Supermarket Shopping Trolleys

2StepSteve · 31 Dec 2009 at 01:56

How do they automatically stop working and the wheels lock up beyond the signs that state they will stop working beyond them?

I gots to know.

SlugForAButt · 31 Dec 2009 at 02:13

I'm confused.

pingwing · 31 Dec 2009 at 02:14

Magnets.....

Theres a sensor marking the edge of their range and then the magnets clamp it into place!

Better question is why? Do you miss stealing trollys?

megakid · 31 Dec 2009 at 02:15

They have magnets in the ground - you'll usually see a strip of slightly different coloured bricks, which have a sea of trolleys all around.

When the locking wheel goes over the magnet in the ground it triggers the brake to lock down and hence lock the wheel. This makes it very awkward to push when one of the four wheels are locked.

When I worked at Safeway as a kid, I had a plastic trolley unlocker key which reset the locks. They don't always work flawlessly, someone in our store hurt themselves when the trolley just decided it wanted to move no further and slammed on the brakes, queue the person going almost over the handles.

Gaidin109 · 31 Dec 2009 at 02:16

Its called a radlock:

http://www.gray-matter.co.uk/radlok.php

http://archive.thisisyork.co.uk/1999/3/3/324427.html

2StepSteve · 31 Dec 2009 at 02:21

Gaidin109 said:
Its called a radlock:

http://www.gray-matter.co.uk/radlok.php

http://archive.thisisyork.co.uk/1999/3/3/324427.html

ahhh! That was the kind of info I was after.

No.. not wanting to nick them, just was in a supermarket today and was left wondering.. silly question now indeed! Very profitable invention!

Thanks OCUK I can sleep easy now.

Tonyator · 31 Dec 2009 at 02:43

That's all wrong.... It's actually MAGIC!

mrk · 31 Dec 2009 at 02:46

Op is part of the team that puts sheep on trolleys I bet.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...-shopping-trolley-sheep-into-supermarket.html

Gaidin109 · 31 Dec 2009 at 02:52

mrk said:
Op is part of the team that puts sheep on trolleys I bet.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...-shopping-trolley-sheep-into-supermarket.html

Seems like a perfectly equitable pastime to me.

I like the fact that they hope the Kids will hand themselves in...not likely, and that they could be subject to a £5000 fine or 6 months detention for putting a sheep in a shopping trolley when parents put their kids in them all the time with no punishment whatsoever.

Dan87 · 31 Dec 2009 at 03:11

mrk said:
Op is part of the team that puts sheep on trolleys I bet.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...-shopping-trolley-sheep-into-supermarket.html

that is hilarious.

SlugForAButt · 31 Dec 2009 at 03:16

megakid said:
They have magnets in the ground - you'll usually see a strip of slightly different coloured bricks, which have a sea of trolleys all around.

When the locking wheel goes over the magnet in the ground it triggers the brake to lock down and hence lock the wheel. This makes it very awkward to push when one of the four wheels are locked.

When I worked at Safeway as a kid, I had a plastic trolley unlocker key which reset the locks. They don't always work flawlessly, someone in our store hurt themselves when the trolley just decided it wanted to move no further and slammed on the brakes, queue the person going almost over the handles.

I'm still confused. Partly because the Missus does the shopping but partly because I'm a Northerner and we probably don't have it up here yet. :confused:

I have no idea what you are all talking about but now I feel the need to go to Asda tomorrow to find out.

Abraham · 31 Dec 2009 at 08:40

incidentally if you put the trolley in the boot of a car and drive it out it doesn't go off, i imagine lifting it up high enough would have the same affect

Simon42 · 31 Dec 2009 at 08:55

As soon as I read this thread I had the mental image of people carrying trolleys out of supermarket car parks

Slime101 · 31 Dec 2009 at 10:32

Abraham said:
incidentally if you put the trolley in the boot of a car and drive it out it doesn't go off, i imagine lifting it up high enough would have the same affect

How do you know this?

TipTop · 31 Dec 2009 at 10:37

Abraham said:
incidentally if you put the trolley in the boot of a car and drive it out it doesn't go off, i imagine lifting it up high enough would have the same affect

Or stick your thumb up your *** and whistle dixie. I think this has been proven to work, somewhere.

This Side Up · 31 Dec 2009 at 10:48

Stealing a supermarket trolley - the ultimate in *****.

HungryHippos · 31 Dec 2009 at 10:54

This Side Up said:
Stealing a supermarket trolley - the ultimate in *****.

There's all kinds of uses for Shopping Trolleys, including but not limited to BBQ:

http://www.eglobe1.com/word/wp-content/images/photos/bbq-trolley.jpg

PhillyDee · 31 Dec 2009 at 11:02

SlugForAButt said:
I'm still confused. Partly because the Missus does the shopping but partly because I'm a Northerner and we probably don't have it up here yet.
I have no idea what you are all talking about but now I feel the need to go to Asda tomorrow to find out.

Yes we do. Asda in Boldan and Souith shields have them. Of course, they end up blocking the roads as people try and take them out there. Despite the HUGE signs telling them they cannot. Tossers.

BrightonBelle · 31 Dec 2009 at 11:40

They obviously need to put out a few more paving slabs at my local asda as there are always bloody trolleys in my road!

Clever though... I have often wondered how it works thank you OP

BB x

I get around · 31 Dec 2009 at 12:22

This Side Up said:
Stealing a supermarket trolley - the ultimate in *****.

Theres a lot of money in scrap metal if you steal loads of them.

Or people without cars who are too lazy to carry their shopping, or too poor to phone a taxi. Else kids who want to take it off sweet jumps.

I remember yonks ago when i worked at morrisons, I didn't lock one of the trolley bays properly, they were pound coin trolleys on chains, not locking, so someone got 3 massive rows of trolleys out and put them accross the main road for a laugh.

Supermarket Shopping Trolleys

Woman of Honour