1. I blame the store. If there is a cart corral nearby I use it. If not, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. I always try to park next to one.
2. They hire low IQ people to gather the carts. They need jobs too.
3. I’m not their employee. Not only do they not pay me to wrangle carts, they try to CHARGE ME 5 cents for a worthless paper bag that rips.
How would you feel if someone else thought the same way that you do, didn’t find a spot close enough to a cart return, left their cart out....and it drifted across the parking lot and crashed into your vehicle?
Would you be understanding that it wasn’t actually the person’s fault who didn’t return their cart? Would it actually be the store’s fault or maybe the low IQ employee who didn’t collect the cart in time?
Not putting carts back is very low trust society, high time preference, third world behavior.
Put your carts back every time. If it’s too much trouble, then don’t use a cart at all. Just carry everything in your hands.