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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To leave the children in the locked car when paying for petrol

88 replies

Ilovemyself · 06/06/2013 17:30

I hate to do it but it is a pain to get the twins ( or all 3 when I have them with me which is less often) out, take them in and then get them back
In their car seats.

I don't want to do it but it seems the only thing to do.

OP posts:

youarewinning · 06/06/2013 20:34

15 month old twin AND a 3 month old

I'm impressed you manage to get up, out the house and to the petrol station.

Seriously though, I leave my DS (8) in the car, have done for as long as I can remember. Also now leave him when I nip into co-op, Aldi etc. God love the iphone!

maddening · 06/06/2013 20:44

there are usually signs saying dc are not allowed on the forecourt.

yanbu imo more dangerous on the forecourt - especially dc walking or multiple dc.

Original poster

Ilovemyself · 06/06/2013 20:56

Thechaogorsmoo. I guess you would also home out with a faceacous comment if something did happen!

And yes, after 12.5 years of trying for the twins we thought we better try for no 3 quickly. We didn't think it would take 12.5 weeks! We do want another but will wait a while. [grins]

I have never thought about fire or explosion. That is a negligible risk. But someone stealing the car with the kids in is more of a chance.

OP posts:

ChillyChillyIcebat · 06/06/2013 20:57

I've seen a car go from pulled over to inferno in a matter of minutes so I pay@pump or take her with me. No idea what I would do with three though!

thebody · 06/06/2013 21:01

I have never ever seen anyone get their babies out of the car to pay for petrol.

Yes every day of the week babies are stolen from cars which then explode in forecourts.

I think you must be hot op that's why they are looking at you.

dribbleface · 06/06/2013 21:05

I have also seen my car go from stopped to well alight in minutes, i always pay at pump.

GoodbyePorkPie · 06/06/2013 21:07

Seriously? People take their children into the gas station because they think their car might explode?

neunundneunzigluftballons · 06/06/2013 21:19

Ahhh I remember the outrage when I asked this question when I had my first 8 years ago. Virtually everytime she sat in the car she fell asleep and very innocently I asked on a forum similar to this if it was ok to leave her in the car as she was likely to wake up being traipsed across the forecourt. There was actual spitting of nails in my direction. Thankfully though none of the concerns expressed actually materialised. All those strangers who considered stealing her left her behind. All that spontaneous combustion never happened. All those hand breaks that I could have accidently left off never happened and she and her sister actually made it though my negligence. Now though that I have my precious last born and I am having no more children so he will be my baby forever I would never dream of leaving him in the car when I pay for petrol sure anything could happen to him :-).

TheChaoGoesMu · 06/06/2013 21:26

I'm just pointing out that children are more likely to have an accident on the forcourt ilovemyself And no I wouldn't home? out with a facetious (assume thats what you meant) comment if something did happen to a child in a car. Obviously. Why would I? I would have nothing but sympathy for someone in a rl situation whose car blew up, got stolen, etc etc if they had kept their child in the car in a bid to keep them safe.

Idocrazythings · 06/06/2013 21:43

I would with older children, but not ones of your age. I would just try to avoid having to fill up whilst they where there.. Sometimes it can take a long time inside the station, cars can get really hot when parked (do you wind windows down); what if one became distressed? Or if they all sit near each other what if a twin decided to "feed" the baby?

Do you treat half as empty then fill up when it's around half- on weekends etc when dh in car too? Or if you live near a station could you not pop down when dh home- leave him to do the dishes and go fill up.

My reason why is once I left dd in the car, when she was 2 1/2, at a shop I was only getting something from the counter so not gone long and could see the car the whole time (not their faces though), like at a petrol station. she was with her older sister, and I took the baby with me. I was no more than 10min. She decided to start screaming (she does that- there was nothing wrong) and from the window of the shop I could see two women standing around the car. They told me off when I got back. I was so embarrassed and felt like the worst mother ever, still feel bad about it actually. Before that I'd leave her in the car at the petrol station, but after that never. It was mortifying, and I only ever told one person about it. Now the whole Internet community knows .

Idocrazythings · 06/06/2013 21:49

Oh sorry you're the DH. Please change DH bits for DW/ or DP!

debduck · 06/06/2013 21:53

until the internet I didnt realise there were other options. I leave them in the car. I dont think I did when they were newborns, but I get a bit crazy after having them extracted.

tiggytape · 06/06/2013 21:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IneedAsockamnesty · 06/06/2013 22:00

I always think people who don't leave them in the car are really quite stupid, especially if they give you that ohhhh my child is soooo much safer than yours look whilst they are car dodging.

WafflyVersatile · 06/06/2013 22:04

It would not occur to me for a second that this would be problem.

mercibucket · 06/06/2013 22:23

i really dont understand the whole spontaneous combustion of car therefore pay at pump is safer argument. surely, not putting the kids in the car at all if you worry about spontaneous combustion is the more logical response?

FattyMcChubster · 06/06/2013 23:25

Ido, you don't think anyone should leave their child in the car whilst they pay for petrol because someone once questioned you about doing it? So nothing bad actually happened? Although I do think there's a difference between paying for petrol and doing a bit of shopping.

It really take some of you 20 minutes to pay for petrol?

What happens if you can't pay at the pump? You only have cash or they don't accept your card?
What if you don't have anyone to watch the baby while you go for petrol?

Quangle · 06/06/2013 23:48

I get mine to pump up the tyres and let them play with the sand bucket while I get the petrol and the Minstrels...

thebody · 07/06/2013 00:02

I tied my 4 to posts and did the whole of my Christmas shopping!

NaturalBaby · 07/06/2013 00:09

I had 3 under 3 and have never left them in the car to pay for petrol. Pay at pump or any other time when DH was around.

mumofweeboys · 07/06/2013 00:50

No way Im a dragging a newborn, 2 yr old.and 4yr old out of the car to pay for petrol. I leave them in there.

mumofweeboys · 07/06/2013 00:53

I also go to the garage on purpose if need to pick up milk, bread ect as quicker and easier than taking all kids out of the car into a shop

wanderings · 07/06/2013 06:58

I've seen many near misses involving drivers and pedestrians in petrol stations. Pedestrians don't look before heading to the shop, and the same pedestrians don't look when they drive away from the pump! Come to think of it, in many years of using petrol stations I don't think I've seen many children on foot at all on the forecourt, but presumably they are there in the cars.

As for something happening to them while they are in the car (fire or kidnap)... let's remember that simply being in a car on the road is a risk in itself, even with all the safety features of modern cars.

LookingForwardToMarch · 07/06/2013 07:07

I just happily leave mine with Dh whenever I plan on filling up.

I realise this isn't an option for everyone, but in that case I reckon they are safer in the car than toddling across the court

yanbu

Balaboosta · 07/06/2013 07:11

Insanely dangerous to get them across a garage forecourt. I leave them in the car.

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