Page 3 | Do you leave kids in car whilst paying for fuel?

elm26 · 2026-06-13T11:50:01+00:00

I’m not saying which one of us does which but here’s the scenario, 9 month old and 3 year old in car. You cannot pay at pump (we have one of these which is miles from us). You’re only paying for fuel, you’re not choosing drink/crisps or anything else, literally in, pay and out. YABU - you’d take both kids in with you YANBU - you’d leave them in the car

tiramisugelato · 14/06/2026 19:17

looselegs · 14/06/2026 19:15

Because I'd rather keep them with me than leave them alone in the car....

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Even though it's more dangerous?

looselegs · 14/06/2026 19:15

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 13/06/2026 13:49

But why deal with faff of getting them in and out when you don't need to?

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Because I'd rather keep them with me than leave them alone in the car....

JessLou80 · 14/06/2026 19:15

Honeyhonay · 14/06/2026 17:28

Sure you did!

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Well yes I did actually - why on earth would I make that up??!!

JessLou80 · 14/06/2026 19:14

ByRubyOrca · 14/06/2026 17:25

I always bring mine in. There was a tragedy locally a few years ago where a mum nipped into the shop for less than two minutes and the car went on fire. Nobody could get her son out and he died in the fire.

even though I know logically the chances are very low, it’s sort of stuck with me as it was so horrific.

How awful :-( Exactly - accidents happen. Always best to be on the safe side and have your children with you

Allonthesametrain · 14/06/2026 17:38

Always tried to avoid it be filling up at pay at pump but when I've had to then yes, as long as I can see through the window every second. Xx

Honeyhonay · 14/06/2026 17:28

JessLou80 · 14/06/2026 16:40

safest to take children with you - I have seen someone leave a baby in the car before whilst going to pay for petrol - the car got stolen with the baby in it! It takes 2 seconds to grab a baby car seat and take with you

Sure you did!

ByRubyOrca · 14/06/2026 17:25

I always bring mine in. There was a tragedy locally a few years ago where a mum nipped into the shop for less than two minutes and the car went on fire. Nobody could get her son out and he died in the fire.

even though I know logically the chances are very low, it’s sort of stuck with me as it was so horrific.

maddiemookins16mum · 14/06/2026 17:22

In the 45 years I’ve been driving, raised my own child, Nannied for 9 others (all under 7), I have never taken a child across a petrol station to pay. I don't think I’ve ever seen someone take their child in with them either.

VIII · 14/06/2026 17:14

JessLou80 · 14/06/2026 16:40

safest to take children with you - I have seen someone leave a baby in the car before whilst going to pay for petrol - the car got stolen with the baby in it! It takes 2 seconds to grab a baby car seat and take with you

Well surely it's common sense to not leave the keys in the car regardless of whether there was a child in it or not ...

JessLou80 · 14/06/2026 17:10

GisGasGus · 14/06/2026 16:59

Had she also left the keys in the ignition?

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No idea - I just saw someone jump in the car and drive off with the baby

GisGasGus · 14/06/2026 16:59

JessLou80 · 14/06/2026 16:40

safest to take children with you - I have seen someone leave a baby in the car before whilst going to pay for petrol - the car got stolen with the baby in it! It takes 2 seconds to grab a baby car seat and take with you

Had she also left the keys in the ignition?

JessLou80 · 14/06/2026 16:40

safest to take children with you - I have seen someone leave a baby in the car before whilst going to pay for petrol - the car got stolen with the baby in it! It takes 2 seconds to grab a baby car seat and take with you

igelkott2026 · 14/06/2026 16:28

I used to go to a petrol station which was a bit more expensive but the pump was right outside the kiosk so I felt better leaving ds in the car while I went into pay.

My nearest petrol station isn't pay at pump (it used to be but they decided they wanted to force people to go into the shop in the hope that they'll buy something else).

Swiftie1878 · 14/06/2026 16:28

AgnesMcDoo · 13/06/2026 12:51

Yes I did leave in the car and so does the majority of the population.

in 30 years of driving I have NEVER seen anyone take their kids into the shop with them when paying.

kids should not be on a forecourt

Edited

At that age, I took mine in.
Not now they’re older though.

GisGasGus · 14/06/2026 16:26

JessLou80 · 14/06/2026 14:31

It is the laziest option to leave children in the car not the safest option

You know those too aren't mutually exclusive, even if true?

When I had 3 children under 4 I didn't leave in the car because I was lazy, I'd have had to be insane to attempt the logistics of doing anything else

Leavin4 · 14/06/2026 16:22

Safest place for them is in the car. If you take them out they are at greater risk of being run over and inhaling the fumes.
You can usually see them the whole time from the kiosk. You can lock the car if you
wish.

Bleachedjeans · 14/06/2026 15:11

Leave kids in car with at least 2 windows half open.

Bjorkdidit · 14/06/2026 14:37

JessLou80 · 14/06/2026 14:31

It is the laziest option to leave children in the car not the safest option

Of course its safer to leave them in the car. They're far more likely to trip or hit by a car on the forecourt than something happen to them while they're sitting in the car.

Honeyhonay · 14/06/2026 14:36

JessLou80 · 14/06/2026 14:31

It is the laziest option to leave children in the car not the safest option

In what way is it safer to walk children forward and backwards across (often) multiple lanes of cars driving through the pumps?
Whatever risks you’re afraid of happening while a child is still in the car will be significantly less likely to happen than the likelihood of them being hit by a car.

TrayBakesAreSweet · 14/06/2026 14:34

I sometimes took mine in, sometimes left them in the car. It depended on whether I could see them from the pay point and how busy it was. If I knew there would be a queue, they came in with me. There is a 4 year age gap between my two, so I felt ok leaving them in the car if I was going to be quick, once the youngest was well past the baby stage. The pay at pump stations only became a thing after my youngest was born and I tried to use those as much as possible. Still do as it means I don’t have to interact with people😅

JessLou80 · 14/06/2026 14:31

It is the laziest option to leave children in the car not the safest option

GreatThingsAwait · 14/06/2026 13:59

I used to leave my kids on the car. It felt safer than getting them all out and crossing the forecourt. It didn’t cross my mind to take them with me. I’d be quick and I’d keep an eye on the car.

Pinkflamingo10 · 14/06/2026 13:55

I always brought my three in. Now that my eldest is 10 I leave them sometimes- but only if it’s the petrol station with no queues and where I can see them all from the shop till.

Honeyhonay · 14/06/2026 13:54

allthegoldicouldeat · 14/06/2026 13:48

I took them on in very difficult circumstances. Long and tragic story unfortunately.
They are my blood relatives but not my birth children.

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You are not single nor the parent to 6 very young children therefore it’s ridiculous to use it as part of your argument that other parents should just wait however long until another adult person could accompany them to buy fuel. Any actual single parent or even parent would know how utterly ridiculous that is.

Alwaysgrowing · 14/06/2026 13:48

With one child I took her in with 2 I don't. I mostly use pay at pump so only occasionally took them in.