I see it all the time here and don't even think twice about it. I don't leave my car running when I drop off/pick up, but thats because I get to chatting with the daycare teacher and I'm in there for 10+ minutes.
I do leave my keys, purse, phone, etc in the car unlocked though. I never bring them inside to daycare. Hell, I often leave my car unlocked when I'm running errands.
I also regularly see people's cars running at restaurants, because their dogs are inside, so clearly no one where I live cares, lol.
Post by steamboat185 on Aug 26, 2016 10:11:33 GMT -5
Nope. Even on the days where it is over 100 I just try to run in quickly. The car doesn't get that hot in 5 minutes it is much worse after grocery shopping or a trip to the zoo.
Post by statlerwaldorf on Aug 26, 2016 10:25:06 GMT -5
I don't. Even in extreme temps I am not in there long enough for it to make a big difference in my van.
I did park in the drop off lane when I had 3 under 3. I didn't work until 9:30, so drop off wasn't busy and I was worried about the safety of ds1 crossing through the parking lot while trying to juggle the twins. This is separate from the fire lane. And I'm not really sure why there was a drop off lane when even older kids needed to be escorted by an adult.
I don't usually lock since our daycare is back in a neighborhood and up a hill. They don't get people just walking by. I probably should. Half the time I'm blocked in by another parent so not the best place to steal a car.
People do it often here during the worst winter weather. I park at daycare and walk to train, yes occasionally when I go pick up I do turn the car on first so it's not minus twenty in the car when I get the kids.
Sometimes my windscreen is completely frozen/covered with crusty ice/snow. so yes I run the car with windscreen defrost while I run in and get them .... I'm already last parent to pick up so I can't exactly sit outside for 10-15 minutes waiting for it to defrost, then turn the car off and go in. I have to go right in when I get there as they are about to close
I don't bother in summer even when it's really hot, I feel like the AC cools the car pretty quickly but in winter it's definitely a tough situation at times.
If I were driving to day care though and my car was already defrosted and warmed I wouldn't leave it on then I don't think... probably not necessary as I'm in and out in a few minutes.
But, what are you supposed to do if you park there and your car is frozen solid where you can barely open the doors? or just dealing with your car in the morning? I also leave my car running in my driveway on bad mornings in winter because I can't drive if I can't see because the windshield is iced over
But are people mostly objecting to the theft part or the environmental issues with leaving empty cars running? because even if my car ISN'T iced over and I don't need to defrost to be able to see, if I'm putting my kids in it I definitely am pre warming it in the driveway in the morning. I can't put them in the seat in a coat, I'm not placing them in a sub zero car when I don't have to.
People do it often here during the worst winter weather. I park at daycare and walk to train, yes occasionally when I go pick up I do turn the car on first so it's not minus twenty in the car when I get the kids.
Sometimes my windscreen is completely frozen/covered with crusty ice/snow. so yes I run the car with windscreen defrost while I run in and get them .... I'm already last parent to pick up so I can't exactly sit outside for 10-15 minutes waiting for it to defrost, then turn the car off and go in. I have to go right in when I get there as they are about to close
I don't bother in summer even when it's really hot, I feel like the AC cools the car pretty quickly but in winter it's definitely a tough situation at times.
This is why I do it too. And really, I didn't start doing it until we had a cold snap two winters ago when windchills were subzero. I was like...NOPE. Plus, couple temps like that with sleet and snow falling. Your windshield can freeze over again in a minute or two. It sucks to have already gotten cold outside scraping off 8 hours of ice and snow to drive to after school care and then having a new layer to scrape when come outside.
Plus, don't get me started on the indignity of doing all of this while wearing a suit. Even with a long winter coat, my legs still freeze.
People do it often here during the worst winter weather. I park at daycare and walk to train, yes occasionally when I go pick up I do turn the car on first so it's not minus twenty in the car when I get the kids.
