I have to say this seemed a bit strange ...

W

WicklowMan

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I was in Greystones earlier today, outside a business premises about to go in. This guy pulls up beside me with a girl of about 12 or 13 in the passenger side. He pulled up to my right and parked. I got out of the car to go in and as I turned the key I to lock the car I heard what I thought was a premature noise from the locking mechanism.

As I neared the front of my car going in I saw the man coming back out. Heard the noise again. It dawned on me that she'd put on the central locking as soon as I opened my door, and was now disengaging it! I have to say that's a new one on me, but it makes me wonder ... without predjudice to the society we live in, is bringing up children this afraid of everything a good idea?

At the end of the day - in both the child and adult worlds - when bad things happen statistically it's usually a lot closer to home! I don't know, but for my money the words of a Kosovan refugee I knew come to mind: "Some people watch everything so closely you could plant a bomb at their feet and they wouldn't notice" ...
 
Sounds quite reasonable to me WicklowMan, although if it were me I think I'd bring the 12/13 year old daughter into the building with me if at all possible. But I see nothing wrong with her putting on central locking personally.
 
i routinely click the central locking, and would definitely do so if leaving anyone in the car. you're fairly vulnerable in an unlocked car, even basic theft from boot is simple if unlocked.

Have enough insurance, take basic precautions and dont worry about it after that (taking basic steps isnt necessarily indicative of paralysing fear).
 
I never leave the kids in the car on their own. This is a hassle but worth it IMO. One time (after filling up) I drove the car upto the entrace of the garage and asked one of the attendants to come out so I could pay for the petrol. I couldn't get out of the car myself because I was wearing a pair of jeans from Dunnes.
 
Ceist Beag said:
If it were me I think I'd bring the 12/13 year old daughter into the building with me if at all possible.
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Can I ask why? they are 12/13 - they are old enough to start having some independence - its not like greystones is an urban warfare location! I was babysitting for the next door neighbours when I was that age.

Dragging them into the shop cos you are afraid to leave them in a car will either result in a very sheltered naive teenager - or one that will rebel at every stage due to 'control'.

As for locking the car - I tend to do that when i am driving around town - as once the doors are open - the boot is open - and in stalled traffic it would be very easy for someone to snatch something and be gone long before you could react. But having said that - I tend to do this more in the city centre or the more 'dodgy' locations.
 
I would always lock the car doors when driving around, especially in town or at night.
A 12/13 old i would think is just about the age that could be left on their own but i would be nervous about leaving any children in a car alone, if unlocked for obvious reasons, but i would be worried if i locked the car and then something happened like a fire or a child choking that no one would be able to get to them to help them.
 
Ciaraella said:
but i would be worried if i locked the car and then something happened like a fire or a child choking that no one would be able to get to them to help them.
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I've heard on occasion that people have managed to break car windows..... cant believe I'm explaining that to someone in Tallafornia ..:p, only messing, all in good jest :)
 
I know someone who leaves his kids in his new car because he figures someone is less likely to steal it! I think he would make them sleep in it if he could.
 
Sunny said:
I know someone who leaves his kids in his new car because he figures someone is less likely to steal it! I think he would make them sleep in it if he could.
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What about the missus instead?...wouldn't even have to lock it.
 
Sol28 said:
Can I ask why? they are 12/13 - they are old enough to start having some independence - its not like greystones is an urban warfare location! I was babysitting for the next door neighbours when I was that age.

Dragging them into the shop cos you are afraid to leave them in a car will either result in a very sheltered naive teenager - or one that will rebel at every stage due to 'control'.
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Yeah obviously none of my kids are even near 12/13 yet so I've yet to experience the joys of that! :) I guess it's something I'll judge when they are that age and if they're old enough to be left alone then so be it - I'd still ask them to lock the doors tho!!
 
I'm probably looking at this with a bit of an old fashioned view, and it escaped me that with some cars the boot unlocks as well ... I guess I just felt it's a pity that we live in a society where this level of security is felt necessary. Obviously it's peoples own business what they do.

Mind you had I been a car-jacker there were only about 20 cameras on the building, and a traffic jam either way :p
 
All the girl did was lock her car. It wasn't as if she pointed a loaded crossbow at you with her finger on the trigger.
 
During the snow there were gangs of young lads who would open car doors of slow or stalled cars and throw snowballs in the drivers face.

Locking the car door when you are sitting inside isn't a bad idea.

And whatever happened to young lads working at petrol stations? I did that job before and I never see it anywhere now.
Fuel injection technician :cool:
 
I leave my 12 year old in the car if she doesn't fancy popping into a shop or whatever with me. I leave her the keys though and she locks it from the inside and unlocks it when she sees me come back. I only do this around our small village though. She has her phone with her as well.

I've locked the car myself if I feel unsafe, stopping at traffic lights at night etc.

When the kids were younger I brought them everywhere, even into shop to pay for petrol.

That's what time living in South Africa will do to you though, We never travelled in the car without locking the doors, carjacking was rife.
 
I havent lived in SA, nor am I particularly paranoid (well not usually :)), but I always lock the car doors when Im in the car alone.

There are a few reasons:
1 - so no one can open the passenger door and snatch my handbag
2 - so no one can open the drivers door and snatch me!
3 - so Im less likely to have door malfunction and have the door suddenly swing open while Im driving (traumatic childhood experience in an old ford cortina).
4 - its just safer!

I also always leave a good gap between my car and the one in front of it in traffic so that if attacked I have an escape out of the traffic up onto the pavement or across a field or whatever - thats more an overhang from a paranoid sibling teaching me how to drive and always insisting on leaving an escape route - just in case. Perhaps theyd watched too many scary movies.
 
truthseeker said:
I also always leave a good gap between my car and the one in front of it in traffic so that if attacked I have an escape out of the traffic up onto the pavement or across a field or whatever - thats more an overhang from a paranoid sibling teaching me how to drive and always insisting on leaving an escape route - just in case. Perhaps theyd watched too many scary movies.
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I also do this as well as locking all doors and leaving my handbag out of sight and indeed driving on Poplar Row one time a few years ago I was glad I do it, a guy in a crowbar was coming towards my car window and I swung out of the lane of traffic and got the car safely off. I saw him break the passenger window of the car behind and snatch a handbag (it was later recovered) Better safe than sorry and locking doors etc is a good habit.
 
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