Idiots locking their kids in cars today.

[GASWAGON]

Originally Posted by MercuryT

I think some are over-estimating the mental capacity of those who led to this topic existing.

No point saying "common-sense" and so on - they don't have it, nor grown up to need it. If the person did, we aren't talking about it.

Yep, like the person I saw today mowing a full sized paddock with nearly a meter high dry grass in summer with reasonable fire hazard today with..................A lawn mower lol!

Up the road from Epping where on the not yet developed side.

[AndyXR6T]

Originally Posted by EF_6

Mate use your brains, we've already said that leaving kids in for a quick couple of minutes while paying for fuel or something reasonably quick especially while you can see them is perfectly fine.

I'll admit I have ducked into a beer bar while boy was asleep but car was parked right out front and I left windows down and I kept an eye on the car while having a sip.

Where's the 'common sense' gone!

Woh, telling me to use my brains when you are putting yourself first to have a quick beer while a child is in the car (regardless of outside temp) tells me you don't have common sense

[cal0006]

Originally Posted by xxx000

Emergency services can be called and it's then in their hands. They have legislation to back them up too.

First thing to ask yourself is whether the child is in immediate or imminent danger

Yeah naturally that's the course of action, but it's not usually safe enough to sit there and wait. I'm not going to stand their while an animal or child drifts out of consciousness because I'm waiting for the firies to rock up. Sure, they do their best to get there, but its defnitely a life or death situation.

What I'm asking though, is if I kick some ********* window in because they left their kid in the car, they're sweating so they are obviously heating up, and they are in danger at this point. Am I liable because I've kicked someones window in? Or am I protected by law? Can they sue me? for damages or whatever?

[BHDOGS]

Yes they can sue u And have u charged

[xxx000]

If you ever came across this scenario obviously call ambos immediately and take their advise on actions based on your observations

Of course people could sue (read threaten or try) but if your actions are reasonable and justified based on imminent or immediate danger then no problems

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by xxx000

If you ever came across this scenario obviously call ambos immediately and take their advise on actions based on your observations

Of course people could sue (read threaten or try) but if your actions are reasonable and justified based on imminent or immediate danger then no problems

And that Ladies and Gentlemen, sums it up perfectly in 2 lines

Thank you linesmen thank you ball boys

[OLDFORDNUT]

Originally Posted by JC

Did any of the kids actually suffer, or were the parents only away for a short time? Were windows down - doesn't help much, but does slow heat build up? If no kids suffered, then it's just people overreacting; if however, the kids suffered, then the parent/s ought to be held to account. People have been leaving kids in cars for as long as I can remember (I was one), so it's not a new thing. How many kids actually die from this each year? I'd guess it's less than those killed in MVAs throughout the year, and probably less than taking the same kids on holidays at Christmas time and trying to survive the Christmas road toll.

Is it uncomfortable in a hot car for a short period of time? Yep - I spent 2 hours in mine today working in 37+ heat with the doors ope, and it was like i was in a sauna, but I'm still here. Kids in cars for 10 minutes is not fatal - certainly for longer would be, but get a grip.......had the guy taken kids into a grog shop, there'd probably be a thread about that and how irresponsible that is......

Are you serious? surely your just taking the ****? you got hot with the doors open these fools have doors shut and no doubt windows up otherwise there would be no problem,
Your car will rise in temp to well over 60deg within several minutes NO THATS NOT JUST UNCOMFORTABLE its causing death with in a short period of time .
on another note modern cars with keys left in ignition will wind up windows and lock doors automatically after a while so you cant even leave the radio on and windows down while you duck into the shop......................................On a typical Australian
summer day, the
temperature inside
a parked car can be
as much as 30-40
degrees hotter than
the outside
temperature, ie. on
a 30-degree day the
temperature inside the
car could be as high
as 70 degrees. This info came from your own link JC

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by Taily

We live in a time now where the government has gone from running the country to just plainly interferring in people's day to day lives.

Yet when anything horrible happens, everyone asks the govt what they are going to do about it, eg king hits. It's not the govt that needs to do anything, it's people who need to change their behaviour.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by cal0006

What I'm asking though, is if I kick some ********* window in because they left their kid in the car, they're sweating so they are obviously heating up, and they are in danger at this point. Am I liable because I've kicked someones window in? Or am I protected by law? Can they sue me? for damages or whatever?

