Supermarket trolley redux

[stephbg]

Rememer that tricky corner in the supermarket carpark? Of course you do. I've taken it a few times since then but today I think I finally nailed it despite--or perhaps because of--a shocking undersupply of spoons. Perhaps neccessity was the mother of invention and today I could only afford the most economic of motions.



To recap for those unwilling to plough through previous reportage (and I am shocked, deeply shocked), my supermarket carpark has a sharp left-hand sloping turn that's a bit tricky to take with a heavy trolley.

I've been trying to perfect the manouvre required to take that corner without rolling over or disappearing up someone's exhaust, but I've had limited opportunities to practice without looking like a lunatic. Actually, it never occured to me to do extra practice runs; now there's something to consider for the future. The security guard's a nice guy, I'm sure he'd let me do it.

I think I may have re-invented drifting. Getting around the corner required a tiny bit of spin at the right moment to start angling the trolley just before the ramp. Then, an easy bit of pulling on the side of the trolley to pivot it around my weight and make it's nose turn over 90 degrees to the left while keeping the actual forward momentum of the whole thing on a clean line around the turn. I think that's oversteer, with drifting (or understeer, with knitting *shrug*).

I barely moved; it barely moved, but we all ended up in the right places and moving in the right direction. Much better than the original wrenching and staggering efforts. I don't think I've ever thrown a person before--I have *very* limited martial arts training (that didn't feature throwing) and don't you let me forget it--but having done this it feels like it would be easy to shift a human if you knew how*.

*giggle*

I have the new Wax On Wax Off: I'm sure I could work up a martial arts training montage in the local supermarket. Coming soon: Kung Fu Coles Kid

I am pleased :-)



Clearly nuts, but pleased all the same.


(*) I was going to say "toss a human" but that would take us somewhere I'd rather not go kthxbai.

Comments

[ducts.livejournal.com]

Oooh, the wondrous field of trolley kinetics. Pushing it to spin 360 degrees while making linear forward progress.

I think I've discovered some similar techniques on UCC Coke runs - you can fit about 300 cans, 120kg, in a standard trolley, but the top layer is above the metal sides and is at risk from excessive acceleration.

[stephbg.livejournal.com]

Ah, someone who understands.

[possbert.livejournal.com]

The Coles supermarket in South Perth has underground and overground car parks, which are quite easy to manoeuver, though I do foresee terrible trouble should cars coming down the ramp meet those coming up the ramp (both have blind corners).

Then there's the Council carpark next door. Wheeling one's trolley from Coles to the Council carpark takes great skill, courage and muscles, as the footpath has a really severe camber to the road. Takes a lot of effort to a. not run off the footpath into the path of cars and/or buses coming up behind you; or b. run into the cars that are parked on Angelo St.

Great amusement for people waiting at the bus stop, watching women of a certain age wrestling trolleys, I'm sure.