There is a story in our local newpaper this morning about a grocery store belonging to a major chain being sued. This store had been losing an average of 50 shopping carts a week to theft from their lot at a cost of approximately $150 each. It doesn't take long for this to amount to a significant loss for the store.
The store manager decided it was time to do something about it. The shopping carts had been equipped with an electronic braking mechanism which would lock up the wheels on the cart if it crossed a signal wire buried along the edges of the parking lot much like the invisble dog fences some people use. This would effectively confine the carts to an area inside the perimeter of the store's property.
Signs were attached to each cart informing the shoppers of exactly what would happen if they attempted to remove the cart from the store's property and that they could be injured by the sudden stop of the cart.
It seems one lady either failed to actually read the sign, or didn't believe it. After doing her shopping she proceded to push the cart toward her home. The moment the cart crossed the "invisible fence" it's wheels locked up exactly as intended, the ladies momentum carried her forward against the cart and she broke a couple of teeth against the handle.
She filed suit against the grocery store for her injuries. I am happy to say that the judge demonstrated rare judicial common sense and ruled against her based upon the facts that the signs on the carts clearly indicated what would happen and that it could result in injury, that she was injured in the commission of a crime, and that basically she did it to herself.
Chalk one up for the good guys for a change.