Rant: Abandoned Shopping Carts

[Sue]

For some reason, the alley behind the 5000 block of Fauntleroy (between Fauntleroy & 40th) has become a place for dumping shopping carts lately. Yesterday there were 2 of them. They mysteriously disappear, and then more come back. Interestingly, this did not start happening until QFC opened (no one abandoned Safeway carts here). We’re a little less than 1/2 mile from there.

I’m going to call QFC today to ask what they’d like done when we find them, and to suggest that perhaps they put in one of those security systems where cart wheels lock if they’re taken X distance from the premises. Sometimes if my husband is walking back up to the junction, he’ll wheel it back there, but I also don’t want him getting in trouble for being in possession of stolen property.

Just to be clear, this is not a QFC rant, but a rant that people feel they have a right to steal carts and just dump them in people’s bushes and alleys when they’re done with them. Half the time they even turn them upside down! I’ve never seen/heard anyone with them, or else I’d say something at the time. I’m just tired of people having no respect for other people’s property and treating our alley like their own personal garbage dump.

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[Sue]

I just spoke to the manager over at QFC (42nd/Alaska), and he advised that if anybody sees their carts around the neighborhood, to call customer service at (206) 923-6390. They have someone with a truck that can run by and pick them up. Unfortunately, he said that QFC doesn’t have any kind of security to keep the carts on the premises because that would then preclude the carts from being taken to the parking lots. Anyway, thought I’d pass this along in case anybody else sees carts around.

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[miws]

I hate the abandonded carts too.

I can think of only twice that I’ve taken Thriftway carts out of the lot, and I asked for a manager’s approval first in both cases.

First one was ten years ago this past Christmas Eve, and before I lived practically across the street fron them. Naturally, the store was slammed that day, and I had borrowed a co-worker’s car to pick up some stuff to make a simple Christmas dinner for a homebound friend of mine and myself at her house.

The parking lot was hopelessly jammed (this was before that old house was moved, opening up the back/side lot). I had to park on Holly Street next to McDonald’s. I promised I’d walk the cart right back, (and did), and the manager said “no problem”.

The other time was nearly two years ago, when I had (which I didn’t realize at the time) pneumonia, and couldn’t walk more than a few yards, without having to stop and catch my breath, and that was when I was empty handed. I told them how weak and sick I was, and that I couldn’t bring it right back, but told them exactly where I’d leave it by my building, and perhaps even one of the several Thriftway employees that live in my building could wheel it back on their way to work. I apologized profusely for any inconvenience, and once again they said “okay”. Of course, I suppose it helps to be a long time customer. :-)

If I see a Thriftway cart away from the store, and I’m going there, or at least near there, I’ll wheel it back to the store. But, yeah Sue, a little part of me always fears they’ll think I swiped it in the first place. But then again, being a regular customer, they’d probably believe me if I told them I’d found it abandoned. ;-)

Mike

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[JanS]

I guess the things that gets me is that, along with those who simply take the carts, are the lazy ones. I live across the street from Adm. Safeway on 42nd SW. People at times park on the street (view blocked by a tall hedge from Safeway)instead of parking in the lot, and when they walk their cart to their car, they don’t bother to return the cart – they just leave it pushed into the hedge. And Safeway doesn’t much check there to see if there are any. I try to return them if I’m heading over to shop, but…I guess some people just think they’re privileged.

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[rudy]

I try really hard to return carts, really I do. I used to bag groceries and have the cart return mentality. However, I have three kids (all young) and if all three of them are with me on a shopping trip sometimes it is impossible to take the cart back. I try to pick parking spots that are close to an empty cart and/or the cart return rack. Unfortunately that just doesn’t always pan out. If the cart return is too far away for me to comfortably leave the kids in the car and run it back then I leave it out of the way of traffic as best that I can. The best days are when someone helps me out to the car – then they take the cart back in with them (thanks WS Thriftway). I also very much appreciate people who are heading in to the store volunteering “I’ll take your cart for you.” It is such a simple common courtesy and does good things for your karma. Sadly, most people probably are really just lazy, but there may be a few out there who logistically can’t get the cart returned. My two cents is really only for the carts in the lot – not the carts leaving the store and ending up in the alley. I’m glad QFC had a decent answer for the problem.

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[austin]

I came across an underwater shopping cart while kayaking in the arboretum this weekend. I don’t know where it came from but it’s going to be a nasty surprise for someone as we get further into drunken nighttime jumping off that weird piece of 520 season.

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