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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Paying for petrol

130 replies

PorkPieandPickle · 29/03/2014 19:35

Is it ok to leave a sleeping baby in the car (locked) while you pay for petrol? My husband says its fine as you can see the car from the shop, but this parenting group on FB have been totally slating women who do this.
I usually have a sensible handle on things but this one is confusing me. I have always asked my husband to fill up so I don't have to avoiding the situation but he keeps telling me its fine to leave her (but humours me anyway and fills up!)

OP posts:

Delphiniumsblue · 31/03/2014 08:01

The joy of MN, dollius.

differentnameforthis · 31/03/2014 08:53

It's not illegal in Australia either

It's illegal in SA (South Australia). Each state has it's own rules with regards to lost of issues, this being one.

A woman was prosecuted for leaving her kids while paying for petrol.

SoonToBeSix · 31/03/2014 08:57

I would never do it , just carry the baby seat and don't be so lazy. Carjacking is very rare but why take the risk.

CountessOfRule · 31/03/2014 09:01

My baby seat is Isofix. It plus baby weigh around three and a half stone. I'd need both hands. Then there's the other two children, one of whom is a bolter so needs firm hand-holding. Then I need another hand for my credit card.

I make that four so far.

Like I say, I pay at pump wherever possible.

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 31/03/2014 09:40

The situation on a hot summer's day in Australia is v different to a mild winter day in England though. There aren't that many days in England where a car can overheat in a few minutes. In Oz it could happen most of the year and is very dangerous.

InSpaceNooneCanHearYouScream · 31/03/2014 09:42

I think it's fine OP, but I would never lock kids in the car, just in case of fire etc. I take the keys with me and then keep an eye on the car from in the petrol station. Fires do happen in cars which have recently been running, and locking children inside the car is ill advised.

FantasticMax · 31/03/2014 10:05

There was a story yesterday in the Daily Fail about a woman in Denmark (I think), who went to pay for petrol leaving her 8 year old in the car, asleep. The car was unlocked and an opportunist thief jumped in the car and drove off. The mother was reunited with son an hour later (the thief had dropped him off at a house a street away).

I always leave DD (2 yo) in the car while I'm paying for petrol, but I lock the car. The risk of anything bad happening is so low, and I think it would be less safe to take her out of the car, into the forecourt. That's my risk assessment, I don't care what anyone else does. When she's older and less likely to dart away from me when walking, I may decide to get her to come in with me but for now I think a toddler is safest in the car.

My nearest pay at the pump is 16 miles away btw, when you live in a rural area it's not so easy to fill up at the pump without DC.

differentnameforthis · 31/03/2014 10:08

GhoulWithADragonTattoo

This has NOTHING to do with the heat! She wasn't prosecuted because it was hot, it was because she left her children in the car, unattended

whatever5 · 31/03/2014 11:07

it would be safer if one parent went to Tesco after the other was home but I don't see many people suggesting that, and the risk of being hit in the car park, there being a fire in the store etc is probably greater.

The risk certainly isn't greater at our local Tesco compared with the petrol station (petrol station been robbed at gunpoint on more than one occasion). Anyway arguably babies benefit from visiting shop so benefits could outweigh small risks. While there is no huge risk with taking a baby/small child to a petrol station, I can't see any benefits either (for the baby) so I avoided doing it.

dollius · 31/03/2014 12:40

I would never do it , just carry the baby seat and don't be so lazy. Carjacking is very rare but why take the risk.

Why take the risk of going anywhere in a car at all?

Seriously, do people really live life thinking they might be car-jacked?

And as for "don't be so lazy", WTF?

This thread is full of utterly ridiculous and hysterical people.

You should come to where I live - people don't even bother using car seats or seat belts for kids here. You would have heart failure.

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 31/03/2014 13:45

"While there is no huge risk with taking a baby/small child to a petrol station, I can't see any benefits either (for the baby) so I avoided doing it"

If that was taken to the extreme, a parent should do nothing during the day for even 5-10 minutes? Even if baby is asleep in the car?

DH and I do not have time to do all our tasks and manage our home and have a relationship and have our careers without sometimes taking the kids along with us to some not especially stimulating places. Risk analysis involves benefit analysis as well.

Ah well, agree to disagree and all that...

whatever5 · 31/03/2014 13:58

Risk analysis involves benefit analysis as well.

Err yes...... That is what I just said. There wasn't a benefit to my babies or to me really with taking them to the petrol station so I avoided the (admittedly small) risk.

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 31/03/2014 14:05

Yes, to me there is a benefit to me/DH in integrating a petrol trip into our day.

Life's rich tapestry and all that!

whatever5 · 31/03/2014 14:18

Yes, to me there is a benefit to me/DH in integrating a petrol trip into our day.

That's up to you. I was just explaining why I didn't leave my children in the car to get petrol when they were babies/small toddler.

borisgudanov · 31/03/2014 14:28

The last place I want mine running about is the forecourt of a petrol station. YANBU.

Delphiniumsblue · 31/03/2014 16:52

I love the 'just carry the baby seat in', said by someone with one small baby and not a mother with 10 month old twins, a 3 yr old and a 5 yr old!

TheDoctrineOfSnatch · 31/03/2014 17:06

Delphiniumsblue · 31/03/2014 19:06

I have a friend with triplets-if you saw the lengthy operation to get them in the car you wouldn't suggest getting them all out for petrol!
I think that if you have one small baby, and you can easily get them out then you should do so but not pass judgement on those who don't have it so simple.

Scrounger · 31/03/2014 20:58

Doctrine, really high risk on the putting back out bit. I've done it carrying two car seats plus twins before. Although not whilst paying for petrol, just trying to get out of the door a bit quicker.

IShallCallYouSquishy · 31/03/2014 21:00

DH more often fills my car up but on the occasions he doesn't, When DD was tiny there was no chance of risking waking her up by taking out the car. I could see the car from the little "shop" and always parked as close as possible. Now she's a toddler no chance I'm risking a tantrum on a petrol forecourt at her being taken out, allowed to walk for all of a minute, then put back into the car.
And now it's newborn DS and toddler I'd rather just not have the hassle. Getting them both in the first place is enough work as it is!

MiaowTheCat · 31/03/2014 21:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pipbin · 31/03/2014 21:50

I don't have DC but I have driven for about 20 years. In all that time I have never seen a car burst into flames, a raid, a car stolen or lorry smash into the forecourt.
By the way people are talking you must all live in some rough places if there are security guards and raids!

Bowlersarm · 31/03/2014 21:50

That's charming Miaow. Lovely rational post. . I think you'll find most people commenting have 'tried it' what with having children and all.

OddFodd · 31/03/2014 22:27

But Miaow's right. This is just like a Baby on Board sign. About as irrational but it makes people feel they're better parents if they have one

Bowlersarm · 31/03/2014 22:31

I don't think Miaows right to be so rude.

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