Putting fuel in the car with kids in tow!

[rainbowheart]

This scenario has caused a strong discussion between me and my husband..

What do you do with your baby when you put fuel in the car?

So to give some context.. my husband borrowed my car yesterday and when I went to go out this morning it had no fuel in it.. so off I go to the petrol station to find the pay at pump wasn't working.. so I drove to another station and theirs wasn't working either! The petrol station was busy, I could see that there was a que inside and it's a really hot day.. so I fill up, wake my sleeping 8 month old and take him in with me to pay. He's crying from being woken, I have a sprained ankle so the whole hassle of it annoyed me.

I moan to my husband about the situation and he's says I'm being dramatic and I should of just left him in the car when I go to pay. I argue that it was hot out and I know there's a que inside so I didn't want to just leave him in the car! I couldn't fill up later as I had to go pick him up from work and didn't have enough fuel to get there. I'm annoyed with him for leaving me no fuel.. I just think it's rude to take someone's car and return it empty.

But speaking to people they seem to think he's right and I could if just left the baby in the car.. just interested to see what other people do with their little ones it they have to go inside to pay for fuel.

Leave in the car. I can always see the car and lock it if I see anyone unsavoury approach.

I'd never leave a baby/ child in the car. I agree that your husband is a nightmare (I'd have been really annoyed) but I think you made the right call. There's so many things that could happen: someone stealing the car, a car going into the back of your car or the baby choking on their sick.
I'd never judge anyone doing it, but personally I wouldn't.

I leave mine in the car or pay at pump.

My nearly 3 year old has never been inside a petrol station. I always leave him in the car, even if he's awake.

Leave in the car. Never done any different, never known anyone to do any different.

I think if it wasn't so hot out I'd of left him in the car.. but at the weekend he was unwell with an extremely high temp and he had a febrile convulsion which scared the life out of me so maybe I'm just feeling extra sensitive and worrying more than I should.

I have never in 30 years of driving, nor 18 years of being a parent, seen anyone take their baby or toddler or child inside a petrol station with them.

Yes, it's a bit hot at the moment. Just leave the windows down a bit.

Oh dear this is me! Didn't know that was an exclusive mn thing, I always take my baby in!

Don't like leaving her in a stationary/parked car, I'm very worried a car will drive in and crash into my car.

Yep, only on mumsnet do people take kids in to pay. Mumsnetters are an anxious bunch.

If he leaves you without fuel again, tell him to make his own way home from work.

Well, if he'd had a febrile convulsion a day or two before I probably would've taken him in with me too.

However, I leave mine in the car.

I'm not sure where this paranoia around cars crashing into the back of you while stationary at a pastoral station comes from... I'd love to find an actual statistic! And I'm going to google UK car thefts from petrol stations because I really can't see that being a big problem, what with all the CCTV and the owner being within 10 metres of the vehicle!

Have never taken either of mine out of car while paying for petrol. Far, far more chance of sustaining injuries from someone driving into you on the forecourt than sitting in a stationary car.

I always use pay at pump but if it wasn't working like it wasn't for you I'd of probably left her in the car but thankfully the pay at pump has always worked 🤞🏻

Oh and yes he's a dick for leaving you fueless, well not a dick maybe (a bit harsh) but very thoughtless of him.

I’d have left a sleeping baby in the car as long as the car was in the shade and I could see the car at all times.

I realise the law in the USA is different to the UK

I leave my precious dog in the car with the windows open a bit and he’s been fine.

When my children were small, pay at pump didn’t exist so you had to go in and I left my children and absolutely nothing awful happened.

Wouldn't cross my mind to take my DC out the car. And I don't think I've seen anyone do it in all the years I've been filling up. I'd have left a window open and gone into pay.

Cars being stolen or crashed into never entered my mind when deciding what to do.. it was purely the heat that bothered me today.. I have a keyless start car and I'm terrible for leaving the keys in the car yet it's never been stolen.. I think stealing a car from a petrol station is very unlikely.. not when it's really busy anyway. Pre baby I've gone into pay for fuel and left the keys in the car numerous times.. and shopping and on the drive over night.. I'm actually really lucky my cars never been stolen 😂

@NannaNoodleman I'm sure it is actually a very low risk re cars crashing into you at a petrol station. However as with most things in my life I just assumed you had to take your child with you and weren't allowed to leave them. Based on absolutely nothing but I have odd anxiety!

Babies are safer in a car than being carried in arms across a forecourt.

I can't believe people leave their most precious child in the car after filling up.

With all the fumes and mobile phones, isn't it dangerous?

It's far safer to leave a well baby or child in the car than it is to take them across the forecourt.

I've never met anyone in RL who has taken their child in to pay for fuel

If you've more than one small child you have no choice. I have to leave them in the car.

In all my years of driving I have never seen anyone crash into another car, seen a car or a baby stolen or anything blow up with a mobile phone being used next to a petrol pump

I can't believe people leave their most precious child in the car after filling up.

Oh, I wouldn't leave the most precious one, only the ones I'm not so bothered about