I saw something today that disturbed me

[zodiac66]

I stopped in my local quickie mart this evening to pick up some eggs. I was the first in a line of about 5 people. As I was leaving, a man came in and held the door open for me.

As I went to my car, I saw the car next to me running, doors not locked and a toddler in the back seat. I couldn't believe that someone would leave their child in the back seat of a running car with the door unlocked.

To be honest with you, I wanted to call the police and give them the plate # of the car. What I did do, was back out slowly and keep an eye in my rear view mirror until that "parent" returned to the car.

I am still thinking that I made the wrong decision. I should have called someone. I would NEVER leave my child alone in the car especially with the car running and the doors unlocked.

Just to let you all know, when I got in my car, I noticed the toddler in the car with no adult or sibling, saw the car was running then looked at the locks. The car was parked right next to mine.

[Njx]

I'm preeetty sure your overreacting. Its a convenience store, it takes 2 minutes. Also, what is your qualm with the car running ? Someones gonna jump in and steal it ? pfff, I sincerely doubt that. I've seen much worse things. Calling the police because someone left they're child in a running car while they went to get some milk from the convenience store is pretty irrational.

[Ash Housewares]

I'm preeetty sure your overreacting. Its a convenience store, it takes 2 minutes. Also, what is your qualm with the car running ? Someones gonna jump in and steal it ? pfff, I sincerely doubt that. I've seen much worse things. Calling the police because someone left they're child in a running car while they went to get some milk from the convenience store is pretty irrational.

umm, yea, that's the idea...

[Sir EvilFreeSmeg]

I'm preeetty sure your overreacting.
You obviously don't have kids. There is no such thing as a mother overreacting.


Its a convenience store, it takes 2 minutes.
And it takes 60 seconds to steal a car.


Also, what is your qualm with the car running ? Someones gonna jump in and steal it?
You'd better believe it. Lots of cars get stolen because some asshat left it running. You're an even bigger asshat if you leave your kid in your car.


pfff, I sincerely doubt that. I've seen much worse things.
Unless you've seen a dead child, you're a liar.


Calling the police because someone left they're child in a running car while they went to get some milk from the convenience store is pretty irrational.
Please remove yourself from the gene pool. Do it productively if you must, go become a monk. But whatever you do, don't breed.

[superdave]

what's a kid sell for on ebay these days?

i would have stayed behind to ream the parent out.

[Ev_]

I'm preeetty sure your overreacting. Its a convenience store, it takes 2 minutes. Also, what is your qualm with the car running ? Someones gonna jump in and steal it ? pfff, I sincerely doubt that. I've seen much worse things. Calling the police because someone left they're child in a running car while they went to get some milk from the convenience store is pretty irrational.
Do me a favor...don't ever have kids.

[Ranger14]

It takes but a few seconds for someone to hop into the care and drive off. You were not over-reacting Zodiac.

For someone who thinks it is ridiculous...is very sad. :rolleyes: Tell that to the all the parents who have had a child abducted in the same exact situation. I will assure you there are thousands of them.

[zodiac66]

I can't even begin to tell you what when through my mind. It was a newer Chrysler..ripe for stealing. The car was running with the door unlocked. The owner was in line at the quickie mart. Since there was a child in the back seat..I kept an eye out. How many carjackings happen with the parent IN the car..this was just ripe for stealing.

The toddler looked to be my daughters age. I would never leave her in the car alone..running or not. Maybe the guy thought since he was in a semi-affluent community it was ok. It is never ok to leave a child of that age in the car alone.

And actually..it would take less that 10 seconds to steal a car that is running with the doors unlocked.

I just don't understand some parents.

Njx...I hope you never have kids. If you think leaving your very young child alone is ok in a running car with the doors unlocked is ok..you should never be a parent.

[Njx]

Whatever you guys say, that kind of crap doesn't happen around here much, and in broad daylight I wouldn't be worried about it. You guys all assume if I were to have a child I would do the same thing, which is incorrect. I was merely stating that calling hte police on someone that does so is overreacting and I stand fast to the opinion.

And Smeg, shut the hell up, you are the one that needs to remove YOURself from the genepool, by whichever means necessary, and by that, I mean offing yourself. Thanks, and get a clue.

