Paying for petrol - take baby or leave in car?

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Not really an AIBU, more a question to get a general feel. Posting here for traffic really.

I usually use pay at pump but was reading a story about a woman (in the US) who left her baby in the car when paying for petrol (and presumably didn't lock the car) thieves stole her car, but they dropped the baby off in the car seat elsewhere where she was found by a jogger.

Do you a) leave your baby in your locked car to pay for petrol. Or b) take the baby in with you? What if the baby is sleeping do you take the whole car seat?

I guess there are other dangers other than theft - fire, explosions. What do you all do? Is there "official" advice?

Drive through fuel stations down our way - Pay at pump or drive through are pretty much the main 2 options so no dilemma!

Where are all these people who take their children into petrol stations rather than leave them in the car?

In my twenty years of driving and buying petrol, I can't remember seeing anyone doing it.

It never even occurred to me to take my two into the shop to pay. I always just left them in the car. Even with a queue it never takes more than a few minutes and I've never yet been to a petrol station where you can't see the pumps from the shop. I've also never seen anyone go to all the palaver of getting kids into and out of car seats in a petrol station so I suspect that most people do the same as me in real life.

I leave them but I never lock them in - always thought if something did happen I would want to get to them fast! Will probably change my mind when they are old enough to let themselves out.

Icanhearyou It might be fine to leave your kids in the car in England under the forecourt shade for the majority of the year. Here its 38C in the shade with high humidity and your car heats up rapidly so its over 50C within 10-15mins. It is feasable that it takes that long to pay which is why we picked a car with the ability to stay running with no keys while the doors are locked.

I have no idea ShesARumUn because I have never had the irritation of it either. You want people to be as quick as possible.

Urm, I take my kids to pay with me. Sorry if I slow down the queue! I left DD1 once and she was screaming blue murder when I returned. I felt so bad that I never did it again. Now they are 3 and 6 and they always come with me. Or I use Pay at Pump if possible. It just doesn't sit well with me, so, there you have it. Each to their own.

want this is a UK website where we discuss... well... UK things

You take a 3 and a SIX year old across a forecourt to pay for petrol?

are you still going to do it when they are 12 and 14?

You take a 3 and a SIX year old across a forecourt to pay for petrol?

Madness-highly dangerous.

Preference would be pay at pump.
In this weather? I take them with me.
Or pay at pump.

It's not dangerous to take them with you.
Forecourts are not race tracks, the traffic is very slow moving and pedestrians are obviously expected. If it was highly dangerous I'd not be crossing the forecourt myself tbh.
If they're asleep and it's not too hot and the queue is short etc. Id leave them in the car. But on balance my personal preference is to not leave them unattended.

You must have different forecourts to me, lots of people not really concentrating half putting on seat belts and opening sweeties trying to move at the same time. Its also covered in oil and shit.

Another thing, I am quite glad that my 1 and 3 year old can cope for 3-5minutes without me with them. I am glad that is something they have learnt through life, that sometimes I go away and I always come back. I think its really important

It doesn't need to get so hot as to kill them in order for me not to want to do it. When the air on was off today it rapidly became very uncomfortable in the car. Given the choice (which I have, because thankfully I'm not beholden to shouty MNErs in my decision making) I would rather pop dd on my hip and carry her in with me than leave her hot and distressed in the car.

Why are forecourts being made out to be dangerous places??

It's not as though cars are driving around them at 30mph.

Plus drivers expect to see people walking about on the forecourt so are obviously vigilant anyway.

Jolly good. I don't have a problem with the way you do things.
But I will still make my own choices. And, when asked, will give my personal opinions.

Apparently they're covered in shit.

Oh right

Well the ones I visit are nice and clean but DS will still always come with me to pay

Because forecourts are far more dangerous than cars. Its not that they are 'really dangerous' it is that the risk of being hit by some wanker in a car eating a mars bar and trying to put his seatbelt on is higher than spontaneous combustion/car jacking and other such nonsense reasons for not leaving a child in a car.

If you do it because you feel they will be 'distressed' without you for 5mins then I suppose that is your call but I still think that it is important that children learn to be without their parents for short periods of time in order for them to develop as independent adults.

Also.
My 1 yo ATM doesn't like always being apart from me. So it doesn't suit me to leave her in the car if I can avoid it. Sometimes she's fine, other times not so much.
And my 3yo can undo his buckle. So hed not be as "restrained" as I would like.

My 3yo can undo his buckle, I have taught him not to.

My 1 year old doesnt like being apart from me either but he has learned that sometimes that happens and I always come back.

It is good for them to have these independent moments.

I used to, until I read a thread on here once and thought actually, why am I doing it.

Three and one year old, nightmare to drag in and out to pay.

Want2be I read an article about oeoole leaving children in cars.

It's was beyond harrowing, it usually happened on the morning run to nursery I expect the brain goes into an automatic mode where you think you've already done the drop off.

Well I was responding to the madness-highly dangerous comment.
Which I personally disagree with.
Forecourts are no more dangerous than any shopping centre car park. Probably less so because the walk tends to be shorter from the car to the store.
And I'm not entirely convinced that my not leaving them in the car at the bp garage is going to negatively impact on their independence and development. They have more comfortable options than that and happily spend time with ppl other than me.
Tbh. My usual choice is to fill up on the way to work when they're not in the car.