TOPIC REVISIT: Child/shopping cart safety

[shesulsa]

While tooling through the grocery store parking lot the other day, I passed four carts parked at the tail end of vehicles. All of them had VERY young children in them, waiting while Mom or Dad were shifting stuff around in the car - I assume they were making room for or putting in the groceries. I paused in the near-full lot to see if one would be finished soon so I could grab the coveted spot and I have to admit to feeling appalled at the sheer general trust people have in the general population. Many people passed each one of these toddlers (one of them was a baby) without earning even a glance from Mom or Dad.

A car came around the corner heading in the opposite direction I was facing and darn near slammed into one of these carts which went unnoticed by Mom.

My practice has always been to put my child in first. I don't mind losing groceries to the hungry thief - it's not something I currently have to fight for. My child would be another matter.

I know we've discussed this on MT before and some have different views - thought it would be a good time to bring it out again. Please state your opinion as to what goes in first and why.

Thanks.

 

[CoryKS]

Kid goes in the car first, every time. And comes into the store with you every time, even if you're only running in to buy a cup of coffee at a gas station.

 

[MJS]

While tooling through the grocery store parking lot the other day, I passed four carts parked at the tail end of vehicles. All of them had VERY young children in them, waiting while Mom or Dad were shifting stuff around in the car - I assume they were making room for or putting in the groceries. I paused in the near-full lot to see if one would be finished soon so I could grab the coveted spot and I have to admit to feeling appalled at the sheer general trust people have in the general population. Many people passed each one of these toddlers (one of them was a baby) without earning even a glance from Mom or Dad.

A car came around the corner heading in the opposite direction I was facing and darn near slammed into one of these carts which went unnoticed by Mom.

My practice has always been to put my child in first. I don't mind losing groceries to the hungry thief - it's not something I currently have to fight for. My child would be another matter.

I know we've discussed this on MT before and some have different views - thought it would be a good time to bring it out again. Please state your opinion as to what goes in first and why.

Thanks.

Nice topic!

I've seen both methods done, meaning some put the child in first, others put the food in first. Of course, leaving your child unattended is not just limited to the parking lot, as I've seen many carts out of the parents eey, while they're busy looking over the steaks. Oh, I should also mention that in many cases, there is a purse in the cart as well. Imagine the shock to see both gone when you turn around!

I dont have kids, but I do feel that the safety of your child should take the front seat to the groceries.

On another related note, nothing irks the hell out of me more, than when I see those same unattended kids in the cart, parents clueless, and the kids are standing up either in the cart or on the end. The cart is made to carry food and a seated child, not one thats standing. A few months ago, I took a call at work, from one of the local grocery stores. A child had fallen out of the cart, landed on the ground, and was going in and out of consciousness. I can just imagine the dumbass parent trying to sue the store because her kid fell. Umm...no dumbass, its YOUR fault for allowing your child to do what she was doing.

So much of this comes down to simple common sense, which IMO, is lacking in many people, such as what we're discussing. Sadly, many times, it takes a tragedy for someone to wake up, and even then, they still wonder why them. Go figure.

 

[MJS]

Kid goes in the car first, every time. And comes into the store with you every time, even if you're only running in to buy a cup of coffee at a gas station.

Funny you should say that. Just a few weeks ago, I stopped at a gas station to buy something. I pulled into a parking stall, and the car 2 stalls over from me was running and there was a child in the back in a car seat. I sat there for a min. to see how long it would be before the parent came out. After seeing nobody, I got out, shook my head and went in. I said nothing, but when I came out, the car was gone.

 

[CoryKS]

Funny you should say that. Just a few weeks ago, I stopped at a gas station to buy something. I pulled into a parking stall, and the car 2 stalls over from me was running and there was a child in the back in a car seat. I sat there for a min. to see how long it would be before the parent came out. After seeing nobody, I got out, shook my head and went in. I said nothing, but when I came out, the car was gone.

I mention it because of this story, which I still think about every time I'm out running errands with my son.

 

[Big Don]

As your children get older, and bigger, it is important to make them SIT DOWN in the cart so they don't fall on their heads.

 

[girlbug2]

My practice was always to put the kids in first, then load groceries. It seemed like the common sense way to protect them, strapped in the car seat is definitely more secure than sitting in the cart.

However, anything can and will be used against a parent. I always keep in mind the following horror tale of nanny laws carried too far:
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/march2008/120308_b_mother.htm

What if you put the kids in the car, put away the groceries, then shut the vehicle to return the cart into the stall...then you've left your kid in the vehicle unattended and could be technically in violation of the law. I think it's ridiculous to get too hypervigilant about these things. It's gotten these days so that parents are damned if they do, damned if they don't.

 

[Steve]

What if you put the kids in the car, put away the groceries, then shut the vehicle to return the cart into the stall...then you've left your kid in the vehicle unattended and could be technically in violation of the law. I think it's ridiculous to get too hypervigilant about these things. It's gotten these days so that parents are damned if they do, damned if they don't.

This is exactly why I don't put the kid in the car first. I'm not sure I've ever considered it a big deal to leave the baby in the cart while I load the groceries. I mean, my baby is never more than 2 feet from me while I load the groceries in the back.

I guess I don't understand. If you wouldn't leave your baby in the car while you go into a store to get coffee, why would you leave your baby in the car while you walk the cart to the cart bin?

