wherever are pretty disrespectful to others. Personally I don't understand how walking 5 spaces away from your car is leaving a child alone.

[sunnysideup]

Originally Posted by lalaland42

Just curious, where is it that you always get help to your car? That never happens here with the possible exception of really old ladies at high end grocery stores. I don't mean this in a rude way, I really am curious.

It wasn't me you were asking, but here in Minneapolis we have a couple of grocery chains that always bring your bags to your car for you.

[trini]

I always try to park right next to the cart return, too. But if I HAD to park five spaces away, I'd just make sure the car was locked and hustle. Five spaces really isn't far at all.

I am also totally irked by people who leave carts in the parking lot. Maybe because one time years ago I came out of a store to find a shopping cart upside down on the hood of my car. And yes, the hood was dented. My guess is it was a stray cart someone abandoned and it picked up momentum on a small slope in the lot. Now not only do I watch for stray carts, but I always try to park at the highest point in the lot.

Now, don't get me started about people who fling their car doors open and ding my car. :

[mahogny]

Yup, I would and have left my kids in the locked car to return my cart to the cart corral. The car is always in my sight, and there's two corrals on every parking row, so it's never more than 5 or 6 spaces away.

I would never just ditch my cart all willy nilly in the lot. That's disrespectful to other patrons, who both have to park according to how far the cart is in any particular parking spot, and also those whose cars get dinged by rogue shopping carts in the lot. Itr's very dangerous to just leave them.

And, I know no one wants to take the side of the store employees here, but as someone who worked in grocery stores throughout high school and college, it's a darn pain to have to rescue carts that are either locked in on all sides by parked cars, or to chase the runaways down in the parking lot.

[Jwebbal]

I don't think it is ridiculous for stores to ask people without children if they want help out. Honestly, there are lots of people who have issues with heavy grocery bags, or just need help out. Cancer patients who don't look ill, pregnant women who are told not to carry heavy things, people with back problems. I took them up on the offer when I was very pregnant, thougth because of my weight, I didn't look pregnant. My mom took them up on the offer when she was ill with cancer, and my friend really needs the help because she is awaiting back surgery. Anyway, just pointing it out, I too thought it was ridiculous at one point, but then realized its better for them to offer it to everyone than to only offer to those who obviously could use the help.

[DevaMajka]

Wow! I didn't realize I was so different! I wouldn't walk 5 spaces away to put a cart away, and leave ds in the car.
I try to park right beside the cart corral, even if I have to park a little bit further. I might do 2 spaces away, but the times I have, I've felt wierd about it.
If I couldn't park next to the cart corral, I'd have to take the situation and decide the best thing to do- if it were really cold, and there was a sidewalk or other non-parking space close, I'd leave the cart. If not, I'd carry ds with me to the cart corral. He's 28mos now. When he was little, I honestly just drove around until I could find a good spot.

[slightly crunchy]

I wouldn't leave my babies in the car to return a cart. ven 5 spaces.

The responses to this probably depend on where you live and where you shop, though. I used to live in a town where I would probably be okay with it, IF it was icy out. In moderate cold weather, though, I would take kiddos with me, or unload with them in the cart or sling.

[trini]

Originally Posted by Deva33mommy

Wow! I didn't realize I was so different! I wouldn't walk 5 spaces away to put a cart away, and leave ds in the car.
I try to park right beside the cart corral, even if I have to park a little bit further. I might do 2 spaces away, but the times I have, I've felt wierd about it.
If I couldn't park next to the cart corral, I'd have to take the situation and decide the best thing to do- if it were really cold, and there was a sidewalk or other non-parking space close, I'd leave the cart. If not, I'd carry ds with me to the cart corral. He's 28mos now. When he was little, I honestly just drove around until I could find a good spot.

I said, yes, I'd go 5 spaces away, but I agree, I feel weird even if it is only 2. I look at the car the whole time and it MUST be locked. And I would pretty much run if it were 5 spaces away. Hmmm. Now that I think about it, 5 spaces is further than I might be comfortable. But I would never just abandon the cart. I'd carry ds with me like you would.

[Mamma Christi]

I hate doing that as well, but sometimes you have no choice! If the car were still easily visible, I would take the cart back and leave the child in the car for all of the 10 seconds it would take to return the cart. If it were more than 5 or 6 spaces I'd probably have to get the kid out - just from extreme paranoia.

[sagewinna]

I would ask someone going past me if they needed a cart, they usually take me up on it.