You see that? In the photo? That represents something that really grinds my gears. A stray shopping cart left in the parking lot of a store. Not just the lot, but a parking SPACE being used to take up space because someone couldn't politely walk it back to the cart corral, which most stores have about a half-dozen of in their lots nowadays, and of which you can possibly vaguely see there in the background.

The corral isn't that close in this picture but it still doesn't excuse you from not taking it back. This is too far back to be a handicapped spot, so you can't use that excuse either. You walked from your car into the store, around the store for 20 minutes to a half-hour, maybe more, back out to your parking spot, with full cart in tow, deep into the lot mind you, and couldn't be bothered to take the few more steps it would have required to be respectful and diligent and put your cart back. I see it everywhere, and it drives me nuts.

I haven't even gotten into the car damage it could potentially cause other people, but you don't care, obviously. "They pay people to take the carts back into the store! It's someone's JOB!", you say. Technically yes, but from the cart corral, not making them walk all over the lot to collect the ones you couldn't take back to the convenient cart corral.

Other times, you park close enough to take the cart back IN to the store yourself, but you'll leave it in the empty space next to you or just up to the side of the store--the latter of which is better than in the parking lot, but still. (OK, I admit I am sometimes guilty of the one where you leave it next to the side of the storefront, but I digress.)

Am I the only one with this pet peeve? What are some others you have? Shooting hoops with the trash can and missing, but you just leave it anyway? Let me know in the comments. And, next time you see this or are thinking about doing it yourself, do us all a favor and just do the stray cart strut and put the thing back where it belongs. Thanks.

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