Warning thread - car seats in road

[toocold54]

Posting on AIBU for traffic.

I have seen this several times especially in the US where a car seat is placed at the side of the road and an attacker is hiding, waiting for a lone women to investigate it.
I remember a few years ago someone put a lifelike baby inside that was crying.

If you see a car seat on the side of the road do not get out of your vehicle.
Lock the doors and ring the police and ask them to check it out.

Link below
news.sky.com/story/woman-raped-in-layby-after-investigating-empty-child-seat-by-road-12386938

I read that story earlier and it is terrifying.

In an ideal world it would be the authorities putting out a warning about this though

It's such a well known urban legend I'm not entirely sure I believe the news report yet. It could just be the media running away with something without substance. The 'car seat by the road' thing has been talked about for years alongside the murderer in the back seat. It's a bit weird someone finally did it.

This story chilled me to the bone.

This has been going round since 2009.

www.snopes.com/fact-check/false-national-gang-week/

@Thadhiya

It's such a well known urban legend I'm not entirely sure I believe the news report yet. It could just be the media running away with something without substance. The 'car seat by the road' thing has been talked about for years alongside the murderer in the back seat. It's a bit weird someone finally did it.

This was first reported locally on 16 August. Very scary if the perpetrator did this to draw someone's attention.

I always thought it was legend too but I remember reading about it happening in the US and then read the UK news today.

I wonder if someone got the idea from the myth which is why the authorities haven’t given out a warning as they think it may give people ideas??? I really don’t know.

Obviously it could have been a complete coincidence and I know women get raped in all sorts of places but it’s better to be aware just incase.

This is sadly a well known tactic in South Africa. Another thing is putting large stones across a quiet road, forcing a driver to get out to move it. If you ever see something like that, lock your doors before slowing down, throw your car in reverse and get out of there.
Or setting a little toddler near the road, whilst the criminals are lurking close by, directing them on what to do.

It is our natural instinct, stopping when we think a child is in danger. Utterly terrifying to think that you might have to make a choice between your safety, and a vulnerable child's.

I thought this was in the news today? So whilst an urban legend, it did come true for a poor woman very recently.

Thames Valley Police has said that they are not 100% sure whether he car seat was put there to lure the woman out of her car, or whether it was a coincidence. I guess until they find out who did it, they will not know for sure. In the meantime, stay in your car and call the police is the advice.

I thought this was in the news today?

Yes it did happen.

A few times people said it in the past and it was said to have not actually happened but obviously it does happen so I wanted to give people a heads up to help them keep themselves safe.

I live locally. The site is a common area for fly tipping, but it is also not somewhere anyone would be hanging about after midnight.

Bizarrely though that area has street lights, half a mile up the road they switch of the street lights after midnight.