would you leave your baby in a locked car?

[Friendlygirl]

have left my baby sleeping in my locked car while I dashed into the supermarket to buy a couple of things. Would any of you do that? Is it even l;egal? It worried me but I would rather do that than wake them up and sometimes I just have to get sometyhing from the shop for tea.

I guess people do that at petrol stations all the time friendlygirl

No I haven't, and no I wouldn't. I've no idea whether it's legal or not but it's not something that I would ever feel comfortable doing.

never!

NO, if my dd woke and was scared I would never forgive myself, not to mention all the other horrific things that could happen. It is far too large a risk to take imo. And I'm sure it must be illegal.

No I haven't and wouldn't either, I leave her in the car on the driveway for a few minutes whilst I unload the car though. I always wait till DP is with me to get petrol as well.

Me neither - I don't need the petrol or whatever that badly - always stock up when dh is in car or if an emergency or need something from shop I'll take her with me.

Yep, just done it now whilst I've popped books back to the library. ds's out of sight for say 2-3 minutes, but locked in a car - on a flat road.

I did leave ds1 asleep in the car on our drive once, but the handbrake must have failed and the car rolled gently down the drive and into the garage door. Ds1 slept happily through this.

No. Never have and never will.

As for petrol stations - there isn't actually a "safe" answer. Statitically more accidents happen on a petrol forecourt (due to number of cars parking etc), and in some overseas countries they ask you to keep the children in the car. None of the oil marketing companies will tell you to take your kids out of the car!

If she's asleep, and I know she's going to stay asleep (she's only just gone) then I often lock DD in the car when I pick DSs up from school. I wouldn't leave her to go shopping though, that takes too long, and I'd be too far away. It's easy enough to put them in a pushchair asleep.

I leave the Dkids in the car when I get petrol, but I wouldn't leave DD awake alone to do it, as she gets very upset.

Once went to the supermarket and the car parked next me was locked - with a toddler and very young (weeks, rather than months), baby inside - both screaming blue murder. I asked the shop mananger to put an announcement on the intercom and no one came forward or went to the car. They called the police out in the end. The woman turned up a cool 15 minutes later. She had been in the doctors surgery nearby.

I don't personally, but only b/c it's illegal in my home country so I grew up not in the habit of doing that.

Have done and still do. My kids are now 4 and 6. I have doen at petrol stations, local village supermarkets/papershops etc etc.

However I do live in a village where people still leave their back doors unlocked when they go out so I feel quite safe in that respect. I did do it once at a supermarket and was 10 mins - I paniced the whole time. Hence the local shop gets lots of my business (all the mid week quick things) although now I leave the kids as they demand sweets the whole time!!

I would and have but do choose my circumstances. I wouldn't at Asda or somewhere like that it would have to be a convenience shop with parking v. close by. I have actually left my two awake and do when I get petrol but would not leave DD (1yo) on her own.

I do it while I get petrol (diesel!!! must remember, made that mistake once) but I can keep an eye on her from the shop.
otherwise, no.
not sure about a hotel room. planned to do it once, with a baby listening service, but when it came to it I couldn't face it so got room service instead. don't think I would have been able to relax tbh.

actually crunchie I think that might be the difference. I live in a village andyes I have left her outside the village shop while I have popped in. but probably wouldn't do it somewhere else.

Depends on where the car is
outside my house in London = no way
outside my parents house in rural area = yes and I would leave the car unlocked as well probably

unlocked always

Cod's right I think, the car should be unlocked (I usually lock it but will change that). I only leave mine in the car to pay for petrol and where I can see them. However, I do leave them safely in the house and go into the garden with washing/bin out; you have to take reasonable risks to live.

I do understand how hard the logistics are though with this kind of thing and have been in some very perplexing situations in the past. I used to leave baby twins in the locked car outside pre school and rush in to get older dd. I used to be so jittery and quick, I never got to know any of the other mums for ages. I only did that because I couldn't carry both car seats at once and the pre school was only a few yards away from the car. I was criticised for this though by a friends dh who had never been in any such sitation himself and only had the one child to deal with. Walk a mile in my shoes and all that..

Exactly I never lock the car - barely remember outside the house at night either (No I won't ive you my address) I should know better as my wallet was stolen from the unlocked car a couple of year ago.

god yes! would lock the car to pay for petrol - but not for mad dashinto supermarket.

i absolutley would not wake up twins and a three year old - to have to get three kids out of car ( on busy petrolf forecourt) put up a pram to put twins in as can carry them and hold three year olds hand and then wheel the buggy through flamable liguid. hmmmmm.

let me weigh up the risks.

lock the babies in the car take the three year old inside - only so three year old doesnt kill the babies rather than someone nicking the car.

some people can get so pius and arsey about it.

i wouldnt get petrol from a petrol station knowing i was going to do the above - if there was a queue of people.

its about being mildly sensible and weighing up the situation.

Course it's ok! What is it with these 'Would you leave your baby....' threads all of a sudden! There must be all these people dashing into hotels and cars stealing babies!

NO, thats purely my personal choice though..

never have, never will in a petrol station, supermarket or anywhere else