Do you leave mindes alone in the car whilst paying for petrol?

[jane5]

As the post says when you go to the petrol station do you get the lo's out of the car and take them with you to pay or do you leave them in the car?

I try to get my petrol whilst I am not minding but I have 3 lo's every day 7am - 6.30 and I have just taken on another lo and will be working Saturdays and Sundays every other week and wont have much free time :rolleyes:

[manjay]

It's an absolute no from me. Far too dangerous imo. I too try to fill up when not minding but if I have to then I try to use a pay at pump one or it is a case of getting everyone out of the car.

[hello kitty]

Just filled up today. I take mindees in with me if I forget to fill up before they arrive.

[Louise0208]

pay at pump :thumbsup:

[Twinkles]

I'm lucky in that I work with my husband so one can go and pay and the other stay in the car.

I think it's a contentious issue as IMHO walking them across a busy petrol station forecourt is as risky as leaving them in the car.

If I had to put petrol in the car without DH being there I would drive a little further to a pay-at-pump or a little petrol station in the next town that still has attendants who fill up for you.

[mushpea]

I wont because I went to get deisel one day and the shop door was shut,, the mechanical door had failed and some people where locked in and some where locked out and I know that it would be my luck that one day it would happent to me,, we have a 'pay at the pump' at our garage so I use that.

[Chimps Childminding]

I'm lucky in that I work with my husband so one can go and pay and the other stay in the car.

I think it's a contentious issue as IMHO walking them across a busy petrol station forecourt is as risky as leaving them in the car.

If I had to put petrol in the car without DH being there I would drive a little further to a pay-at-pump or a little petrol station in the next town that still has attendants who fill up for you.

I agree! I either fill up in the evening, at the week-end, pay at the pump or if June and I are out together and she can sit in the car with the mindees while go and pay.

[sarah707]

I'm lucky in that I work with my husband so one can go and pay and the other stay in the car.

I think it's a contentious issue as IMHO walking them across a busy petrol station forecourt is as risky as leaving them in the car.

If I had to put petrol in the car without DH being there I would drive a little further to a pay-at-pump or a little petrol station in the next town that still has attendants who fill up for you.

I totally agree with Twinkles :D

[Greengrass74]

Most supermarket petrol stations are open 24 hour I know the ones near us are plus we have a 24 hour pay at pump Asda petrol station so there is no need for us to go during mindee hours.

I always try to fill up on a Sunday :thumbsup:

[rickysmiths]

No. I go to a 24hr petrol station if I have to fill up in the week.

[The Juggler]

pay at pump :thumbsup:

me too! if I have mindees always use pay at pump. would never leave young children alone in the car even if I can see them from the pay desk.:panic: :(

[The Juggler]

pay at pump :thumbsup:

me too! if I have mindees always use pay at pump. would never leave young children alone in the car even if I can see them from the pay desk.:panic: :(

too many things can hapen, they can take the break off, open the door :panic: :panic:

[Katiekoo]

I don't ever leave children - my own or mindees alone in the car for more than a few seconds, usually only when getting others into the car.

I attended safeguarding training recently and this was raised as an issue, some people couldn't see that it was dangerous but the trainer said that it is dangerous to leave them no matter how secure they seem. For many reasons - the door thing didn't come up but she listed reasons like loosing your keys while paying, someone shunting your car, heat in the car, child getting distressed, older child releasing handbrake or playing with windows - it went on.

In the old days I remember being left in the car waiting for Mum or Dad to pay, but I wouldn't do it.

[It's a small world]

Did once or twice then started going to pay pump and usually try and do it when friend (cm) in car. by then will be really low lol xxx Cant trust children nit to fight or arague etc :laughing:

[onceinabluemoon]

I used to go mad at my ex husband for leaving our young sons in the car when he went into garages, it only takes a second for some prat to throw his cigarette out of the window or to drive into the back of the car.

