Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Shaped and channeled parking lots

Gravity fed shopping cart return.
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At some driving ranges (golf) the grounds have been landscaped to incorporate contours, slopes, high spots etc, that channel all the golf balls to central gathering points, like a drain, where they collect and are mechanically delievered back to the pro shop, similar to bowling bowls. Railroad switching yards use the same principal to marshall empty box cars. A parking lot could be designed to incorporate gravity in the same fashion, using a slight grade and sweeping channels the carts will do the slow mosey to gathering points, where a conveyor belt will hook onto them and bring them back to shopping cart central.
ty6, Sep 23 2002


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       Now if we can just keep any customers from parking in the way, this should work!
lurch, Sep 23 2002
  

       Like it.
FarmerJohn, Sep 23 2002
  

       Inventive and bakeable I'd think. Plus the kiddies will love it, "can I 'take' the trolly back?, can I? Please!?"
Zircon, Sep 23 2002
  

       Sponsored by Dave's Wile-U-Wate Paintjob Palace (right next door!).
General Washington, Sep 23 2002
  

       unfortunately, the guy who used to take the carts back is out of a job. still a bun, though, just because it's neat.
fischerman, May 17 2011
  

       The trolley guy could make a fortune pretending to be able to use The Force.
marklar, May 17 2011
  

       This is a nice old idea, but reading the title, about parking lots (car parks I presume), and then the comparison with railway marshalling yards, made me think that it would be for your car - you drive up to the supermarket door, get out of your car, leave the handbrake off and give it a push. Gravity parks it neatly for you.
pocmloc, May 17 2011
  


 

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