[SiddVish]

Hey,

Metro Yeshwanthpur has a huge parking lot. Also, the only designated cart collection point I've seen is inside the building. The only way to solve this issue is have clearly marked collection points in the parking lot, as is the case the world over when supermarkets have such large parking lots. Ideally they can do this by converting one parking spot in each lane, or every second lane into a collection point with a barrier around it, probably the spot next to the walkway. Let's be honest, if you want someone to do something it's got to be convenient. Nobody will walk more than 50m to drop off a cart after loading everything into their car. I've attached a picture I found off the Internet of the parking lot. Not sure if this is the correct one because I'm on my small phone screen but it looks about right. The image only shows half the space there is an equal amount of space behind the photographer that is not covered by a roof. The walkway I was talking about is the one in the middle.

Edit: I don't recall unattended carts being an issue during the early years of metro, not sure what changed.
Considering they have literally used the exact same design and layout from their German outlets for this one, I'm surprised this has been overlooked. I heard the structure is built to the same specifications they use everywhere else and hence the roof is designed to handle a few feet of snow !

[PetrolRider]

Originally Posted by DRC

I had parked the car in the open parking lot and went in for shopping. By the time I came back, there was a minor dent and scratch on the rear boot lid. It is the first scratch on my new car, every one here know how the first scratch feels like!

It did not take long to figure out how it had happened. Culprit was right there, and empty shopping cart. Then I noticed the behavior around. People abandon the shopping carts after unloading them into their cars instead of returning to designated spots. then theses carts drift with the wind or along the gradients and collide with the parked vehicles.

I can feel your pain as that was exactly what happened to my 1 month old car in Auchan parking lot in Bannerghatta road back in 2011. Someone wanted to take his/her cart between my car and the parked vehicles next to my car and put a foot long scratch to both the cars. Using a paid cart system or any other measure will not stop our good people from these kind of activities.
The good thing is next time when you are waiting at a signal to turn green and a biker trying to push through the cars scratch your back / front bumper, you will feel less pain.

[saadat1992]

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

.

To avoid such unfortunate things, people here at Ampa Skywalk mall in Chennai have a 1ft tall partition between the bike parking and car parking. You cannot take the cart beyond that point.

[swiftnfurious]

To be very honest, the most effective solution right now seems to have someone stay in the car when others shop. This guy can monitor whether some one is leaving any carts close by the car.

Edit:: I came across this problem in Lulu when I was in the middle east. To add more problem, some slots would have a small incline where the cart will roll back and would go and hit some cars parked. And I have seen people giving two hoots even when they see it rolling. I usually use to put in a corner where the cart would NOT roll and also away from the closest vehicle.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

the most effective solution right now seems to have someone stay in the car when others shop. This guy can monitor whether some one is leaving any carts close by the car.

Even a chauffeur will snooze off at the wheels or take a walk for a puff considering the time we all spend roaming instead of shopping. And by the time, someone would "take his/her cart between my car and the parked vehicles next to my car and put a foot long scratch to both the cars", quoting PetrolRider above.

I guess that the closest to a fool proof set up would be to raise the whole car parking area by some height so that people do not take carts near to the cars, as mentioned by saadat1992. Though then people start fighting to get the closest parking space near the doors.

[Diesel_convert]

This seems to be a failure of metro management,
There is no designated cart return at the exit of the store!

If they don't have that then people assume it's a free for all.

I usually park past the fourth lane like people have suggested.

The brakes on the carts are required as the parking lot is not level and managing to load your car solo is almost an exercise in frustration

[E63]

I do happen to have a different take on the issue.
For every 20 parking slots, there should be a place to drop off the trolleys(say one trolley slot).
Nobody cares a hoot to walk a mile back just to return the trolley. 10 bucks be damned!

Alternatively, make it the responsibility of the guys who guide you to the parking slots for returning the trolley.

[Nanometer]

Having locks/breaks on the wheels as some one mentioned and also ensuring there is no sharp edges on the trolleys with buffers to ensure minimal damage , which i think will also do good if a trolley hits a person.Also the tarmac should be done up in a way to stop trolleys from moving around when unattended.

[gops2009]

Hi DRC,
I had a near similar experience last friday at Metro in Yeswanthpur, as I was driving in and turning towards empty parking slot, a trolly whose contents was just unloaded on to a ford figo simply began rolling towards my car, Fortunately I saw it and also had space to get my car out of the way. Three middle aged men , well dressed to assume that they are educated, and who were responsible for the cart simply watched as the cart finally stopped in the middle of the drive path. I thought they would apologize or at least move the cart to a unobtrusive place, but to my dismay they were just grinning and got into the car and drove away!! I then rolled the cart to a predesignated place and to my shock these guys had stopped their car near the exit and were watching me do that. Civic sense...they do not teach it in school and we see the effects of this , the way people drive, park in front of gates, carelessly park blocking others path Adjust Maadi... has been taken to an unacceptable level

[arrowhead6996]

