XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.books   
   From: rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com   
      
   The Horny Goat  wrote   
   > Greg Goss  wrote   
      
   >> Supermarkets in really rich communities still don't need deposits.   
   >> Medium-rich supermarkets want a quarter to unlock the cart.  Poor to   
   >> middle-class supermarkets want (in my country) a dollar coin.   
   >> Supermarkets in really poor areas have the carts barricaded to the   
   >> area next to the entrance, and you have to bring your vehicle to the   
   >> cart.   
      
   > Hmmm my suburb is not considered poor but our carts are typically   
   > $1.00. For the record, when you return your cart you get your coin   
   > back so it's not really a rental but a deposit.   
      
   >> The WalMart about six miles from me is in a poorer neighborhood   
   >> than where I live.  It has electronic wheel locks that provide a similar   
   >> effect to that barricade.  But I was surprised that the wheels lock up   
   >> if you take the cart into the rest of the mall instead of to your car.   
      
   > Wouldn't it be cheaper and equally effective for Walmart   
   > if instead of using a radio device to lock the wheels they   
   > simply used a timer that locked after  2-3 hours?   
      
   No, because that would allow you to get it  home and cut the   
   lock away and wouldn't stop those who don't have a car using   
   the cart to get the goods  home and just dump the cart.   
      
   And it doesn't cost anymore to have the radio system   
   in the carts anyway with modern electronics.   
      
   > This would accomodate legitimate shoppers while   
   > stopping most who would take the carts outside the lot.   
      
   No it wouldn't on that last.   
      
   > Our store is about 3 blocks from a Walmart and we   
   > find left carts outside our store 2 or 3 times a month   
      
   We see a lot more than that from the supermarkets.   
      
   > and I actually had to e-mail Walmart's international offices   
   > to get a reply from the local store to get a phone # I could   
   > call to tell them to pick up their bl**dy carts.   
      
   I did see someone that was having a garage/yard sale   
   with 5 carts in their yard. It was free to tell the owner   
   where they were using the cellphone, so I did. They   
   did pick them up.   
      
   > Their local store phone switchboard was less than cooperative which   
   > amazed me given these carts cost in the $1200-1500 range apiece so you   
   > would think the store managers would be motivated to get them back!   
      
   We have a national system for telling the cart owners about their carts.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)