Sometimes my windscreen is completely frozen/covered with crusty ice/snow. so yes I run the car with windscreen defrost while I run in and get them .... I'm already last parent to pick up so I can't exactly sit outside for 10-15 minutes waiting for it to defrost, then turn the car off and go in. I have to go right in when I get there as they are about to close
I don't bother in summer even when it's really hot, I feel like the AC cools the car pretty quickly but in winter it's definitely a tough situation at times.
This is why I do it too. And really, I didn't start doing it until we had a cold snap two winters ago when windchills were subzero. I was like...NOPE. Plus, couple temps like that with sleet and snow falling. Your windshield can freeze over again in a minute or two. It sucks to have already gotten cold outside scraping off 8 hours of ice and snow to drive to after school care and then having a new layer to scrape when come outside.
Plus, don't get me started on the indignity of doing all of this while wearing a suit. Even with a long winter coat, my legs still freeze.
yes it varies a lot.. last winter was so mild for the most part, it wasn't really a concern. But the winter before was horrific. The last thing I'm worrying about after wading through snow to even get to daycare, then scraping all the snow and ice off the car, is whether I should really leave it running for five minutes when I go in and get the kids
I mean, it depends on weather a lot. Like I'm not going to leave it running when its 40 degrees out.
Living in Ireland it was never a thing, nobody would ever leave a car running. But.. the climate is much milder so why would you if its generally between 40F and 70F year round.
At DD1's old daycare, it was 3 and up, someone had picked up their twin babies first and then to that daycare to pick up the older kids. She left the twins in the car, alone, with the car running. I waited outside at the car to make sure no one came and stole it (I mean they were fine, and she was literally 2 minutes) but I told her if I ever saw it again I'd call the cops on her. Then I reported her to the director when I went inside. If she won't protect her babies, than I sure as shit will. So ridiculous.
I turn off and lock it dropping off the kids now, and I'm parking in a driveway at an in home daycare where I barely even step inside during drop off. I trust no one. <-- I realize this may be over kill, but I still do it.
Almost never, but every once in a great while, yes. Those times are when it's been like 90 out, which means our car is about 130 after sitting in an exposed lot all day. The drive to DCP is <5 minutes from the train & not long enough for the car to remotely cool, so occasionally (and I mean this probably happened like 3 times this summer at most lol) one of us will sit in the car while the other gets the kids so it's not 4 million degrees when they get in and is only 3 million.
Oh sure, we have done this. We don't always both get out to get her, but I thought this was talking about leaving it running & empty?
I remember one time a while back I went to drop my son off and left my daughter in the car, she had a vomiting bug so I was going to stay home with her, and I figured it made more sense to just leave her for a minute than bring her in and risk infecting others.
A little while after that the director sent an email around about not leaving children in cars and I always wonder if some BUSYBODY reported me for leaving her in the perfectly fine safe car for two minutes to try to stop other kids from getting sick
I mean what is the real danger? Somebody could smash the window, open her carseat straps, remove her and run or drive off in the two minutes I was gone, right outside where other parents are dropping off children?! Or the car could explode or something?
WHAT IS THE DANGER.
SORRY, this topic is fresh on my mind after reading all those stories recently about busybodies trying to save children from nonexistent dangers and helping perpetuate ridiculous societal norms.
This is only semi-related, but for the people who leave the car running, does the A/C in your car take a while to get going? I remember it would take a minute or two in my car when I was a kid, but in my 2005 model year sedan, the A/C is going full blast in about five seconds.
I get that in 95+ degree heat, that's not always enough.
See, I think this is where that article posted about judging parents over perceived but not real risks comes in play. I think a little compassion of "oh, someone should really help you out because what a pain it would be to bring twin infants into daycare pick up! I'll be happy to stay here with them next time I see you!" Rather than "I'll call the cops if I see it again"
That was really shitty IMO, even if she shouldn't leave babies in a running vehicle. At my center I would hope that if I had to bring twin infants, the director would offer to keep an eye on the car from the window while I checked my kid out and would be understanding.
I've definitely seen parents leave an older kid in the car while they run in and I would NEVER consider calling the cops or threatening to call the cops. The way the building sits and the entrance/exit is layer out there is little risk for someone random to come in and steal a car - they couldn't get out of there quick enough because the tiny exit and the local traffic. Cops would be there before they could get on the main road.
