What makes me crazy and annoyed..

[VirginiaJim]

115 pages of this stuff and you just figured that out? 

[Conrad]

Good thing I am a Mid-Atlantican (VA) and not a "southerner" because I have never heard of a "buggy" before... except occasionally "baby buggy" instead of "pram".

Thank goodness for all of us!

In our area there's a grocery store named Aldi. When it comes to shopping cart management, Aldi has the best idea of ANY grocery store out there. In order to get a cart shoppers have to insert a quarter to unlock the cart and when you return the cart you get a quarter back. As a result, there are virtually zero carts left in the parking lot and all the carts roll true and still have their factory alignment. No need to hire anyone to fetch the carts out of the lot either.

I don't know why all grocery stores don't use this method.

[maxtog]

In our area there's a grocery store named Aldi. When it comes to shopping cart management, Aldi has the best idea of ANY grocery store out there. [...]I don't know why all grocery stores don't use this method.

Yep, we just got Aldi and Lidl this year- seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Coin return is not a new idea- it was used sporadically at some stores perhaps 20+ years ago and then disappeared.  Was even that way at the airport.

It is likely there are two main reasons that carts get ruined-  the first is being hit by cars in the parking lot.  But the other is just lack of repairs necessary from normal use.  I believe the normal use wear are things like stuck/slow wheels, and worn rubber.  The non-normal use wear are when things are bent.  Shopping carts are surprisingly expensive, $100 to $180 each.

[MrPepsi]

Its used quite a bit in Europe, and we couldn't figure out how to get a cart. Felt pretty stupid when we figured it out.

[B.D.F.]

This is gonna' be like 'Point- Counterpoint': Conrad, you ignorant slut!  We had a store here that did that same thing, put a quarter in to get the cart, return the cart to get the quarter back. And my Mother- In- Law went nuts over the quarter.... that SHE ALWAYS GOT BACK ANYWAY! It was pathetic and funny at the same time, she would run off at the mouth like the store stole her car and punctured all the tires on it.... all over that quarter. I once tried to explain that is how the store prevents loose carts all over the parking lot but that just launched another tirade about those no- good, quarter- eating shopping carts. It did not make her annoyed, it went way, way beyond that but it certainly did have the crazy aspect.

 

Brian

In our area there's a grocery store named Aldi. When it comes to shopping cart management, Aldi has the best idea of ANY grocery store out there. In order to get a cart shoppers have to insert a quarter to unlock the cart and when you return the cart you get a quarter back. As a result, there are virtually zero carts left in the parking lot and all the carts roll true and still have their factory alignment. No need to hire anyone to fetch the carts out of the lot either.

I don't know why all grocery stores don't use this method.

[just gone]

I have found that the carts that make it into the parking lot corrals (or stables/cartports if you prefer{some have roofs}) are usually in good shape. Few folks will stick with a bad cart all the way out to their car and those that do are usually too pissed at it to bother to put it in a corral. Occasionally I'll grab one from someone who is just about to take it to a corral and I save them the work as well. One more advantage is that I can test drive it on the way into the store, and if it's unacceptable, abandon it by the entryway carts and just grab another one that works to my liking.
Another tactic I use, when I'm in a hurry, is the noisy cart advantage. Walking fast (I'm in a hurry, remember) it will make a lot more noise and people will get out of my way. They rarely turn around to look, but most seem to assume that some big restocking cart is coming down the isle and they almost all move to the side and clear a path for me. That is what really irritates me (OK, crazy and annoyed) more than slow checkouts, is people just aimlessly wandering down the middle of the aisle having no idea what they want or where to go or any situational awareness of whom may want to get around their sorry a$$ as they block passage to other traffic. The noisy cart advantage takes care of 90% of them, the rest are on the phone or near deaf. Sort of the loud pipes saves lives strategy, except in the case of shopping carts it really works.

[maxtog]

Another tactic I use, when I'm in a hurry, is the noisy cart advantage. Walking fast (I'm in a hurry, remember) it will make a lot more noise and people will get out of my way.

LOL!  I thought I was the only one who did that!

[B.D.F.]

So apparently there is a new 'thing' called "swatting" which is when some one or some group makes up a story about a very serious criminal and hostage situation at a particular address and sit back and watch the hi-jinx ensue. Something along the lines of Person X has killed Persons Y and Z, and has children A, B, and C held hostage at [some specific address]. Now of course this gets the gendarmes kicked right into high- gear and they show up in force, with lots of personnel, weapons, adrenaline and let's call it.... a forceful approach. Apparently the party(s) inside at the location have absolutely no idea that this is going on nor that they are the targets of any LEO attention or interest.

Just read this story about some Internet gamers getting cranky with each other, one party threatening to 'swat' them, the other party supplying his address (but not really his address, of course), and the first party actually 'swatting' the second. But really, it was some guy sitting at home with his family doing things like watching TV and upon answering the door, was shot and killed by the one of the SWAT officers.

