In the front of shopping carts, about 5 inches off of the ground, is a metal bar, that is shaped like an inverted U, the bottom of the U being in the front.

Anyone who has been shopping in the same store as parents who let (make) their kids push the cart may be familiar with the agony of having a fully-laden cart rammed into the back of their Achilles tendon. Maybe it was your own kids who gave you the honor of "The Hop".

The thing is, the cart-bar is positioned perfectly to hit right in the perfect spot. If it were lowered (or raised) by about 2-3 inches, and maybe padded, it would instead hit the heel of the shoe, or the muscle (if raised), instead of the Achilles tendon.

Or maybe a scoop, like a train's cow-catcher.
-- DesertFox, Apr 06 2006

You're off roading cart http://www.nickhadd...ery/BN-Fastest4.JPG
It's even jet powered! [S1, Apr 07 2006]

Off roading capabilities of the new-generation trollies would be adversely affected.
-- Texticle, Apr 07 2006


I'm thinking, and I may be wrong, that the bar is set at that height for off-roading reasons. I don't know if you've ever taken a cart on a camping trip but let me tell you, that bar is handy to have when traveling over roots and rocks while running away from wild life. But I could be wrong.
-- NotTheSharpestSpoon, Apr 07 2006


Then raise it instead of lowering it. And since when do you take a supermarket trolley off-roading?

Camping? I bring an ice chest.
-- DesertFox, Apr 07 2006


[Texticle ], how's you do that? Were you just thinking along the same lines as me or are you psychic? Or... have you been following me?

[DF]- You've not taken a cart off-roading? Then you have not truly lived, my friend.
-- NotTheSharpestSpoon, Apr 07 2006


Okay, seems like trolley-off-roading is a sport somewhere.

So we raise it a few inches instead of lowering it. Makes off-roading easier!
-- DesertFox, Apr 07 2006


In NYC I've seen guys pushing their women (and belongings) around the streets in shopping carts. They seem to navigate the curbs, etc. pretty well. Not really Off-Road, but On-Roading.
-- xandram, Apr 07 2006


sp. catcher

I'm all in favour of ideas that cause me less pain.
-- dbmag9, Apr 07 2006


+ //I've seen guys pushing their women (and belongings) around the streets in shopping carts//

Is this so they can ring the doorbell of the girl's parents' house & run away like in Animal House?
-- Zimmy, Apr 07 2006


//Or maybe a scoop, like a train's cow-catcher.// The guy in the link could probably use one of those... +
-- S1, Apr 07 2006


[NotTheSharpestSpoon], not only am I psychic, and have been following you, but I've also been up to a few other things that will be revealed in the fullness of time.
-- Texticle, Apr 09 2006


Maybe instead of lowering or raising the bar, you just push it back an inch or so. That way, the basket part of the cart hits you before the bar, and the offroad capabilities arent affected.
-- Chickenbreadthe1st, Apr 09 2006


That works too.
-- DesertFox, Apr 09 2006


[Zimmy] Unfortunately, I think they were homeless folks. They know how to make good use of shopping carts and other objects.
-- xandram, Apr 10 2006



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