Just going into a shop for a minute - sure I'll leave the car ticking over!

Seth Brundle

Over the last two months or so, I've seen somewhere about 10 people leaving their cars ticking over outside a shop or petrol station whilst they blissfully go shopping. I pass the empty car on my way in and it's still there on my way out so it's not like they're just throwing the money on the counter.
Since when have people really been that stupid?
Aren't I correct in understanding that an insurance company will not pay out in the event of it getting stolen and damaged?

Henry Ford III

Yep. Insurance won't payout if a vehicle left unattended and running gets stolen.

callaway92

Have to say, I'm guilty of doing this in my local town. I do be half nervous but I'd leave it within sight of the shop front

Cantona's Collars

Dunno about here but in the UK it's illegal to do that as "you are not in control of a motorised vehicle" by leaving it running and unattended.
People are warned about leaving cars ticking over outside their homes on cold mornings to thaw them out as they get their morning coffee or whatever.

seamus

callaway92 wrote: »

Have to say, I'm guilty of doing this in my local town. I do be half nervous but I'd leave it within sight of the shop front

But, why?

Is it really that much effort to take the keys with you?

Cee-Jay-Cee

I actually witnessed a car being stolen in that way about a year or two ago. I was in my own car parked across from the one left ticking over and I seen a dodgy looking character standing at the drivers door looking very shifty, he done a 360 to see if anyone was watching and got in and drove off. I got out of my own car and went into the shop and there was 3 people in the queue at the counter and I asked if anyone owned the blue Focus that had been outside. A woman said it was hers, so I said 'You really shouldn't have left the keys in it and it running as its just been stolen' and walked out again. She came running out and asked me which way it went and I told her. I could have shouted at the fella that stole it and scared him off as I knew he was going to steal it or at least steal from it but I thought 'not my problem, if someone is that stupid, then that stupidity deserves to be rewarded'. I went on my merry way then.

I have never ever left my car running anywhere public...not even for 10 seconds, If I'm not in the car then nor are my keys.

biko

Yeah I have seen it out in the countryside but not in the city.
What a strange thing to do.

Yawns

Idiotic thing to do and I wouldn't give a toss if it got stolen. Only an idiot does it.

bazz26

Stupid is what stupid does.

The right answer to this is the insurance company refusing to cover the loss due to gross negligence on behalf of the driver. A lesson earned is a lesson learned.

Ubbquittious

Ah sure what harem. It doesn't bother me when someone does it. Reminds me of the 90's

Though I'm too stingy to do it myself.

Alanstrainor

I have actually noticed this in the last few weeks. People leaving cars running on the road outside their house, and the same petrol station/shop situation too. Madness really.

JoeA3

A colleague of my wife had her (company) car stolen about this time last year when she did this. The utter numpty. She was lucky she didn't get fired for gross stupidity over it. The car was found after a short while but her (company) laptop was not...
And this was outside a city centre shop, not a rural petrol station!!

It's not like in the Hollywood movies where you can rock up to your destination, park outside and never lock the car...

Dakota Dan

callaway92 wrote: »

Have to say, I'm guilty of doing this in my local town. I do be half nervous but I'd leave it within sight of the shop front

Not much good having it in sight if someone gets in and drives off.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

I could have shouted at the fella that stole it and scared him off as I knew he was going to steal it or at least steal from it but I thought 'not my problem, if someone is that stupid, then that stupidity deserves to be rewarded'. I went on my merry way then.
.

We all do things that are in hindsight stupid, even so I find your attitude disappointing, nobody deserves to have their car stolen. George hook held a similar unpopular opinion recently.

um7y1h83ge06nx

I think people like the impression it gives others i.e. "I'm so busy I don't have time to turn off and on the car" or "I'm so busy I don't have time to park properly".

marieholmfan

You think it can't happen but it can. A few years ago I saw a car stolen from a rural pertrol station while the engine was running.

tossy

Katalina Wailing Bayonet wrote: »

We all do things that are in hindsight stupid, even so I find your attitude disappointing, nobody deserves to have their car stolen. George hook held a similar unpopular opinion recently.

