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
- 560Yes, leave them every time
- 42Yes, leave them sometimes
- 90No, they always come with me
- 161I don't have any kids
Comments
- 1
- 2
Yes, apart from directly linking to and quoting the relevant legislation in Qld and Vic and quoting advice from the Department of Family and Community Services in NSW and then quoting advice from a lawyer about the application of that legislation there was no information at all /s
Average Murdoch group news user
Tell me you voted for the liberal party without saying you voted for the liberal party.
Did you not make it to the first subheading?
This is a very good point. I'm talking out of my ass, but I imagine theft, fire, or similar would be unlikely compared to the possibility of having an unaware driver pull in. Kids are unpredictable and difficult to see, as they may be occluded by cars and pumps.
it says for “unreasonable time”… i donk think fueling up and pay at the counter is unreasonable time under any circumstance.
Hijacking top post here but if the pay at pump terminals actually worked, i'd use them but 99% of the places i've seen them installed at they're deactivated.
Also 100% agree with OP, trying to get the kids all out and back in is not only time consuming but dangerous, I do however wind down the windows and lock the doors and i'm constantly peering over my shoulder whilst i'm inside to check if they're okay/not up to mischief.
they do this because they make more money out of customers when they walk through the store to pay with up selling items
And they lure them in with the promise they can pay at pump, force them to pay at counter and then sell extra items as a bonus.
I work in the industry. You will find most of the pay-at-pump stations disabled because they were installed when pay-at-pump was the latest industry fad but there was no long term plan for maintenance/leveraging them for a better return. They are usually garbage equipment installed improperly & never maintained (because they add no additional margin). Eventually the cost of supporting/maintaining the hardware isn't worth the nill return so they just get disabled.
You are lucky they didn't catch on or the days of the 24 hour servo would be over especially outside the cities. If they could still sell fuel & have some vending machines during the dead quiet hours without having to pay staff they absolutely would.
@mitt: They seemed to work fine all throughout Malaysia when I visited last month, though there you generally swiped and authorise payment first before it will pump.
@inertia8: Because they are maintained. The ones in Australia were bolted on during a management fad then abandoned so they slowly faulted out & were not replaced. There was also a high incidence of vandalism as people objected to the ever declining customer service levels being provided. Almost all the sites I visit now have them removed entirely, with only a couple still with out of order equipment still on the pumps.
I just pay using the app, skip the queue and no need to leave the kids.
You should always lock the doors the moment you've opened the fuel cap tbh.
Not sure why people leave their cars unlocked whilst filling up to paying
Because I don't have anything valuable in my car.
You are valuable. You will be returning and getting inside the car minutes later.
aww thanks. you are special too
Why? The only important security measure (and required by law) is not to leave keys in the ignition.
Haven't you seen the movies and tv shows where you get in but someone is already inside waiting? Hahaha
But in all seriousness, why make it any easier? I've also seen those people who camp at traffic lights trying to open doors on the roads and at certain service stations. (The minimum wage servo attendant isn't going to confront a degenerate or help you if someone does try to rummage through your car,)
Good point. Why make it easier? Best to carry a gun at all times, and put 2-factor authentication on the door lock.
Haven't you seen the movies and tv shows where you get in but someone is already inside waiting?
You joke but I legit always make sure to give the back seats a quick glance as I'm opening the car door. I can't say for sure whether the "suddenly look up at the rear-view mirror to see the bad guy sitting in the back" trope has ever happened to a single person in real life, but what I am saying is that I refuse to be a statistic.
@whatwasherproblem: It has definitely happened in real life. Paul Denyer, the Frankston serial killer, hid in the backseat to abduct and later kill his second victim https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/he-has-done-noth…
@whatwasherproblem: Pro tip, no one can wait on the back seat if its too full of stuff for anyone to fit
I've also seen those people who camp at traffic lights trying to open doors on the roads and at certain service stations.
How often do you actually see this? Or is this something you've seen one time and you've now just extrapolated to it being a common occurence?