 

[CoryKS]

This is exactly why I don't put the kid in the car first. I'm not sure I've ever considered it a big deal to leave the baby in the cart while I load the groceries. I mean, my baby is never more than 2 feet from me while I load the groceries in the back.

I guess I don't understand. If you wouldn't leave your baby in the car while you go into a store to get coffee, why would you leave your baby in the car while you walk the cart to the cart bin?

Because I can keep my eye on the car when I walk the cart to the bin. Not so from the inside of a store.

 

[Steve]

Because I can keep my eye on the car when I walk the cart to the bin. Not so from the inside of a store.

Well, to each his own. I'm never going to leave my baby in the car by herself. It just won't happen. I don't know about how it works where you're at, but in my local grocery store, the cart bin can be quite a ways away from my parking spot... maybe 50 feet, from where I end up getting a space. Being able to see the car doesn't make it any safer for the child.

Thanks, but I'll continue to ride her over to the cart bin and carry her back to the car. That makes way more sense to me than putting her in the car and leaving her there while I return the cart. The alternative is leaving the cart in the middle of the parking lot, something I consider extremely rude.

This all seems particularly true where the weather gets really warm. Do those of you who live in the South put the kid in the car even in the Summer?

 

[Big Don]

Thanks, but I'll continue to ride her over to the cart bin and carry her back to the car. That makes way more sense to me than putting her in the car and leaving her there while I return the cart.

Also tends to keep the kids calmer... which is always a plus

 

[MJS]

What if you put the kids in the car, put away the groceries, then shut the vehicle to return the cart into the stall...then you've left your kid in the vehicle unattended and could be technically in violation of the law. I think it's ridiculous to get too hypervigilant about these things. It's gotten these days so that parents are damned if they do, damned if they don't.

I'd say there's a difference between going into the store for an item, with your car and child out of site, vs. just bringing your carriage to the carriage return and going back to your car.

 

[Blindside]

Summertimes here run highs of 105+, as I come out of the grocery store on a hot day I turn on my car, get the AC cranking, unload the groceries, return the cart, THEN put my kid in the car. By then it is only uncomfortably hot, not 130+.

If it is a cool day the kid goes in the car first.

Never say never... or always.

 

[jks9199]

I think this is just something that there is no one "right" answer.

If you've got to walk the cart back 4 or 5 lanes, then I'd definitely say keep the kid in the cart until you're done. But if it's 3 or 4 spaces away... maybe it's OK to put the kid in the car and just watch while you return. Same sort of thing with weather... if it's a downpour, it makes sense to get the kid in first, no?

The one thing I will say is that the kid should never be left in the lot unobserved, whether in the cart or a car, and the cart shouldn't be left in a way that it's a hazard on the roadway/travelway, especially if there's a kid in it!

 

[Steve]

I think this is just something that there is no one "right" answer.

If you've got to walk the cart back 4 or 5 lanes, then I'd definitely say keep the kid in the cart until you're done. But if it's 3 or 4 spaces away... maybe it's OK to put the kid in the car and just watch while you return. Same sort of thing with weather... if it's a downpour, it makes sense to get the kid in first, no?

The one thing I will say is that the kid should never be left in the lot unobserved, whether in the cart or a car, and the cart shouldn't be left in a way that it's a hazard on the roadway/travelway, especially if there's a kid in it!

If you let rain keep you from doing anything in Seattle, you'll never get anything done!

My kids are naturally water repellent, like a duck. Natural selection at work!

 

[still learning]

Hello, In Hawaii any child left in car unattended..The parents will be sited and may go to jail, kids taken away...for a later court date...

When we worked at Wal-mart...most times parents come back before the police...and we let the Parents know...Police is on the way...Next time...do not leave your child...Happen on a regular basis...SAD!

GPS...should be place on children when they are born in there body..?(something small)...and can be taken out at 18 years or older...by choice here!

Today so many missing children...YET..with all the technlogies....we cannot solve simple solutions....of missing children...

Yet...they GPS for the cars...

Aloha, ....our future is our kids...

 

[Big Don]

If you let rain keep you from doing anything in Seattle, you'll never get anything done!

Brother, ain't that the truth

 

[Blindside]

GPS...should be place on children when they are born in there body..?(something small)...and can be taken out at 18 years or older...by choice here!

Not practical with current power sources, it has been looked at and shelved by a couple of companies.

 

[MJS]

I mention it because of this story, which I still think about every time I'm out running errands with my son.

Very, very sad indeed.

 

[shesulsa]

Well the weather and age of the child can change matters a bit. Very hot weather is dangerous in or out of car. One can position the cart strategically, however.

When my kids were too little to help with the groceries and the car was too hot for them to get in or stay in for long, they stayed in the cart ... but I drew the cart up between cars and kept them closest to the car door and transferred the goods thusly. When I got a car with a trunk, I couldn't see the kids, so they stayed in the cart next to me unless it was raining and then I loaded the bags into the interior so I could keep all close to me at the same time.

With the caravan and now the SUV, I could see through the glass hatches and could safely ventilate the car so I loaded the children first for YEARS, locked them in while I loaded groceries in the back.

Now the olders are teens and the younger is a tween so now they're my slav... uh ... I mean, they help with the unloading and loading of bags. :uhyeah:

The folks I mention here left the cart at the rear of the car and were putting bags inside the car from the side, hence the child in the cart was quite vulnerable to kidnapping and/or injury.