The Key To Liberation
April 14, 2008 by tony · 6 Comments
Often it is the small victories which give the most pleasure. When times are hard and it is difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel, the smallest success can make everything seem possible again.
In France the supermarket trollies are called chariots, to set them free from their chain gang a coin or a jeton has to be inserted in a slot – I think the reason is to encourage people to return them to their parking places, not to prevent them being trundled off down the road.
Many a time and oft I have not had a suitable coin or plastic disc to release a trolly, but now I have learnt the secret how to release these infernal machines, without leaving a coin in the slot.
The secret to this anarchistic trick is the metal key you can find to unzip a corned beef tin or some sardine tins. Just push it in the slot and wiggle it – the trolly is released and you can remove the key. Keep one on your key ring, you do not have to take it off each time.
Of course you could be very mischievous and liberate all the trollies you find parked outside stores and airports, you will need two for the big trollies in Ikea though.
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Brilliant! What a cracking suggestion. Many’s the time when I have spent longer trying to get some change to put a €1 in the trolley than I have actually doing the shopping!
I cannot understand how come one is more likely to have a sardine tin key in ones handbag rather than a euro coin?? I have the plastic discs that are given away free in a lot of shops (Brico Depot for sure) drill a hole in it and attach it to your car key ring, that way you will never be without it.
How is this easier than having a jeton on your keychain or else keeping a Euro coin in your car? And those won’t wear a hole in your pocket.
If you have the jeton on your keychain, you have to remove it, plug it in and then put it back on again after use – often I do not have a one euro coin, leave it in the car, forget it etc – the sardine key is on the keyring all the time, does not have to be removed and is always there.
I am thinking of making a keyring which is a sardine key as well. It can have my logo on it and actually be a real keyring which has a universal use – I wonder if it is patentable?
But really it is the joy of unlocking the trolly and freeing them which appeals to me
I have no problem ensuring I always have a £1 coin and a 1 euro coin in the car. My problem is not having enough grip in my fingers to retrieve it from the slot after shopping. Ok I will try the sardine car key, but any ideas about coin retrieval?