Curious, when going to a servo, do you leave your kids in the car by themselves when you go to pay for the fuel? If you saw someone do this, would you say something?
Do You Leave Your Kids in The Car by Themselves, When You Pay for Fuel?
dojomojo on 10/01/2023 - 12:48
Last edited 10/01/2023 - 16:35 by 1 other user
Last edited 10/01/2023 - 16:35 by 1 other user
Poll Options
- 561Yes, leave them every time
- 42Yes, leave them sometimes
- 90No, they always come with me
- 161I don't have any kids
Comments
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I figure my two year old is safer locked sleeping inside the car with the windows cracked, at night time when I refuel, than sleeping in my arms while I attempt to pay.
If a shady character were to try and assault me or kidnap him, it would be far easier outside of the car.
Because shady characters trying to kidnap your sleeping child from your arms whist paying for fuel at a petrol station is a thing isn't it ??????????????
I'm going to say that this has probably happened in Florida at least once - hence the fear.
People seem to think that child inside car = danger. Child outside of car = safe.
I'm just saying that I don't think that's the case. A kid being locked inside a car for a few minutes is a very safe place for them to be.
And on the flipside, just because a kid is with their parent, doesn't necessarily make them safe/safer.
I use Apps to pay at the bowser so even if I had kids, no problem.
This was one of my favourite child related thought exercises before I had kids. I concluded at the time that it would be safer to leave them in the car than take them through what is often a very chaotic traffic zone.
As a parent my position has changed only slightly. I still think the above is very true but practically there are periods where young children can't understand what 'I'll be back in a sec means' and will get scared. So I didn't do it during that period.
I'd never have taken my kids into the servo when they were young. I always left them in the car. It's too dangerous. People drive through servos way too fast around my way
I pay at the pump. Willing to pay a little more for the convenience because it’s my only real option. I’m not comfortable leaving my kiddos but taking two 14 month old toddlers in with me is unreasonably difficult. Strapping them back in can take up to 20 mins when they are contrary. No one wants to be waiting for that at the pump!
Going at night also not an option because I’m a sole parent.But I certainly don’t think anything of anyone who does choose to leave them in a locked car while paying. They are safe and within sight. I will do this when they are big enough to understand that I’ll be right back.
A sole parent of two 14 month olds? I salute you. As a parent in a couple, with one 2 year old I can barely function, haha. No idea how you do it!
Function might not quite be the word. Maybe just survive? Haha.
This polls doesn't give a age option for the children.
I would never leave a baby or toddler in the car at a servo.
But i will leave my 10 year old in the car unlocked and ive got the keys if he doent want to come in with me to pay at the servo. But if i am going to be any longer than that say going into the supermarket he comes in with me.
Neglectful parent here.
I always leave them in the car. I did lock the car when they are infants/toddlers.
Always took the keys with me.
I don't have kids but even for my pets or when I have brothers kids I take the keys with me. whats so hard about locking the doors or removing keys for safety?
Amateurs! I leave mine in the car at the airport when I go on holidays.
I won't leave them because there is a likehood for strangers that do strange things
Heart will be lethal during summer
They will remember how you treated them. It's karma when you get old
I don't want my kids to drag me into the servo to pay when I'm old, I want them to leave me in the car.
Geez how long does it take you to pay for petrol. Idk what petrol station you go to, but I can always see the car the entire time I'm paying, and in-and-out usually under a minute.
No kids of my own, but my dad would leave me and my siblings in the car when we were children
Well it's 2-5 mins. Unless your child has a knife to slit their own throat or opening a window allows a hobo to reach in and strangle your kids then it's probably better to lock up and close the windows. Not to mention if they're drowning themselves it takes a good 7 mins if they're underwater before they can drown.
Bottom line is even with the rules from the sites that people have posted. 2-5 mins leaving kids in the car locked up and windows will be fine. Anything longer than that is you'll probably have to check on them atleast once every 5 mins max.
