What do you do with your baby while you fill the car with fuel?
September 12, 2008 8:58 pm 
50 Replies
I don’t drive yet, but when i do i will take my daughter in with me whilst i pay for fuel (if it’s just the 2 of us). But if it’s just her and my husband he leaves her in the car, even if he has things to buy from the shop. I wouldn’t leave her as i’d worry about her choking or being kidnapped, but he says i worry too much. What do you do?
Posted by Mummy Moo
No, you should worry about your daughter in a car. Hold her if your scared.
i always got left in the car – im still alive
Ummmmm… take her in with you?
never leave your baby in the car. Take her with you if you have to
Pay at the pump. Keep the child in the car seat.
can’t you take the baby in the shop with you?
i would take my children in with me, i would never leave them, its not safe anymore.
I would leave her in the car while I filled up with gas (assuming you pay right at the pump), but I would definitely not leave her in the car to buy things from the shop. I won’t even leave my 8 year olds in the car while I go into the shop. If you have to go to the shop, bring the baby with you.
I don’t think you’re worrying too much.
My baby used to jump out , direct traffic, and pump and pay for it all himself ! ( Of course you have to have your baby with you.)
You have to be realistic – and you are not being I’m afraid.
So long as the car is locked and there is sufficient air or a window open it’s not a problem.
You are being over cautious before the time has arrived.
get one of those baby things that go on your stomach and wraps around.
take her inside.
I leave my daughter in if i’m just standing right by the car if i’m pumping fuel, but if i have to go in to pay or buy something, i take her in with me.
I usually pay with a card at the pump. Or I get gas when he isn’t with me. I just can’t bring myself to leave my son in the car.
Well..i personally take them in with me, if it’s just myself. I like to believe that my husband does this as well. Now, i’ve stopped to get something from the gas station and they’ve both been asleep. I’ll just run in. I lock the doors, take my keys and my cell phone and just do it fast.
I think if he is to leave her in the car, maybe he should lock the door with the window down a little so she is safe.
I don’t have kids, but I would definately take the baby in with me. I think they’re trying to pass a law at the moment to stop people leaving their kids unattended in a car, which is a really awful thing to do. There was an incident here a few years back when 2 kids locked in a car were badly burnt when the car went on fire and they couldn’t get out.
nah you shuldnt do dat; thares many thing goin on now a days; uhm you should just take her with you if your goin in dah store real quick;
I would let my baby hold my cigarette while I’m filling the car.
always take baby with you and insist dad does to.babys should not be left in a car unattended.you are not over worring,just being sensible.most people take baby with them
NEVER leave your child unattended when in the car! First of all, you could be charged, secondly, you could lose custody of the child. It is the LAW!! When I pump gas, I pay with a card right at the pump, and if for some reason I have to go into the store, I take both my children with me… it’s a pain, so I try to pay with a card.
I think as long as you can see her from the shop clearly and the car is locked, it’s fine to leave her to pay for fuel. If you are any longer or out of sight always take her with you. I think thats the best you can do.
ahmmm…sorry..i dnt kuw…
If you don’t have things to buy in the store, just pay at the pump so you can leave her in the car.
Lugging a baby around for a 3 minute errand seems a little unnecessary, but if you’re worried…
IN THIS DAY I WOULD NEVER leave the baby in the car. my baby seat was on the gas side so i could see him but to go in to the store its just laziness that keeps u from takin them out of the car u just cant be too careful today!! thats not wrryin too much thats just reality today.
Don’t worry, I’m sure she’ll be fine!
Just make sure all the windows are closed, but you could leave one of the front widows open if she wants fresh air.
how is ur hubby gonna feel if someone steals that baby or like you said she chokes? shame on him!!! if that were my hubby i would kick his ass and he wouldnt be allowed to take that baby anywhere!
u leave the baby in the car with keys out and windows down while u pump gas, then you take baby in the store with you, i know its a hassle expecialy if they are asleep but ur the mom and the responsible one here do whats right and if it is too much of a hassle get gas when the babies not with you, please for the babies sake THINK abt this!!!
I’ve just paid by interac or credit card directly at the pump. My daughters love it when I pump gas because I’m always giving them funny faces throw the window while I’m pumping. Of course the other gas patrons probably think I’m just a weirdo making faces at her reflection … because the mini van does have a dark tint.
If paying at the pump isn’t an option, I will usually drive the van to the front door where I can see the kids while I run in to pay. If I need to go to the bathroom or do anything that will take longer than one minue, of course I’d bring them in with me…it’s okay with one, but with two kids it can be a nightmare.
Otherwise, I just bring the van home on empty and make my husband fill it up!
Good luck!
Always good to be vigilant – Whilst you fill up you leave baby/child in the car. When you pay, you take them in the shop with you. If you dont like how your husband does it you really need to tell him. Maybe he doesn’t assess the risks the way you do – just explain calmly and rationally.
