Some Notes (a Rant?) on Grocery Carts in Europe...

You wouldn't think that living in Europe would introduce such interesting, different, little nuances; that can have such a big effect on day to day life. But, the devil is in the details as they say...

So, let me talk a little about grocery store carts. I think I may have mentioned them before in one of my posts, but I don't think I ever went into detail. We had a little incident this morning that brought them back to my attention, so I decided to post about it (more on the incident later!)

First of all, at most stores - whether it's a grocery store or a hardware store, the carts (known here as "einkaufswagens") usually aren't "free." Technically they are, because you get your money back when you return them, but you have to have the correct amount of small change ("klein geld") in order to unlock one. Yes, they are all locked together with little chains and locking units, and in order to take one out, you have to place a coin into a slot and dislodge the chain connecting it to the cart behind it. Usually, carts require 1 Euro, but sometimes they also take 50 cent pieces, and I think I've even seen ones that take 2 Euro coins. The purpose behind this practice is to make sure that all of the carts get returned; which also means that they never have lots of conveniently placed return areas, but only one, inconveniently placed one - right near the front door. That way they never have to pay someone to go out to the parking lot and manage carts - labor is just too expensive in most places here.

Now, I think it's worth mentioning here, that European countries are still much more cash based than the US. In the US now you can use a bank card or credit card just about anywhere you could possibly pay for something. And if they don't take plastic - they usually take a check. Now obviously, you wouldn't pay for a grocery store cart with a card - but my point is that people here generally make sure that they have cash on them at all times. And it's been years, maybe even decades, since I've had to remember to keep cash on me - so I'm terrible at it.

So for the first few months here, I struggled with never having a stupid Euro in my purse, even though I tried to keep one in the car or in my wallet - it always disappeared, and forgot to get replaced. And we frequently found ourselves heading into a store and trying to rely on a stroller with which to handle our goods and baby. And you know how it is when you end up leaving with more purchases than you intended... (think Target.)

One day I went into the service desk at a hardware store, to see if I could get change for the cart - and probably due to my poor German, I started off by saying that I didn't have any small change; and before I could ask, the lady handed me this little orange chip. See below...

I was ecstatic! You mean I can get free chips to use instead of Euros? Hoorah! So, with each passing trip to the hardware store, I loaded up on free chips, and now I have stock in them! SO I keep them in my wallet, and in my car - and I never have to worry about them getting spent on something! (I get them at Obi, for any of my local friends who haven't discovered this yet...)

Interestingly enough, however - you don't need any coins at all at my local grocery store. So I am indeed blessed. It is the ONLY place I have ever encountered here that has free carts. And to make matters even more interesting - there are NEVER carts decorating the parking lot. Even in the US, where apparently, customers are considered to be more reliable about returning carts, you still see the leftovers of the lazy. But never at my grocery store. I suppose that people are just so conditioned here that it's never an issue!

SO this brings me to my second issue with the carts here... even though I am lucky enough to have free carts at my supermarket, all of the carts that you can get ANYWHERE have 4 wheels which rotate freely. As you know in the US, the 2 wheels closest to you (as the pusher) are fixed, and only move forward in a straight line. This assures that as long as you are pushing the cart it will move straight forward, unless you turn it gently. With 4 mobile wheels you could spin your cart freely in a 360 over a dime if you like. You could probably use it in the choreography of a ballet!

And that means that the carts are easily maneuvered around tight areas, and annoying display cases; situations where in the US, you have to pick up the back end of your cart in order to get it adjusted onto the right path - a definite plus. But, and I mean BUT, I think the cons outweigh the pros here... because it also means that the cart will go where ever it freaking wants to, when ever it gets a mind to do it! And if it's loaded down and heavy with your goods? Forget it - and please don't add a slope to the situation! You have to literally get your body sideways with the cart to support the weight against the inertia created by gravity! So, in the end - it looks nothing like a ballet when you dance with that cart!

Which brings me to the incident this morning. Now, I've gotten really good with managing this 4 wheel thing, so I can still power around the store and get in and out as quickly as possible. And I'm a pro at winging that thing around into position behind my car to get it unloaded. The parking lot does have lots of little slopes, but usually, I swing it into position behind the car - as I'm reaching into my purse, grabbing the keys and unlocking the car as well, of course - and then I get the car locked onto a stable spot so that it won't roll, grab the basket out of the car, as I'm opening the back hatch, deposit the basket, shut the hatch, then wheel Luna and cart back to the depot area, then return with Luna to the car to insert her into the car seat, before heading home.

Simple, yes? It works flawlessly, everyday. Except today.

Today, I swung the cart into position, opened the hatch, deposited the basket, shut the hatch, turned around to get the cart and Luna - and they weren't there! They were careening at gathering speed across the parking lot!

I practically leaped the 10 feet between us in order to grab the cart - thank goodness there were no cars coming! I won't make that mistake again!!! A nice German fellow across the parking lot was also on a swift course to a rescue from the other direction, so at least I had a fail safe today - but we won't be wondering if there will be next time, because I definitely learned a lesson on that one!

Anyway, so I don't think that our fixed wheel American carts have the tendency to roll the way these free-wheeling European ones do, but as with so many little details about things, they just take some getting used to! Live and learn! And hold onto your carts!