Originally Posted by BHDOGS

Yes they can sue u And have u charged

As I said a couple of pages back, most states have something in criminal legislation that prevents you from being done if you were acting "in an emergency situation" or in good faith to prevent an offence/bodily harm.

I don't know what state you guys are in so I cant look it up for you, but in WA it is section 25 of the Criminal Code

25.Emergency

(1)This section does not apply if section 32, 246, 247 or 248 applies.

(2)A person is not criminally responsible for an act done, or an omission made, in an emergency under subsection (3).

(3)A person does an act or makes an omission in an emergency if —

(a)the person believes —

(i)circumstances of sudden or extraordinary emergency exist; and

(ii)doing the act or making the omission is a necessary response to the emergency;

and

(b)the act or omission is a reasonable response to the emergency in the circumstances as the person believes them to be; and

(c)there are reasonable grounds for those beliefs.

[stinkwheels]

Originally Posted by teak81

I don't always get my children out of the car, but I also leave it running with the aircon on. And will only do it if car is in line of sight, and if I'm only going to be a minute or two. Never for extended periods. I also take the keypad with me so I can lock the doors but leave the key in the ignition. Still illegal.

How do you do that? Just curious because my BA won't lock while the key is in the ignition and I'd like to change that.

[cal0006]

Originally Posted by teak81

I don't always get my children out of the car, but I also leave it running with the aircon on. And will only do it if car is in line of sight, and if I'm only going to be a minute or two. Never for extended periods. I also take the keypad with me so I can lock the doors but leave the key in the ignition. Still illegal.

What car does this from factory? I know my '99 Magna wouldn't accept any commands from the remote with a key in the ignition, and the FG will complain if there's a key even close to the barrel.

And even then its a bad, bad idea. It's essentially luring people to attack or attempt to steal your car. Someone feral walking down the street who hears a car idling with the condenser fan roaring and kids in the car, is going to assume that mummy and daddy left the car running with kids in it and told them to kit the central locking when they leave and come back. Spot the key in the barrel, and bye car, bye kids.

Originally Posted by Road_Warrior

As I said a couple of pages back, most states have something in criminal legislation that prevents you from being done if you were acting "in an emergency situation" or in good faith to prevent an offence/bodily harm.

I don't know what state you guys are in so I cant look it up for you, but in WA it is section 25 of the Criminal Code

Well that's decent, I would assume that Victoria has something similar..

[JC]

Originally Posted by OLDFORDNUT

Are you serious? surely your just taking the ****? .........

Yes, I'm serious. Just because someone leaves kids in a car with windows up does not automatically make them an idiot, or make their actions illegal, or stupid - it all depends on time, age of the child, actual temp inside the car, etc.....

My point being, it is perfectly OK to leave anyone in a car with windows up or down in the right conditions (think of a day when temp is about 15 degrees outside, clouds, no sun) - but as soon as the conditions make it not right, then the people in the car need to get out, either by themselves, by the person who left them in the car, or by someone external to the car taking emergency action if the situation warrants etc. (ie no point doing it if the parent only just walked away from the car......)

[trentski]

A very good article on the psychology behind people accidentally leaving their kids in the car. Not the same as those who do it on purpose and think it'll be fine.

Warning, it's a real hard article to read, but might help to someone someone here from making the same mistake.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...T2009030602446

[stinkwheels]

Originally Posted by trentski

A very good article on the psychology behind people accidentally leaving their kids in the car. Not the same as those who do it on purpose and think it'll be fine.

Warning, it's a real hard article to read, but might help to someone someone here from making the same mistake.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...T2009030602446

Excellent article, thanks for posting it.

As I was reading this thread I was thinking about what it must be like for those people who have killed a child by leaving them in a car. Only a true psychopath or extreme narcissist would feel no remorse. For all the idiots who thought they'd be 5 minutes and took 25, or who thought it wouldn't be hot enough, or that the windows down a bit would be ok, etc they must still feel like their world has ended, surely. It would have to be the single worst thing they have ever done in their life. By a long shot.

[stinkwheels]

Originally Posted by EF_6

My mum said she saw a news article about the emergency services attending 25 call outs for kids being locked in cars and distressed.

One callout was for 2 very young kids locked in while the old man was in the bottleshop for a whole 10 minutes!!!! (obviously enjoying the air conditioning).

Geesus christ it was 40 something in Melbourne today a locked car would be 50degrees within 10 minutes.

This makes me sick and it would really scare some kids not to be able to get out of the car.