Definitely a no no form me I'm afraid. Unless you're working 24/7 you can always find five minutes to fill up without mindees around. x

[Playmate]

Pay at the pump or out of hours :thumbsup:

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Pay at the pump or out of hours :thumbsup:

me too and it is easier

[breezy]

Pay at pump !

[nokidshere]

I always pay at pump - best invention ever :D

However, the liklihood of something happening to a child in a car while on a petrol forecourt is quite small. I wouldn;t be paranoid about it, it would depend on the child, how close to the kiosk I was, if they were awake or asleep etc

[gegele]

this is a sublect that really get me annoyed.

I mind from 7-7 mon-fri.
I don't think of filling my tank at week end because i'm trying to switch off from minding!! unless i know we have trip planned.
BUT I am following the children interest and if on a beautiful day they want to go and have picnic with gruffalo or pick up shell on beach, go to farm we GO.
if that mean filling up so i don't break down so be it.

I HAVE RISK ASSESSED PETROL STATION and i found that the risk of children walking in front of car, slipping on petrol or a car pulling out without seeing children is far more likele than me getting stuck inside a petrol garage or the car self combusting!

I fill up at the pump the closest to the door, I keep my eyes on children at all time, sometimes people let you go pass because they know you have kids.

in an ideal world no you shouldn't have mindee in the car but in that world i would be paid £8 an hour and wouldn't mind after school!!!
:thumbsup:

it's not an everyday event, risk assess it and don't hang around the sweet aisle!:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Kiddleywinks]

me too and it is easier

Ditto here too

[Pipsqueak]

Twinks..... (sorry Pauline) but RUDDY hell - there are still forecourt attendants??????:eek: :eek: seriously??????



I get hubby to go and fill up for me!!! lol or I do it at the weekend or evenings

I would not walk children across a manic busy forecourt
Realistically the filling station 'blowing up' because of a discarded ciggie is minimal - and really..... when have we heard of this type of tragedy? Of course its a genuine risk - as it using a mobile in the petrol station but its an outside chance isn't it. Its like when they thought using a mobile in a hospital interferes with life saving/monitoring equipment.... and it doesn't in general.

The realities of what we 'fear' are so low that put against walking - dodging doddery old farts/boy racers/suited numpties in slow/flash/too big vehicles in a petrol station is ....welll...... minimal. There is more likehood that you will be run over in a petrol station....


As to the kids touching/playing with stuff in the car - I find gaffa tape does the trick as well as the talk of 'my car, my insurance and licence you no touch':D

[snufflepuff]

I have never had to fill up with mindees present. I hate doing it anyway so if at all possible my OH does it at the weekend. If I really have to do it i'll go to a pay at pump because I don't even like leaving DS alone in the car/ having to get him out and walk him in with me. Although I once got there to find the pay at pump wasn't working so I had to go in, leaving a sleeping DS alone, and the queue was huge so I was gone for a while. He was all red and hot when I got back and I felt really bad!

[ORKSIE]

I fill up after i finish work or at the weekends. Or I get Mr O to fill up for me :thumbsup:

[Twinkles]

Twinks..... (sorry Pauline) but RUDDY hell - there are still forecourt attendants??????:eek: :eek: seriously??????



I know ! It's lovely , they clean your windscreen too and check your oil !

'tis Reigate doncha' know :laughing:

[Tealady]

I had a rear end shunt on my way to a pay-at-the-pump station. Typical!

[Rubybubbles]

I get hubby to do it:thumbsup:

I don't use the car much for work, so it's always planned if I do need it anyway!

[sweets]

this is a sublect that really get me annoyed.

I mind from 7-7 mon-fri.
I don't think of filling my tank at week end because i'm trying to switch off from minding!! unless i know we have trip planned.
BUT I am following the children interest and if on a beautiful day they want to go and have picnic with gruffalo or pick up shell on beach, go to farm we GO.
if that mean filling up so i don't break down so be it.

I HAVE RISK ASSESSED PETROL STATION and i found that the risk of children walking in front of car, slipping on petrol or a car pulling out without seeing children is far more likele than me getting stuck inside a petrol garage or the car self combusting!

