Children left in cars

Have you ever gone into a convenience store, pizzeria, etc. and noticed a small child alone in a parked car? Presumably their parent is inside and just intended to be “a minute”. Does this piss you off as much as it does me? I don’t think these numbskulls would ever dream of leaving a couple of hundred dollars in cash sitting on the seat out in the open but they’ll leave something priceless as their child unguarded.

Ugh, I know. A few years ago, a lady went in to pay for gas, left keys in and baby in the back. A guy took off with the car and baby. I don't think he knew the baby was there because he dropped off the baby at a hotel a short while after.

Dogs in cars in extreme hot or cold make me mad too. People don't give a shit.

Agreed, these people are complete idiots who shouldn't be allowed to breed or have pets for that matter. I'm glad to say though that I have never seen this personally, anytime I see somebody alone in the car they are damn well old enough to help themselves.

I've seen it happen and it drives me crazy. My neighbour used to leave her kids in the car and they'd be bouncing on the seats with cans of pop in heir hands and I was always worried they'd cut themselves because they'd be bouncing and drinking from the can at the same time.

Years ago a little girl was abducted from a car in a nearby city. Her parents had left her in her carseat while they went into the store. She was just 1 month old or something like that. Her parents came back and she was gone and has never been found. I had a hard time feeling sorry for them. Who in their right mind leaves an almnost newborn baby alone in a car? Awhile back, I read that the Dad was giving up hope.

Yes. Last summer I was in the parking lot at a supermarket and saw a car that had two small children, I'm thinking no older than six, and a dog all in the backseat. No adult in sight. As my mom would say, "that's how little kids get snatched." Doesn't matter how quick you think you're going to be, it only takes a second to kidnap a child that age.

No I haven't but I would surely say something if I did!

Chris wrote:Yes. Last summer I was in the parking lot at a supermarket and saw a car that had two small children, I'm thinking no older than six, and a dog all in the backseat. No adult in sight. As my mom would say, "that's how little kids get snatched." Doesn't matter how quick you think you're going to be, it only takes a second to kidnap a child that age.

It also doesn't matter how quick you think you're going to be, that's going into it, then once you're actually in the store you often find out that there's a line.

Dogs in cars in extreme hot or cold make me mad too. People don't give a shit

.

Yes! This issue was on my too mind when I made the post.

No I haven't but I would surely say something if I did!

I've been so tempted to go into the store and announce, "Excuse me but I think someone is trying to break into the Chevy (or whatever make the kid was left in) out front."

Yeah - you're just asking for it when you leave kids unattended. The other family I have a hard time feeling sorry for is the McCann family. Who leaves a 3 year old and 1 year old twins sleeping alone in a hotel resort room and only checks on them once an hour? Their excuse of "we were only 100 yards away" doesn't wash with me. 100 yards is fine if you're in direct view but the moment something is blocking your view, it's just stupid to leave such young kids unattended for so long. Little kids sometime wake up in the middle of the night. What if one of them tripped and fell and really got hurt?

I think if they're over the age of 6 or 7 and understand instruction, then it's fine to leave them in the car for a minute while you run in and buy a pack of cigs and play a number. My parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, sitters, etc. did that and it wasn't a big deal. I knew not to get out of the car and to keep the doors locked. Was never abducted or approached.

When I was a kid I was left in the car, unlocked & running. Guessing I was very lucky. But times have changed a lot. People just don't care anymore & will do anything these days. There are some who will take a car & toss the kid out somewhere. You should never leave a small child like that.

As the weather warms up we're going to start hearing the stories again from a parent who locked their kid in a hot car & came out too late.

Years ago I had gone grocery shopping on a miserable, freezing, howling, rainy day. My kids and I came out of the store and hurried to the van...I think they were about 4 and 7 at the time. I got the door open and loaded the 4yo inside while the 7yo climbed in. Then I proceeded to put the groceries in the back.

I closed the back doors, locked the van with the remote, and walked the 30-40 feet to return my cart. When I turned around there was a couple gawking in the windows, outraged that someone had presumably left their kids in the car to go shopping. They looked a bit humbled when they realized it was my vehicle, as they had seen me near the cart corral.

Seriously, though....stranger abduction is quite rare. I think people are over-the-top ridiculously paranoid about such things. Remember the uproar about that woman who let her 9yo loose in the big city to find his way home? I'd be more concerned that my vehicle would be hit by some bad driver while my kids were in it, rather than that they'd be snatched up by someone.

Seriously, though....stranger abduction is quite rare. I think people are over-the-top ridiculously paranoid about such things. Remember the uproar about that woman who let her 9yo loose in the big city to find his way home? I'd be more concerned that my vehicle would be hit by some bad driver while my kids were in it, rather than that they'd be snatched up by someone

It is rare. And even more rare for those who safeguard against it.

My brother said he used to get annoyed at people who'd leave the cart in the middle of the parking lot until he was shopping with my niece, got her in the car seat, and realized he still had the cart to deal with. He ended up leaving it there, as he wasn't goign to leave her in the car and walk back to the store with the cart.

I also don't get why people tie up pets outside a store. I'd be worried someone would walk off with my dog. I always feel so bad for them, because they look so sad sitting there and looking up hopefully everytime someone comes out of the store.

TSJFan4Ever wrote:I also don't get why people tie up pets outside a store. I'd be worried someone would walk off with my dog. I always feel so bad for them, because they look so sad sitting there and looking up hopefully everytime someone comes out of the store.

Neither do I. There used to be party store near me, where the owner kept his Collie (a very nice-looking, popular and people-friendly breed) tied up outside to a fence. He was pretty much asking for someone to steal his dog.

Yeah - that really is asking for it. Poor Collie! He's luck no one DID take off with it - a purebred could be sold for a lot of money. There are times I'm tempted to grab the dog and move it to a different location and I've the owner a bit of a scare.