Why ar'nt ther fines and even demerit points being given to these stupid 'so called' parents???

They don't get traffic fines or demerit points because it's not a traffic offense or council by-law it is actually a criminal charge. Penalties are up to 3 months in prison or a fine of up to $2165 and they get a criminal record. There is talk about increasing the penalties and launching a public awareness campaign. It would be interesting to know how many people were charged this summer.

The majority of those 25 emergency call-outs would have been parents themselves calling up because little Johnny got locked in the car by accident. The RACV responds to 55,000 lockouts each year and a large number are caused by children or pets. Remember they write these articles for maximum impact, so they deliberately get you thinking that there were 25 psychos out there using a hot car as a creche. They want you to get mad and tell your friends or post it in Fordforums or other social network.

[MercurySilver]

seems like we've gone from talking about leaving kids and animals in a car on a 40+ degree day and how utterly stupid that is, to arguing about leaving someone in a car full stop anytime, no matter the weather, for 38 secs while you go in to pay for petrol and how bad a parent you are?

[SB076]

It is illegal to leave kids unattended in a car.
Anyone that does leave a kid unattended in a car, faces fines and imprisonment
(QLD up to 6 months, Vic 3 months + $1600 fine, NSW approx. $20,000 fine)

If you see kids in a car, call 000 and smash a window (there was a guide published awhile ago, I will see if I can find it, it advises, how hot cars get and also at what temperatures kids can withstand. You are supposed to smash a window that is furtherest away from the children, so typically drivers window.

Technically it is illegal to leave kids in the car whilst paying for petrol - However I suspect no one will ever be charged for that.

http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/docs.../kids_cars.pdf

There is one link but there are plenty more

Edit: I wouldn't leave you kids in the car with the a/c on either, cars are not fool proof, a/c's can fail (even on new modern cars)

Yes I have two kids with one on the way and yes it is annoying waking kids up who need their sleep, but leaving them in the car is a no no

[pottery beige]

quite disturbing, was 40c+ in radelaide today

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...-1226821400604

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=2&theater

you have to be ****** in the head

[Road_Warrior]

Unbelievable. Some people.

[stevesxr]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

quite disturbing, was 40c+ in radelaide today

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/s...-1226821400604

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=2&theater

you have to be ****** in the head

Parabanks Shopping Centre.

Says it all really, doesn't it?

[lucas2]

Let's hope the baby was okay and hopefully that wasn't a forum member. G6ET? or G6E 50th?

[The Yeti]

I just got sent this, its probably done the laps before but its pretty moving, and with the weather about to start warming up I thought I would post it up as a bit of a community service announcement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNDWN8KDVSM

[LoudPipes]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

I just got sent this, its probably done the laps before but its pretty moving, and with the weather about to start warming up I thought I would post it up as a bit of a community service announcement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNDWN8KDVSM

A very timely and powerful reminder.
A similar shortened version should be shown in the ad breaks on TV now that summer is so close.

We saw a women get out of a 4WD at the shops yesterday and leave a little girl in the rear baby seat.
As she walked away another woman confronted her.
She got back in the car and drove off.
Maybe we should empower ourselves and save children by making her approach a normal and accepted public reaction.
It's amazing how quickly the heat can kill a child.

[zilo]

So many precious royal babies out there.
If I am at the servo and have to go in and pay for fuel, damn right I'll lock the kids in the car, leave the windows open just a tad and live with it cause there's no danger....I'll find a bit of shade of course.

Any do gooder who smashes my window better be prepared for a lawsuit.

what? should I leave the engine running with the keys in the ignition?
Stupidity to suggest that kids can't be left for a few minutes.

The idiots who park the kids and then go and play the pokies have created knee jerk reactions to common sense and practicality for the rest of the world..

[LoudPipes]

Originally Posted by zilo

So many precious royal babies out there.
If I am at the servo and have to go in and pay for fuel, damn right I'll lock the kids in the car, leave the windows open just a tad and live with it cause there's no danger....I'll find a bit of shade of course.

Any do gooder who smashes my window better be prepared for a lawsuit.

what? should I leave the engine running with the keys in the ignition?
Stupidity to suggest that kids can't be left for a few minutes.

The idiots who park the kids and then go and play the pokies have created knee jerk reactions to common sense and practicality for the rest of the world..

You’ve totally missed the point.

I can’t believe you could be that stupid to compare someone paying for petrol with someone going to the shops and leaving their child on a hot day in a car parked in full sun for 5 or 10 minutes or more.