I also had a near similar experince on 10 Nov in a parking lot at a mall in Delhi, fortunately any possible damage to the vehicle was avoided. It was a well to do looking couple in a SX4 parked at the passenger side of my XUV. I was loading my purchases in the boot and noticed them doing the same. I then went back to return the cart and came back after about 10 mins. The SX4 was not there. I climbed into my vehicle and started reversing out of the parking slot. Suddenly I heard some strange metallic noise and stopped immediately. When I got down and went towards the passenger side of my vehicle I noticed a shopping cart nearly jammed between my vehicle and the adjacant pillar. The reverse parking sensors did not catch it, the ORVMs were also folded, but it was pure coincidence that nothing happened.
This couple had left the cart or rather just pushed it out of their vehicles way without bothering for others.
Money can buy you cars and other luxury items but not etiquettes, it is to be learnt. I am member of a very posh club, but feel ashamed whenever I read an appeal written there for the esteemed members requesting them "THIS IS YOUR CLUB PLEASE DON'T SPIT", and believe me there are still a lot of spit marks here and there.
You may charge 100 bucks for parking and refund it as an incentive for returning the carts but I can vouch for it that still half of such people would not bother to follow the rules.
One possible solution can be to have attendents to keep an eye and blow a whistle when someone violates. But here also is lies the possibility that the attendent dozes off quietly in a corner and such things keep happening.
Maybe with time; slowly, things will improve.

[F150]

Originally Posted by E63

I do happen to have a different take on the issue.
For every 20 parking slots, there should be a place to drop off the trolleys(say one trolley slot).
Nobody cares a hoot to walk a mile back just to return the trolley. 10 bucks be damned!

Alternatively, make it the responsibility of the guys who guide you to the parking slots for returning the trolley.

First, people lack the etiquette to return the carts
Second, you assign someone to make these guys return the carts.

We Indians don't like etiquette do we ? We always want to pass the buck on to others.

The return slots should be near and not on the other end of the parking lot.

10Rs trick suggested by TSK is ingenious. Pay Rs 10 and take the cart, the person doesnt care about the Rs 10, someone else even parking attendant will be happy to return it and collect Rs 10.

[DRC]

There are spots to return the carts in Metro. They are well designed with railings etc.. But the problem seems etiquette and etiquette alone.

I too have seen morons who are apparently amused at people who behave civil in public places, be it parking lot or road.

After much thought, this is what I have found to be the solution which may reduce the possibility of such incidents if not avoid.
Park next to the wall, against the gradient. Again, some may be amused why I park far away from the entrance, and in sun , but I know why.

[k_nitin_r]

Originally Posted by PetrolRider

next time when you are waiting at a signal to turn green and a biker trying to push through the cars scratch your back / front bumper, you will feel less pain.

There are just so many scratches from people slamming their doors against adjacent cars while they get in/out of their cars in parking lots, street kids etching their names into the paint, bikers lacking judgment of distance, and now shopping carts too. Adding a monthly paint touch-up to operating expenses is perhaps all we can do, apart from the annual bumper replacement.

Originally Posted by F150

First, people lack the etiquette to return the carts

In some places where there are no attendants to ensure the shopping carts do not leave the shopping and parking areas, the shopping carts are even found abandoned at residential buildings where they remain till they disappear in a few days (perhaps taken by somebody collecting scrap metal).

People even lack the etiquette to wait in a queue at the cash counter at supermarkets and grocery stores. They cut in ahead and say, "I've only got three items," yet they can clearly see that there are people in the queue with just as many items as they do. Perhaps starting an express counter for people with fewer than 10 items would get them their etiquette back.

[Safety is Param]

Paying a parking fee is something that a person is expected to do in return for the services used. There is no escaping here.

However, if there is a 10/- charge per trolley, I am sure most of the aam junta will surely go back and park the trolley at the designated place to get the 10/- back. Here they have a chance to claim the money back, unlike the paid parking, where they don't have an option.

And then they will talk happily while going back home on how they saved 10/-

There should also be boards at designated spots in the parking lot saying -

"Warning : If you don't deposit the trolley at the designated spot, some one else will do it and claim your 10/- ". This will surely pinch the aam junta above; "How can someone else take away my money?"

Talking about Express Counters; there are already many of them of what I see in Bangalore. Drop down any weekend to Spar / MORE, etc. and there will be hordes of trolleys lined up on the Express Counter, which clearly states "Not more than 10 items". When you shout at the Billing person on why is he entertaining these people, the people in the queue stare at you as if the news just broke that their trolley contains more than 10 items.

They will have 50 items, divided into 10 categories, i.e. Oil, Soap, Powder, Clothes, other FMCG, etc., but will claim that the category of the products do not exceed 10, so they are eligible for this queue; the quantity doesn't matter. I will leave this to the fellow members to comment on!

I hope we are an informed lot and hence, do not belong to the aam junta category!

[shankar.balan]

The decent thing to ref Shopping carts is to offload all the purchases into the luggage bay of the vehicle and then have the decency to take that couple of minutes to return the trolley to its stacking point!

Same applies at the airport.
However, this is India!