Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 09:56:27 -0400
From: Tarus BALOG
Subject: Shopping Cart Etiquette
Gang:
I wanted to make a plea to my fellow Chathamites when it comes to that all important topic: shopping cart etiquette.
At most of the grocery stores in Chatham where I shop they have introduced a new, smaller shopping cart. This is very convenient for me, as I rarely have need of the larger carts but quite frequently find myself getting more than can fit in a hand basket.
Now I am assuming that everyone on this list does take the time to return their cart to its proper place once done using it (and I also assuming that everyone realizes that just putting the front two wheels of the cart up on the curb does not constitute a return) but I wanted to point out an issue with this process.
Most cart returns out in the parking lot now contain two slots. Ostensibly, one slot is for the larger carts and one is for the smaller carts.
Unfortunately, a lot of people haven’t noticed this, so they just shove whatever cart they are using into a slot and walk away. Thus all the big carts and the little carts get mixed up.
Why does this matter? Well, during this last bout of freezing rain I saw the guy at the Food Lion having to stand out in the weather sorting the different carts before he could bring them in, making the job at least two or three times as long.
That was an extreme example, but I can’t think that doing it in the dry cold of winter or the damp heat of summer is any more fun.
So, my plea is to pay attention when putting back your carts, and please make an attempt to make it a little easier on the person who has to come behind you to make sure you have a cart to use in the store. It’s a little thing, incredibly easy to do, but it could mean a lot.
Thanks.
-T