Can I leave my infant in the car alone to...,

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:OMG, what if some thief jumped in your car and stole it, with your baby inside?!?!

Really, is this sarcasm? You realize you are more likely to be carjacked at a traffic light or while getting gas? Also, I'd think the mom would lock the car.

While it is rare, it does happen. It's the risk you take. It may seem well worth it on days that are uneventful but so NOT worth it if you happen to be the one and someone drives off with your baby.

You know what isn't rare? Car accidents. Yet we all drive our babies around all of the time. This is just further proof that people are incredibly bad at assessing risk.

but this one is an easily avoidable risk, driving in this area not so much.

You are just trading one risk for another. You could get held up at the ATM, in which case your baby would have been much better off in the car. Both are as likely happen, which is to say very rare.

Additionally, most people drive their kids places that aren't necessary. I could do PeaPod, but we go to Whole Foods sometimes. We could play in the hard, but we drive to the park sometimes. We could never live this area, but we fly on a plane to a vacation destination. The idea that you can eliminate risk is ridiculous and people hyper-focus on stupid stuff that has an incredibly low likelihood of harming

Totally agree. I am always amazed at the "what if" scenarios people come up with in certain circumstances (like this one) when they do hundreds of things every week that have a much higher risk of bad outcomes.

The difference is you are creating a risk for no good reason. Not the same as your other examples.

So what if I got into a car accident while driving to Starbuck's? That is creating risk for no good reason. I don't need that latte. Yet I am creating much higher risk by driving my kid in the car than I am by leaving him in the car while I walk 20 feet away to use an ATM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No way, not with an infant where the consequences could be disastrous if for some reason you could not get back in. Also I would call 911 immediately if I saw an unattended child in a car on a hot day, anything over 80 or so.

You sound crazy. Immediately? You wouldn't wait 10 seconds to see if the mom was chasing down an older sibling, or returning a shopping cart?

Yes, I would look around but not to the extent of people standing in line at an atm 25 feet away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG, what if some thief jumped in your car and stole it, with your baby inside?!?!

Really, is this sarcasm? You realize you are more likely to be carjacked at a traffic light or while getting gas? Also, I'd think the mom would lock the car.

While it is rare, it does happen. It's the risk you take. It may seem well worth it on days that are uneventful but so NOT worth it if you happen to be the one and someone drives off with your baby.

You know what isn't rare? Car accidents. Yet we all drive our babies around all of the time. This is just further proof that people are incredibly bad at assessing risk.

but this one is an easily avoidable risk, driving in this area not so much.

You are just trading one risk for another. You could get held up at the ATM, in which case your baby would have been much better off in the car. Both are as likely happen, which is to say very rare.

Additionally, most people drive their kids places that aren't necessary. I could do PeaPod, but we go to Whole Foods sometimes. We could play in the hard, but we drive to the park sometimes. We could never live this area, but we fly on a plane to a vacation destination. The idea that you can eliminate risk is ridiculous and people hyper-focus on stupid stuff that has an incredibly low likelihood of harming

Totally agree. I am always amazed at the "what if" scenarios people come up with in certain circumstances (like this one) when they do hundreds of things every week that have a much higher risk of bad outcomes.

The difference is you are creating a risk for no good reason. Not the same as your other examples.

So what if I got into a car accident while driving to Starbuck's? That is creating risk for no good reason. I don't need that latte. Yet I am creating much higher risk by driving my kid in the car than I am by leaving him in the car while I walk 20 feet away to use an ATM.

The point is that you have an alternative here that is reasonable. Never driving is unreasonable.

[Anonymous]

Good grief people - Life is full of risks! I personally don't think it's worth the risk to leave DD in the car when I exit it. Period. I don't want to potentially be arrested, have the break a window because I accidentally locked the keys inside or worse.

Yes, there are risks to everything (driving, eating anything you didn't grow yourself, cooking, walking, taking a shower, etc), so why push it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Imagine if you somehow lock yourself out and the baby in, in today's 100 degree weather.

Then you break the window...not that complicated folks.

