Here’s a better idea: draw the outline of half a 2-euro coin, add a “lollipop stick”, cut that shape out of 2mm aluminum from the hardware store, and you’ll never need a shopping cart token ever again: stick the half-coin into the cart’s lock, unlock, twist sideways and retrieve your little tool.
If you’re a nice person, unlock 10, 15 or the whole stack of carts for the next shoppers who need a cart and don’t have a coin.
It will work if you print it out of PLA, but it won’t be as durable and you can break it inside the lock.
Where I live, people bring their cart back whether there’s a coin in it or not. But the one thing you can count on is that few people carry coins around anymore. Therefore the locks are more of an inconvenience to everybody than a genuine help for the stores to keep their parking lots tidy.
In fact, the store are totally aware of this: I live way up north, and when it gets really cold, the stores unlock all the carts themselves and keep them loose so people don’t have to take their gloves off and manipulate freezing cold metallic disks, so they can grab a cart and get inside as fast as possible.
Some of the newer style locks have a tray that you have to sit the coin in and slide the tray in. A bit like the OG PS2 disc tray. So unfortunately this tool isn’t universal.
But for the traditional slot on the front style, yeah, that’d be cool.
Here’s a better idea: draw the outline of half a 2-euro coin, add a “lollipop stick”, cut that shape out of 2mm aluminum from the hardware store, and you’ll never need a shopping cart token ever again: stick the half-coin into the cart’s lock, unlock, twist sideways and retrieve your little tool.
If you’re a nice person, unlock 10, 15 or the whole stack of carts for the next shoppers who need a cart and don’t have a coin.
It will work if you print it out of PLA, but it won’t be as durable and you can break it inside the lock.
Yeah fuck the people who work at the store, amirite
Depends on where you live.
Where I live, people bring their cart back whether there’s a coin in it or not. But the one thing you can count on is that few people carry coins around anymore. Therefore the locks are more of an inconvenience to everybody than a genuine help for the stores to keep their parking lots tidy.
In fact, the store are totally aware of this: I live way up north, and when it gets really cold, the stores unlock all the carts themselves and keep them loose so people don’t have to take their gloves off and manipulate freezing cold metallic disks, so they can grab a cart and get inside as fast as possible.
Gotta keep them on their toes. You wouldn’t want their jobs to get too boring.
Where I live you can just go get a free token from inside the store. They are metal and you can keep them.
Yeah but you have to go inside, wait in line and ask for a token - if then even have tokens left.
Wait in line? I just go to any register from the side of the exit and ask it.
Where I live, they only give tokens at the customer helpdesk.
Oh that sucks.
Some of the newer style locks have a tray that you have to sit the coin in and slide the tray in. A bit like the OG PS2 disc tray. So unfortunately this tool isn’t universal.
But for the traditional slot on the front style, yeah, that’d be cool.
Make the handle wider and longer then give it balls