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AIBU?

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Original poster

One of nursery staff left their car running

316 replies

EnglishBrits · 06/05/2026 09:07

Whilst she went into side to drop of her children. It was off nursery premises and she works part time and children attend the nursery as well.

Aibu to report it? She does it daily.

OP posts:
Jc2001 · 06/05/2026 12:31

EnglishBrits · 06/05/2026 11:03

Why? The point is the car is on, no driver. How is that not dangerous

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It's not in isolation.

LiviaDrusillaAugusta · 06/05/2026 12:30

WTF have I just read?

Witchonenowbob · 06/05/2026 12:29

BleedinglyObvious · 06/05/2026 12:28

Because it is illegal, environmentally harmful, dangerous and stupid.

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So who do you report it to?

pinkyredrose · 06/05/2026 12:29

MidnightPatrol · 06/05/2026 09:11

What’s her crime here?

I thought it was illegal to leave cars idling.

BleedinglyObvious · 06/05/2026 12:28

AnnaQuayRules · 06/05/2026 11:55

I can't stand people leaving their engines running but why would you report her? And to who?

Because it is illegal, environmentally harmful, dangerous and stupid.

CoralOP · 06/05/2026 12:28

LlynTegid · 06/05/2026 11:47

Or you could care about the welfare of a child left in a car.

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A lot of people leave a kid in the car when they run ti get things, petrol etc, probably hundreds of thousands of people. I wouldn't but I'm not going to be running around reporting them all, that would be a ridiculous waste of my life. I'm assuming there's nothing actually illegal about leaving a kid in a car due to the vast number of people that do it, is that wrong? Is it actually against the law and all these people need their kids removing from them? Genuinely asking?

Witchonenowbob · 06/05/2026 12:28

EnglishBrits · 06/05/2026 10:41

Leaving a car running..... Yeah all well until her kid in the back of the car goes on the handbrake and her car crushes a kid????

Would that not happen even if the car wasn’t running?

Tryingtokeepgoing · 06/05/2026 12:25

EnglishBrits · 06/05/2026 11:03

Why? The point is the car is on, no driver. How is that not dangerous

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A car left running on private land with no one in it is fine from a legal perspective, and poses no danger. Not so good for the environment mind you

A car left running on a public road with no driver is illegal, but not dangerous.

A car left running with no driver and a child in is is stupid whether on public or private land, but still might not be dangerous because most (all?) cars need you to have your foot on the brake in order to get it into drive, or in the case of a manual a foot on the clutch to get it into gear, which a child, who should be strapped in anyway, is very unlikely to be able to achieve.

MyDeftDuck · 06/05/2026 12:25

Well, if she left the engine running and the vehicle unattended she’s asking to get it stolen so more fool her!

Withthe2Ls · 06/05/2026 12:25

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Slowdownyouredoingfine · 06/05/2026 12:24

I do this, tbh I hadn’t even considered it was a bad thing to do. If I turn the car off I have to connect my phone again is my only excuse, and I definitely didn’t know it was illegal. I shall be more mindful. I don’t think she leaves a kid in the car though, OP seems to have added that in secondary to her complaint to make the situation look worse.

MNBV221 · 06/05/2026 12:22

Stressedoutmummyof3 · 06/05/2026 11:59

Why is there a child in the car? I thought you said she was dropping them off? And why didn't you mention that originally? I think you just don't like this staff member and are looking for an excuse to get her in trouble.
Who are you going to report her to? Nursery or police? It is illegal but I doubt the police will do much. It's not on nursery grounds so they might tell her not to do it but I'm not sure if they will actually do anything.

Because of course, no-one can have more than one child to drop off at different places 😂

Considering this site first showed me that nutters some parents take their children into the petrol station to pay instead of leaving them in the car, because of the 0.00005% chance the petrol pump will blow up, I am surprised at people telling the OP she is wrong.

PullyDog · 06/05/2026 12:20

TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne · 06/05/2026 10:47

No dogs, one toddler drip feed.

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Close enough 😂

Give it a couple more pages and she might add a dog too

PullyDog · 06/05/2026 12:16

Surely the issue should be leaving a kid in the car and not leaving the car on??

Fuck me Id rather the toddler was left with the air con on, but leaving the car running isnt the problem here

StrictlyCoffee · 06/05/2026 12:14

EnglishBrits · 06/05/2026 10:41

Leaving a car running..... Yeah all well until her kid in the back of the car goes on the handbrake and her car crushes a kid????

The engine doesn’t need to be running for that

AppropriateAdult · 06/05/2026 12:13

SpringSSW · 06/05/2026 09:12

How old are the children?
Our nursery have a blanket ban on leaving any siblings in the car when dropping off children, so they would absolutely want this reported.
The fact the car is left running is a massive worry. I still remember my siblings and I being left in a car whilst my mum popped in somewhere, we were messing about and one of us knocked the handbrake off and we started rolling down the hill, luckily my older sister knew how to stop it, otherwise it could have been an awful situation.
So yes. I would

Why would your nursery have any jurisdiction over how you choose to manage your other children while you’re dropping off? Confused

StrictlyCoffee · 06/05/2026 12:13

Get a life seriously

Yes it’s illegal to idle a car engine but you just sound like a busybody

ACynicalDad · 06/05/2026 12:12

Biggest risk is the car is stolen. That's her business not yours.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 06/05/2026 12:11

It doesn’t sound appropriate and I don’t get why she would want to it - my car doesn’t even allow it which is annoying when I want to de-ice

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 06/05/2026 12:10

EnglishBrits · 06/05/2026 10:41

Leaving a car running..... Yeah all well until her kid in the back of the car goes on the handbrake and her car crushes a kid????

Well you never mentioned that there was a child in the car

Bundleflower · 06/05/2026 12:08

Nearly50omg · 06/05/2026 12:04

I would have turned the car off and taken the keys out and loudly called her out in front of the nursery manager!

And everyone would have been very impressed and cheered…?

Bundleflower · 06/05/2026 12:07

This is a 999 situation if ever I’ve heard one.

Summeriscumin · 06/05/2026 12:05

There’s wars and plagues and gangs killing each other and you are enervated by this? Stop it.

BleedinglyObvious · 06/05/2026 12:04

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It's illegal and dangerous. It's somewhere where it could kill children if the handbrake failed.

Wouldn't you prefer someone to report it if it prevented an accident or fatality?

Nearly50omg · 06/05/2026 12:04

I would have turned the car off and taken the keys out and loudly called her out in front of the nursery manager!