My brother's friend actually did this (not on a hot day). He ended up throwing something ridiculous (cinder block? brick?) through the back window of his X3 or X5. He's a big guy and it took him several times to get it to break, glass everywhere, apparently was a huge mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG, what if some thief jumped in your car and stole it, with your baby inside?!?!

Really, is this sarcasm? You realize you are more likely to be carjacked at a traffic light or while getting gas? Also, I'd think the mom would lock the car.

While it is rare, it does happen. It's the risk you take. It may seem well worth it on days that are uneventful but so NOT worth it if you happen to be the one and someone drives off with your baby.

You know what isn't rare? Car accidents. Yet we all drive our babies around all of the time. This is just further proof that people are incredibly bad at assessing risk.

but this one is an easily avoidable risk, driving in this area not so much.

You are just trading one risk for another. You could get held up at the ATM, in which case your baby would have been much better off in the car. Both are as likely happen, which is to say very rare.

Additionally, most people drive their kids places that aren't necessary. I could do PeaPod, but we go to Whole Foods sometimes. We could play in the hard, but we drive to the park sometimes. We could never live this area, but we fly on a plane to a vacation destination. The idea that you can eliminate risk is ridiculous and people hyper-focus on stupid stuff that has an incredibly low likelihood of harming

Totally agree. I am always amazed at the "what if" scenarios people come up with in certain circumstances (like this one) when they do hundreds of things every week that have a much higher risk of bad outcomes.

The difference is you are creating a risk for no good reason. Not the same as your other examples.

So what if I got into a car accident while driving to Starbuck's? That is creating risk for no good reason. I don't need that latte. Yet I am creating much higher risk by driving my kid in the car than I am by leaving him in the car while I walk 20 feet away to use an ATM.

The point is that you have an alternative here that is reasonable. Never driving is unreasonable.

Never going to Starbucks is an alternative that is reasonable. It increases risk in to your life. Just like leaving a baby in the car for 1 minute while you use an ATM. It doesn't really make rational sense to be ok with certain risks that are avoidable (like driving to a coffee shop) but not others. Not rational at all. But I tend to think most people aren't rational.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good grief people - Life is full of risks! I personally don't think it's worth the risk to leave DD in the car when I exit it. Period. I don't want to potentially be arrested, have the break a window because I accidentally locked the keys inside or worse.

Yes, there are risks to everything (driving, eating anything you didn't grow yourself, cooking, walking, taking a shower, etc), so why push it?

Because the risk is almost nil. But for some reason, people have gotten crazy about this particular thing. It is dumb.

[Anonymous]

Too many weirdos out there - car jacking, kidnapping, etc for the 30 sec you turn your back punching in your pass code and making your selections.
I could never live with myself if there was a bad outcome.

[Anonymous]

I've done it. Pulled up to the parking space in front of the ATM. Windows down, car turned off, and in my view the whole time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Too many weirdos out there - car jacking, kidnapping, etc for the 30 sec you turn your back punching in your pass code and making your selections.
I could never live with myself if there was a bad outcome.

Couldn't that weirdo just attack you and your baby at the ATM? You'd be a pretty easy target holding a baby and cash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've done it. Pulled up to the parking space in front of the ATM. Windows down, car turned off, and in my view the whole time.

You don't have to look at the ATM screen? That's a nifty skill, do share!

[Anonymous]

Yes, you can. Many will judge you, others will applaud you taking a stand against The Man, and either way hopefully your kid won't die.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've done it. Pulled up to the parking space in front of the ATM. Windows down, car turned off, and in my view the whole time.

You don't have to look at the ATM screen? That's a nifty skill, do share!

Really? Maybe you are just a little more challenged by tricky things like figuring out how to use an ATM. And you caught me - sometimes I look away from my child for seconds at a time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Too many weirdos out there - car jacking, kidnapping, etc for the 30 sec you turn your back punching in your pass code and making your selections.
I could never live with myself if there was a bad outcome.

Couldn't that weirdo just attack you and your baby at the ATM? You'd be a pretty easy target holding a baby and cash.

There is risk to everything. Which situation has a higher probability something will go wrong?

[Anonymous]

So you're really asking if it's okay to do something that is illegal in 19 states currently (and proposed law in a dozen + others)? Really?