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?

PFB - carried in car seat whilst I went for a wee, M&S shop and paid for petrol.

By DS3, they all stayed in the car whilst I got as much peace and quiet as I could...

Surely a forecourt is no more dangerous than a supermarket car park or suchlike?

My mind boggles that people have made a risk assessment the the forecourt is more dangerous than staying in the car, which may or may not be true - but then lock the car! Surely there is a much greater risk to the children being in a locked car than an unlocked one where you have taken the keys. Risk of your child being snatched is much much more statistically unlikely than a forecourt fire or rear-ender or you being hit by a car. You/passerby will need to get children out of the car quickly in those circumstances.

I wouldn't lock the car.
A supermarket car park is highly dangerous too but you have to take them across it. You do not have to take them across the garage forecourt.

Erm, I wouldn't describe either as highly dangerous! But I would say the forecourt has the edge.

Surely there is a much greater risk to the children being in a locked car than an unlocked one where you have taken the keys.

Why?

And it's not really because I think the forecourt is dangerous that I leave them in the car, its because I can't be arsed to get them out!

Since you wouldn't let any under 5 yr old cross the forecourt or the supermarket car park alone I would call them highly dangerous.

I never lock the car, for the reasons mentioned.

If there is a fire then they can be grabbed quickly.

I suppose I am bless with where I live, I have left my keys in the door of my car overnight well my ex husband did and the car was still there in the morning, there is very, very little crime here.

I bloody HATE crossing supermarket carparks with the children, I hate the bit before the smallest is in the trolley and the biggest knows that he is either touching the car or touching mummies hand. Still doesnt stop dickheads reversing without looking or deciding to turn into one way areas the wrong way.

talis why - for the reasons I set out in my post, if you are assessing risk in one way, out of car or in. Why are you not doing it for the locked unlocked decision?

So we are all one of two things 1, nervous of leaving them in the car or 2, nervous of crossing the forecourt .

Only on mn can so much be said about so little !

I leave DS 3 in the car as I can't be arsed with the hassle of getting him in/out of the car seat and trying to persuade me to buy everything in the shop.

And I leave the car unlocked....

Sometimes I leave the keys in the ignition....

I leave mine in the car.

i think taking your baby into the shop is a MN thing. I genuinely cannot ever think of an instance I've seen a parent take a child out of the car and into the shop, just so they don't get kidnapped / blown up / crashed into. I don know anyone who would even think about getting their kids out of the car.

I just cannot understand what is to be nervous about when leaving them in the car. Surely if you were so concerned about cars you wouldn't put them in them in the first place?

Thats what gets me, its like people are saying they are scared of leaving children for a tiny amount of time in an incredibly safe place. Just because they can't see them every single moment.

So fifi you are option 3, mega laid back mum !

fifi I used to leave my keys in the ignition but I need them now to undo the petrol cap.

Never ever left my kids in a car alone or in a stroller in front of shop.

I was on a thread just like this but on the 'other' site and someone said with great fear

'what if a bee flew into the car and stung your child while you were in the petrol station?'

as if by being there you would magically protect your child from the perils of a bee.

I was also told that you should never leave a child outside sleeping (which I do frequently) because they might get 'attacked by a dog' or 'have a loose roof tile fall on them'

Some people seriously must struggle to leave the house with all these 'dangers' everywhere.

I take dd 20 months in with me because she would shit herself if she saw me walk away from her.

Nothing to do with safety if she wasn't like that I would leave her it would be easier considering I'm 36 weeks pg

Icanhearyou
I really don't think your posts are consistent with Your claim that you don't have a problem with me doing things differently from you. You describe a woman who took her baby into the shop as "barmy" you've "shouted" about where you think ppl should park and your overall tone in relation to ppl not wanting to leave their DCs in the car has been one of derision.
Frankly, it makes sense, IMHO, to lock your car of the dcs are in it. An unlocked car is a target for thieves. A thief is a risk to your DCs because, at the very least, they can be frightened by someone ransacking your car looking for the satnav or other item to sell. If you lock your car the alrm is set, which alerts you to movement in pside the car and it can be immediately unlocked via the key fob should you need to get in the car in a hurry.
Every situation is different. I have left my dcs in the car and I have taken them with me. I make a choice each time.

D no. I actually don't struggle to leave the house.
It's quite normal for mothers to not want to leave their babies. The age/ situations etc that we are comfortable in being away from them differ and are dependent on many factors.
I am not trying to persuade you that my way is the best way.

I think there is a big difference between leaving a baby in the car and leaving a child in the car.

My DS is 13 weeks and there is no way I would ever leave him unattended in the car.

Whether I will feel differently when he's 6 months, I don't know.

My car doesn't have a key fob or a motion sensor.

The reason I don't lock my children in the car is becuse the risk of fire (which is tiny) is more than the risk of thieves, who would be fucking idiots to ramsack a car in full view of a busy petrol station and surrounded by CCTV!

I have told anyone where they can park, nor have I shouted or said that I looked at someone like they were barmy, I said other people did. Because they did.

I take dd in with me to pay because I'm a bit of a nervous wreck generally and I like to have her with me when we are out if I have the choice. Because this is my default setting though, and it's a PITA, I try to go to pay at pump stations or do it when she is not with me. I also frequently just ask dp to drive down and do it for me because I'm also a bit of a lazy cow.

I always leave the DC in the car, too much faff getting everyone out for 5 mins.