...and the pussification continues.

[shilala]

I took Angela (Lisa's 9 year old daughter) to the grocery store last night. She was helping me shop and was riding on the front of the grocery cart where kids are supposed to be.
We were about to check out when the store manager informed me that she wasn't allowed to ride on the front of the cart. My response was "You're shitting me, right?"
The lady just smiled and shrugged.
This is the same store where the clerks aren't allowed to touch anything heavier than a milk jug. You have to leave that stuff in the bottom of the cart so no one gets hurt.
On the way out, Ange assumed her position riding the back of the cart while I pushed. We ran into the same lady, but she just smiled. We figured for sure we were gonna catch hell again.
Once we got outside, we both rode the cart to the car.
Ahhhh, the small victories. :D

[hscmit]

sounds like she was just doing her job and said what she was required to and then let you do as you pleased

could have been worse

[Lumpold]

I'd rather someones kid rode in the trolley, than ran round my ankles. Not saying yours would (she might, I dunno), but, damn me straight to hell, I've had to have arguments with parents who've wanted me to apologise to their kid after he/she ran smack bang into my stationary trolley. If you can't keep the kid under control.... in the trolley, or with a sitter.

[Martel]

Blame the ridiculous lawsuits. Unfortunately, businesses need to cover their asses because there are plenty of people who would sue the store instantly if their child were injured in any way, regardless of who was really responsible.

I've been on the receiving end of 2 frivolous lawsuits and it is no fun and very costly.

Cheers,
G

[Prefy]

I don't think Scott is made at the grocery store per say, but more at the way society has become.

I used to love going shopping with my Grandpa and have him push me around on the shopping cart, I intend to do it when I have kids :)

[mariogolbee]

Sounds like fun, Scott. Most kids will be fine on the front of a shopping cart. Unfortunately, one or more will eventually fall. When they do, the store may be sued, and the blow from the impact of the linoleum covered concrete slab in the store to the head of a child may also give them permanent brain damage. I know I can't protect my daughter from everything, but she has just as much fun pushing the cart as she would on the front. Call me a ***** if you want, but I don't want my daughter to be drooling incoherently for the rest of her life.

Here are a few links. 24,000 plus injuries? Just something to think about. Love ya, Scott!



http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/5075.html

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;118/2/825

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/hiddendangers/a/06_shopping_crt.htm

[Bunker]

We have a whole generation in this country who were taught they have no responsibity attached to their actions, it is always someone else fault

That's why everyone gets a prize in kids sports, no one ever loses.

The reality is no one ever wins.

[BigFrank]

The real problem is piss poor parenting...More often than not, this is the cause of injuries and such which make stores, companies etc. so afraid.

I let my kids also have fun Scott. I'm with ya on this one. It's a shame that a few rotten apples have to ruin it for all of us. I can watch my kids and insure their safety. Some cannot. Then they look for that free ride at the expense of others.

[Bunker]

The real problem is piss poor parenting...More often than not, this is the cause of injuries and such which make stores, companies etc. so afraid.

I let my kids also have fun Scott. I'm with ya on this one. It's a shame that a few rotten apples have to ruin it for all of us. I can watch my kids and insure their safety. Some cannot. Then they look for that free ride at the expense of others.

And YOU will take responsibilty for them if you screw up having fun and something bad happens.

Not too many of us left that will do that.

[BigFrank]

And YOU will take responsibilty for them if you screw up having fun and something bad happens.

Not too many of us left that will do that.

Agreed. I'm not the type of person to file some retarded lawsuit because of my ineptness as a parent. I bust my ass for everything I own, I wouldn't have it any other way...

[mariogolbee]

The real problem is piss poor parenting...More often than not, this is the cause of injuries and such which make stores, companies etc. so afraid.

I let my kids also have fun Scott. I'm with ya on this one. It's a shame that a few rotten apples have to ruin it for all of us. I can watch my kids and insure their safety. Some cannot. Then they look for that free ride at the expense of others.

This reminds me of what my daughter's maternal grandmother used to say about her car seat. She just said, "I drive safely. We're not going to get into an accident!" Lady, it's not called an ACCIDENT for sh!ts and giggles! Accidents are just that, they are accidents. Nobody plans them. Just because you're safe with your cart, etc, doesn't mean sh!t doesn't happen. It doesn't take much height for direct impact to affect the brain. I knew a very seasoned and able carpenter who fell off a 3' ladder a few years back and died. That's a pretty short ladder. Also, I don't think he planned it.

[BigFrank]

This reminds me of what my daughter's maternal grandmother used to say about her car seat. She just said, "I drive safely. We're not going to get into an accident!" Lady, it's not called an ACCIDENT for sh!ts and giggles! Accidents are just that, they are accidents. Nobody plans them. Just because you're safe with your cart, etc, doesn't mean sh!t doesn't happen. It doesn't take much height for direct impact to affect the brain. I knew a very seasoned and able carpenter who fell off a 3' ladder a few years back and died. That's a pretty short ladder. Also, I don't think he planned it.

I agree with you on the car seat thing. But I'm not running around the store full sprint with my kids hanging onto the cart.

[icehog3]

I used to ride on the front of carts all the time as a kid, and look how I turned out.

