Lindenwold, NJ: Haven for Cart Crime

This is a really bad picture, and I apologize, but I've seen this cart in Lindenwold along the White Horse Pike on my way to school every day this week.


It's been carelessly discarded near these sketchy apartments (Lindenwold is full of sketchy apartments, FYI).

When will people wake up??

Introducing the Feral Shopping Carts ( my first blog post, evah !!! )

Hi,

Blossom here.

I live in Canada's capital, Ottawa. I founded a group called the Feral Shopping Cart Society in order to track the infamous feral cart(mostly in my neighbourhood of Vanier, but elsewhere as well). I have been doing this on Facebook for almost a year now and have compiled an extensive research portfolio that I will be sharing with you periodically. This is my first blog post ever so bear with me if the formatting is a little wonky.



Welcome to Vanier, a neighbourhood in the centre of Ottawa Canada that has a large feral cart population.

Thanks for letting me share with you

and.....

Ye Olde Shopping Cart, Candid Cart Wrangler Photo Op, Exciting News

I feel fortunate to have seen the below photo of what appears to be an ANCIENT SHOPPING CART. It was at a local elementary school...I could have gotten a better photo but I was afraid of seeming creepy (kids were still being dropped off for school, etc). As you can see, this cart is constructed of pieces of wood, instead of the newer steel or plastic!


Speaking of creepy, I was able to inconspicuously capture this photo of a local shopping cart wrangler. I know he's just a kid trying to make some money, but I still wonder if he ever feels bad for forcing these carts into their corrals, loading them up with groceries, etc.

Lastly, some exciting news! Fellow runaway and wild carts awareness group, The Feral Shopping Cart, may soon be contributing to the Runaway Carts blog! Runaway Carts is excited to partner with another fine group to help bring about change in the lives of carts everywhere.

:)

Can one cart make a difference?

This New York based cart seems to have found a way to contribute to society as a Nanny! Perhaps this represents the seeds of a new generation that will be able to accept and value carts?

Is your home a prison for runaway carts?

I hate to play the blame game, but it seems that condominium and apartment dwellers are turning a blind eye to shopping carts that have gone astray. Surely these residents notice the runaways on their way out the door or when checking the mail! You have to act people, be an advocate for the poor defenseless carts in your neighborhood!

Here we are at Palm Terrace Condominiums, where I was shocked to find a shopping cart turned upside down right outside the entrance to the homes...

Next I arrived at Country Club Apartments. How appalling, no real "country club" would wait idly by as not one but TWO lonely shopping carts sit outside in the rain...

Disgusted, I packed up my camera and headed home. On the way I saw this runaway cart attempting to get to the other side of road and escape the grocery-carrying abuse it had endured at the hands of Publix employees...

I pulled over and pushed it the rest of the way across the street, hugged it goodbye and told it to enjoy it's new life of freedom!

Runaway Carts Internationale

It's official: Runaway Carts is HUGE in Mexico.

The following countries need to up their game: Oman, UK, Italy.

Raising awareness!!

Wendy and I are pleased that our message of hope for runaway carts is spreading!

My friend Aly sent me this photo of a troubled cart attempting to escape oppression at a Sam's Club in Lady Lake, Florida.



When I see this poor cart...desperately trying to escape servitude...trying to attract the attention of a nearby automobile...well, it just tugs at my heartstrings. When we will wake up and bring forth change in the lives of these troubled carts??

Thanks for helping to spread awareness, Aly!

This apartment building is a HOTBED of runaway cart trafficking. I will attempt to capture all of them on film tomorrow and tell their tale, but for now, here's one I saw out front of the building.

Blackwood, NJ has a serious runaway cart problem!!

Here's one I saw tonight on my way home from school. It was in front of the TD Bank at Little Gloucester Rd and College Drive in Blackwood, NJ. It was by the side of the road, no doubt hustlin' or waiting for the bus.

CVS Employee resting on a defenseless cart (Coral Springs, Pompano Beach, Deerfield Beach)

It was a very productive weekend for capturing stray cart photos.

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times. Carts are not chairs!:

A hungry K-Mart cart heading over to the Boston Market drive-thru:

Another K-Mart cart, apparently unconscious...

A rare, outcasted blue K-Mart cart attempting to make it to the main road and escape prejudice:

More disturbing evidence of cart servitude outside a business in Deerfield Beach, FL:

A second cart at the Deerfield Beach business...

A mixed color cart couple found along the road in Deerfield Beach:

I'm just a cart in the world...

Gwen Stefani, mocking the plight of runaway carts everywhere:

First Ever Texan Runaway Cart!

I proudly present to you RunawayCarts first Texan shopping cart!:

RunawayCarts is proud to represent wild Texan carts, in addition to those in Florida and New Jersey.

Good work Kathleen! :)

A Disturbing Trend: Involuntary Cart Servitude!

On my way home from work I noticed TWO INSTANCES of people using carts as chairs! Using a wild cart as a chair is not only insulting, it's immoral!


Yes, you have a long wait for the bus-but DON'T TAKE IT OUT ON THE CARTS, SIR!! As my cousin Hunter says-"this is a time for change!!!"

The woman pictured above is casually reading a book, totally oblivious to the suffering of the cart beneath her. Please, photograph and report instances of such abuse to runawaycarts whenever possible! And remember-CARTS ARE NOT CHAIRS.

Two more lost cart souls! Coral Springs, FL

I saw this little guy in an apartment complex across the street from Chik-fil-a. He's a little leafy and it looks like his wheels are getting stuck in the grass, a perfect example of what happens when people get tired of their carts and stop taking care of them! It probably wasn't necessary to put an arrow in this photo, but I like drawing arrows.


Another cart, this one laying on it's side!! How people can just walk by this poor creature and do nothing to help it is beyond me!

More runaways from the Garden State!!

Here are two more I saw on my way to school today!

This one was in the parking lot of a sketchy apartment building in Lindenwold, NJ.


And one in the parking lot of a seniors residence in Blackwood, NJ!


Sometimes carts are forced into a lifetime of involuntary servitude. I was unprepared, but I witnessed a man dragging a cart from behind some bushes and forcing it to carry his groceries!

Runaway Carts of Broward County!

I was watching a very special episode of "Police Women of Broward County" when I noticed this little guy hanging out at a suspects house. Kind of feels like cheating to take the picture from a TV show, but it IS my county, and this blog is all about putting the spotlight on troubled carts.

Atlantic Blvd, Pompano Beach FL

Another sad runaway cart on Atlantic Blvd., near the Wendy's. He was probably just trying to find some change or runaway french fries.

Atlantic Blvd & SE 24 Avenue, Pompano Beach

It took three u-turns to get this picture! I've finally learned that you can't take a good photo just driving by, so from now on I'm turning into the cross street...then taking the pic as I turn right to get back onto the main road.

This is a problem for the whole nation!

Here's one that was spotted at the PATCO High Speedline station in Lindenwold, New Jersey.