Leaving toddler in car

[rabbitsdontlayeggs]

Please settle this disagreement for me and my DH!

Leaving toddler (20 months) in the car while you go and pay for petrol. Would you do it? I would not (unless I was using pay at the pump, then I wouldn't get her out as I'd be stood right next to the car) but DH says he would and has. I'm horrified that he's left her and have said I really don't want him to do that again, he thinks I am ridiculous and 'it's only for two minutes'.

Who is UR?

Safer in to leave in car imo.

I leave them in the car. Also will drive to petrol station if need bread milk etc and can’t be arsed lugging both of them with me.

I normally use a petrol station with a drive through pay station or use pay at pump. But the odd times I haven't i have taken my DC with me. But she's only a baby so easily carried. When she gets older or if I had more children I may change my mind.

I don't think doing it either way is unreasonable

FUCK no.

Never leave them like that.

I always did that when mine were toddlers. As did everyone I know. It was safer than carrying them both into the shop. You can usually see them through the shop window anyway.

I think it's ridiculous to even consider getting a small child out of the car to pay for petrol. Far more likely to be hit crossing the forecourt than for the child to be the victim of an accident or abduction while in a locked car.

Incidentally, my first babies were twins. Getting them out would take maybe five minutes to unstrap, get them in the buggy then get to the shop. Then back again. As if I have time for that when fuelling the car!

I never heard of people taking babies out of the car when paying for petrol until I joined MN.

I have 13 month old twins, have never left them in the car. I just figured out which petrol stations you can pay at pump and only use them! Would never leave them in the car.

Likewise if I go to the supermarket in the car I would always take the pram if I can’t park near the trolley I need they come out the car with me into the pram and then we go get the trolley, back to the car, swap them over to the trolley and pram back in the car.
I cannot believe people leave their children in cars for even a couple of minutes. You hear pretty regularly about cars being stolen with young children left in the back. In fact I’m surprised you don’t get done by social services for doing this.

I leave mine in the car and go in to pay, although will always choose pay at pump if available.

I can also honestly say that I have never seen anyone take their young children in with them to pay whenever I have been at a petrol station so either all the Mumsnetters who are adamant they take theirs in with them are in a huge minority or else it is a massive coincidence that I have never come across one of these parents. However, I have seen two accidents happen in a petrol station. A child safely strapped into their car seat in the car will not come to any harm in a low speed bump but that same incident could kill them if out of the car.

I've always left mine in. Only at stations where I can see the car the whole time and I don't buy anything else. I try and stick with pay at pump but otherwise think it's fine. What are you worried about happening?

You hear pretty regularly about cars being stolen with young children left in the back

Do You? I don't think I've ever heard of a verified case?

Far safer to leave them strapped in, in a locked car that will be in sight at all times no doubt. Plus it's about 3 times as quick and avoids potential chocolate related meltdowns.

You hear pretty regularly about cars being stolen with young children left in the back.

No, you don’t. Normal people securely lock their car doors. The car is always under CCTV and in a brightly lit area because the petrol station is protecting against theft. People also watch their car whilst they are in paying. It is actually rare for cars to be stolen and that is why on the odd occasion it happens it ends up in the paper. Locking your car doors, prevents it. If someone really wanted to steal your car, they would have the same opportunity whilst you are out of the car and filling up with petrol or turning your back to use the card machine.

In fact I’m surprised you don’t get done by social services for doing this.

How ridiculous. Have you actually read about some of the child abuse cases that happen in this country? That is the sort of thing social services are involved in, not children in a car whilst their parents is paying for petrol. I promise you, that you will find not one single incident where this has happened.

You hear pretty regularly about cars being stolen with young children left in the back.

I've literally never heard of a case of this. The only ones I can think of were from dramas on the TV - American ones at that.

How is that that same Puddinchops?

I said I was worried that he'd left her and it was cold. He assured me he wouldn't have let her out of his sight and that the car was warm.

I hope I gave him enough to think about that he wouldn't do it again.

Why?

He was watching her, he saw you and came out (you disturbed his lunch)

What’s the problem. What’s the difference between eating in the kitchen if she is asleep upstairs?

He couldn't see her whilst he was ordering his food and it was a really cold day. Another woman came over and she agreed it was out of order.

10k - something everyone would like. Someone else's child - no thank you very much.

You hear pretty regularly about cars being stolen with young children left in the back

I think I’ve heard of a couple of occasions where a car was car jacked at traffic lights or similar and a child was in the car. So are people never supposed to transport children in cars at all in case this happens to them?

I don’t think I’ve ever heard of someone breaking into and hot wiring a car on a petrol station forecourt while the parent/other MOPs just stood by watching

Actually, even if someone left £10K in cash on the back seat of a locked car on a garage forecourt whilst the owner was obviously going to be just inside paying and able to see the car, how many people (however dastardly) would actually think to smash into the car and scarper with armfuls of cash?

I'm with you, can't leave my kid in the car. Ask him if he'd leave £10,000 in the bk of the car on show hmm

I'm sure your child is adorable, but they aren't worth 10 grand. Nobody wants to steal your kid at the petrol station.

Sounds ridiculous. More chance being run over on the forecourt than the petrol pump exploading or a car hitting your stationery car.

YABU

I personally wouldn't risk leaving one in the car

But you would risk walking across a forecourt with them? They could get run over!

Do you leave her upstairs asleep when you hang out washing? Even though the House could catch fire, or a burglar break in or she could climb out of her cot and fall and injure herself?

Takes even less time to pay for petrol.