Only Psychopaths Leave Their Shopping Carts In The Parking Lot

Merriam-Webster Defines a psychopath as “a mentally unstable person.” “Especially,” The online dictionary provides a detailed description of the words. “a person having an egocentric and antisocial personality marked by a lack of remorse for one’s actions, an absence of empathy for others, and often criminal tendencies.”

Here’s a shorter definition for your lexicon: A psychopath is someone who doesn’t take the time to return their shopping cart.

There are many reasons someone might refuse to transport their basket back to the enclosure. They might have too much on their plate. Perhaps they lack time. Perhaps the weather is terrible. The trek might be too far. One possible excuse is that you park closer to a cart return, or even the store. Maybe the buggy needs a tune-up and won’t survive the journey to its pen three spots over.

Or maybe cart abandoners are egocentric jerks — like This Patrick Mahomes fan — who think they are too good to do their due diligence at Walmart. He does appear “mentally unstable,” He shows his ability to get in the way of passersby by showing his instinct to mow them over “criminal tendencies.”

Whatever the reason, failure to or refusal to put away a shopping bag is an atrocious act which God can only forgive.

Don’t be daunted by a creaky wheel, rusted joints and a dirty handle. All carts were made to be parked. They can be collapsed into each other and form a sturdy line that can easily be navigated with motorized cart retrievers. The inconvenient human experience that involves loading up kids and driving to the grocery store, then bagging, loading and unloading them, and finally putting those items away, is further ruined by shoppers refusing to allow the cart to return safely to its home.

An estimated 2 million carts are stolen each year due to shoppers abandoning their baskets. That doesn’t just take a toll on shoppers physically if they are forced to find a new way to carry groceries, it can also Make a dent in their wallets.

But, even monetary incentives such as Aldi’s 25-cent refundable fee for the proper use and return of a cart, are able to fully remedy the problem — because refusing to return a cart to its corral isn’t just a product of laziness. It’s a symptom of a society and culture that suffers from a widespread lack of personal responsibility and morality. Cart returning isn’t just a problem. good etiquette. It’s a basic acceptance of the norms and standards that govern our society.

Putting the cart back into its metal cage doesn’t just help the workers. This keeps the parking lot clear of trash and makes sure that anyone who needs to carry canned goods or frozen pizzas around the store will have a rollable option.

[READ: For The Love Of All That Is Holy, Stop Backing Into Parking Spaces]

I don’t care how someone chooses to return the basket so long as