Oh For God's Sakes! It Is The Parents Fault! NOT The Shopping Carts!

[leftchick]

This is so much one of my pet peeves. It is the responsiblity of the parents to secure their children in a shopping cart. How in the hell can they redesign them to make parents take care of their children?

Just last week I saw a mother with two babies in a cart. Both standng in the basket section rather than the secure seats. The older gal looked like she was about to fall out and I gently pushed her from the back as I gasped and told the Mom it scared me, she was about to fall out! She said thanks then left her in there!

This and other incidents I have seen just drive me crazy! How fucking lazy can parents be? :grr:


http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=healthNews&storyID=2006-08-07T131317Z_01_N02278625_RTRUKOC_0_US-CARTS.xml&src=080706_1110_ARTICLE_PROMO_also_on_reuters

Parents: beware of shopping carts and escalators


CHICAGO (Reuters) - Shopping carts, escalators and lawn mowers injure 35,000 American children every year and should be redesigned, researchers said on Monday.

Last year in the United States, 24,000 children were hurt badly enough to go to the hospital after falling out of shopping carts or topping over while they rode, a statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics said.

Three-quarters of the injuries were to the head or neck.

Some children got injured when they were trapped in carts, or fell off while riding on the outside or while standing up inside the basket, the report published in the academy's journal, Pediatrics, said.

The group urged doctors to support changes in cart designs. Meanwhile, parents ought to consider using strollers or wagons, shopping online from home or encouraging children to walk when they are old enough to do so.

[BeeBee]

1. I worked retail for many years.

When I saw kids standing up in the basket part of the shopping cart I would walk up to them and tell them to sit down "because I didn't want them to fall and get hurt." I used to get horrible glares and comments from parents like "how dare you tell my kids what to do?"

[leftchick]

4. I know what you mean

the woman looked at me like I had two heads. THis isn't the first time I have spoken up. I had two babies at once for a couple of years and ALWAYS had them secured anywhere we went. They were in car seats until age eight, much to their chagrin I might add. I must be over protective I guess.

[MissB]

13. I still keep my 8 yo in the booster

All his friends are out of the booster. Can I have the overly protective award this year?

[calico1]

15. I worked in retail too for a number of years.

I worked for JC Penney. We were always told to try and encourage people with baby carriages to use the elevator rather than the escalator. Some of them would. Many wouldn't and would give us a glare or make a nasty remark when we suggested it. They would insist on putting the baby carriage on the escalator. One night I heard a woman shrieking. I ran over..it was another department near mine. The woman's toddler had been fooling around in the carriage and gotten his hand caught and all cut up by the moving escalator. We called an ambulance. He ended up not being to injured but the woman was furious, going on and on about how we should have a safer escalator. Sigh.

[ronnykmarshall]

31. Safer escalator??

Good god. Did she happen to be yapping on the cell phone when this happened?

[Snivi Yllom]

37. I saw a teenager gets his foot mangled in an escalator

This was 30 years ago in a department store. Kid was screaming his head off and they had a blanket over to cover up the gore.

Scared the hell out of me, and made me much more wary of escalators. unfortunately I was equally scared of elevators as I recently seen Earthquake on tv and saw the plunging elevator splat scene.

[Warpy]

28. I used to get thanks, too, when I'd do that

because bratty kids will listen to a stranger before they'll listen to Mom.

Shopping with kids is a pain in the ass, especially given the nature of kids to test their parents at all times and do stupid things just because they can.

I'm surprised there aren't more injuries.

[parasim]

2. No kidding...

The headline should read... Parents; beware of your idiot selves!

[Freedomofspeech]

7. How about...

children: beware of your idiot parents!!

[Donnachaidh]

3. Have to agree with you

I've seen more irresponsible PARENTS pile toddlers into these carts, and then walk away to look at something on a rack. And these kids have no self-control (of course, Mommy doesn't know how to train her kids to be civil in public -- only to beat them when they get out of control).

All the re-design in the world isn't gonna help.

[tsuki]

5. My son sat in the seat with the seat belt on until he was old enough

to want to walk. He liked being up, in my face with his 600 questions.

[KittyWampus]

42. Aw, that's such a cute image. Little boy busy talking to his Ma.

:)

[KurtNYC]

6. Ah but everything is toy

All the world is a playground and everything in it is a toy. If you reign in your kids, you are spoiling their childhood, stiffling their spirit and therefore you are, of course, a bad parent. You should let your kids eat what they want when they want. Let them stand up on chairs. Rollerskate (with those shoes) in museums. Let them stay up late.

:sarcasm:

[CrispyQ]

22. Ahh,

the parenting philosophy of the parents of our current administration!

[MissB]

8. I'll never forget seeing a kid get stuck in an escalator.

It was the mid-80's, probably before they put those emergency stop buttons at the top or bottom. A kid fell near the bottom and got his shirt stuck in the plate. Half the mall stood there for five minutes gasping in horror, waiting for someone at the mall to shut the damned thing off.