Staying in the car, petrol is expensive enough already and then pay $10 for the junk they buy at the servo, no way… Also started using BP/7-11 apps to pay at the bowser.
Parents that do that are irresponsible and stupid - then if something happens to the kids they cry innocence to the police and soil themselves.
Maybe too much social media and COVID affected their brains in a bad way.
If i had kids, I'd just lock them inside the car. Why bring them out. Its not like you're A: going to be any longer than a couple of minutes, and B: going to be any further than 20m away from the vehicle. taking them out makes no sense and is more dangerous than leaving them in the car.
Nope. I’ve got a 2 year old and an 8 year old.
The 8 year old would probably have a panic attack if I left him in the car and the 2 year old is too young to be left on his own.
I only buy petrol from stations that allow me to pay via their app.
My friend’s relative had strapped her child into the child seat in her driveway on a very hot day.
She realised she forgot something in the house and went inside for a couple of minutes.
The baby passed away from heat exhaustion in that short time.
So I either fill up when by myself or only if wife is in car with my kid.That's horrific. 😢 We have had the same happen for a favourite pet stick insect, and the memory still haunts us, can't imagine how it would ruin a whole family and the community for life with a child. 😭 so sorry to hear.
Different scenario though as petrol stations are under cover and unless you live insanely close to it and just left home the car would not already be hot.
Petrol fumes are another thing to consider, interesting that people suggest leaving the windows down?
A few dangers with any scenario:
- heat is a killer if inside, unless under shade or windows down
- fumes, and crazy drivers if outsideWhen I had one child I always took him with me, even if I had to wake him up. With two toddlers it is easier, and I think safer, to leave them in the car. Most of the time we try to have the cars refilled without the children if possible though.
Well this sounds like potential initiative for pokie machines to be installed at petrol stations /s
When walking passed the service station I sit in the car while they pay for fuel, they say who are you.
The fact this is even a topic of conversation, let alone one that has to be legislated with the nuances of that legislation debated, shows just how ridiculous the rules-based culture has become in Australia.
Any reasonable person would deem leaving kids (at least those who have genuine comprehension of what is going on) in a car while they duck into a petrol station to pay for fuel and perhaps a quick convenience purchase as an entirely reasonable human act.
Equally, that same reasonable person would likely deem leaving them in the car while you go about any number of errands over a much more extended period of time to be at lease questionable, depending on the usual totality of circumstances.
Legislation and similar mechanisms that attempt to codify every conceivable scenario only give rise to government over reach and encourage the burgeoning number of busy bodies to inflict themselves on what used to be considered simple discretion.
I think pay at pump (or app) should be implemented as a standard across all servos. There is no point to walk into the store if you do not intended to buy anything inside.
But the attractive girl that occasionally gives me a free coffee or donut works inside…
What servos are you going to where there's attractive girls working?
The servos can do this easily, but they specifically don't so that people walk in and are tempted to buy something from the shop to bring in more money for them.
Payment at the pump was available over 15 years ago, they ditched it when people stopped spending money inside tho. So like everything in life, things that benefit the public takes a hit for the sake of business profits.
If it's not summer yes leave them in with doors locked. If it's summer, take them with me
Yes, fortunately this is not America where crazed killers will drive off with your kids.
Not yet. The new cooker parties might change that in a few years of they gain ground.
Yes but with the keys out and car locked. If it's super hot I take them out and bring them but then they swindle me into buying candy or slurpees 😑
I know I shouldn't but the effort of dealing with 2 kids every time I fill up is a real hassle.
I do feel bad about it each time tho. For what it's worth.
Boys 11 and 6
Yes
Smart key goes with me
Windows open
Doors locked
Cant work out why you would not!
Guess im not a paranoid whatever.I have the windows shut, petrol fumes….
I use the BP or Caltex app to pay at the car. No need to use the cashier and skip the queue.
when I got out of my car to fill the tank, I'd typically lock all the doors, even if milady was sitting in the passenger seat.
Seems to me an obvious thing to do with kids in the car as well.