So many ways this is just wrong.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/alleged-swatting-hoax-ends-death-223700818.html

Brian

[maxtog]

So many ways this is just wrong.

Not only wrong and immoral and illegal but has gotten people killed before (if my memory serves correctly).  It is one of the "favorites" of some type of anti-gun people- to call the police and report someone that is legally, peacefully, and correctly carrying (holstered) and saying they "saw someone with a gun who is threatening other people"...

[sanmo]

Not only wrong and immoral and illegal but has gotten people killed before (if my memory serves correctly).  It is one of the "favorites" of some type of anti-gun people- to call the police and report someone that is legally, peacefully, and correctly carrying (holstered) and saying they "saw someone with a gun who is threatening other people"...

Sounds like a lot of NRA/Fox News brainwashing........

[sanmo]

I have found that the carts that make it into the parking lot corrals (or stables/cartports if you prefer{some have roofs}) are usually in good shape. Few folks will stick with a bad cart all the way out to their car and those that do are usually too pissed at it to bother to put it in a corral. Occasionally I'll grab one from someone who is just about to take it to a corral and I save them the work as well. One more advantage is that I can test drive it on the way into the store, and if it's unacceptable, abandon it by the entryway carts and just grab another one that works to my liking.
Another tactic I use, when I'm in a hurry, is the noisy cart advantage. Walking fast (I'm in a hurry, remember) it will make a lot more noise and people will get out of my way. They rarely turn around to look, but most seem to assume that some big restocking cart is coming down the isle and they almost all move to the side and clear a path for me. That is what really irritates me (OK, crazy and annoyed) more than slow checkouts, is people just aimlessly wandering down the middle of the aisle having no idea what they want or where to go or any situational awareness of whom may want to get around their sorry a$$ as they block passage to other traffic. The noisy cart advantage takes care of 90% of them, the rest are on the phone or near deaf. Sort of the loud pipes saves lives strategy, except in the case of shopping carts it really works.

Not just noisy carts but feign coprolalic Tourette to clear the aisles. Of course, you might wind up clearing the entire store.  (A grocery store in the neighborhood has a cart wrangler who is genuinely afflicted. Even after several years, I am mildly freaked out when I encounter him. Shame on me.)

[Conrad]

This is gonna' be like 'Point- Counterpoint': Conrad, you ignorant slut!  We had a store here that did that same thing, put a quarter in to get the cart, return the cart to get the quarter back. And my Mother- In- Law went nuts over the quarter.... that SHE ALWAYS GOT BACK ANYWAY! It was pathetic and funny at the same time, she would run off at the mouth like the store stole her car and punctured all the tires on it.... all over that quarter. I once tried to explain that is how the store prevents loose carts all over the parking lot but that just launched another tirade about those no- good, quarter- eating shopping carts. It did not make her annoyed, it went way, way beyond that but it certainly did have the crazy aspect.

 

Brian

 

[Conrad]

I have found that the carts that make it into the parking lot corrals (or stables/cartports if you prefer{some have roofs}) are usually in good shape. Few folks will stick with a bad cart all the way out to their car and those that do are usually too pissed at it to bother to put it in a corral. Occasionally I'll grab one from someone who is just about to take it to a corral and I save them the work as well. One more advantage is that I can test drive it on the way into the store, and if it's unacceptable, abandon it by the entryway carts and just grab another one that works to my liking.
Another tactic I use, when I'm in a hurry, is the noisy cart advantage. Walking fast (I'm in a hurry, remember) it will make a lot more noise and people will get out of my way. They rarely turn around to look, but most seem to assume that some big restocking cart is coming down the isle and they almost all move to the side and clear a path for me. That is what really irritates me (OK, crazy and annoyed) more than slow checkouts, is people just aimlessly wandering down the middle of the aisle having no idea what they want or where to go or any situational awareness of whom may want to get around their sorry a$$ as they block passage to other traffic. The noisy cart advantage takes care of 90% of them, the rest are on the phone or near deaf. Sort of the loud pipes saves lives strategy, except in the case of shopping carts it really works.

The folks wondering aimlessly with their carts are irritating for sure but what's REALLY irritating is when these idiots leave their carts in the middle of the damn aisles while they check out something on the shelf.   

[Conrad]

So apparently there is a new 'thing' called "swatting" which is when some one or some group makes up a story about a very serious criminal and hostage situation at a particular address and sit back and watch the hi-jinx ensue. Something along the lines of Person X has killed Persons Y and Z, and has children A, B, and C held hostage at [some specific address]. Now of course this gets the gendarmes kicked right into high- gear and they show up in force, with lots of personnel, weapons, adrenaline and let's call it.... a forceful approach. Apparently the party(s) inside at the location have absolutely no idea that this is going on nor that they are the targets of any LEO attention or interest.