I am not at all casual about escalators. When the kidlets were younger, I really liked those car shaped shopping carts. It kept them in, sitting down and hands busy.

[Scout]

18. I got in trouble with some poor kid's idiot mother once...

I was in the Atlanta airport, and this kid came running from the bottom up the down escaltor. He was weaving in and out of the people standing and riding down. As he ran by me, about 2/3 of the way up, I dared to say "This is no place to be playing kid." A few moments later I hear a female voice from the top, behind me, and turn to see kidlet standing next to a woman I assumed to be mom, who said "That would really be none of YOUR business, would it?"

Fine, I'll let your brat do whatever you let him, I won't speak up, and if the poor kid gets hurt or is about to get hurt, I'm gonna just stand there and watch mom scream for someone to help her poor baby.

Well, not really I wouldn't intentionally let the kid get hurt, it's not his fault his parents are boobs.

[bling bling]

9. Nothing wrong with improvement.

If shopping carts can be improved to protect children better why not?

We *should* encourage companies to improve things. We're their customers.

Shopping with a kid is no picnic. I aviod it unless it's absolutely necessary. I have literally run out of milk and bread for days because I didn't have anyone to watch my kid while I run to the grocery store.

You can't keep your eyes glued to the cart while you're grocery shopping. You should try it. Seriously. It's impossible.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

10. I Think Carts Should Definitely Have 5 Point Harnesses, 3 Minimum.

That is standard in child seating type devices. A simple belt that goes around the waist is in most cases not nearly enough to keep a child secure.

Though I agree completely that some parents really need to pay more attention to their children in that regard, all it takes is a split second in some cases for a child to jump up and fall out. A 3 point and more importantly a 5 point harness on the seat would go a really long way towards preventing such accidents. And any time a simple and cheap improvement can be made to avoid children getting hurt it is worthy of looking into.

[Fridays Child]

16. Add wheel locks that won't disengage until the seat belt is fastened.

It won't stop people from buckling the belts behind their kids or from letting kids ride in the main compartment of the cart but it would make it tougher for a parent to win a law suit against the store, when their kids fall out. The store could show it went the extra mile to protect the kid from his stupid parents. I also think, however, that stores need to do more to maintain the belts. In my experience, they're broken about 25-50% of the time.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

25. I Don't Think The Disengage Feature Is Necessary. But A Typical Step On

wheel lock isn't a bad idea: And not just for kids, but in general. It could help with runaway carts in the parking lot smashin into cars too.

[Fridays Child]

39. In some of our monsoon thunderstorms, here...

...I've seen carts race across the parking lot, under wind power only, and crash into vehicles, with real damage resulting.

[QuestionAll...]

11. new Halliburton nobid contract in the works? nt

[rug]

12. How did this escape the lounge?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

14. Patience. Give It Some Time LOL

[LisaM]

17. Shopping carts also are much more flimsy than they used to be

I used one the other day that was plastic. At one of the stores where I shop, the basket part is very shallow because the clerks unload it themselves. But I remember when I was little riding in grocery carts and it didn't seem as if anything in the world could knock it over. They were much sturdier, and deeper,t oo.

Companies cut corners wherever they can. We have an escalator at work that pulls womens' skirts off and they won't fix it; I also got a concussion on our elevator because it didn't line up flush and I tripped going in and hit my head. I was then inundated by calls and visits in relation to other people who'd been injured on those same elevators and yet nothing gets done.

[AZBlue]

19. So...you want parents to take control??? Whatever!

Jeezz.....next you'll be expecting them to discipline them when they misbehave or make sure they do their homework and go to school! You're kinda demanding, huh?

:banghead:

[leftchick]

21. LOL!

and say please and thank you and hold doors for strangers. I know I am asking way too much!

[Fleshdancer]

20. fortunately I rarely see this sort of thing in the store I shop at

the biggest form of shopping cart abuse I typically see is the idiot who parks it right in the middle of the damn aisle while staring at the food for 5 minutes. I hate those people.

[midnight]

23. I was buying office supplies, and their was a toddler crying,

so I walked around to the other side of the isle, and didn't see anyone near this toddler trying to climb out of the seat in the front. I did gasp and kept the child from standing up, and starting asking where his mom or dad was. This guy was in eyesight by then and so I asked if he was the parent? He said he was. I was hopping this child would then have an eye on him and left. Not even five minutes later there was a horrible scream, crash, and crying. The kid fell from the cart. I just had to leave. I was furious.

[leftchick]

27. omg

that is awful. I have seen a child run over after falling from the front of the cart he was hanging on. I berated the parent, in the heat of the moment, then got an earful from a bystander. Ignorance!

[sutz12]

24. Sure, design better restraint systems........but

as an old engineer, we had a saying:

Anybody who thinks their design is idiot proof, is underestimating the quality of idiots.

