If you are like me, you live in an area with moderately affordable homes, which means somebody somewhere won’t have a car. When folks don’t have cars, they walk to the grocery empty handed and usually walk home with a “cart-full” in tow. Unfortunately, they don’t return them — instead leaving them in the street, ditches, sidewalks, parking lots, near train tracks, upside down near a dumpster .. etc. Well, guess who pays for that .. We do! They end up in traffic and the grocer may raise their prices to make up the cost.

The situation is so out of control in Kendall that Team Metro Compliance Support Director Alfredo Rodriguez said his officers have contacted property managers at several apartment complexes, informing them it’s a crime to steal private property.

When carts become a problem, the county urges residents to call 311, which then contacts the local Team Metro office. Team Metro, in turn, tells the retailer to pick up its carts.
[Read FULL article in the Miami Herald]

Publix is smart, they have $180 carts that lock up as you try to leave the parking lot. At times the sensor is to sensitive when a consumer parks in the last spot available 100 yards away, then a manager comes out with a hand controller to reset the locking mechanism.

Maybe someone should come up with a new job called “Remote Cart Retriever” and charge $10 per cart when returned to the store. Someone will find a way to increase their profits so I guess that is not plausible either. Lately, it has gotten worse so either people have fewer cars or are trying to conserve gas. I actually understand the last one..

;-)

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