I fill up at the pump the closest to the door, I keep my eyes on children at all time, sometimes people let you go pass because they know you have kids.

in an ideal world no you shouldn't have mindee in the car but in that world i would be paid £8 an hour and wouldn't mind after school!!!
:thumbsup:

it's not an everyday event, risk assess it and don't hang around the sweet aisle!:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

great answer, my thought exactly :thumbsup:

if poss i use pay at pump but if they are busy i will use the kiosk and keep my eye on the car at all times.

[lulubelle]

i would never leave them in the car. a few yrs ago in a little village nr me a mum left her baby and dog in the car whilst she paid for petrol, in the couple of mins a man stole her car (she had the keys!) she saw her car and baby being driven off!!!

luckily the dog started barking and the car was abandoned not far away! when the guy was caught he said he hadnt even seen the baby until the dog barked!

luckily all ended well but can you imagine calling parents and saying my car has just been stollen with your child in it!!!!

my hubby works in a petrol station and he hates it when he sees kids left in the car!

[AliceK]

I know that incidents on petrol forecourts might be low but they DO happen. I've known of a few over the years and so that is why I don't leave any children in the car when it's unattended whether that be on a petrol forecourt or anywhere else. IMO it's not worth the risk. I drive a bit further away and use a drive-thru pay at kiosk garage but it's rare I have to fill-up when I'm working anyway. I don't use the car much during the week.

xxxxx

[manjay]

I also think that all of our situations are different. In my local garage there is no way you could see your car the whole time you were inside as the view is blocked. Fortunately it is a small rural garage so the likelihood of a speeding maniac is probably as rare as my car spontaniously combusting:rolleyes:

However having risk assessed my own personal situation it is safer for me to take the children in with me:thumbsup:

[Katiekoo]

edited to say - it was at a town car park.
OMG this just happend 10 mins ago! I saw two children one under 3 and asleep, one older (possibly as old as 10) sat in the car next to mine by themselves with the windows wound half down like you would for a dog! I waited for a while because I thought their Mum might have popped to grab something quickly, I was right thankfully.
But it is a 3 hour stay car park and I had visions of being there hours to make sure they were ok. I thought if she was much longer I could speak to the older child but might have frightened her and made a problem where there was none. So was just trying to decide what best to do when Mum returns - she had clearly seen me and tried to drive off fast without having to speak to me! I wasn't confrontational just said - please don't leave your children, I wasn't sure what to do. She got cross that I'd criticised her parenting in front of her children.

She had been able to see them the whole time - which is fair enough, but I said I hadn't known that and really she shouldn't be cross with me for caring about what happens to her children.

Oh dear I didn't want to upset anyone, certainly didn't have a go at her! Maybe she was embarrassed!
Should I have left them there not knowing if;
a) - Mum has just popped accross the road and can see them.
OR b) has gone off on a shopping spree for 3 hours!

Did I do the wrong thing?!?

[Jiorjiina]

OMG this just happend 10 mins ago! I saw two children one under 3 and asleep, one older (possibly as old as 10) sat in the car next to mine by themselves with the windows wound half down like you would for a dog! I waited for a while because I thought their Mum might have popped to grab something quickly, I was right thankfully.

She had been able to see them the whole time - which is fair enough, but I said I hadn't known that and really she shouldn't be cross with me for caring about what happens to her children.

Did I do the wrong thing?!?

I don't think you did the wrong thing to be concerned, but I wouldn't be too worried if an older child (nearly 10) was also in the car, and the windows were down.

Like you said, they were in mum's sight the whole time, even if you didn't know that, so I don't think there was anything massively problematic there.

On the other hand, my childhood was one of benign neglect and I could handle most things by the time I was about 10, so maybe I am crediting children today (good grief saying that makes me feel old) with too much ability and sense.

[Mrs Book]

Try to do mine at the weekend or on my days off when I haven't got mindees.

Sending hubby is best as he pays:laughing: