One of the things that I truly and passionately hate is coin operated shopping carts.
The only thing that is more annoying than an “ordinary” coin operated shopping cart is one that does not even work with a quarter, but requires some other coin.
It is offensive enough that one has to jump through hoops for the privilege to spend their money there, being forced to dig through one’s pockets for the right change just adds insult to injury.
I don’t even understand why the coin locks are used in the first place.
If someone really wants to leave the cart in the middle of the parking lot, some small change left in the cart certainly is not a real incentive to return it.
In fact it can be a negative incentive — since whoever collects and returns the cart is getting paid for it by keeping the change in the cart, one may feel less guilty for not returning it after shopping.
I certainly feel that way, the only reason why I do return the shopping cart is because it is annoying to have them all over the parking lot while trying to drive.
Apparently not everyone feels the same way, as there are all sorts of instruction on the Internet how to use a key, or some custom made device to unlock coin operated shopping carts, sometimes with the explicit purpose of not having to return them — which just proves that if someone really wants to leave them all over the place they will. Coin or no coin.
I usually just try to shop at places that don’t require a coin for the cart. If everyone did that stores would have to give up this nonsense or loose business.
Further Readings:
Shopping Hack – How to access a coin-operated shopping cart without a coin