I usually return the carts back at my local kroger when i shop but if imfeeling lazy i usually just prop the front of the cart into the raised grassy part of the lot so it cant roll anywhere.
Every PSA on this subject says do exactly NOT that. Folks, stop arguing about the merits of leaving children alone in a locked car. As I said earlier, the easier solution is to politely ask somebody to return the cart for you. Problem solved.
I'm not sure I understand this point. Are you suggesting he shouldn't go to the store? Or are you saying because he already took the risk of driving to the store it is now okay to take another risk of leaving his kids unattended in a vehicle?
1. Unload groceries in car. 2. Do not remove children from cart. 3. Return cart. 4. Remove children from cart. 5. Walk to car. 6. Continue on with your life.
okay, okay, just one more post. How about getting kids in the car and keeping the cart handy by the driver's side. Then roll down your window and, while driving out of the parking lot, keep your left hand on the cart and carefully steer it back to a cart pen. What could possibly go wrong?
I guess some folks live in much more dangerous neighborhoods than I do. I don't recall witnessing or reading about any crimes happening at the shopping center parking lots that I visited. If people are worried about kidnapping+car-jacking, why not put the stuff into your car, have your kids walk with you as you return to the carts to the coral, so you can keep an eye on your kids during this brief period of time. After all, if you visit the store with your kids, you already walk with them in the parking lot. Is the place so dangerous that a few extra moments of walking in the lot must be avoided? If the place is that dangerous, maybe you should consider finding a safer spot to shop at, if possible.
WINNING I love how this thread has turned into a dogpile on the one guy who admitted he ONCE left a cart out. Now he is the root of all evil.
Wait, you really think your kids will be endangered from being in a locked car for all of 20 seconds while you return a cart 5 parking spots away from you?
She wasn't stabbed in the parking lot but that is where the first connection began and I doubt you would hear much about the vagrants wandering the parking lots looking for whatever unless we caught them and you visit the local PD website to see who has been arrested lately. They would also pick up receipts to go in the store, grab the stuff on it and try to return it for store credit. Then if successful and not stopped outside for a fraudulent return, they would buy a tiny bit of food and a lot of beer. Most likely trying to steal more stuff inside while doing it. Happens all the time. You would be surprised sometimes about who is a criminal
Could a parent describe the danger to me of leaving kids in a car without supervision for 30 seconds?
Cart always goes back in a corral if the store is smart enough to have them all over the lot. If the nearest corral is several aisles over and I have to go all the way around the lane because I am not pushing a cart between other people's cars to get to the corral, then I usually just go to the nearest grassy curb and prop the two front wheels up onto the curb. Also usually dealing with the kids issue.
Why not? I've done it myself and have seen people do it. I don't advocate leaving your kids in the car alone, but this seems to be a reasonable request. I don't see how you could manage to go to the store and shop with multiple kids, but this suggestion is completely asinine?
Depending on the kids, there is a lot that can happen in 30 seconds. You would be surprised. Not necessarily kidnapping or things like that, but my bigger concern would be if my 4 year old got scared of something, jumped out of the car to run to me in the middle of a busy parking lot. Generally, just not a great idea to leave them alone in a parking lot.
For starters in the summer the car is very hot and the kids will be uncomfortable until the A/C gets going. That can cause a tantrum/meltdown depending on age. Meltdown can also ensue if the kids (again depending on age) see you walk away from the car. Some of you guys are a little ridiculous. Poor Sissy got his bumper cracked -- omg automatically it's somebody else's fault and all these people are lazy. Ignorant response.
