LexBob2

Currently 94.44% vs. 5.56%. The people have spoken. Interesting topic.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

pretty simple... if it's 95 degrees out and you've got passengers in the car, you don't really want them to roast if you have to get gas.
another reason could be i'm on the phone and it's noisy when outside the car at the gas station.

to me it's no big deal at all. i certainly don't do it normally though as i have no reason to.

ha, you can't even tell my suv is running it's so quiet let alone fumes which i've never smelled.

if i go into the gas station store, absolutely.

sm1ke

iTrader: (5)

The warnings posted all around the gas station pumps are more than enough reason for me to turn the car off while refueling. Maybe its just risk management from the gas station's point of view, but this is something that I don't feel the need to explore the limits on. However overblown the actual risk is, it isn't worth the potential danger and risk of injury to myself or others around me. Also, turning the car off for two or three minutes is hardly an inconvenience for me. Windows can be opened, and accessory mode exists.

1111GS

I never leave it on. I actually never use my phone outside near the pump either. I get nervous when the guy in front of me pulls out his phone while pumping. If I pull in and see this, I will leave. They don't post signs there for no reason. Why risk it?
Some cars let you set up so it won't shut off when you shut engine off and open door. Maybe buy a different car?

Lexmex

Last time I remember seeing this, and I think I remember posting about on CL like 15 years ago, was in Mexico as there it is full-serve everywhere and people thought nothing of it. I never remember asking about why they did it or what the reason was, but the fuel attendants never said anything to them either.

SW17LS

This absolutely happens every day in America. In small towns and in urban areas. I have a friend who just last week in Bethesda, one of the most wealthy places in the country had both her cars stolen out of her garage at night, she left the garage door open for her daughter, and the door to the house was unlocked from inside the garage, and they came in, got the keys off the hook and drove off with both cars. Criminals cruise around looking for opportunity, and a running car with a driver nowhere near the driver seat is a great opportunity.

I never locked the door from the garage to the house but guess what? I do now.

No, but there isn't anything they can steal out of it without me noticing when I'm standing right there, but they can slip into it and drive off easily. If I go into the store I lock it sure.

You don't live in nearly as safe a place as you think. You have WAY more property crime where you live than where I do where I live:






Vs where I live in the "big city":






You know what else really roasts them? Being on fire lol

All kidding aside, theft of the car is way more likely than a fire, but fires do happen. Leaving your car running, and unlocked without you in the drivers seat and distracting yourself with something else is just not smart.

Here's a video of it happening:


And again:


And again:


And again, this one with a child inside:


Just dumb. No upside. Turn your car off and keep your keys with you.

LH1

No way. Just seems like an unnecessary risk.

Those crime maps are interesting. I would have assumed eastern Tennessee would have very low crime.

SW17LS

I wasn't surprised when I saw it. Rural areas are not as safe as people think they are. I'm originally from southern WV, and you'd be surprised at the amount of crime and the nature of crime. What surprised me a little was how high the crime levels are even pretty far out from Knoxville...

1111GS

As much time as we spend on here, aka internet, I can't even see why this is non-risky behavior for some. These guys even follow shoppers from design stores/people from ATMs to homes/restaurant stops to break in or rob at home. Leaving your car running is just... inviting/convenient for them. There is a reason why you can set up so not all doors unlock when you open driver's door. One thing I don't like about German cars is the pump is on the other side of driver. I always lock when I go around to pump. But I guess everyone is different. They feel "ready" should that incidence come.

Striker223

Southern WV is actually where the attempted mugging/carjack incident happened to me funny enough.

SW17LS

Its like leaving your wallet and your money clip on the dashboard of a car parked at the mall, just silly risk for no benefit. Leaving your doors unlocked, its all fun and games until someone murders your family in the middle of the night and you become the next 20/20 special. If that happens to people, it can happen to any of us too. And for what benefit? Even if something like that never happens to you, its not worth inviting the risk. How is your life improved by leaving your home unlocked or your car unlocked and running unattended at a gas station? Starting and stopping the car is one push of a button.

It amazes me people leave their keys in their car...but I know a lot of people do.

Yeah! I've seen some shady **** in Southern WV. Just a few months ago we were at a new bar and these guys rolled up outside and had guns and there was basically a gang brawl out in the parking lot. In rural WV! Crime happens everywhere.

Toys4RJill

I wonder if insurance covers the loss if someone leaves the car running? One is breaking the law doing that. Interesting to know

SW17LS

Yeah it will

Margate330

mmarshall

Southern WV has had a reputation for guns, violence, and brawling for many years. I'm not saying that all of the region is rough-and-tumble.....that's not necessarily the case. But don't forget that this region was the home of the notorious Hatfield/McCoy feuds, the widespread violence in Mingo County, and the many Wildcat coal-strikes, where miners and corporate-goons went at it one-on-one.

The roughest and most red-neck guy I ever worked with in my 33 years in Federal Service was from Bluefield, on the VA/WV border. And my agency made him a supervisor LOL.