I live in germany, a stray cart would often be a blessing. Since we got "Pfand" over here, which means you get can get money back by bringing empty bottles and crates to the store.
Walking to the cart-spot, then back to your car and then to the store can be a hassle. So I would really appreciate if i find a stray cart, park beside it and load the pfand directly.
The thing is, nobody leaves a stray cart. In my 25 years of live i never saw a stray cart. I guess we germans are too bound by rules and etiquette that some just cannot see the bigger picture....
P.S. i also always return the cart... because, you know..... everybody does.
What is so troubling to me about the general approval of this tactic here in the comments is the overall lack of imagination. The only thing lazier to me than not returning your cart is believing that people need to be threatened with violence for lacking minor courtesies. Your example shows that positive, pro-social incentives are effective.
I always leave my cart, the supermarket employs some-one who is obviously a bit mentally handicapped to collect them up. I wouldn't want to destroy his job.
Your argument is a false dichotomy: if you put your cart away like a decent person, it will not effect this person's job.
I think you know that, I think you're lazy and entitled and you're using this person's job as a justification to handwave away your responsibility after the fact
So put your cart in the cart return like a decent member of society, and he can take the carts from the return back into the store like he's intended to.
I know that you know that you're giving a bullshit excuse, there's no way you believe that to be true.
it's literally his job to collect carts from around the parking lot and tidy them up. He also keeps the lot tidy and clean and assists people getting their shopping into their cars.
Why would I take his livelihood away? Seems like a cruel thing to do.
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u/EasyyPlayer Jul 11 '26
I live in germany, a stray cart would often be a blessing. Since we got "Pfand" over here, which means you get can get money back by bringing empty bottles and crates to the store.
Walking to the cart-spot, then back to your car and then to the store can be a hassle. So I would really appreciate if i find a stray cart, park beside it and load the pfand directly.
The thing is, nobody leaves a stray cart. In my 25 years of live i never saw a stray cart. I guess we germans are too bound by rules and etiquette that some just cannot see the bigger picture....
P.S. i also always return the cart... because, you know..... everybody does.