Just read this story about some Internet gamers getting cranky with each other, one party threatening to 'swat' them, the other party supplying his address (but not really his address, of course), and the first party actually 'swatting' the second. But really, it was some guy sitting at home with his family doing things like watching TV and upon answering the door, was shot and killed by the one of the SWAT officers.

So many ways this is just wrong.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/alleged-swatting-hoax-ends-death-223700818.html

Brian

Brian,

FYI, I followed the above link and was reading that story just now when out of the blue the page changed to an Adobe update page and my Windows Defender warned me of an intrusion attempt using Trojan:JS/Flafisi.C. The intrusion was foiled but I'm running a full scan now.

[maxtog]

Sounds like a lot of NRA/Fox News brainwashing........

Sounds like you think gun control groups and lefty media somehow aren't brainwashing but reporting fairly and accurately.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pzZvMzotMc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B0HV_GQut4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPGSldcEBJ8

Anyway...

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/389441/moms-demand-swatting-charles-c-w-cooke
https://bearingarms.com/bob-o/2015/12/15/gun-control-groups-tells-followers-swat-gun-owners/
https://www.facebook.com/CoalitiontoStopGunViolence/posts/1131326450228252?fref=nf
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/423458/anti-gun-zealots-adopt-dangerous-tactic-antagonize-firearm-carriers-charles-c-w-cooke

[B.D.F.]

Now fun is fun and all but you are getting pretty close to the line with this one Conrad. After all, that IS my wife you are talking about!

I would put a ROFLMAO emoticon here but the sad truth is that that is the sad truth. :-(

Been shopping for 40 years and the whole operation is still full of surprises such as 1) Move your cart so that woman can get around you. 2) Move your cart so that man can get around you. 3) Do not leave your cart cross- wise in the middle of the aisle because neither that woman nor that man can get by you. 4) That man is staring at you and would like you to move.... again, just like seven feet ago in this aisle. 5) That man cannot get by you, you have to move your cart. 6) That woman would like to look at / pick up something that is behind the cart you abandoned in front of the milk. 7) That man would like to look at / pick up something that is behind the cart you abandoned in front of the cereal display.  And after this, it starts to get repetitive.

It is not averace, nastiness or even a cavilier attitude that causes this, it is the fact that she is all alone in the store and there is no one else trying to do anything around her. Oh wait, there IS a human trying to get around my cart! Who'd a thunk it? Wow, I have never seen another human in a store before. And so forth..... 

Without a firm hand steering reality, chaos will take over and run things. And that is never, ever pretty.

Brian

The folks wondering aimlessly with their carts are irritating for sure but what's REALLY irritating is when these idiots leave their carts in the middle of the damn aisles while they check out something on the shelf. 

[B.D.F.]

?? ?? Beats me- I read that story before I posted the link (obviously I was at that link) and I just went back there now. No warning, no interruptions of any kind and I have Norton Premier 'on the job' so it <should> have reported any attacks. ?? I am also using an ad blocker, so perhaps whatever jumped out to you came in the form of a threaded link to an ad(s)?

Here is another, newer link through Fox news that tells the story and is updated to reflect the arrest of the 'hoaxer':  http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/12/30/kansas-swatting-suspect-arrested-in-los-angeles.html

Just my personal opinion but there is plenty wrong with this story and much of it should be addressed and corrected IMO. Regardless of how it started, and regardless of the information given to the police (unverified information), that man simply should not have been shot. True, the 'hoaxer' set it is motion and further, he very carefully made up a scenario that absolutely will push all the proverbial 'buttons' these days and used all the key words. But all of that combined should not have been sufficient to shoot a man answering his door. I believe we need some rules, guidelines, restraints and complete civilian oversight of all law enforcement agencies in this country.

Brian

Brian

Brian,

FYI, I followed the above link and was reading that story just now when out of the blue the page changed to an Adobe update page and my Windows Defender warned me of an intrusion attempt using Trojan:JS/Flafisi.C. The intrusion was foiled but I'm running a full scan now.

[gPink]

I didn't read where they arrested the cop that murdered the unarmed guy that answered the door. Maybe I missed that part.

[sanmo]

Sounds like you think gun control groups and lefty media somehow aren't brainwashing but reporting fairly and accurately.
.........

Not at all. Both sides are prone to wild exaggeration. Feel free to call me out if and when I start spouting cockeyed conspiracy theories. 
I need to be fortified with some extra-spiked eggnog before studying all those links and references you provided. Thanks.

[B.D.F.]

No, they did not arrest any LEO's. They arrested the 'swatter', the person who called in the false information about the hostage / murder situation that got this whole thing started. I believe he was arrested in Los Angeles while the incident itself occurred in Kansas.

Yet another link to this event: http://abc7.com/la-man-arrested-in-connection-to-fatal-kansas-swatting-incident/2840369/

Brian

I didn't read where they arrested the cop that murdered the unarmed guy that answered the door. Maybe I missed that part.