# Kid Trapped in Car on Hot Day **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 27, 2011, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-trapped-in-car-on-hot-day/583476 "2011-05-27T19:41:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-trapped-in-car-on-hot-day/583476/121 "2011-06-06T02:25:18Z")
Color me confused that anyone would ever consider leaving a child unattended in a car on a hot day for any period of time. If the kid’s tired s/he will fall asleep again. I’ve seen kids unattended in cars twice: one time in front of a Dollar Tree, the kid was in a big minivan and though it wasn’t sweltering it was still pretty hot (like 85 degrees). I looked around the parking lot to see if anyone was coming and as I walked to the store I saw the mother walking to the van. Stupid woman. The second time was in the back of my office building. We have a loading zone that’s 30 minutes with flashers on. I saw a little kid in the backseat of a running car - it was early morning and now super warm, but the car was running - I’d be worried that something random might happen. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-trapped-in-car-on-hot-day/583476/122 "2011-06-06T03:13:44Z")
In my state, it’s illegal to leave a baby in the car, period. That’s the way it should be. If you see a baby left alone, you are seeing a crime in progress, and 911 should be called immediately. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-trapped-in-car-on-hot-day/583476/123 "2011-06-06T03:25:17Z")
Yeah, any parent who leaves a child alone in the car absolutely deserves whatever hassle/expense comes with replacing a window and defendign their actions to the police, regardless of whether the baby is “all right.” I mean seriosuly, anything could happen in the “5” minutes youa reion that store. Another car coudl hit yours, the child could thowup and begin to choke, a stranger could come along and steal the child. It’s just pure nonsense this leavinga child all alone anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2011, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-trapped-in-car-on-hot-day/583476/124 "2011-06-06T05:23:27Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > Dude, you are taking this thread _really_ personally. It’s ok for someone to disagree with you about the optimal way to handle an extremely unlikely hypothetical situation on the Internet, seriously. I’m not really taking it too seriously. I think there’s a misunderestimation of each other’s interpretation of the OP. I doubt anyone is going to start smashing windows before they take the minimal steps to ascertain that there is actually a baby locked in the car and in danger. I’ll be calling 911, and unless they have some real good reason for waiting, I’ll have a window out as fast as anyone who skips the call unless they just happened to be strolling by the car carrying a hammer or a crowbar. I do find it curious that are two distinctive ways people answer the OP. Some seem to feel the clock starts after taking the minimal steps to determine that there is a baby in danger, while I and some others seem to interpret it as the clock starting the moment you spot a baby in a car seat and no else obviously in the car. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kid-trapped-in-car-on-hot-day/583476.md?page=6)