Agree 100%

As smug as the poster must have felt going in to tell her that her car had just been stolen, imagine how good they might have felt if they had saved the day.

They decided it wasn't their problem but couldn't wait for the crime ot be commited so they could go in and bask in smugness.

We need less idiots for sure but we need less Me feiners too.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Katalina Wailing Bayonet wrote: »

We all do things that are in hindsight stupid, even so I find you attitude disappointing, nobody deserves to have their car stolen. George hook held a similar unpopular opinion recently.

I don't believe that to be the case here, that person probably done the same thing countless times and would have continued to do it had her car not been stolen. Sometimes a large kick in the arse is needed to bring people to their senses. If I had got out of my car, then the fella would most likely have walked away as he would have been seen, the lady would have come out and been none the wiser and done the same thing the next time she was at a shop. We all pay through our own insurance for idiots like this.

Toots

Saw a guy do this at my local petrol station the other night. Two young kids in the back seat as well - utter madness.

fonecrusher1

Its the muppets that leave their cars next to the pump who go into the shop for a wander around, have a chat, browse the papers for 20 minutes that bug me. Meanwhile there's a queue of cars waiting behind him (or her) on the forecourt.

:rolleyes:

Mickeroo

seamus wrote: »

But, why?

Is it really that much effort to take the keys with you?

It's generally done to avoid the inconvenience of trying to park competently in designated parking spaces.

Ubbquittious

Toots wrote: »

Saw a guy do this at my local petrol station the other night. Two young kids in the back seat as well - utter madness.

Ah sure bejaysus Toots there'd be noone shtayling cars around here. They wouldn't want a matte green 1.9 Octavia anyway. Twas different in my time when a usable car was a rare sight, not there's scrapyards full of perfectly usable Astras just waiting to have the sh1t driven out of them because people traded them in for a 171 Dusterbin on the PCP

Dakota Dan

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Its the muppets that leave their cars next to the pump who go into the shop for a wander around, have a chat, browse the papers for 20 minutes that bug me. Meanwhile there's a queue of cars waiting behind him (or her) on the forecourt.

:rolleyes:

There's a pay at the pump filling station near me and when they get their petrol they go into the shop leaving the car at the pump even though there are plenty other spaces.

um7y1h83ge06nx

Dakota Dan wrote: »

There's a pay at the pump filling station near me and when they get their petrol they go into the shop leaving the car at the pump even though there are plenty other spaces.

:rolleyes: Ah jaysus.

I live near a rural village outside Limerick and the amount of crappy parking around the petrol station is unreal. it's a quiet village but with so many people throwing cars around the place it's much tricky to navigate around the station area than it needs to be.

Dial Hard

Dakota Dan wrote: »

There's a pay at the pump filling station near me and when they get their petrol they go into the shop leaving the car at the pump even though there are plenty other spaces.

There was an prison service van blocking two pumps in Topaz Citywest the other night and a queue of cars waiting for a pump to free up. When I finally got to one, filled up and went in to pay, the three lads were sitting in the cafe area having a good natter over their coffees. I said it to them that they were blocking two pumps and they just looked at me like I'd ten heads.

beertons

Tis a bit like going to bed at night and leaving your front door wide open. Nobody does it. And they shouldn't be leaving their car like that either.

callaway92

seamus wrote: »

But, why?

Is it really that much effort to take the keys with you?

I'd be double parked though - I assume the OP meant this

btkm8unsl0w5r4

beertons wrote: »

Tis a bit like going to bed at night and leaving your front door wide open. Nobody does it. And they shouldn't be leaving their car like that either.

Yeah its like all these drunk young ones round town, falling all over the place, asking for trouble. Sure if you saw one of them being assaulted best to leave it alone and teach them a lesson.....no

---

where do we draw the line, does somebody jay walking deserved to be knocked down. Does somebody speeding deserve to die in a crash. Does a drunk choking on their own vomit not derverve CPR? What crime is deserved and what is not? We are all in this together folks, do onto others and all that, everyone has their day where they are the ones being foolish and will need the help of strangers.

marieholmfan

Katalina Wailing Bayonet wrote: »

Yeah its like all these drunk young ones round town, falling all over the place, asking for trouble. Sure if you saw one of them being assaulted best to leave it alone and teach them a lesson.....no

---

where do we draw the line, does somebody jay walking deserved to be knocked down. Does somebody speeding deserve to die in a crash. Does a drunk choking on their own vomit not derverve CPR? What crime is deserved and what is not? We are all in this together folks, do onto others and all that, everyone has their day where they are the ones being foolish and will need the help of strangers.

