I'm having a tough time imagining a scenario where you're in too much of a hurry to spend 30 seconds returning the cart, but not too much of a hurry to buy your merchandise and load it in your vehicle.

Then your time management sucks.

Believe it or not, jail!

If you are in such a hurry you don't even have 30 seconds, you shouldn't be shopping in the first place, especially if you buy enough to fill a cart.

I suppose if it was dire you save those 30s, it's acceptable.

But you would not be immune to being judged by a third party. They wouldn't know the situation is dire unless explaining it, which would take at least a few seconds.

The post specifies an exemption for dire emergencies. It would need to be pretty dire for 30s to make a meaningful difference.

Otherwise, by the metric here, you're a bad person whenever you're in a moderate hurry.

Unless you get a phone call just after unloading your shit into your car what sort of emergency allows you to shop but still demands literally no second be spared?

Walmart sells indulgences.

I always just park next to the cart return things. Makes it easier to find your car and you don't have to walk as far.

The description says unless it's a dire emergency