In Qld you needed to
- switch off the engine
- apply the parking brake
- remove the key from the ignition if there is no one at least 16 years old in the vehicle
- wind up all the windows (a gap of up to 5cm is allowed)
- lock the doors
if you are going to leave your vehicle unattended (more than 3 metre away). This includes all roads and road related areas (such as car parks)
@bargaino: Here's a primary source, because Google was too hard for you.
Even citing original legislation is not definitive
I'm sorry I didn't realise I was talking to Dennis Denuto
@GrueHunter: Reading the source: " This section applies to the driver of a motor vehicle who stops and leaves the vehicle on a road,
So you see, looking at the source changes everything.
Why do you feel the need for an ad-hominem attack?
What about a roadster or hotrod with no roof option at all.
Your link is just a guide to common road rules and practices. It's not a list of things that must be done according to the law.
@infinite: Tell me you don't have the faintest f&^%ing idea what road rules are without telling me
The Queensland road rules (and every other state and territory's road rules) directly reflect binding legislation. In Queensland, it's the Transport Operations (Road Use Management—Road Rules) Regulation 2009.
So yes, they must be done according to the law. I wasn't going to provide a link because you're clearly a lawyer, but here you go: s213 - Making a vehicle secure
Actually this is incorrect. In QLD it is an offence to leave a car unlocked or with the windows down in such a way as to allow an intruder to enter the vehicle while unattended.
Short version, this law exists because it temps criminals to action.
Edit: looks like I was late to the party. Arguments have already been had 😂
I told my kids to bolt if fire breaks out. So we never locked the kids in. But the keys always remain with the driver!
The car will self lock after being driven past 10 m.
App pay is better in most respects, kids are bored so get home to some real family life!? If my wife and kids are still in the car i dont lock it!
Because I am not paranoid.
Because if I lock the car then I can't actually close the fuel door. I lock it after I've filled up but before I go in to pay.
Can't close my fuel cap when car is locked. After closed I lock the kids in then go pay
Has anyone notice the petrol flip out door doesn't lock at all? Anyone can open this door and steal the petrol.
Because I take out the key. What are they gonna do while I fill up the car, steal and drive away?
Who doesn't fill up, take kids to casino, lock car and then go back to pay for petrol?
Probably some weirdo at a guess.
false.
in the story, the father left the keys in the car, which is wrong.If you want a real citation, try checking the actual law, and see the words "for an unreasonable time".
Ok. Doing it now. Thanks for the inspo.
It's not illegal at all.
Part 6.1 — Offences Relating to the Protection of Children
Children, Youth and Families Act 2005
Act No. 96/2005S 494 (1)
Offence to leave child unattended
A person who has the control or charge of a child must not leave the child without making reasonable provision for the child's supervision and care for a time which is unreasonable.Legal guidance from Slater/Gordon Victoria on what is not considered "unreasonable":
"I do not think for a moment that a person who, for instance, leaves their 11-year-old child in a car in the shade at a service station for one minute while paying for the fuel, breaches this provision of the Criminal Code."
So when the ABC links to the Victorian legislation and quotes a lawyer talking about reasonableness it's "low information" and "untrustworthy" but when you do exactly the same thing it's all cool
ok champ
Quoting a trusted source of information sure seems to have triggered your NPC programming fairly hard.
Depends how old the kids are?
Absolutely. My youngest is 22 so I trust him in the car on his own.
you shouldn't, I've met him
Generally speaking, the courts will always dismiss any case or charge of this involving kids who are older than infants & where it can't be proved the parents left the kids unattended for a prolonged period of time due to malice or outright neglect.
Leave them in the car all the time, sometimes lock the car, in case someone else try to drive off with the kids.
sometimes lock the car
😂
in case someone else try to drive off with the kids
I leave my car unlocked for this exact reason
I guess the kids show the car-jacker a youtube on how to hotwire it?
Usually car jacker released there is a kid in the back and they dump the car somewhere and run lol
@boomramada: On the news last night - car jacker realised there was a kid in the car and dumped the kid - 2yo in only his nappy. Horrifying.