Funny, we require tests and evaluations to issue drivers licenses, but educate parents? No, can't do that.

[uppityperson]

26. my mine child was a tot, a nice produce worker gave me a hint

child was in seat, buckled in, still getting out. I had to shop with 1 hand on child, was a pain. Older male produce worker said "tie shoelaces together." I did and it worked. Child was busy trying to pull up 1 foot, then the other, couldn't get out of seatbelt because couldn't get feet out.

[leftchick]

29. that is too funny!

My younger son was a Houdini too! I ended up bringing a belt of my husbands and would just cinch him in tight! He Hated it, but was safe!

[McCamy Taylor]

30. Seat belt law? Ticket the parents? They would let them run loose

but that is safer than a four foot fall onto concrete.

[merci_me]

32. Over all my years

I've been shopping with my own four as youngsters and now with all four grandchildren. I have never encountered a store with an escalator, which didn't also have an elevator. Granted most stores have the elevator tucked back in a corner somewhere and few have signs at the escalator, with directions to the elevator or the escalator easily visible, behind clothing racks, but they are there by law, for the handicapped and that's where strollers should be.


I see people all the time tilting the front wheels onto the escalator, often with two or three other little ones, left to their own devices. I wonder what happens when they encounter the equally thoughtless adult who may be ahead of them, who steps two feet off the escalator and then stands there contemplating which direction to go. While toddlers, stroller and parent pile up behind. They are a hazard themselves.


I won't even go into the kids left to play on the escalators and the whole grocery basket deal.


People MUST take responsibility!!!!

[Monk06]

33. When they outlaw shopping carts only Jackasses will have shopping carts.

[lonestarnot]

35. Well that's fine by me, and it will be you too, because they intend to

drain us so dry you won't need no fucking shopping cart.

[Monk06]

36. Gentlemen we must not allow a shopping cart gap !!!!!!!

[lonestarnot]

38. knap sack will be all you need.

[symbolman]

34. I give people shit all the time about this

LOUDLY saying, "That kid is going to break their neck.." or looking at the kid and saying "Sit DOWN." Had a few parents get miffed, but when I do I just ask them if they are trying to kill their cute little kid.. "Did you notice that if a kid falls out of that cart that the arc of them falling will pretty much make them land on their head or break their neck?"

"Would you stand on something 12 feet in the air that could slip right out from under your feet? That's the equivalent in size for a kid.."

I don't even care if they get mad, I still ALWAYS say something.."Hey, did you see those little signs on the cart? They are there for a reason.. they should really show the little 'symbolkid' with his neck breaking on the warning signs.."

The other thing you can do is hand them a candy bar, they'll sit right down. SOmetimes if a kid is being a pain at the register I'll hand them a chocolate bar and say to them, "Your mom said you could have this.." They shut right up..

While they parent is argueing with the kid over it, I make my purchase and getaway :)

They need to redesign people's BRAINS. Wait, they're already doing that, it's the Corporate PsyOps Brigade, and they've been convincing everyone that there's SOMETHING wrong with them, they'll have no friends, and look like bagladies if they don't BUY THIS PRODUCT..

If only we could use the power of the Media for GOOD :)

[elocs]

40. Children are more in danger from their parents

than from any other people. I agree with the parents being responsible for kids standing up and riding underneath, but I did see on tv today that there were carts that were unbalanced with the kids strapped in and could tip over with weight on the handle.

[Dulcinea]

41. Race car shopping carts....

They're big, unwieldy, & no doubt other shoppers hate them, but to someone who regularly takes 2 toddlers shopping, they're a godsend!

Neither of my kids can escape from them, & they can't stand up, although the 2-year-old tries her best.

So all you who bash these carts, consider this.

[Odin2005]

43. We are truely living in a responsibillity-free society.

The narcissism propagated under St. Ronnie is comming home to roost.

[Mr_Spock]

44. Geez, I guess GD is reserved for Lamont & war

Why are threads of public interest consistently being moved to the Lounge?

WTF?

[leftchick]

45. good question

I thought it was news and should not be reduced to pot shots in the lounge. oh well. :(

[thecrow]

46. Why don't school buses have seatbelts?

I have always wondered about this.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

48. When I was in HS, the schoolbuses had seatbelts.

It's just that no one used them. FYI, I'm 23 now, but even when I was in middle school, most of the buses had seatbelts, but I walked to school then. :shrug:

[chaska]

47. Hey, it's a fact of life, kids get hurt. How about we redesign them for...

the homeless.

Or maybe a redesign so they don't roll into your car when assholes don't put them away after use.

Or maybe put them on tracks in the store so the dorks don't block store traffic by straddling the whole aisle.

[Fox Mulder]

49. No kidding!

Parents don't take responsibility for anything these days...what their kids watch, what video games they play, what music they listen to, etc.

Pisses me off.