Happy 75th Birthday Shopping Cart – Happy Birthday Germs

Today we celebrate the 75th birthday of something most of us use once a week, the good old shopping cart!  Funny how as a dad now, I finally pay attention to those studies that place shopping carts on the list of top germ-infested places.

When I was a single guy, or just a married dude with no kids, I never thought a thing about shopping cart handles.  When you see studies that put cart handles anywhere in the top ten including as high as number 4 according to Sixwise.com.

Now, I can't help but think about the germs crawling wild all over those rolling infestations.  I look down and see my one-year old gnawing on the handle, and I want to immediately inject her with penicillin and douse her in hand sanitizer.  I even use hand sanitizer now, even though I never cared before.  I guess there's something that makes your brain think differently when you're a dad.

One thing that hasn't changed, is my feeling on people eating things while they shop.  I'm not talking about the Saturday samples, but the random bag of chips and bottle of soda that some folks will open while they shop, and then pay for the empty package.  It's partly the germs on the carts that disturbs me, but more so, the fact that, I don't see that as your property until it's paid for.  I know a lot of people that do it, even some of my best friends, but I don't like it.  What do you think about these issues?

Do you take precautions with germ-laden carts?

Do you think it's OK to eat/drink things you haven't paid for while you shop?