[HaLoPhReAk]

Maybe i'm beating the dead horse (as what's his face's avatar illustrates) but yeah... I dont think i've heard of a parent do a thing stupider (unintentially). One time my parents left me at a convinience store (with red necks) in another country (canada...couldn't have picked a cooler place :cool: ) but yeah, atleast i didn't have a car theif taking me around :cry:

now now now lets not start flamming people,

[zodiac66]

It doesn't happen much around here either..but you never know.

Would you leave your most precious item, unattended for any amount of time at a quickie mart?

[P2blr]

what happens when you bring a child in to a store that sells candy and toys and try to get out in a short amount of time and with only what you came in for?


EDIT: honestly, the only problem I see is leaving the car doors unlocked and the car running, as I was frequently left in the car by myself cause I just didn't feel like going in the store; most of the time I could get a very quality nap in.

[zodiac66]

In that case..who is the one in charge?

A parent has to be a parent. There is no excuse to leave a young child in a car.

Your example is one of convenience..not good parenting.

[kobold]

that kind of crap doesn't happen around here much,

So once or twice a year makes it ok?

Think about it, regardless of where you live, do you know everyone, and would you trust them with a toddler? No way in hell I would with my girls...



*tries to put down the matches for the bonfire...*

[hacchantal]

It was nice of you to keep an eye on the child until the parent came back. I know what you mean about just leaving a child in the car alone; you can never trust this world anymore. There wasn't really anything you can do... imo. Maybe talk to the parent and tell them the things that could happen? I dunno =)

[Sir EvilFreeSmeg]

Whatever you guys say, that kind of crap doesn't happen around here much, and in broad daylight I wouldn't be worried about it. You guys all assume if I were to have a child I would do the same thing, which is incorrect. I was merely stating that calling hte police on someone that does so is overreacting and I stand fast to the opinion.
Then not only are you irresponsible but a hipocrite


And Smeg, shut the hell up, you are the one that needs to remove YOURself from the genepool, by whichever means necessary, and by that, I mean offing yourself. Thanks, and get a clue.
Do I sense a bit of hostility? Perhaps a desire to do harm? By all means, please do make every attempt possible.

[S Z]

For what it is worth, I agree with you Zodi. Though I must admit, I don't subscribe to Smegs advice for Njx.

To be honest, after seeing reports of kids dying of heat stroke in the back of a car because the parent lost track of time, I'd be hesitant to leave a kid in the car full stop.

Leaving the car running under pretty much any circumstances seems pretty nuts to me though, so I am perhaps a bit over zealous on this topic.:lipsrsealed:

[zodiac66]

Maybe I am overprotective..well, yes I am, its not a maybe.

I do not even leave Samara in the apartment alone while doing laundry on the first floor. She has to come with me. I do not leave her alone while I get the mail..she comes with me. If Liam is around, that is different. He can keep an eye out, but the door is still locked.

A parent never, ever leaves a toddler alone under NO circumstance. Toddlers have a wonderlust and will get into anything quickly. A toddler is not old enough to escape out of a car that was carjacked (this one at least was in a booster seat).

[evild2player]

I think there would be more people aiming to kidnap a child than people hijacking a car. It would take 5 seconds opening a door and pulling the girl out. Leaving a child in a car unintended is always a serious thing.. No matter what the conditions were (okay maybe if it was really serious.. then yeah). I've been left in the car alone a handful of times, but the doors were LOCKED and my parents always left me the keys.

[Sir EvilFreeSmeg]

Go over to the pics of your kids thread and show Njx why parents are passionate about keeping kids safe. I'll kill anybody that messes with my son. Preferably in the most violent and messy manner possible.

[HAMC8112]

Maybe it was a police undercover operation, trying to catch kidnappers. Good thing you didnt act, obstructing an official investigation carry's a heavy penalty.

Lol, that would be so funny, Zodi in jail for trying to safe the world.

[Sir EvilFreeSmeg]

No police force wothy of that name would prosecute somebody for calling in such an occurance. Any that did deserves to be publically hung and the politicians that authorized it hung as well.

[HAMC8112]

No police force wothy of that name would prosecute somebody for calling in such an occurance.

It is not up to the police, they do not prosecute, that's the DA. :grin:

[Sir EvilFreeSmeg]

Hang him as well. I have nothing but contempt for cops that go after innocent people

[Njx]

I'm a hypocrit? How is that ? I stated I thought it would be irrational to call the police yadayada, and then I said I would not do the same thing as that parent did. Now I'm also irresponsible too? More drivel coming out of you.

