to think that she should have offered to contribute to the parking ticket?

[WindsOfTremorrah]

Not really a proper, MN-standard parking thread, but parking-related.

Friend and I took our DDs to a big event today. I offered to drive as we knew the town would be busy and it would be a nightmare to park two cars. Friend accepted happily and off we went. I didn't ask for, or expect, any petrol money - it was my choice to drive.

So, we arrive, we park, we pay and display and we make a note of the time when we need to get back.

Off we go into town and have a lovely time. Conscious of time, I suggest that we start to make our way back to the car. On the way back, friend's DD starts to get whiny and asks to stop in every other shop. Friend capitulates, although I warn them that we don't have long. Final stop is a cafe to get drinks. Slowest service in the world, so I left them in there to get takeout and take DD back to car, with the intention that they would catch us up.

We were ten minutes late getting back to the car and we got a ticket. PITA but a fair cop as we were late, and it was a legitimate council car park, not a dodgy bit of private land. Ended up picking up friend and her DD from outside the cafe. Told her that we got a ticket and she shrugged.

So - I know that the ticket is my responsibility and I will of course pay it. But AIBU to think that she should at least have apologised for the delays, and perhaps offered a contribution towards the fine?

[TurnOffTheTv]

Sorry, you made a note of the time, so knew when you had to get back. I would have just left them to make sure I was back in time.

[ChessieFL]

Yabu, she should have offered. It was her that made you late and you kept reminding her that she needed to get a move on. I wouldn't be offering to take her anywhere again in a hurry!

[Sparklingbrook]

Ooh that's a difficult one. if it was me I would have abandoned friend to go and retrieve the car before the ticket ran out.

How much is it?

[Aeroflotgirl]

Yes she was, and was very rude, I would not offer to drive her again tbh.

[MatildaTheCat]

100% yes,mshe should contribute. Text her. 'Lovely day but total pita to get the parking ticket. Are you ok to go halves?'

I would be less than happy if she refused.

[clicketyclick66]

I would have definitely contributed towards the fine, but I guess I'm a far more conscientious person than most people. You kept reminding her the time was ticking by, she knew you could get a ticket but chose to delay things by giving in to her child.

I wouldn't be offering her a lift again.

[BrickInTheWall]

She should have apologised and if it was me I would offer to go halfsies on the ticket but then I also wouldnt let my DD dictate what we were doing and let us be so late.
BUT you are an adult, capable of telling the time, just because her DD was being a pain doesnt mean you should have gone with them into the shops.. you should have gone ahead in plenty of time.
I think youll have to suck it up and dont offer her a lift next time!

[Aeroflotgirl]

Yes I would have left them in the cafe, moved my car, told them that if they were not there by X time, you are going, but hindsight is a great thing isen't it.

[BeautifulMaudOHara]

No, she shouldn't have to pay, you should have got back to your car in time

[WorraLiberty]

She should have done the decent thing and offered to pay half.

But you should have got back to your car in time, instead of allowing her child to make you late.

[TurnOffTheTv]

Why didn't you just leave her to go ahead?

[Nocabbageinmyeye]

Yanbu she was rude to not offer, was there no offer of paying for parking originally either? She is tight and rude if not

[WindsOfTremorrah]

sparkling £70, but £35 if I pay within 14 days.

Totally accept that it was my responsibility to move the car. I just know that if the situation were reversed, I'd have opened my purse and insisted that she take a contribution there and then.

Lesson learned.

[WindsOfTremorrah]

cabbage she offered but then realised that she didn't have enough change, so we went halves on the original pay and display ticket.

[WindsOfTremorrah]

Oops - name change fail

[TurnOffTheTv]

Name change fail

[FishWithABicycle]

sorry I don't think she should pay half - you could easily have left her behind and got back to the car in time, she didn't make you stay with her did she?

[leelu66]

YANBU. She is not a friend and I would not see her again.

I would have insisted on paying half at least, if not the whole thing.

[TheWitTank]

I would have just left them and gone back to the car (I've done that before in a similar situation to yours - I was just blunt and said I was going to get a ticket if they didn't hurry and I wasn't waiting). I would have contributed if I had held you up and I would expect a friend to do the same.

[Groovee]

I would have gone back to the car for the time stated.

[dowhatnow]

I don't think my friendship would be able to recover from this if she doesn't offer.

For the sake of £35 I'd suck it up but she'd have lost a friend. Perhaps send the text suggested above about going halves.

[shazzarooney99]

I do think she should offer to pay half, after all she did not pay for petrol there and back,

[emsyj]

Yes, she should have offered - but clearly, if she wasn't conscious about hurrying back before the ticket was up, she probably isn't a super courteous and polite person. I think you'd be wasting your time to ask for the money. In your shoes, I would have said, 'sorry, I've got to go back to get the car now, do you want me to pick you up from X point or are you ok to make your own way back?' I have a few friends like this, with no sense of urgency - you have to chivvy them, or ditch them!

[lborolass]

Tricky one but as a grown woman she should have realised that her child was making you late for the car and make some effort to avoid a ticket. Is she normally a bit entitled?