Not to mention that parents are in and out consistently and I keep an eye on all kids in the parking lot as a driver and another parent. We all should look out for each other and not be so quick to judge.
I see your point. I think maybe I'll consider that next time. But it was scary to see those children because anything can happen when your kids are not in your view, and that is the fear that I was running off of more than anything. Protecting the children. It didn't come from a place of being an ass.
What's the first thing parents say on a news story? "I didn't think it'd happen to me".
I turn my car off and take my purse inside. I taught mdo one summer and purse snatchings from cars weren't uncommon. People get comfortable because it was in a church parking lot in the middle of a nice suburb but these things happen everywhere.
At DD1's old daycare, it was 3 and up, someone had picked up their twin babies first and then to that daycare to pick up the older kids. She left the twins in the car, alone, with the car running. I waited outside at the car to make sure no one came and stole it (I mean they were fine, and she was literally 2 minutes) but I told her if I ever saw it again I'd call the cops on her. Then I reported her to the director when I went inside. If she won't protect her babies, than I sure as shit will. So ridiculous.
I turn off and lock it dropping off the kids now, and I'm parking in a driveway at an in home daycare where I barely even step inside during drop off. I trust no one. <-- I realize this may be over kill, but I still do it.
Really? Having compassion for someone trying to juggle infant twins plus at least one other child is too much? I would actually argue that shlepping them across the parking lot while also trying to wrangle a preschool aged kid is probably less safe than leaving them briefly to get the older child(ren).
Post by hbomdiggity on Aug 26, 2016 13:36:12 GMT -5
I have been recently because it has been stupid hot and my car is hardly cool by the time I get there. It's an in home, so I'm parked in a driveway and I literally walk 20 ft to pick him up and walk out. 2 minutes, tops. Even still, my poor kid's face is red and he is sweaty when we get home. Am I taking a risk, sure, but I don't think my situation makes me crazy.
Post by textbookcase on Aug 26, 2016 14:26:21 GMT -5
When it's 105-120 degrees outside aka June-October, I leave my car running anywhere I'm running in for a minute or two, otherwise my car is way too hot for the kids.
This is only semi-related, but for the people who leave the car running, does the A/C in your car take a while to get going? I remember it would take a minute or two in my car when I was a kid, but in my 2005 model year sedan, the A/C is going full blast in about five seconds.
I get that in 95+ degree heat, that's not always enough.
I feel like you don't get to comment since you said you park in handicap spaces.
This is only semi-related, but for the people who leave the car running, does the A/C in your car take a while to get going? I remember it would take a minute or two in my car when I was a kid, but in my 2005 model year sedan, the A/C is going full blast in about five seconds.
I get that in 95+ degree heat, that's not always enough.
I feel like you don't get to comment since you said you park in handicap spaces.
It's true! I (and literally all the other parents) will also sometimes park in a "space" in front of the garbage dumpster (ETA this is the first choice when all the spaces are taken). We're monsters! Our parking lot is like Lord of the Flies, only with a lot less space.
Our DCP sends lots of reminders to use parking spaces marked as "reserved for <DCP>", but never anything about the disabled space or blocking the dumpster. Somehow we all survive.
Almost never, but every once in a great while, yes. Those times are when it's been like 90 out, which means our car is about 130 after sitting in an exposed lot all day. The drive to DCP is <5 minutes from the train & not long enough for the car to remotely cool, so occasionally (and I mean this probably happened like 3 times this summer at most lol) one of us will sit in the car while the other gets the kids so it's not 4 million degrees when they get in and is only 3 million.
Oh sure, we have done this. We don't always both get out to get her, but I thought this was talking about leaving it running & empty?
Yes, this 100% what I was talking about. Of course if there are people and pets in the car it makes sense to leave the car running while one person picks up a kid / runs a quick errand.
Eta - And my original question was more about leaving an empty car running as people go in to pick up their kids at the end of the day.