And did I say I wanted to do you bodily harm? I only said you shoudl do it to yourself, not to mention you wouldn't stand a chance ;)

[Ash Housewares]

Do I sense a bit of hostility? Perhaps a desire to do harm? By all means, please do make every attempt possible.

well the guy is completely wrong, but hostility began with you smeg, so in the eyes of the law, you're going to heck, it's in the constitution, my hands are tied

[Stompwampa]

I left my daughter in the car once when I forgot to grab my wallet from the apartment. She was strapped into her seat, i shut off the car, locked the doors and sprinted into the apartment, grabbed my wallet and was back downstairs before the entry door closed. The whole thing made me very eneasy...ever since I've gone through the trouble of taking her out of the car and bringing her back up with me...no matter how short of a trip back it is.

Even if she's sleeping in her room with the door closed, I feel bad leaving the apartment to go three doors down to toss in a load of laundry...and when I do I lock the door.

I would have waited til the parent came out too. I may not have said anything, but had it been more than a couple of minutes, I would have called the police and given them the plate number.

Would youleave a breifcase full of ten million dollars, open in the back seat of an unlocked, running car? Hardly.
Don't do it to your kid.

[Sir EvilFreeSmeg]

well the guy is completely wrong, but hostility began with you smeg, so in the eyes of the law, you're going to heck, it's in the constitution, my hands are tied
Yet Zodi said the same thing and nothing was said to her. This smacks of being personal hatred towards me. I feel all warm and fuzzy knowing people care

[superdave]

Yet Zodi said the same thing and nothing was said to her. This smacks of being personal hatred towards me.

well duh...zodi is hot...she get's to say whatever she wants.

[Stompwampa]

Yet Zodi said the same thing and nothing was said to her. This smacks of being personal hatred towards me. I feel all warm and fuzzy knowing people care


your avatar makes me feel all warm and fuzzy... :shocked:

[Bortaz]

I am not 'whats his face'!

[Raistlin Majere]

Whatever you guys say, that kind of crap doesn't happen around here much, and in broad daylight I wouldn't be worried about it. You guys all assume if I were to have a child I would do the same thing, which is incorrect. I was merely stating that calling hte police on someone that does so is overreacting and I stand fast to the opinion.

And Smeg, shut the hell up, you are the one that needs to remove YOURself from the genepool, by whichever means necessary, and by that, I mean offing yourself. Thanks, and get a clue.
Do you have any idea how frequently quickie marts are robbed?

[LunarSolaris]

Your gut instinct was right Zodi, you should have probably called the police. They would have responded and would have read that parent the riot act for leaving their child in the car... as they should have.

In the State of Washington, leaving a child under the age of 6 in a car is considered child neglect, and it can (and sometimes does) get CPS involved. In that case, you'll get someone like me at your doorstep trying to see if there is anything that can be done to intervene.

Most of the times parents think "It'll just be a second" and "it's a pain to get my child out of the car for this quick errand". However, as already mentioned, it only takes a second for a hundred or more thing to go wrong and that child be injured. If that were to happen, a parent can be found negligent.

Don't beat yourself up though Zodi, you did the best you could do under the circumstances. You were by no means "overprotective". I'd rather see more parents be overprotective than under... which is sadly what I've seen a lot of.

[DBShako]

I'm thinking you did all you really could do. You were a mother when the mother wasn't there. Ofcourse I bet we've just about all been left in a car for a minute or two. Maybe some of us longer than that. And it happens everyday hundreds of times. Calling the cops probably wouldn't have yeilded much of anything but maybe making you feel like you did a bit more. Cops are generally useless in my opinion, but thats just me and my experiences with them.I'll tell you this,though, if I was gonna nab that car, I for damn sure would have scanned the lot for watchful eyes like yours before attempting it. You can never be sure what you may have prevented that day just by doing what you did. And even if in this case nothing would have happened, I'm sure days have gone by when children were saved from god knows what just because someone had an eye on them, even if it was just another mother in a parking lot.

[dirkdig]

It doesn't happen much around here either..but you never know.