I have a 5 year old and an 18 month old and I am 6 months pregnant – I drive; I usually make sure I have a friend or my partner in the car when I fill up and pay for fuel. Thus preventing the child/children from being left unattended; and to save my back pain, and the ‘hassle’ of getting them in and out the car.. again!! LOL
When my son and I go out and I need to get gas, and it is just us, I leave him in the car and when I get out to pump the gas I lock all of the doors and make sure I have my keys so that I can get back in and I also leave the music playing with the car off so that he will have something to listen to, the music usually keeps him calm…And when I leave my car to pay for the gas I do not have to worry because I go right in and right back out and I know no one is going to get to him because the doors are locked. Also I usually park at a tank at the gas station that when I go inside to pay I can still see my car from inside the building.
I found doing these few things helps me feel a lot better about the safety of my son.
I hope that this helps!
uh, you don’t leave the baby alone in the car… i would say that’s just common sense
my daughter takes me with her if her husband is not available and she has 2 kids, a 10year old and a 2 year old?
you know when you fill your car with fuel and when you buy something in the shop it is better for you to bring with you your daughter so that you will not worry about your daughter…
Your husband is amazingly naive. Kidnappers don’t need much time to grab a child and run. You’d better straighten him out ASAP before tragedy strikes.
the station i use i leave her in the car i do not have to leave the car i just plug my ATM card into the pump to get petrol out and pay at the same time
regards x kitti x
take the baby with you
if you liver in a big city i livre in a very small town pay at the pump and stand in my door till it stops
I think your being too paranoid.
It’s not like there is an epidemic of baby snatchers at the gas stations.
When my kids were little like that I would pay at the pump or get gas when I didn’t have them. when they got a little older like walking age then I would bring them in.
I think children under the age of 8 aren’t allowed to be in the car by themselves and even then the keys aren’t allowed to be in the car.
Sorry but I usually pay while sitting in my car. But depends where you live and depends on the gaz station.
You’ll soon get bored of taking the seat in and out of the car, and if she is asleep, will waking her up really be your best option? If you are merely filling up and paying, then lock the car with her in it so she doesn’t get kidnapped- though how often that actually happens I don’t know-
Obviously if you are going to be doing loads of shopping then you should take her with you.
But really, I think your husband is right- you are worrying too much- you don’t even drive yet!!! Save the worrying until then!
Definitely not right.
She can absolutely choke or get kidnapped.
What if there’s a fire and you ave to evacuate the whol tation and the baby gets left there?
When you’re putting the petrol nthe car, leave her in the car,and when you go to pay, ake out in the shop with you.
Jus think about it. How bad would you feel, i you just thought to yourself that you would leave her there while you pay, and came back and she wasnt there or was unconcious from choking?
Its hard to imagine, but when it happens i promise you’ll never ever let go of a childs hands again.
Something as simple as lavig a child unattended in a car can end up a disaster.
A few years ago, there was a young mother that left her infant in a car an was at the register when an elder lady came in ranting and raving about who owned a blue car.The young lady said it was her car,and the other lady was yelling at her for how ‘disgusting’ it was to leave an infant in a car unattended. The younger lady was humiliated and left the store crying.
WHat would you do in a situation like that? To make it worse, there were least 6 other people in there crouded around her giving he greasies.
Are you actaly going to give in to your laziness, which can reslt in a child obduction or the eath of a child? Obviously its so not worth it.
God bless, and remember to take your child in with you!
When I get petrol I do leave my baby in the car seat strapped in with nothing available within reach for him to choke on.
BUT if i need to buy extra purchases from the shop I will take my baby in with me in his car seat then I am not leaving him for an extended time.
You are not worrying to much but to just run in and pay for petrol if baby is safe and locked in I would say it is fine.
as long as there is a window in the petrol station i leave her in the car i can see it while im paying
Wow. I think your husband needs a reality check…Kids die every day from being locked in cars. It only takes one careless driver to crash into your car at the pump or someone to smash and grab your child…. This should not be a preference….
New legislation is being written.
This website outlines the current and future proposed legistation.
Most big filling stations (Tesco) have ‘pay at the pump’ system, using a credit or debit card…
its totally up to you,
if there wasnt a queue then i would lock the car and go in on my own, if there was a queue i would take my children in with me,
I always pay by credit. I never leave my 9 month old daughter unattended that way because I can pay at the pump and entertain her thru the back window of my car while i’m pumping the fuel. If I need something from inside, then I take her with me. But I’ve gotten in the habit of bringing a drink and snack from home when we go out so I don’t have to take her in and out of the carseat, just to go inside for a minute and turn around and put her back in so I can fuel up my car.
Well my daughter is 2 years old and has NEVER been left alone in the car.
Even if my partner is on his own with her then he will take her in with him
With the snap in infant carriers, it is much easier to bring your baby with you. I would NEVER leave a baby (or a child, or a dog) in an unattended car!
i always pay at the pump, so i dont need to worry, i have only left them once and i used the pump right next to the shop,so when paying, i could see them all the time