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Is Kleptomania a UK problem?

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Is Kleptomania a UK problem?

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Old Jan 10, 2018, 4:46 am
  #46  
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Originally Posted by enviroian
You mean there are pumps in the UK that dispense gasoline without paying for it first? I don't think we had pumps like that in the US since the 1970's.

The aforementioned Tesco uses cards at the pump and no need to go inside to pay.
There are few things that irritated me more on holiday than the inability to use the credit card function of a gas pump in the US (because my UK-issued credit card doesn't have a five-digit ZIP, obviously). We have a holiday place in SW Florida and every time I needed to fuel up I would have to go inside, wait my turn, then give the attendant my credit card so that he could release the pump. In some places they wouldn't even do that, they'd take an authorisation for $100, them let me pump. So in, out, pump, in, out; the opposite of convenient. Now that I live in Germany where they also use five-digit postal codes I can finally pump without interacting with the chap behind the counter.
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Old Jan 10, 2018, 4:50 am
  #47  
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Originally Posted by stut
Where theft is a problem, you will see magnetically triggered brakes on the wheels. Locations for this may surprise you, but the proximity of university students (like in Canterbury) is often a factor...
I've never understood trolley theft. Unless you are a hobo, what would you want with a grocery store trolley?
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Old Jan 10, 2018, 4:53 am
  #48  
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Originally Posted by LondonElite
I've never understood trolley theft. Unless you are a hobo, what would you want with a grocery store trolley?
From observation: laziness (the ability to transport goods home), wantonness (the ability to throw it into a canal) or shenanigans (wheeeeee!)
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Old Jan 10, 2018, 5:26 am
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Along with traffic cones I recall my Halls of Residence often had a collection of trolleys there.

As a member of the LSE Rugby team we would never dream of taking such mundane items, we would always go for something with class, verve and a little bit of danger. Like the "h" off the sign for the Pheasant pub...
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Old Jan 10, 2018, 8:04 am
  #50  
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Originally Posted by stut
From observation: laziness (the ability to transport goods home), wantonness (the ability to throw it into a canal) or shenanigans (wheeeeee!)
Yes, nothing says classy like a trolly outside your front door. Presumably next to a sofa?
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Old Jan 10, 2018, 8:31 am
  #51  
 
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Originally Posted by LondonElite
I've never understood trolley theft. Unless you are a hobo, what would you want with a grocery store trolley?
Drunk people do strange things.

Originally Posted by Worcester
Along with traffic cones I recall my Halls of Residence often had a collection of trolleys there.
I only encountered a stolen trolly once during my uni years. It was at a party some friend's friends recommended. The trolley wasn't so bad. The dirtiness, smell and the live rat the hosts had caught and trapped with a old piece of furniture were. I didn't stay for 5 minutes. We had lots of traffic signs. Someone even had a traffic sign with its ~7 ft. post.
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Old Jan 10, 2018, 8:03 pm
  #52  
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The Waitrose (fairly new) in Ashford does not have locked carts. I wonder what a food retailer determines what city gets the lock and who doesn't.

When i'm back in May I will be at the Sainsbury superstore in Ashford. If memory serves they don't require a deposit either.

Between the windscreen squeegees and the shopping carts it's quite clear I have some issues.
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Old Jan 11, 2018, 4:45 am
  #53  
 
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Originally Posted by enviroian
The Waitrose (fairly new) in Ashford does not have locked carts. I wonder what a food retailer determines what city gets the lock and who doesn't.
It's IMO surprising that some stores don't have them. Virtually every supermarket in Europe I have visited requires you to use a coin to release the carts.

Carrefour in France has trolley mainly made out of plastic (so less damage to cars) and their coin locks are horribly flimsy. So flimsy that you can use one of these



and simply yank them out again without using too much force.
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Old Jan 13, 2018, 8:05 am
  #54  
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Originally Posted by LondonElite
There are few things that irritated me more on holiday than the inability to use the credit card function of a gas pump in the US (because my UK-issued credit card doesn't have a five-digit ZIP, obviously). We have a holiday place in SW Florida and every time I needed to fuel up I would have to go inside, wait my turn, then give the attendant my credit card so that he could release the pump. In some places they wouldn't even do that, they'd take an authorisation for $100, them let me pump. So in, out, pump, in, out; the opposite of convenient. Now that I live in Germany where they also use five-digit postal codes I can finally pump without interacting with the chap behind the counter.
You probably tried this already, but sometimes 00000 works.
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Old Jan 13, 2018, 8:07 am
  #55  
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Originally Posted by WorldLux
It's IMO surprising that some stores don't have them. Virtually every supermarket in Europe I have visited requires you to use a coin to release the carts.
It's a real nuisance because I don't carry coins routinely.
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Old Jan 14, 2018, 11:05 pm
  #56  
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Originally Posted by Calchas
You probably tried this already, but sometimes 00000 works.
Yup, tried that, no luck!
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Old Jan 15, 2018, 12:58 am
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Originally Posted by Calchas
It's a real nuisance because I don't carry coins routinely.
There is nothing like living up to your social stereotype...
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Old Jan 17, 2018, 12:07 pm
  #58  
 
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Originally Posted by Calchas
You probably tried this already, but sometimes 00000 works.
You could also try the numbers in your postcode followed by zeroes.
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Old Jan 17, 2018, 3:14 pm
  #59  
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Originally Posted by Worcester
There is nothing like living up to your social stereotype...
Not sure which of my stereotypes that is ... but we'll go with Londoner who always pays by card
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Old Jan 17, 2018, 10:53 pm
  #60  
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I was filling up my rental earlier at an ARCO in Renton, WA. I couldn't but help to look at the squeegees in their detergent filled vats with paper towels for users. I didn't see anyone taking them in their car with them.

I'm going to MEX next weekend. I'll report on the squeegee situation there.
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