In article ,
(Martyn Drake) wrote:

On Thu, 30 Jun 2005 16:25 +0100 (BST), Colin Rosenstiel wrote:

You never used a buggy or similar vehicle?

I was never a fan of buggies when I was small. I kept getting out and
wanted to walk alongside my mum. I was always a keen walker from an
early age. Whilst it's great to see kids with their mums on a shopping
trip, I do think it's worth considering that one of the problems is that
some people seem to think the bigger the buggy, the happier and safer
the child will be. Not always the case.

Most of them ARE ridiciously overcomplicated (and expensive to boot)
beasties which could be replaced by lighter, more practical models. I've
nothing against buggies per sae, but I do have a problem of seeing
parents using impractical, expensive and needlessly huge monsters which
tend to get in everybody's way.

Don't get me started on the buggy society. My wife and I are cyclists and
used the bikes to carry the children until they rode their own or walked.
Shopping centres round here allow buggies in to access shops like
Mothercare or the Early Learning Centre but don't allow bikes to do the
same, even when performing the same role! Young children have quite short
walking ranges as well as being easier to control in a buggy or seat.
Buggies are no use for cycling parents but the children have to be got
closer to the individual shops than our car-obsessed society, assuming
buggies, will allow. Grrr!

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Martyn Drake wrote to uk.transport.london on Sun, 3 Jul 2005:

Interesting stuff, which reminds me of something I saw the other day.
Toys 'R' Us in Woking (but it'll probably be like this at any of their
branches) have big signs up at the entrace to the store stating that you
can't bring shopping bags into the store and that you need to leave them
in your car. I don't have a car. I don't drive. My wife and I rely on
public transport. Thus we won't be shopping there at all when our
adopted daughter comes along.

I don't blame you. Wouldn't you have thought they would ask you to
check your bags at the door, as many shops used to do - they were quite
safe, left with a staff member whose job it was to look after them.
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 23 May 2005

In article , Mrs Redboots wrote:
I don't blame you. Wouldn't you have thought they would ask you to
check your bags at the door, as many shops used to do - they were quite
safe, left with a staff member whose job it was to look after them.

When I was a child at Bentalls (Kingston) parents could do the same with
their children - quite a treat being left in this room with all those new
toys. It probably improved everyone's sanity.

--
Tony Bryer

In article , Mrs Redboots
writes
Martyn Drake wrote to uk.transport.london on Sun, 3 Jul 2005:

Interesting stuff, which reminds me of something I saw the other day.
Toys 'R' Us in Woking (but it'll probably be like this at any of their
branches) have big signs up at the entrace to the store stating that you
can't bring shopping bags into the store and that you need to leave them
in your car. I don't have a car. I don't drive. My wife and I rely on
public transport. Thus we won't be shopping there at all when our
adopted daughter comes along.

I don't blame you. Wouldn't you have thought they would ask you to
check your bags at the door, as many shops used to do - they were quite
safe, left with a staff member whose job it was to look after them.

In all my 57 years I have never been asked to check my bags at the door
of a shop, except in supermarkets in the Philippines. Might be quite
nice, unless I had a plain brown paper bag from Ann Summers.
--
Nicholas David Richards -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

Nicholas D Richards wrote:

In all my 57 years I have never been asked to check my bags at the door
of a shop, except in supermarkets in the Philippines. Might be quite
nice, unless I had a plain brown paper bag from Ann Summers.

Quite common in bookstores frequented by students in the States. At
other bookstores, they would probably just expect bags to be left in the
car. *rolls eyes*
--
Michael Hoffman

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 22:26:02 +0100, Martyn Drake
wrote:

Interesting stuff, which reminds me of something I saw the other day.
Toys 'R' Us in Woking (but it'll probably be like this at any of their
branches) have big signs up at the entrace to the store stating that you
can't bring shopping bags into the store and that you need to leave them
in your car. I don't have a car. I don't drive. My wife and I rely on
public transport. Thus we won't be shopping there at all when our
adopted daughter comes along.

Quite. PC World annoy me in this respect as well, though in my
experience they will allow a bag to be left behind the desk.

Many larger German stores provide deposit lockers of the type found in
swimming pool changing areas to avoid this issue. It would be nice to
see that over here - not only for security reasons, but also to avoid
having to carry heavy bags around the shop.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.