The Insanity of Trolley Bashing

Trolley Sculpture in Gold Coast Reserve

In this age of consumerism and joyful expansion of modern supermarkets in close vicinity to residential areas a phenomenon persists and is expanding. Have you ever wondered what happens to all of those supermarket trolleys that are stolen from shopping centres? Companies have made attempts to curb this trend. They have placed locks on wheels - much to the consternation of shoppers who suddenly find their trolley wheels locked, - and they even have coin pick up areas where you pay for a trolley and there is a coin return system.

The offender or thief, usually a male juvenile, finds wheeling trolleys around a residential street rather boring. Tipping a trolley end to end down the street and shouting "Fuck War Veterans" gets no response so greater creativity is required. A great idea is to line up the trolleys - how many ever you have managed to "nick' - on a council basketball court within full sight of the immediate neighbour and shout and yell obscene language, (a series of the word "FUCK" screamed again and again with high level guttural overtones) at the residents and visitors to the residents.

After some time this also becomes less entertaining so the Demolition Derby starts. At first, the primary demolition occurs in a hidden recess at the back of the reserve where you can bash and scream to your hearts content for a couple of hours until the trolley is literally a squashed piece of metal with various other pieces of the smashed trolley now lying around in the reserve. You have had to walk through quite a swampy area to get there so it's a good idea to remove your shoes and walk brazenly home with your shoes in your hands after two hours of bashing metal against metal with accompanying obscene language, screaming laughter and even some chanting.

Smashed trolley in Reserve bushes next to court

So that was fun - what next? The basketball concrete pad and basketball pole and hoop are the next target. Smashing of timber/metal continually into the court and screaming "Fuck It" at the top of your lungs exerts too much physical energy. So picking up a squashed trolley and slamming into the court and at each other seems a greater challenge. The accompanying chant "Fuck the trolley" seems to add greater thrill to the event. As your friends dash out of the way of the flying trolley it is a good idea to laugh hysterically - as this is really very funny.

Climbing the basket ball pole and attaching the trolley to the hoop and slamming sections of the trolley into the netting of the hoop seems to be a climactic hysterical event for the day. The screaming of obscene language continues. See photo at the top of the blog. Your actions are shared with pride and everyone can see your achievement. The crowning achievement is to swing from the hoop and then the extended hanging trolley. This too is fun. Then for a few extra thrills throw metal bits and pieces at the headboard of the basketball court. Even at times you can give yourself and your friends multiple claps.

What happens to the smashed trolleys? Where do they go? Is this happening everywhere? There must be quite a trolley grave yard - somewhere. The stealing of supermarket trolleys and the violent demolition of them by juveniles in our public parks and reserves is insane. Seemingly viewed as a prank this practice has serious implications. It involves theft, vandalism, damage to property, violence, disturbance of the peace and extensive costs to companies and communities..

Is this trolley 3?

It is on our residential streets that we can see the fractures appearing in our society.