Any paras tried pushing a shopping cart?

[funklab]

I went for years without doing so, but when I finally gave it a shot it was way easier than I thought. I saw this video on Youtube today showing a shopping cart made for wheelchairs (which I've never seen in the US) which reminded me of it.

It struck me that I've never seen another wheelchair user pushing a normal shopping cart. Maybe there are more of us out there doing it, to be fair I've probably only ever seen a half dozen wheelchair users out shopping in a grocery store or walmart, whatever, on their own.

Anywho, if you're averagely fit para with undamaged shoulders and wrists, it's quite easy to push a shopping cart from your wheelchair. Just push the chair with one hand and steer yourself and the cart with your other hand in the center of the shopping cart's handlebar.

[pfcs49]

Yes, I've done that but it's kind of useless.
Me, I appropriated a Shoprite blue basket. I carry it on my lap and have become quite adept at overfilling it. When I get to checkout I put everything on the belt in reverse order and go to the end to repack it likewise. As I've told over zealous check out people, how many of these plastic bags can I balance on my lap with the handles in my mouth!? I went there this evening to shop for a party of 35+ this Sunday and must say I'm proud of myself! In addition to 3 sides of ribs, 4 large packs of chicken legs and drumsticks, and a bag of shrimp, I picked up all the usual weekly stuff-oh shit! I forgot the chibata bread!-so much that when I reached the car, the huge mass of meat got put into my other (A&P) hot shopping basket, which is now in the breezeway up high on the wood pile because all wouldn't go in our fridge and it's 33*F outside. Tomorrow I'll worry about it

And that chick with the cart? That's kiddie city!

[Oddity]

Yeah. How else you gonna do it? Sometimes I "snake" with it too. Using my hips to turn the chair and both arms to wiggle the cart, like one of those jointed skate boards. That's kinda fun actually.

[ToastGuard]

I try to avoid using carts whenever possible by taking more smaller trips that only require a basket, but I've still had to push a cart MANY times. As you (funklab) stated at the end of your post, that is how I address pushing a cart. I push with one hand and hold the cart with the other. The size and how full the cart make a large difference in how easy it is, but as a fairly fit para, I've always been able to manage. The worst two places are Lowe's and Costco. Lowe's normal carts are not terrible hard to push, but if you load up one of the flat or wood carrying carts, they are a bear. For the wood carrying ones, I have to push from along the side of the cart and use my non-pushing had on the back of one of the side rails. It is not a pretty way to move around and usually results in some employee insisting to help (which I usually accept since I know my limits and want to protect my shoulders).

Costco carts are just giant, so pushing a cart so tall is a challenge to start, but then adding all the heavy bulk items make it specifically difficult. Costco actually has something like the cart from your video that has been offered to me multiple times by employees, but it simply lacks the capacity required for a good Costco trip.

All this said, pushing a cart is hard work and maybe there is an easier way, but if nothing else, I just enjoy it as a way to get some exercise.

[ancientgimp]

I can push the cart but usually take a cart and basket. I park the cart close to a register line and affix a small sign to it which says, "cart in use". I did this after the store took my cart a few times thinking it was a shoplifter's cart. I head off through the store basket and short reacher on my lap. I fill the basket, return and deposit in the cart. Back again out into the store for another basket load. Even when filled to the brim I don't have any problem maneuvering the cart to register line and I am 75 years old para.

[Oddity]

All of the stores near me offer delivery service. Shop on their site, schedule delivery, stuff shows up. 1 hour is quickest for delivery from Kroger. Pretty easy. No carts involved. Been using Blue Apron for meals for a while now, too. Amazon Fresh same day and their household staples delivery can dramatically minimize the need to ever have to push a cart. These services work really well in my experience.

[Mike_Stan]

I normally use a basket but depends if it will fit. I have pushed a cart many times without any trouble. Normally I park it in an isle and bring the groceries to it.

[Sit-N-Fly]

Pushing a shopping cart is one of the things we learned in rehab (27 years ago). It's pretty straightforward. The only problem I consistently have is finding a cart that doesn't have square wheels or one wheel frozen up or one wheel flapping like a hurricane flag or, well, you get the picture......

[Gearhead]

I can push the cart but usually take a cart and basket. I park the cart close to a register line and affix a small sign to it which says, "cart in use". I did this after the store took my cart a few times thinking it was a shoplifter's cart. I head off through the store basket and short reacher on my lap. I fill the basket, return and deposit in the cart. Back again out into the store for another basket load. Even when filled to the brim I don't have any problem maneuvering the cart to register line and I am 75 years old para.