And the fact is, people do it.

And as little as you may think of do gooders smashing your window, you’d make yourself look even dumber by starting legal action in a car park scenario like above.

Studies prove in these situations organ failure, brain damage and death comes quickly to small bodies (whether they're precious royal babies or not) and yet there are people out there that still take the risk.

I say take the children off them.

[ltd]

If someone smashes your window because you have kids locked in a car then sorry Zilo, but you wouldn't be able to sue them. Any action brought on by you against the person who damaged your car would be stymied with a simple response of contributory negligence on your part for placing your children in potential danger.
What you would most likely get is a ticket for an issue which has become a pet peeve for law enforcement because unfortunately, every person guilty of locking children inside their cars all have the same response; "It was only for a minute".

Last summer on a particularly hot day in December I saw an Asian lady parked opposite me lock a little one in the back of a black territory outside Carlingford Court. The little pet would have been 2 years old and was already crying, and this woman went inside to shop. After 2 minutes (I timed it) I went over to the car, the little girl was sweating profusely, was red and was crying. I grabbed my jack and smashed the window in broad daylight. People looked at the source of the noise, so I opened the door, and got her out. I called to some people nearby to get help, put the little girl in the G6 and turned the engine on - AC on to 16 degrees. A nice young girl named Jane jumped in the front seat, calmed her down and gave her water. I immediately called the police who arrived within 15 minutes, ambulance 5 minutes later. Half an hour after the police arrived the mother turned up with a big trolley full of groceries. This poor kid would have been in the car for 45 minutes whilst the mother shopped, and as police told her repeatedly the kid could have died amazingly, this woman admitted to doing it often as she was never any longer than 5 minutes.
She received a fine for leaving the child in the car, and then proceeded to badger the police for my details so as to claim against the damage to her car. The police were really good though, and sternly warned her that I'm not responsible, her damage was the result of her stupidity.
Funny thing though, trying to break a window with a jack is not that easy, and the first attempt bounced off the window and put a nice scratch and dent in her door.
A few phone calls later the husband turns up and starts badgering me for money. I didn't have to but I gave this guy my details, then wished him good luck getting any money, as his wife's actions were the cause of the damage. I never received a bill, a claim or anything. I assume her insurance told her where she stood and that was the end of it.

The point of the story is, as summer approaches we all need to be aware that parents aren't perfect, and often stressed make dumb decisions unaware of the time or the dangers. Then again, some people shouldn't be parents and frankly, busting someones window and causing damage to their car for the safety of their child is often the only way the message gets through to them. I say, if you see a kid locked in a car turn your engine off, if it gets hot in your car then you can be assured it's hot in the car of the little one so smash away and save the kids life. Just make sure you enlist the help of others around you, and make sure to call the police immediately. Alternately, you may wish to call the police first and describe to them the condition and distress of the child and smash away. The law is on your side and the idiot who has shown complacency will be taught a lesson. This sounds a little vigilant but let's face it, inaction could be fatal.

[2011G6E]

My response to such a situation would be: "Window, meet Mr Tyre Iron..."
I'd worry about any legal issues later, but I'm pretty sure I know which side would come down to agree with me...

Yes indeed...can you imagine trying to bring a lawsuit against someone? Standing up in court and honestly trying to get sympathy?
"He broke my window!!!!"
"And why did he break your window?"...
"Hey, it was only my kids locked inside on...a...hot..day. Bugger..."

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by zilo

Any do gooder who smashes my window better be prepared for a lawsuit.

Good luck with that.

Pretty sure no one is bagging out people paying for fuel, but I'd take the kid in anyway, especially on a summers day.

[zilo]

Originally Posted by LoudPipes

You’ve totally missed the point.

I can’t believe you could be that stupid to compare someone paying for petrol with someone going to the shops and leaving their child on a hot day in a car parked in full sun for 5 or 10 minutes or more.

.

I can't believe you are stupid enough to think a kid will die in a car in 5 minutes....or even 10 for that matter.

[08G63T]

Originally Posted by zilo

I can't believe you are stupid enough to think a kid will die in a car in 5 minutes....or even 10 for that matter.

You, sir, have not been in a car on a 40' day with your windows just an inch down for more than 5mins.

Riding a motorbike on a 40' day, you dread stopping at a set of lights as having your visor open doesn't help much either. Imagine being inside a car.