Um....okay. Piss poor example. :r

[neoflex]

I used to ride on the front of carts all the time as a kid, and look how I turned out.

Um....okay. Piss poor example. :r

:r

[T.G]

I would have just told the store manager that you wanted her up there where you could observe her without getting too close since she has a highly infections and drug resistant form of TB, you know, kind of like the TB Airplane guy a year or so ago, the one whose FIL is a TB scientist at the CDC. "Angelea, be a dear and cough for the store mager now..."

[Volt]

Hmmm, I skateboarded without a helmet and pads, rode my bike with an extra set of forks banged onto my banana seat bike for the chopper look (again with no helmet), went swimming in lakes, quarrys, climed trees and all kinds of "dangerous" ****. I don't care what a parent does short of stuffing their kid in a glass bubble, stuff is gonna happen. It's called life. I seriously hope I leave life on my motorcycle with a grin and peace of mind rather than laying up in some soft bed, drooling on myself, not knowing who I am due to dememtia.

[sikk50]

When I was a pup that use to be my favorite!

Whom I kidding I use to have my ex push me like that as recently as this spring :)

[J0eybb]

I guess thats better than the night my 4 yr old daughter and I had a toilet paper roll fight at fresh and easy.

In my defense, we didn't make a mess, and the store was pretty empty. Also my wife dragged me there, so it's her fault.

PS. daughter normally shops with mommy, and isn't allowed to move a foot from the cart. or touch anything. poor kid.

[BC-Axeman]

Pushing your own cart will be banned soon. It's for your own good. Don't worry, the licensed professional pushers will not be too expensive. You won't be able to afford a cart full of food unless you can afford to pay the pusher anyway.

[Bunker]

Pushing your own cart will be banned soon. It's for your own good. Don't worry, the licensed professional pushers will not be too expensive. You won't be able to afford a cart full of food unless you can afford to pay the pusher anyway.

Your assuming we can afford a full cart now. I remember filling the cart for $70-75, now that get's you 4 bags full if you're lucky.

[Sled Dog]

Nothing like leaving the store after a quick stop for "a few things" staring at the receipt and shaking your head wondering where $80 bucks worth of stuff came from

[DocLogic77]

Blame the ridiculous lawsuits. Unfortunately, businesses need to cover their asses because there are plenty of people who would sue the store instantly if their child were injured in any way, regardless of who was really responsible.

I've been on the receiving end of 2 frivolous lawsuits and it is no fun and very costly.

Cheers,
G

$$$

We live in a litiginous society. We also live in a society where some like to abuse the workers comp system. The rules are created for the weakest links and to protect back sides. Unfortunately, those who are clear headed and hard working get caught in the middle through the enforcement of rules created for the 1%.

[joeobx]

rode my bike with an extra set of forks banged onto my banana seat bike for the chopper look

Only 1 extra set ? Wimp, I had two, you just had to remember to re-hammer them every couple of days so they wouldn't come apart...and when you forgot it only hurt for a little while :D

[thebayratt]

I was riding a shopping cart across a grocery store parking lot once like a scooter. Hanging on the bar and pushing with one foot, while the other was on the bottom bar. Long story short is; I hit a pothole, flew into the handle bar and basically bit the handlebar.... Broke off two teeth and bloodied my mouth.... not a pleasant experience.

My parents could have sued the store for the crappy parking lot, but didn't and we moved on and got my teeth "fixed'. I guess stores now days don't want to have injuries from employees or customers is why she might have said that.
Where I work people always claim to have tripped or fell or hit thier head on stuff to try and collect a check....... then we show them the video and the story changes drastically. But there are at times legitament claims.. Those claims make prices higher in stores to pay the claims off and makes it harder for employees to catch a decent raise if they pay out alot in injury claims.

[shilala]

I mentioned this story to Lisa and she said "if some kid got hurt riding on a grocery cart around here, the store would get sued immediately. That's how it is around here."
I guess it's just a sad sign of the times.
In the lady's defense, she was very pleasant, and smiled the whole time. There was nothing defensive or rude or offensive about the whole deal. She's a sweetheart, and I was happy to have gotten to talk to her, even if I was getting hell.
I'm just in the camp that says "kids get hurt". My kids have gotten hurt lots of times. Bitten by dogs, fell off stuff, all the dumb things kids do. They even have *gasp* been hurt by other kids!!!
I've gotten hurt lots of times myself. Many times it was someone else's fault.
I never found reason to sue anyone, nor have a huge percentage of the public.
I think my point is that when people are forced to invoke rules to protect themselves from such inglorious assholes that a kid can't ride a grocery cart anymore for fear of a frivolous lawsuit, something is desperately wrong.
What if a can of beans hits my kid in the head? Or me?
I think it's time to lobby Congress for a Federal Grocery Store Helmet Law.

[BigFrank]

Next time I go to the Grocery store I'm just going to put my son in a helmet and knee / elbow pads and just fly around the store crashing into everything.

[aich75013]

My kids sometimes sit in the cart or ride in front or back. If they got hurt I consider that our fault and not the stores. I wouldn't even consider sueing.
Our oldest broke her arm at an amusement park a few years ago. She fell out of the stroller when she stood up. Never once would have thought the park would be at any fault. We took complete responsibility for it.