I read some scary article about women being victimized in parking lots and it really made me think. I am currently driving a 2 door car that is a real pita to get my LO in an out of. what are your parking lots safety tips? Im thinking that I can lock us both in the back seat to get him buckle and settled OR just get in the front, lock the door and place the bucket in the back from the front seat.
I try to be VERY aware of my surroundings, but those few moments of unloading / loading the car can make me so vulnerable : ( I dont care if some steals the car but if they took it with my LO inside I dont know what I would do....
Re: parking lot safety for women with babies
It is funny you bring this up I have decided during the holidays to avoid taking them out after dark. There was an attempted carjacking at 6:30 at night in a busy shoping center not far from my house and the woman had two small kids in car seats in the back. The guy grabbed her purse strap while she was getting in the car and claimed to have a gun. She screamed and the guy ran off thank God.
See, I disagree. I load my kids in the car FIRST, then unload the groceries and put away the cart. I figure my energetic toddler is WAY more likely to be struck by a car in the parking lot, then be kidnapped from her car seat. Or what if I'm unloading the groceries and the cart starts rolling away or some idiot hits the cart. I think they are much more safe loaded into the car.
I think the bottom line is that you can't protect yourself against all possibilities. Gotta pick your battles and pray for the rest.
I do go out by myself I just leave the kids at home when I can. There has been a big uptick in crime around where I live, I guess because of the holidays and living near a mall etc? , and the crimes have been violent (the carjacking I mentioned, several robberies at knifepoint and gunpoint) early in the evening. I live in what many consider a safe area but I think people are just desperate this time of year. Given I have a baby and a toddler I feel like I am not able to pay as close of attention as I should so if I can leave them at home it makes things easier especially given the need for increased vigilance during the holiday season.
I also make sure I am very familiar with and get out and practice with my carry weapon.
Other precautions I take...
-Situational awareness. I make sure I know my surroundings, and I try to stay off of my phone so I'm not distracted
-I climb in the backseat with DD while I'm buckling her in. This way no one can come up behind me.
-I lock the car any time I step away from it. Even if I am returning my shopping cart to the corral.
-If it's dark out, I walk with my keys between my fingers.
A loaded gun won't help you in this situation, and nobody claimed that it would. A loaded gun being used by a person who is well acquainted with their gun and the proper use of guns in general can help in a situation where someone is trying to steal your car with your kids in the backseat (like a PP mentioned). Me personally, I keep a loaded gun on my person at all times (unless I am going into a place where it is illegal to carry and/or a state that does not have reciprocity with my state). I was raised around guns and am very well versed in gun safety. My children will be taught gun safety early on like I was.