What are you on about.

Alun

marieholmfan wrote: »

What are you on about.

He's a dentist ... I think he's been at the gas and air

tricky D

Dakota Dan wrote: »

Not much good having it in sight if someone gets in and drives off.

But, but, you'll get the reg...

Dravokivich

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

I don't believe that to be the case here, that person probably done the same thing countless times and would have continued to do it had her car not been stolen. Sometimes a large kick in the arse is needed to bring people to their senses. If I had got out of my car, then the fella would most likely have walked away as he would have been seen, the lady would have come out and been none the wiser and done the same thing the next time she was at a shop. We all pay through our own insurance for idiots like this.

You stay out of the way and then he runs over your uncle!

Dakota Dan

Dial Hard wrote: »

There was an prison service van blocking two pumps in Topaz Citywest the other night and a queue of cars waiting for a pump to free up. When I finally got to one, filled up and went in to pay, the three lads were sitting in the cafe area having a good natter over their coffees. I said it to them that they were blocking two pumps and they just looked at me like I'd ten heads.

I saw similar at junction 14 a few months back two Gardai get petrol leave the squad car at the pump while they went in for coffee.

Toots

Ubbquittious wrote: »

Ah sure bejaysus Toots there'd be noone shtayling cars around here. They wouldn't want a matte green 1.9 Octavia anyway. Twas different in my time when a usable car was a rare sight, not there's scrapyards full of perfectly usable Astras just waiting to have the sh1t driven out of them because people traded them in for a 171 Dusterbin on the PCP

It was a 162 C Class though! I suppose apart from the theft side of things, he left 2 kids that were small enough to still be on booster seats inside a running vehicle - he was lucky one of them didn't get into the driver seat and accidentally drive the thing through the front window of the shop!

D3V!L

Dakota Dan wrote: »

I saw similar at junction 14 a few months back two Gardai get petrol leave the squad car at the pump while they went in for coffee.

Did you tell them to move ?? :pac:

Guy:Incognito

tossy wrote: »

.

We need less idiots for sure but we need less Me feiners too.

Don't forget less scumbags most of all.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

marieholmfan wrote: »

What are you on about.

I am using the absurd to prove the point, its a debating tactic where you use somebodies own logic against them to highlight the absurdity of their argument.........its not as effective when you have to explain it.

CarAudio

Saw a guy done that at the new Lidl in Swords the other day.
Parked his 2007 BMW 5 series in the car park below the Lidl, left it running, nobody inside. Then he went for shopping.
I was having a break smoking and was enjoying the mild cold shelter under the Lidl shop, he literally came back 20mn later. I kid you not.
Mad in the head.

fonecrusher1

CarAudio wrote: »

Saw a guy done that at the new Lidl in Swords the other day.
Parked his 2007 BMW 5 series in the car park below the Lidl, left it running, nobody inside. Then he went for shopping.
I was having a break smoking and was enjoying the mild cold shelter under the Lidl shop, he literally came back 20mn later. I kid you not.
Mad in the head.

Combination of stupidity and laziness.

Mickeroo

Dravokivich wrote: »

You stay out of the way and then he runs over your uncle!

Does Cee-Jay-Cee end up with super powers in this scenario?

CalamariFritti

Is it not actually an offence to leave your car like that? As in unsecured, ready to be used by any unauthorised, uninsured and unqualified person? It’s actually a danger. A cheeky kid could just take it and cause all sorts of damage.

Besides being the all sorts of stupid and lazy thing.