Not a para or pusher but I've read some of the same issues I have in a powerchair. Parking cart, using baskets till they're full, return to cart and empty basket. Works well until a diligent employee sees an abandoned cart. I've thought about putting a sign on the cart but my frustration with many stolen carts has prevented me from making a cordial sign. I'll use the "cart in use" label. My local Wal Mart is the worst at taking carts. My Publix has the most obstacles (they call displays) that make it near impossible to navigate. Too many times I have knocked things over, spilling things. I get extremely angry with Publix about this (marketing tactic BS).

I have soft coolers with hard inserts. 2 of them fill cart, 1 smaller sits on top of 2 larger. For small loads, I don't use cart, just 1 or 2 coolers. I can put salad in with frozen which allows salad to last longer in my fridge (because it wasn't allowed to warm in route home). Zip ties as a large loop on zipper handle makes it easy to zip/unzip. Hard inserts protects food from getting squished when I'm loading and unloading.

[ancientgimp]

Not a para or pusher but I've read some of the same issues I have in a powerchair. Parking cart, using baskets till they're full, return to cart and empty basket. Works well until a diligent employee sees an abandoned cart. I've thought about putting a sign on the cart but my frustration with many stolen carts has prevented me from making a cordial sign. I'll use the "cart in use" label. My local Wal Mart is the worst at taking carts. My Publix has the most obstacles (they call displays) that make it near impossible to navigate. Too many times I have knocked things over, spilling things. I get extremely angry with Publix about this (marketing tactic BS).







I have soft coolers with hard inserts. 2 of them fill cart, 1 smaller sits on top of 2 larger. For small loads, I don't use cart, just 1 or 2 coolers. I can put salad in with frozen which allows salad to last longer in my fridge (because it wasn't allowed to warm in route home). Zip ties as a large loop on zipper handle makes it easy to zip/unzip. Hard inserts protects food from getting squished when I'm loading and unloading.

These sound like good solutions. Store staff have told me shoplifters fill carts and abandon them until they believe store staff are not watching then make a beeline to parking lot. My sign helps staff identify my cart as the one being used by the crazy old gimp with the reacher and basket.

[pete4sake]

Quite a few years since I have done the dance with the cart some stores are eliminating baskets too Home Depot and their pails are tough How do you balance a 5 gallon Pailin your lap?

[royb]

I've learned that if you have a smooth rolling cart you can hold onto the handles and turn the front of the cart from side to side and it will pull you along.

[stephen212]

I never push a shopping cart. Instead, I shop with a basket on my lap. I sometimes bring 2 baskets and in that case request that someone carry the second basket to my car.

[nevada]

I just stick my feet under the bottom of the cart and push along and steer the cart by my hands if needed. I use the cart as a mother ship so to speak and park it at the top of the aisle and then use the basket on my lap as my gatherer. Once I have all the items that I need from that aisle I curise up the adjacent ones and get my other items. I then return to my cart and unload my items get behind the cart and move down another couple of aisles and repeat the process. I found that the hardest part of my shopping was asking someone to get an item off a shelf that was to high for me to reach and then unloading the items from the cart onto the moving belt at the check out counter. I then let the checkout person bag my items and I load the bags into the cart and then depending on the weather I either push the cart to my car or let one of the store employees do it. I load the bags into the trunk of my car or let the employee do it as I get in the car and break down my chair and I am off.

[August West]

Yes, I've done that but it's kind of useless.
Me, I appropriated a Shoprite blue basket. I carry it on my lap and have become quite adept at overfilling it. When I get to checkout I put everything on the belt in reverse order and go to the end to repack it likewise. As I've told over zealous check out people, how many of these plastic bags can I balance on my lap with the handles in my mouth!? I went there this evening to shop for a party of 35+ this Sunday and must say I'm proud of myself! In addition to 3 sides of ribs, 4 large packs of chicken legs and drumsticks, and a bag of shrimp, I picked up all the usual weekly stuff-oh shit! I forgot the chibata bread!-so much that when I reached the car, the huge mass of meat got put into my other (A&P) hot shopping basket, which is now in the breezeway up high on the wood pile because all wouldn't go in our fridge and it's 33*F outside. Tomorrow I'll worry about it

And that chick with the cart? That's kiddie city!

I do that too. But I get concerned about all the weight on my legs for a long time and try to do 2 trips if necessary.

Any more than that, I ask for assistance. They bring a cart and load everything. Goes really fast that way. But better yet is home delivery.

The only issues with home delivery are: 1) I prefer to hand select meats and produce, and 2) you don't see the specials that are available in the store. For example, the lowest price on a whole chicken from Instacart may be $3.49/lb whereas I know it's $1.99/lb in the store.