If the car is not in the shade and there's any risk of overheating on a hot summer day, I'd open some windows 2-3cm enough to allow some hot air to escape. And invoke child safety locks. And tell the kids not to open the doors for anyone else.
Seen too many TV shows of people stealing cars left at petrol bowsers.
Also don't wash your car with petrol while your kids are inside - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhvZJ4pmFHE
My daughter got out of the car, she’s 10, the attendant refused to turn the petrol pump on and came out and said children must remain in the car.
I tell them to stay in the car, but they're all like "No way, we want lollies and ice cream".
I have only had my daughter with me once without my wife also being in the car when I've had to fill up. She was asleep anyway and the servo has a large canopy providing plenty of shade over cars so I cracked the window slightly and then locked the car and went in to pay. Was gone all of about 90 seconds and she was none the wiser I'd disappeared.
surely the age of the 'kids' is an important factor… I wouldn't leave a 4 year old in the car alone, but a 15 year old? yes.
yes but i usually half leave my the front windows open and lock the car - also i wouldnt fill up on a super hot day with them in the car
I'm in South East Asia now and we can pay for fuel by the pumps using credit cards. Not dealing to have to deal with the selling inside the servo feels great. For the last time I don't need toilet paper or banana bread.
some place in various other countries won't let you pump fuel until you've paid first - sometimes at the pump by credit card so you wouldn't have to walk far - unless it doesn't like your credit card
all your kids have to do is identify as mature minors and they are basically adults then and can make their own decisions on anything.
Myself - kids < 7 - leave in the car all the time; wife usually there but wouldn't do any differently if she wasn't. Otherwise have to put mask on them, stop them from grabbing things in store and continually begging for processed crap, and they're usually too tired from a big walking day out anyway.
Neighbour - kid > 40; leaves in the car all the time as well.
So many badly written laws in Australia. Leaving children in cars, locking cars are great examples. The reality is these laws are difficult to enforce and are rarely enforced except to make an example out of people. It wouldn't be difficult to write much clearer laws. Obeying the existing laws isn't optional, though, so if you're caught doing the wrong thing you don't have a leg to stand on. Nonetheless look at the results of the poll.
I don't care if anyone wants to leave their kids in the car or not when they go into the shopping centre. I think the main issue is that some parents think that they need to decide how other people parent their own children. I don't care if you're overprotective or underprotective as long as you aren't trying to impose your will on others, the worst part being that it comes with some BS "holier than thou" attitude.
That said I personally think:
1. Mandatory bike helmets probably lead to more obesity related deaths than the car related deaths they are meant to prevent (although arguably only save lives but result in vegetative survival)
2. Kids under 10 should be able to walk to school or ride or catch a bus by themselves (probably from 7)
3. Kids over 5 should be able to stay at home by themselves for at least an hour or twoPS. Just to show how much parents might need to be concerned about how far CPS can go overboard when a report from a member of the public check this:
https://www.scarymommy.com/mom-child-services-investigation-…
Currently the measure in QLD is you can't let a child walk to school by themselves if they are under 12 unless it is reasonable: https://pottslawyers.com.au/blog/2019/02/12/three-laws-paren… (what is reasonable depends on whether you have an old school judge in his 70s or a young female judge who thinks they would be the perfect parent)No one should be surprised that we have a negative birth rate.
Cant say I'd be too impressed if I was waiting in line to fill up and spending 10 minutes minutes watching a mom unstrap three kids from their booster seats, wrangle them into the servo to pay and come back and pack them all up again. At some point common sense has to come into play. Leave them, as I see everyone with kids do, or go fill up without them.
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Absolutely never when they were young.
Now, a car-jacker probably wouldn’t pick a car with two teenagers in it - not worth all the “bruh”-ing and eye-rolling.
I’d never say anything to anyone if they chose to. I know the chance of something happening is small, but I definitely err on the side of caution with this stuff - couldn’t live with myself if the worst happened and there was something I could have easily done to prevent it.