@Embaloo: And in court, he was shoutijg at the father who owned the car that he was a terrible parent
Could you… get the fuel at another time?
I usually get it on the way to work when it’s just myself as there is no way I am going to wrangle two toddlers, who 100% will go berserk once they see the snack stand. I can appreciate there are some situations where the kid is with a single parent practically 24/7 but surely there’s still times.
I’d probably draw the line around say 12 years +
My local Caltex used to have pay at pump too with card.
I find transferring them to the boot of the car works pretty well while I pay for my fuel, keeps them out of trouble.
Put them in the driver's seat. Using the horn keeps them endlessly amused. Bonus for key in the ignition so that they can listen to Frozen sound track on loop.
Dog kennel works too.
Drop them in the dog cleaning wash area as you go into the servo to pay for the petrol. Saves money as the kids wont need a shower before bed that night.
Is this thread inspired by the guy in Chelsea that had his car with child in the back stolen whilst he went to get ice cream?
It's like a bicycle chain link. If he didn't leave the keys in the car this never would of happened.
Worse than that, he left the engine running! I really can't imagine anyone leaving their car running for any reason, let alone with a two year old inside.
In western sydney people always leave their cars with the engine running for the air-con on hot days. Really great in confined spaces like undercover parking lots where the fumes swamp the area :S
@Embaloo: One of the big benefits of EVs. Keep AC running without any engine running, smoke or noise. Also you can lock the car and even remotely monitor interior and exterior cameras via app (Tesla).
But then you don't have to go to a servo in the first place as well.
This happened in Adelaide last year too.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-30/baby-found-after-bein…
Is the car going to magically heat up to 50c in 2 minutes? I don't think so.
If it was a 40 degree day and the car was in direct sunlight then I wouldn't. Most petrol stations are covered though.
Seven eleven auto pay.
Or bp auto pay.
No need to go to counter.
Then how do pay $3.50 for a mars bar then Mr smarty pants?
Amazon prime plus
Thanks. I think I've heard of this but will look into it further.
For the Mars Bar or for the fuel?
An Ozbargainer wouldn’t pay $3.50 for a Mars Bar!!
How dare you, sir!Your sarcasm detector needs new batteries 😉
Can you scan your fuel lock with 7Eleven auto-pay?
I haven't noticed any autopay options tbh.Ha! A 10 second google says that you can pay from the app? Feels like I've been under a rock!
It's awesome and automatically applies your lock
Costco has pay at the bowser with a credit card.
BP used to have this too - made me a loyal customer
Our local station has an attendant come to add fuel to the vehicle, and also has an EFTPOS terminal to accept payment. Never have to get out of the car if I don't want to.
Only seen that one in all my years, at a random little rural down down south…
they still have attendants in Tassie
There's not many, but still one less than a block from my house (regional NSW).
I always thought it's illegal to leave kids in the car without adult. Google says it's not, but this one confirms it.
Yes, if they are in the car with me which is seldom when I'm filling up with fuel.
I do take the keys out with me, at least the car won't get taken with them in it.
And no, they won't die from heat exhaustion, even if there is a queue to pay.
I voted yes/option 1
But now I think about it we tend to refuel when both parents in car or when our on our own with no kids. But would and have left 2-3 kids in car (and locked it) when going in to pay
When they were young, yes. I've never said anything to another parent (and never would unless I felt the child in danger from heat stroke or from starting the vehicle). Generally, the best way to avoid the issue is to fill up alone (we used to do this late at night). Appreciate not possible for single parents.
Depends on how busy the petrol station is, and also, the location of the pump to the register. But I always try NOT to fill up with kids in the car, but I have left them in there while I dash inside
And why the hell can’t we pay at the pump?!
At some stage most people make quick dash inside to pay with toddlers in car. The effort to take out 2 kids, is not worth it. Lock car, go inside, pay and dash back.
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It's more dangerous to wrangle 2 uncooperative kids across a live traffic zone to pay. In the car they stay.