Would you leave your most precious item, unattended for any amount of time at a quickie mart?
Wait, by "most precious item", are you referring to the child or the brand new Chrysler? :shocked:

[PatMaGroin]

what happens when you bring a child in to a store that sells candy and toys and try to get out in a short amount of time and with only what you came in for?
You either a) cave in to your kid, which sets a precedent for you to do it every time, which you will, which ruins your child, or b) say no and assert your authority, as you are, after all, the parent.


honestly, the only problem I see is leaving the car doors unlocked and the car running, as I was frequently left in the car by myself cause I just didn't feel like going in the store; most of the time I could get a very quality nap in.
If you were old enough to remember, you weren't a toddler strapped in a booster seat. Different story.

[CutterTheNutter]

Whatever you guys say, that kind of crap doesn't happen around here much, and in broad daylight I wouldn't be worried about it. You guys all assume if I were to have a child I would do the same thing, which is incorrect. I was merely stating that calling hte police on someone that does so is overreacting and I stand fast to the opinion.

And Smeg, shut the hell up, you are the one that needs to remove YOURself from the genepool, by whichever means necessary, and by that, I mean offing yourself. Thanks, and get a clue.
You really are serious about your view aren't you? So where you live the police would do nothing? Place yourself in Zodiacs shoes as a mother THEN says thats an over reaction - was my wife where zodiac was - the driver would probably be needing hospital treatment for a ruptured eardrum.

Seconds is all it takes for a car to be stolen - its happened here in the UK and its not something that people take lightly - please be more considerate to other peoples ideals when you post in future.

@ Zodiac - You did the right thing in keeping an eye out for the kid - his parent obviously wasn't

[Freet]

ECI,

I realize how badly you wanted to tell NJX how you fealt about his opinion, in fact, I wanted to tell him what I felt when I saw it. I cannot permit this to continue though so please, in the future, control your urge to abuse the 'illinformed'.

NJX,

Telling a person to 'off' himself is pretty nasty and not acceptable in here. Don't do it again.

Zodi,

I am as dissapointed in you as you are in yourself. There is no way I would have let this person drive off without getting his/her license number and calling the police. In todays world I would consider what this person did as child endangerment and the kids deserve better parenting than that.

[myleftfoot]

Big Brother is watching you ... and then he'll ring the police.

[dirkdig]

I actually agree that I wouldn't call the police. I would, however, stick around and tell the mother personally how dangerous it is to do what she just did, and maybe try to shame her into not doing something so stupid again.

[Dondrei]

What an idiot. Some people are so freaking thoughtless.

[Sergeant]

I'm preeetty sure your overreacting. Its a convenience store, it takes 2 minutes. Also, what is your qualm with the car running ? Someones gonna jump in and steal it ? pfff, I sincerely doubt that. I've seen much worse things. Calling the police because someone left they're child in a running car while they went to get some milk from the convenience store is pretty irrational.

If you're serious, I don't ever want you around me or my family. It takes a minute to steal a car, half that when its unlocked and running.

In two minutes they could be a mile away without you ever knowing they took the car. Its obvious you don't have kids. If you do, someone needs to take them away from you before you get them killed through stupidity.


Whatever you guys say, that kind of crap doesn't happen around here much, and in broad daylight I wouldn't be worried about it. You guys all assume if I were to have a child I would do the same thing, which is incorrect. I was merely stating that calling hte police on someone that does so is overreacting and I stand fast to the opinion.

And Smeg, shut the hell up, you are the one that needs to remove YOURself from the genepool, by whichever means necessary, and by that, I mean offing yourself. Thanks, and get a clue.

Doesn't happen MUCH? And that makes it ok to leave your baby in an unlocked, running car, unattended? How many times are we gonna have to see some idiot parent on the news sobbing because they "only went inside for a second. Don't make the same mistake I did". It is old and tired. Any parent who does that should have their children removed from them and placed in more responsible hands. If I had been in Zodiac's situation, I would have boxed the car in and called the cops. Better that than the chance of seeing that same car on the news and the police carrying a small body bag away.

You'd be ok with that? How would you live with yourself? I seriously hope you're still just a dumb teenage kid who just doesn't know any better. Your comments reek of high school age. I could forgive that. I just hope you're not an adult yet.

Smeg is right, there is no such thing as over reacting when it comes to your kids, or even seeing someone elses kid in an unattended car. Since when did we stop being humans with a conscience?

[htotheh]

yeah wait till you see cars that are running, doors unlocked, and open, a toddler inside it, and a parent scream and beating up the child... i see that all the time on Dr.Phil