Stuck in the car park AIBU?

[CindersCatsSister]

Well this is annoying. Just got out of my car at the car park in the (small) town centre and noticed in the car next to me a child, looks to be about 4 or 5, by themselves. Quite happily reading a book but all alone. I thought oh I’ll just hang on here until his parent gets back but it’s been 15 fucking mins now and I’ve got shit to do. But I want to keep an eye on him in case (of what, I don’t know). Am I being (too much of) a busybody?

I have left mine a few times but usually only for a short time at that age, now they are older I can leave them in a car for a hour 🤣 (they are teens). Sometimes kids prefer to stay in the car rather than be dragged around a shop they have no interest in.

And you’d be the one moaning if something happened to your child and a ‘busybody’ didn’t get involved.

I love this. Are you suggesting it’s unreasonable to moan about your child being murdered?

@GreyEyedWitch

You're a busybody. The child is fine.

At the moment yes... a few years ago we parked our car in the shopping centre car park and went off to do our shopping. We then heard “would the owners of cars [three reg numbers read out] please return to their vehicles. A boy racer had lost control of his car and hit one car which had then hit the car next to ours which had then gone ours. Our car had cosmetic damage, the car next to our was badly damaged in the other side, the first car hit was on its side. It has been parked and empty - what if a child had been left in reading a book?

I think far fewer people would leave a child in the car if they knew that there are multiple incidences reported of men wanking in front of the child's window

A trapped child in a car inches from the window where the predator is pretty much entirely shielded from people seeing what is happening is not 'safe in a car'

During covid everyone was appalled that anyone was taking kids to the shop. They should have left them in the car. Now a perfectly happy child is in a car, most likely who's parent has eyes on the car regularly and it's being recommended to call the police. It's not your job to watch this strangers child. Just go about your day!

@BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou
The presence of a parent with a child versus just a child in the empty car would be unlikely to change the outcome if it happened quickly.

It's illegal to leave under 12s unattended. Police matter.

Why do people make this shit up. 🤣

@CarlottaValdez

And you’d be the one moaning if something happened to your child and a ‘busybody’ didn’t get involved.

I love this. Are you suggesting it’s unreasonable to moan about your child being murdered?

Do you always exaggerate? There's a full spectrum of things that could happen before you get to murder.

And when something does happen the parent who left the child is annoyed at others for not intervening.

@DigOutThoseLemonHandWipes

A child that is happily reading independently for 15 minutes is not 4! I think the OP has totally mis-judged their age.

I think you missed the updates

Im amazed at the number posters who think its ok to leave a small child unattended in a car. Appalling!

[quote kowari]**@BuggerOffAndGoodDayToYou
The presence of a parent with a child versus just a child in the empty car would be unlikely to change the outcome if it happened quickly.[/quote]
I agree with that but I was pointing out that a child (which I will now change to anybody) can definitely be in danger in a locked (or unlocked) car in a car park (anywhere) so OP was not wrong to be concerned.

I left my 13 yr old in car with her 8 yr old and 1 yr old Ds whilst I went and got bread and milk. I was literally 5 mins.
I could see the car the whole time .
It was the 1st time I had done it.
And the police parked up right next to car, when I came out , they advised me tp not to do that again.
I told them my DD Was 13, they then said " That it was no issue then'.
It was another year before I left them in car with her- I felt terrible.
Sounds silly But I knew they were fine, I knew it was 5mins and yet I just felt terrible guilt!

@Nanny0gg yep - I posted when the thread was at about 15 posts but either my internet or MN is very glitchy today and it took forever to actually post.

so yes, I would call 101 if a 5yr old was left alone

@sumpplneedshaking ridiculous response

You don't leave a dog in the car let alone a child. Why take the risk?

I leave my dog and my child in the car. (She's older than 5 though) neither had ever suffered as a result.

@Shoxfordian

It’s not your business so go about your day

It's everybody business if they see a child who may need help. I say may, because we don't know and most likely not and the child is perfectly fine and happy.

Most cars lock with one push of a button and lock and alarm with two pushes of the button. It is perfectly possible to leave someone locked in a car without setting the alarm off.

Again for all those thinking it’s fine, would you leave a 4year old alone at home? If no then it’s no different to in a car for 30mins and calling the police is acceptable

Thank you OP for letting us know the child came to no harm.

A pity you could not have said something, even if only to say you were concerned because (to give an example) there are some idiot drivers about who could have crashed into the car.

This was well worth reading 🤣 the quality content I stick around for.
Triggered "real" police officers and 5 year olds reading Dracula. Glorious.

Greystep - exactly.

A friend left her son 3 and daughter 5 in the car.
3 year old took the handbrake off, car rolled down hill into a Jag. £thousands to repair cars. Both children could have been killed.

Another friend used to leave her primary age ds in the car in the carpark while she spent the evening in the pub! They hated it but alcoholic m didn't care. She now has no contact - unsurprisingly.

Personally, I think leaving a small child unattended at any time or a dog (if it's hot) in a car should be an automatic prosecution and fine.

Oh my days not read the whole thread but I couldn’t believe the amount of people saying it’s okay leave the parent alone! 25 mins that the op was there is 25 mins too long in a public car park! Child snatchers are opportunist and although probably wouldn’t be afraid to try and get the child to open the car.....and the parent that’s popped off could have something to happen to her and no one knows the child is parked in the car alone??? Extreme yes, but I don’t know of anyone that goes out to get knocked over, stabbed or involved in a terrorist attack! So yes it’s not acceptable to leave a toddler in the car alone at all!

@lydia2021

That is complete nonsense. Why are you posting totally inaccurate "legal" advice? Jeez. You must be on the phone to the police for hours every day after school reporting all those first year high schoolers walking home alone and letting themselves into their houses. Must be almost a full time job reporting all that illegal behaviour.