One excuse was, “The perception that it’s someone else’s job to collect the carts.”
To some extent this is why I don’t always return the cart to the corral. I do try to park it where it will not block other people or spaces, but if everyone returned their carts to the corral, the “cart corraler” would be out of a job.
It is why I avoid the self-service check-outs as well.
The cart worker still has to get them to the store, so they wouldn’t be completely job less. Plus half the people don’t even put the cart there in an orderly fashion, so the corrals fill up up quickly, because they’re often in every which direction. I saw someone push a cart all the way to where the carts were kept only to leave it perpendicular to all the carts. Geez, if you’re just going to block everyone else from pushing their cart back, then why bother? Talk about lazy!
What I really want to know is “how does one get a job “studying” shopping cart returns and/or the lack thereof?”
“They have a disability that prohibitive to easy movement” …Their wording not mine.
To make a long story short, I use to feel the same way about people who didn’t return carts. Then I became one of “those people”. I would at least leave it up against the concrete light pole. Then I had a double hip replacement and with a new spring in my step, always bring the cart back like the old days.
I also try to keep an eye out for others who may be the same boat by taking their cart back and offer help. “If you don’t need it anymore I’ll take it”. So, I’ve kind of mellowed out and try not to be too judgmental about shopping carts.
But don’t get me started on people not wearing face masks.
Leaving them out of corrals, and in a nice parking space is annoying, but leaving them adrift is scary, at least to me. Once I saw what I thought was a whole posse of adrift carts. I ran to the rescue to stop them, only to find it was a cart wrangler, pushing a whole mess of them.
Here’s one - This particular market’s parking lot is on an incline. I saw someone shove their cart from their car towards the store (unmanned) where it stuck the back of a parked car.
It’s also not their only task each day.
Is this guy still living? 
Here in SE MI, people get a bullet to the brain for “engaging” but being far less confrontational.
Wow. That’s a little scary.
Stores in some parts of Europe require you to insert a 25 cent coin before you can unchain a cart, which you get back once you return it. Aldi’s does that here in the States. Keeps the carts tidily in line.
I do not know this to be true, but I’ve just got a gut instinct it was a government contracted study.
Well, if this study is any indication, you get an advanced degree in behaviour sciences and get a post in a university that allows you to do research, most likely because you’ve already secured funding* but also because you’re teaching and doing service.
*the associated publication makes no mention of funding specifically attached to this study which research pubs typically disclose,
I had to run out mid-day to pick up a couple of 'scripts from the pharmacy. And while there I pulled some liquor & mixers from their shelves.
Back in my car I engaged my “being” to decide if I was also going to drive to Kroger to pick up some sausage to make Red Beans & Rice. It was about a four minute struggle before my gut won out. So, off to Kroger I went. Pulled into that lot, forced to park the car about as far away from the entrance as was possible; while staying in the same Zip Code. Paused…
Go in. Yes? No?
No won. Started the car back up and drove home.
Never go liquor shopping before food shopping 
Fortunately here in the Bay Area, you can do both at the same time. Even Trader Joe’s has spirits for sale.
No liquor shopping here in PA (at least not the red zone in which I live and really never able to grab a bottle outside of the PLCB stores). The one lesson I have learned since the March shut down is I can order craft liquor . . . expensive, but at least accessible.
The state claims we can order by phone and pick up curbside. I tried a few times and got nothing but a busy signal. Apparently each store has only one phone line 
Probably not the only one, but having lived in PA, and still having to go back and forth to PA pre-pandemic for work, you guys have some serious confusing and convoluted liquor/alcohol rules. Beer and wine not counted as liquor. I chat with my coworkers in PA a lot especially in our virtual meetings now, and they always have to explain this to all the other colleagues across the US and across the globe.
Hey, we’re getting better. First they let some state stores open on Sunday (those closest to state borders), now most are open Sunday. Then they allowed beer and wine sales in grocery stores (although a strict limit on the amount–you have to swipe your ID to ensure you don’t visit multiple times a day and exceed the limit).
You can get limited beer and wine in groceries. You used to have to go to a beer distributor for cases, but couldn’t purchase smaller quantities (6- or 12-packs) there. Now distributors can sell the smaller quantities.
For years, there was no alcohol delivery to homes. Now you can order from craft breweries and distilleries. There were no PLCB deliveries until the lockdown, but once they realized how it was hitting their bottom line the state allowed PLCB deliveries (good luck getting through on their website or phone lines).
So it’s clear. Want a 6-pack? Visit your local bar, deli, beer distributor or grocery or order from a craft brewery. Want a case\keg of beer? Visit a beer distributor. Want a bottle of wine? Visit PLCB or grocery. Want a bottle of liquor? Visit the PLCB or order from a craft distillery. At least we can now buy on Sundays
@gaffk, this is WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY better than when I lived in PA (1985-1989). The fact they’re now allowing grocery stores to sell a 6-pack or a bottle of wine is huge.
