coxfamuk

Ok, I admit it. To go shopping today at the start of a bank holiday weekend was probably not the wisest thing, but it just had to be done. It was hellishly busy and as I attempted to cross isles with streams of people going past it, another trolley crashed into me. I apologised (even though I hadn't done the crashing) and attempted to go past, but this person wouldn't budge, so I looked up to ask the person to ask them to move, and had to look down because it was a person in a wheelchair!! She called me ten kinds of profanity and accused me of being blind. I frankly did not know what to do, laugh or argue back. She said that just because she was disabled didn;t mean she couldn't take me on :scared: I was completely bemused by this. Firstly, I have never been involved in this kind of trolley rage before and secondly, never have I been abused by someone who clearly had the hugest chip on her shoulder and clearly had delusions of grandure - not only was she disabled, she was about 60! All this abuse was going on whilst hundreds of people were weaving their way around us in the cereal aisle in Asda!! I opted to neither laugh nor argue, I just pulled my trolley back and went in the opposite direction shaking my head.

Oh well, I'll just add it to my ever growing list of reasons why we are leaving this overcrowded, overstressed country

Have a good one guys - hope the weather improves.

Sarah

Carruss

I bet she saw you park in a disabled bay outside ! ! !

R.

coxfamuk

LOL. I bloody well wish I had done now!!!!

jad n rich

New reason to escape Trolley rage

Unfortunately not a good reason, here they just ram the damn things into your car, and threaten to punch your face in if you expect compensation for the damage. Not the best place to come to if you like respect for property or manners!

HiddenPaw

I remember from a couple of years ago that one Australian insurance company was working with a supermarket trolley manufacturer to design a car-friendly trolley because the insurance companies were getting fed up of paying out for repairs due to runaway and abandoned shopping trollies!! They even carried out trolley crash tests and I think were going to come up with something padded or made of plastic!

jad n rich

I've yet to work out why they cant install the $1 push things that ensure the trolleys are returned most other countries seem to have them. That would only leave the big car doors slammed into your vehicle problem. As someone said yesterday, buy an old car here. The typical reaction if you catch the door slammers or trolley rammers is agression, physical and verbal, they wont pay up! its easier to buy an old bomb and just accept its part of life here.

Noted too, shopping centres now have signs they are not responsible for damage either Insuarance companies want a witness or an admisssion of guilt, some hope there eh.

kirsty&al

I live an hour outside Melbourne. One supermarket locally has the $ coin system, but none of the others do. In the year that we have been here I have only seen a couple of trolleys abandonned in the car park, nearly everyone puts them back. I have seen one trolley on the verge (sorry, nature strip!). We previously lived in London where our local canal and dock were full of trolleys, bicycles etc. I have never heard of any cars being damaged by trolleys either, the only mark on our car comes from me reversing into a low wall. Maybe it is because we are rural, but Al and I would cite this kind of improvement in the 'community mindedness' of people as one of the reasons we are glad we came to Australia. Hardly any dog poo either, it is very much the norm to pick it up.

Regards Kirsty

Maple Leaf

I am an australian..lived there all my life till about 2 months ago....
in all my life there..not once ever did i have a car damaged by a shopping trolley..........

don't take it as gospel that it happens all the time..it doesn't

jad n rich

dog poo i think its more likely to be picked up because of the fines, than community mindedness.

In many places its now illegal to walk your dog without a plastic bag. We have dogs but I agree with it, think the fine now is $150.00

Just wish they would place more bins tho for the deposits Its not the most pleasant walk when you are carrying a bag of warm poo for a couple of K's to the next bin.

sunny side up

had an article in the west australian about that a few weeks ago - wasnt considered a good idea as shoppers would get hassled by kids wanting to take their trolleys back for the dollar in it...

had it in holland for years, never had anyone trying to take my trolley a knifepoint...but of course, everything in oz is deadly (snakes, spiders, sharks), so why not coin-operated shopping trolleys....

NJJ

that has happened to me in France before. some little french shit ran off with my trolly & the ten francs held within. luckily I had emptied all of the booze out of the trolly into the back of my car before this happened. seemed i wasnt the only one targeted as i saw them running off with other trollys that day too.

chocaholic

We recently lived in Holland and kids often followed me and my trolley wanting the Guilder or the 50 Euro cents. Sometimes annoying.

Carruss

Shame they went to the Euro really. I used to go to France a lot with a company I used to work for and felt obliged to do a bit of Duty Free shopping whilst there.

Instead of the 10 francs just use a English Two Pence coin as it worked a treat. Then when you have finished your shopping you pass the trolley to the next sucker, I mean shopper and they give you the 10 Francs!

As you can see I am all for building bridges with our lovely neighbours the French!

R.

Muzzman

Here in Oz I personally think the "car door opening wide and smashing into your car" problem is worse, I have been in the car when this has happenned. Its a funny attitude which seems to be "your car is in the way and my car is crap so get over it".
Karen

Carruss

I always find it funny when you go to France and Spain and they just shunt cars out of the way when getting in and out of parking spaces. To them thats what bumpers are for!

R.