Ubbquittious

Toots wrote: »

It was a 162 C Class though! I suppose apart from the theft side of things, he left 2 kids that were small enough to still be on booster seats inside a running vehicle - he was lucky one of them didn't get into the driver seat and accidentally drive the thing through the front window of the shop!

If it was a PRNDL that could very well happen.

Are there any stats available detailing what kind of cars get stolen and how?

Stallingrad

Reminds me of when I worked in the UAE. It was not uncommon to see rows of S-Class Mercs idling outside the post office with the AC on while the owners went inside. Pretty much zero crime (against locals).

Dravokivich

Mickeroo wrote: »

Does Cee-Jay-Cee end up with super powers in this scenario?

I think Smugness counts?

cajonlardo

Back in the 90's I saw a business manager type leave his Honda prelude running while he ran back into the office.
This near the city centre and along comes Whacker and Rasher and off they go in the Prelude. Back then there were " car phones"
The manager lad phones and Whacker answers.
Manager tells him to just drop off the golf clubs and he can do what he wants with car but Whacker thinks manager will have cops waiting.

Think this was a Friday and on the following Monday Gardai spot the car parked in Whackers driveway. Turns out he'd even brought his Ma shopping in it on the Saturday before hitting the nightspots on Saturday night followed by a nice drive through Wicklow on the Sunday. Can't remember if yer man got the golf clubs back

Seth Brundle

cajonlardo wrote: »

Back in the 90's I saw a business manager type leave his Honda prelude running while he ran back into the office.
This near the city centre and along comes Whacker and Rasher and off they go in the Prelude. Back then there were " car phones"
The manager lad phones and Whacker answers.
Manager tells him to just drop off the golf clubs and he can do what he wants with car but Whacker thinks manager will have cops waiting.

Think this was a Friday and on the following Monday Gardai spot the car parked in Whackers driveway. Turns out he'd even brought his Ma shopping in it on the Saturday before hitting the nightspots on Saturday night followed by a nice drive through Wicklow on the Sunday. Can't remember if yer man got the golf clubs back

You remember a lot about two scumbags robbing a car and what they got up to over the following days though! :rolleyes:

Riva10

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Combination of stupidity and laziness.

Not really . Who would bother nicking a BMW.

soups05

Katalina Wailing Bayonet wrote: »

Yeah its like all these drunk young ones round town, falling all over the place, asking for trouble. Sure if you saw one of them being assaulted best to leave it alone and teach them a lesson.....no

---

where do we draw the line, does somebody jay walking deserved to be knocked down. Does somebody speeding deserve to die in a crash. Does a drunk choking on their own vomit not derverve CPR? What crime is deserved and what is not? We are all in this together folks, do onto others and all that, everyone has their day where they are the ones being foolish and will need the help of strangers.

yes to all of the above. if you help out the young one, chances are she turns on you and helps her attacker, who most likely is her mate or boyfriend, to kick your ass.

jay walkers (not in america btw) most decidedly deserve to be run over, esp if they are within spitting distance of a traffic crossing. pure fking lazy.

speeding, depends on the circumstances tbf. 80 out side a school is lots worse than 160 on a motorway.

drunk? fk him, learn to control yourself. too much time/money and effort spent on these idiots. god help you if you need help for a sick relative on any given weekend, worse if its bank holiday or st patrick's weekend.

no, we are not all in this together. stop watching teen musicals. its dog eat dog and no good deed goes unpunished. when someone is patting you on the back they are looking for a place to stick the knife.

bitter? yes.

but its also called experience.

Dakota Dan

D3V!L wrote: »

Did you tell them to move ?? :pac:

I did as there was a woman queueing behind and they apologised profusely wolfed down their coffees and out the door to clear the obstruction.

cajonlardo

kbannon wrote: »

You remember a lot about two scumbags robbing a car and what they got up to over the following days though! :rolleyes:

I loved those preludes so was interested in whether he got it back. If I loved golf I'd post in a golf forum . Hope that helps stop your eyes rolling...

mloc123

Did it once by mistake... first car with keyless ignition and stop/start. I put it into P, got out and ran into the shop with the engine off. Got quite a surprise when I came back out and the engine was running. Keys in my pocket the whole time but ignition was still on.