Questions of human nature

[BigV]

Originally Posted by classicman

Totally disagree with you V. I LOVE the carts which have four casters, like those at IKEA. There is no reason to have any other kind of cart. I can literally go sideways to avoid other people and/or objects. Complete mobility. As an added bonus they are fun to play with.

right.

I see you said sideways but completely ignored my point about actually steering them. You can easily spin them, but not easily steer them. I can get sideways in one and continue in a straight line as the scenery zips by from left to right--crunch--the left side of my cart bumps what I tried to avoid.

They're fun, but I don't see the steering benefit. The force needed to turn a fixed rear axle cart is less than a four caster cart. By putting a differential force on the handle, you turn the rear axle. Since it can only roll straight (fixed direction wheels, remember) the cart turns. In a four caster rig, the same force moves one wheel ahead of the other, but since the wheels are not fixed, they aren't forced to change direction. You can only "turn" by exerting a sideways force on the cart at its center of mass, not at one of the poles.

Anyhow, glad you like them. For light loads or for office chairs where the thrust and turning forces are exerted at the center, they're great.

[glatt]

You get a good workout in your core muscles with those 4 swivel wheel carts.

[classicman]

I'm serious - never had a problem at IKEA. Even with heavy furniture and whatnot loaded. BTW, that is the only place around here that I know has them.

[ZenGum]

I prefer 4 x casters, for maximum manouverability. You just want to tuck the cart in tight and push around the outside when doing a turn at the end of an aisle.

I don't mind fixed rear wheels, because you can swing the front pretty easily, but still get good control.

A local big-box hardware store has trolleys with rear casters and fixed front wheels. It is like conning a ship. Have to push the rear slightly left about 50cm before you want it all to go to the right. Is teh suk.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by Nirvana

Aldi's 25 cent grocery carts that give you back your quarter if you place the cart back in the cart corral and hook the chain to the cart in front.

25 cents?! I guess Merkins are much more honest than Brits (or we are FAR lazier)
We have to pay £1 deposit!

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

I get the concept of Aldi's and I know you can save money...but for one thing I am NOT buying meat there. Some friends of mine do. It might not be any different than meat anywhere else but it's like buying steak at Odd Lots, imho.

They still have to adhere to laws for human consumption and labelling.
Although I'll admit I don't buy fresh meat there, but it's because I prefer to buy free range/ RSPCA certified.
I'll happily buy cured meats at Aldi or Lidl - they have a better selection of European meats than our smaller supermarkets. Which is a cop-out - I'll buy Serrano ham or Prosciutto without even questioning how the pigs were raised. And I know perfectly well that they're more likely to be factory farmed on the mainland.

[glatt]

I wouldn't shop somewhere if I had to pay a deposit to use a cart. I remember landing in Austria and having to beg strangers in German for 1 freaking Euro coin so I could get a cart to carry our mountain of baby gadgets and luggage while my wife wrangled the kids. I figured I'd have a chance to exchange money when I arrived, but this was in the sterile luggage claim area, and no such luck. What a hassle. I'd spend my money elsewhere.

[Undertoad]

I would not shop where they wanted a deposit on the carts.


eta buy you a coke

[Sundae]

It's very common here.
At least I've encountered it in Bucks, Leicestershire and South-East & East London.

Deciding not to shop in such a place could be cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Many charities here sell tokens for £1 that you keep on your keyring. That way you are always able to use a gym locker/ trolley, without having to carry cash.

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by Sundae

25 cents?! I guess Merkins are much more honest than Brits (or we are FAR lazier)
We have to pay £1 deposit!

£1 coins are common; $1 coins are not (let alone $1.50). And if people are annoyed by having to come up with a quarter to get a cart, imagine if they had to come up with four or six!

[Undertoad]

I suspect our retail experiences are quite different and interesting. For a while I've wanted to take some pics of the local shopping locale which is the New American Way of shopping, mixing big box stores with smaller places to create a huge "town" of stores.

I think you would be offended by it Sundae. I know I am. But yet I go there every day.

[Sundae]

How could I be offended by how Americans choose to shop...?
I get what you're saying though

I mourn the passing of individual shops in my own country, because I experienced and appreciated them. And because they still exist in affluent areas, which means they must have some value. Received wisdom is that we all miss them, but we'd never use them. I know it's untrue.

Please, please take pics Tony.
I'd love to know how it works elsewhere.
Just don't get arrested as a potential terrorist.

[Undertoad]

That's no problem, we only hire smart cops out here in suburbia-land. I will try to get over there while the light is still up.

[Perry Winkle]

As much as I loathe them, I wasn't comfortable living in England until I found the retail areas that are similar to what we have in surburban USA. Not sure why. Something anchoring about knowing that it's not such an alien place.

[ZenGum]

I agree. When I went to Japan, it was very reassuring to find a regular-type supermarket with aisles and trolleys and stuff. Even if the trolleys were dinky little things.

[kerosene]

When I visited England, I discovered, to my horror, that people actually had to pay to use public bathrooms. Or was that in Prague? I can't remember, it was so long ago. Either way, I think I got myself a bladder infection due to the fact that I had no coins.

Also, when I discovered Tesco, I was enthralled. I suppose it is like Wal-mart or Target, here, but they had a WHOLE ENTIRE AISLE of European chocolate.