to get annoyed at parents letting small children control trolleys in supermarkets

[Xfirefly]

the reason I ask is because I was whacked by one yesterday. I'm usually quite chilled out and got a lot of patience but why would people let very small children go wild with trolleys in busy supermarkets?

the mum witnessed the child hitting me and other people (one an elderly man) but continued on without apologising and letting him to it. I did say ouch loud enough to make a point.

am I just being a grumpy sod?

[jacks365]

Can I be grumpy with you about the mother who let her young child ride his bike in the supermarket

[RoseRedder]

when you say small, how small were they?

[carlajean]

YANBU. Years ago I let my daughter push one of those mini trollies (do they still have those?) and she knocked over an elderly lady - she just pushed it and let go. I had no idea she was going do it and still feel bad about it.

[rainbowfeet]

A pet hate of mine too!

[sublimelime]

Sometimes the idea is that it keeps the child busy and from running all over the place, gives them a job to do. Have trialled this myself with varying degrees of success. Rule is DC has to let you hold trolley or take over, otherwise there have been some close calls . Not actually rammed anyone though, hit the odd shopping basket. DC loves 'driving' the trolley a little too much.

[qazxc]

YANBU if trolley is whacking people and you don't even get a sorry. I have let kids push the trolley but always have a hand on it where they can't see so that i can avoid collisions, move it of the way of people or stop it if need be.

[Xfirefly]

I'm not good with age but around 6. could only just reach the bar. I don't mind kids around 8 pushing the trolley and behaving.. its just the ones that are running mad with one and you're diving out the way whilst trying to push the pram...and the parents are just oblivious to it. if I get hit I'm biting my tongue and fuming inside

a bike!? I haven't encountered this!

[Xfirefly]

yeah if you're supervising that's totally OK. its just when they're running off with the trolley . being rammed from behind with a trolley hurts

[HarpyFishwifeTwat]

I hate it with a passion. Made the mistake of going to Tesco on Saturday and there were about ten different families with children pushing trollies or having races up and down the aisles or just generally messing around. Reminded me why I much prefer online shopping.

[sublimelime]

They are just pretending not to notice, hoping that you assume that is not their child, whose Dad / Granny let them push and then has got distracted, leaving them to pick up the pieces. Inside they are dying with embarrassment....wondering how they can get them to stop without causing a scene...

[WhereIsMyHat]

Iesu grist, I struggle to push one so there's no way my kids are being set free on a full size trolley.

When we were on holidays in France last summer the supermarche had mini kids trollies which my 5 and 3 year old pushed around while DH and I filled them up. It was quite entertaining.

[LittlePeaPod]

YES, You are not been unreasonable. This happened to me. I am 8 months pregnant and I was whacked by a trolley been pushed by a child. Nearly fell but caught myself. Mother went to walk past without saying anything until I asked her if she was going to appologise to me and if she thought what had just happened was acceptable. To say the least she looked extremely embarrassed after I pulled her up on it because there were quite a few people around at the time and I wasn't discrete.

[Freddiefrog]

YANBU.

I let my youngest push the trolley on the odd occasion I have to take her with me to the supermarket (it keeps her occupied and stops her getting under other people's feet), but, the deal is, she holds the handle and pushes, I hold the end and steer.

[ZombieMojaveWonderer]

My kids push the trolley but I always hold onto the end while it's moving. I'm usually the one getting hit but I will of course apologise if we hit someone else. Keeps them busy and out of trouble.

[kiriwAnyFuckerwa]

I do let DS push the trolley because he has SN and honestly is a lot more annoying/dangerous/liable to hurt you if he isn't pushing the trolley. That said, I hold the side of the trolley so that he doesn't bash people with it as he would like

[Topseyt]

Not at all unreasonable. I hate this, and I never did let my kids do it.

Being bashed by a supermarket trolley hurts at the best of times. They can also be hard to control when they are fully laden (mine never seem to want to go in the same direction as I do), and young children aren't capable there, never mind often being oblivious to the chaos they are causing anyway.

[Grennie]

Knocking over an elderly person could end up leading to their death. I have known elderly people who break a hip from a fall and end up dying as a result within months. Many young people don't realise just how vulnerable older people can be, and how much of an impact a fall can have.

[Whatsthatnoise]

I work in a supermarket and saw a little girl lose her front tooth after she ran into someone, while pushing the trolley (her face hit the handle).

[Xfirefly]

the elderly man had his hand whacked and you could see it hurt him.

I was also hit by trolleys when pregnant ..but it was adults pushing them. I think of all the times I've been hit only 10% have apologised.

glad I'm not the only one who feels like this.

[marmaladeandguitars]

YANBU. It's a stupid idea. Almost as stupid as letting a 3-year old push their own buggy. Which would have been fine, except that it was a great heavy thing, on a steep path, by a lake, and my 3-year-old was at the other end, minding her own business. Didn't get an apology then either

is still bitter

[Crowler]

Some people are so convinced of their child's universal adorableness that they cannot consider a painful whack from a trolley a "real" issue.

[LittlePeaPod]

I can understand parents wanting to distract their kids and making the shop easier for themselves. What I don't get is how can they not see when the kids are out of control for god sake and why don't they appologise when their out of control kids bash, knock over and whack elderly, pregnant, toddlers or anyone actually. It's just down right rude and ignorant.

[gnushoes]

Slight hijacking, but also hate it when people let their little darlings run up and down the aisles in supermarket as it's very difficult to stop a heavy trolley quickly sometimes. Once my trolley hit a child who'd just run out in front of me out of nowhere and I did my best to stop but still tapped her (not hard). Her parents then followed me round the supermarket threatening to beat me up. No sign of them with her before that.

[UserError]

I let my DS do it (3.5) because he has ASD and for some reason he feels calmer in a supermarket if he has control of the trolley.

I do, however, fling myself in front of it, arms flailing and screaming 'Stooooooooop!' if he's on a collision course.

I don't WANT him to push the trolley. I do it because yes, it makes life easier for me and everyone else in the supermarket, even if they don't know it.