The lowly shopping cart - and other stuff

Other stuff.

I love my HE washer, but every time I unload it, I wonder how someone shorter than me, older with limited motion, or disabled could handle it. It's top loading.

I'm 5'2" and I have to stand on my toes to reach down to the bottom of the washer to get socks, underwear and other small items. I spin the drum of the washer around to get to the items on the far side. Someone shorter, with less flexibility, or any other issue would have to get a step stool, or one of those grabber devices to get the clothes out.

Just out of interest, are the majority of washine machines top loaders in the USA?

They're pretty rare here.

"One of those grabbing devices"


One of these?

My Mum used to have those back in the old days, along with a black and white telly.

I know what you mean about the top loader washer. On days when my knee is complaining, it can sometimes be tricky to balance the right way to get the last socks out.

Yes, most are top loading.

While I wouldn't say rare, front loading a less common.

Above my washer and dryer are cabinets, holding all the sundries.
On top of the cabinets I store bulky items like toilet paper, paper towels. I have an old mop handle I use (minus the mop) I use to knock down half a dozen rolls of TP, when I need to replenish my personal facilities stash.

Wally tried to throw my mop handle out once. He didn't realize it was the lynchpin to my ability to relax and take a decent crap.

One successful industrial design can turn the person who designed it into a millionaire.

I think Chai just needs to wear high heels.

It depends where you live I guess. Out here in crazy California, we have more and more front loaders - I always had front loaders.

That video was great, by the way! I love that shopping cart too and some of the ideas - like self scanning - would save so much time. I love it!!

I just spent a half hour or more demolishing the lid of a fairly large glass jar of pickled pepperoncini. No wonder they were on sale. I'd previously struggled but finally got a similar jar by that company open by one of my three tried and true methods when a simple hand grab won't do it: a) grab the rubber glove and go for it; b) moderately gently direct the jar top to the counter top to affect the vacuum level in jar, open or then try the rubber glove again; c) carefully aim sturdy object at the side of the jar lid, open.

This time, nah. So I started with the hammer and a small phillips screw driver, making holes in the lid. Then, a larger phillips. Then I resorted to a small wire cutter, and then a larger one. Managed not to get any metal tossed into the peppers and vinegar. Moved the peppers into other containers. Bah, humbug.

My hands are less strong than they used to be, but so are a lot of other peoples.

"like self scanning - would save so much time. I love it!!"

Do you not have self scanning over there, cj?

Sainsburys introduced it here at least ten years ago, and we use it all of the time. Tesco has just started it in a nearby store, so everyone will be doing it soon.

The latest is where you order your shopping on your smartphone (whilst on the way home on the train for instance) and go and pick it up. Home deliveries work much the same, and are brilliant for the boring tinned and packet goods, saving you all that carrying when you go shopping.

I use the self scanner almost every time I go shopping. The only problem is when you have coupons -- you can use them -- just there always seems to be a problem with just one of those suckers and someone has to come over to help.

It still saves you time though -- and where I shop -- they will give you extra bonus savings on certain items when you use the self scanner.

For the front vs top loading washers --- I looked at the front loading ones as they are supposed to use much less water -- they are also significantly more expensive at least a few years ago when I was in the market for a new washer. So I opted for the one where you need to reach for us shorties.

As a general rule, front-loaders will take a bigger load than top-loaders. Hence, they tend to be more expensive. Hence, they are less popular in most jurisdictions.

Self scanning is great - when it works. But the machine keeps barking out instructions and orders - not so good when it's failed to read a barcode, the queue is held up, and you have a large pile of groceries waiting to be bagged.

I absolutely and categorically refuse to ever use any self checkout self-scanning lanes in a store. It's just a way to automate cashiers out of their jobs. Those people need their jobs. I don't mind standing in line just a bit longer to assure that I'm not helping to disenfranchise them.

The self scanner I use - if a hand held one -- you scan it as you shop and then immediately put your items in your grocery bag. For things that require weighing - you go to one of several scales, weigh your item and then print out a tag that can be scanned.

I rarely have an issue with an item not scanning -- it is those damn coupons when you check out.

After you are done shopping you go to a register that is self scanning and you scan your scanner and then your shopping card -- it pulls everything up and then you can scan any coupons. You then pay and leave.

Oh yes, we do have self scanners, but I meant the one they have directly on the cart (like in the video) . You take the merchandise from the shelf, scan it and put it in your bag - that's it! You would have maybe at the entrance/exit a clerk checking your receipt if you scanned everything and then you're on your way out. That would eliminate all cashiers, long lines and tons of time spent standing in line.

The one I use -- no one checks your receipt -- although at random there may be an audit --- happened to me a few times. When you check out it tells you to wait for assistance -- a worker then comes over and will randomly scan items in your cart to make sure you are not stealing.

Once an item did not ring in when I was being audited - seems I bought several of the same item and instead of ringing each separately I scanned one of the items 3 times - so the kicker is - you are really supposed to ring each separate item.

Here is a link to the store's website and the self scanner use:

http://stopandshop.com/shopping/shopping-tools/scanit/

Except, of course, the long lines at the unemployment office where the cashiers would now be standing. It is an insidious trend and I refuse to participate in any way at all.