Published: September 06, 2007 06:16 pm            

Practice shopping cart courtesy

Has the world come to an end or is it just me? Do we really need to hurry so much through life that we can’t extend a little “shopping cart courtesy” to one another.

What is “shopping cart courtesy” you ask? It’s the polite way to handle your shopping cart in a supermarket. You may have had it happen to you. You’re standing in line — innocent enough — waiting to pay for your grocery items. Suddenly, without warning, a shopping cart gets pushed into your behind. You look around wondering what could have caused such a buggy backup — then you get a glimpse of the person behind you. It’s obvious from their glare that you a) didn't pull up far enough in line; b) are being blamed for the line going too slow; or c) are the victim of careless buggy torture.

True story: I was with a friend at a local grocery store recently when the lady behind us started pushing her shopping cart into my friend. My friend tried to take it calmly at first. Then another push, and then another. Then as soon as my friend had her groceries on the conveyor belt, the woman behind her pushed my friend’s buggy out of the aisle and onto the side so that her shopping cart could be pushed up.

Was this really necessary? Did she gain anything from pushing my friend’s shopping cart out of the way? That’s like passing a car in front of you just to slam your brakes to stop at the same red light next to the car you just passed.

Even out of the checkout line, “shopping cart courtesy” is necessary at all times while in a store. What can be more irritating than having a shopping cart stranded in the middle of the aisle where no other customers have room to go around it. The person who has possession of the shopping cart is either in their own coupon-cutting world or doesn’t care that other people might want to pass. Sometimes the person is standing there with their shopping cart, not realizing what they are doing, or they are miles away down the aisle comparing prices on various cereals. Try to move this shopping cart without causing a commotion and you’ll get the shopping cart owner in your face for having the audacity to move their prized buggy.

There have been times when I’ve decided to do it the easy way: I just go around a whole aisle just to get to the end of the original aisle that I needed in the first place. But isn’t this ridiculous?

I’ll be the first to admit that my husband doesn’t have much “shopping cart courtesy.” He could be going about 5 mph pushing the shopping cart with a handful of people behind him — and he’ll just stop without warning — jolting those behind him into near buggy collisions. Does he care? Apparently not. So when I’m with him he knows who pushes the shopping cart. In fact, he’s not allowed to touch the shopping cart unless he is putting an item in it.

I, on the other hand, try to demonstrate “shopping cart courtesy.” I stay on my side of the aisle and signal when necessary. One of the biggest tests of “shopping cart courtesy” is the card aisle. You’ve been there — probably while choosing a cards for your loved ones during Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. Do you remember that there were 55 other people standing around you waiting for an opening in the card section? What I do, if I have a shopping cart, is move it far down the aisle toward the cards that no one is looking a. I parallel park it as close to the edge of the aisle as possible, allowing traffic to flow by. I then carry my happy self, with purse in hand, to find my own spot in the card selection area.

See, it’s not that hard. Try it the next time you are shopping. And remember, we’re all in this together. Time is precious and usually when we are in a checkout line, we are already irritated at the wait. Why not grab a magazine to read or how about this brilliant idea — start getting your money or check ready to pay? Forget about how close to the cashier you could be if you only shoved the person in front of you with your shopping cart. You’ll feel better and I’m sure they will too. Remember, it could be your behind they’re hitting with the buggy next time.

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Cheril Vernon may be contacted via e-mail at community@palestineherald.com

        

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