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AIBU?

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AIBU to think the toll fine was not equally my responsibility?

257 replies

ReturnoftheMe · 16/09/2026 10:02

Scenario

My partner (MP) of almost one year and I went on a holiday which we split between 2 (for the most part)
I have 2 kids and he has 1, but we decided to split the cost of the holiday and spending money down the middle.

On the way to the airport, MP mentioned to my son that the tunnel we go through has a toll (£4) and said, "I need to remember to pay that"...I asked him how it is paid, and he said through his account that he has registered. We leave the conversation there. At the time, I thought, at some point he will log in a pay the toll, but we both completely forgot. I don't drive and never have, so anything pertaining to the car doesn't really come across my mind by habit.

On the way home from the holiday a week later, he remembered the toll, but by then he said we would have incurred a fine of £90. I immediately took my phone to see if I could log in a pay, but he said I should try his phone instead. I didnt manage to get into his account because he had 5 of them, and in the dark while driving it didnt seem like the best plan to keep putting the phone up to his face to log into them and see which one worked. I told him either way, I would pay half once he managed to log in at home. I offered straight away to pay half as I felt guilty and sad that he'd got the fine, especially as he is self employed and misses a week of work to go on holiday.

He logged in at some point in time and paid the fine. I have no idea which day because we don't live together. We were talking about other financial things a day or so later via text, and he asked if I'd pay the fine from my Revo bank and I said, I will do it later via Barclays. However, that morning I forgot to do so. It 100% was just an oversight on my part due to be busy.

7 days later, he messages me to say...

"Do you have a problem with paying for half that fine?

Do you think it should be my responsibility because it’s technically “my car”?!"

I wrote...

"I don’t think I should be expected to pay it.
I’d only pay it because I offered to, out of feeling guilty that it was down to our family holiday that you got it. And also because you were so upset, I offered to pay half of it due to how it seemed to sting you at the time.

I don’t feel a responsibility to pay it, because it’s not my car and I am not attuned to all those tolls. It’s not on my mind.

So short answer is, I wanted to pay half to a) account for it being a holiday for us all and b) knowing how upset you were about it, upset me. So I wanted to help.

I didn’t send the money yet, because I actually forgot about it.

But I will do it now"

He said that my response has changed the way he views me as a woman, and that I am not the type of person he wants to be in a relationship with because I should be taking the responsibility of paying the initial toll, as he was driving and too distracted after to do it. My push back was to say that the toll was not my responsibility, we each had separate and shared responsibilities pertaining to the holiday, but I trusted that he would take care of the toll and didnt need my input, despite trying to help.

Is he being unreasonable or am I? He proceeded to call me, shout and me and call me a few names because he believes I should concede and take responsibility DESPITE me paying half the fine (sent the money last night) he still believes I am a wicked person (his own words) for not being willing to accept the responsibility was OURS.

OP posts:
AnnoyedAsAllHeck · 16/09/2026 16:08

SueKeeper · 16/09/2026 14:57

They split it equally despite her having two children and him one, that is him not being petty and being generous. He's also doing all the driving and she doesn't drive, so he just sucks it up. The fact that he didn't quibble these things but OP does the minute it's not in her favour is why OP looks bad. Not as bad as him turning aggressive, but hardly moral high ground behaviour.

What about her putting down the deposit (90 euros) on the Air B&B? Paying for ALL the food on the plane for 5 people (not cheap). Paying for ALL the incidentals for 5 people before the trip? What about her CLEANING his house for him, so he doesn't come home to a mess? What about her buying HIM things he needs in the house that he is out of? She doesn't live there.

How do you know that he spent more on the vacation feeding 1/2 of a child? Basically he paid 1/10th more for the extra child. How can the bootstompers think that the 150+ euros OP spent (not including half the fine she paid), is so little that HE is the one that is generous?

He insists that he picks her up and she doesn't take the train. It could be because he wants to control her to the point he doesn't want her on a train/bus/taxi where she might, gasp, talk to someone.

Weird how a few talk VERY little about the abuse the OP has suffered at his hands but LOVE to jump in on the fact that he paid not even 1/10th more on a vacation (as many things didn't matter how many children are there), as if it was thousands of euros. I mean, that is just batshite cray-cray!

I truly do not know if people don't really read the OP's posts or if they just enjoy stomping on someone when they're down and need advice.

I'd actually say what I REALLY feel about these few, but it would get deleted and I'd get put into the corner.

AltitudeCheck · 16/09/2026 16:05

You've shown each other how you deal with shared responsibility, how good you are at remembering stuff and dealing with conflicts and criticism. Neither of you are perfect.

You were happy to let him drive, pay for more then his share of the holiday and also quick to say nothing related to the travel was your responsibility and then forget to pay the half the fine you offered to pay.

He's also crap at remembering stuff and resorts to anger and name calling in a disagreement.

I think you are bother better off single and working on your own shit and nit dragging a dysfunctional adult into your kids lives!

WhosGotTheKeysToMyBimma · 16/09/2026 15:59

Fuck me

Why on earth did you offer to pay half the fine?

What you should have said was "take it out of the 1600 quid you owe me"

But you didn't, because you're on edge and feel like you have to please him, keep him happy and live up to "not being like his ex"

Wow. Write off the money and give him the heave ho. He is an absolute scumbag who is taking resources from your child. How fucking dare he.

ReturnoftheMe · 16/09/2026 15:59

Ohnobackagain · 16/09/2026 15:53

@ReturnoftheMe he owes you £1600? This is getting worse with every comment. Set up a payment plan and if he won’t pay then take him to court. And dump him.

One thing is for sure, I will not let him get away with that money he owes. It is a huge thing to ask someone to borrow you money. I have had relatives ask me for money many times, and they always take super long to return it. Years sometimes, which he knows about. So this is a huge reason why it is so hurtful that he wouldn't drop the fact he believed I intentionally forgot to give him half the fine. I simply wouldn't do that and I begged and pleaded with him to understand that I forgot in error.

I forgot, my brain is mush since I turned 41 this year, all the while working in finance and managing 2 kids alone (with gracious and amazing help from my parents) and I would never go back on my word about helping someone pay for something, even if it is not my responsibility.
It was just so hurtful the way he spoke to me, I just had to speak to "someone" about it to get a sanity check.

OP posts:
Ohnobackagain · 16/09/2026 15:53

@ReturnoftheMe he owes you £1600? This is getting worse with every comment. Set up a payment plan and if he won’t pay then take him to court. And dump him.

CruCru · 16/09/2026 15:51

The more the OP posts, the worse he sounds. He owes her a proper chunk of money and eats on her dime.

ReturnoftheMe · 16/09/2026 15:49

SueKeeper · 16/09/2026 14:57

They split it equally despite her having two children and him one, that is him not being petty and being generous. He's also doing all the driving and she doesn't drive, so he just sucks it up. The fact that he didn't quibble these things but OP does the minute it's not in her favour is why OP looks bad. Not as bad as him turning aggressive, but hardly moral high ground behaviour.

listen... 6 months into our relationship he was laid off a job mid week. He works in construction. He told me how much he'd be put out financially and I borrowed it to him so he could carry on with his week without stress and have a couple days off, which he never gets to have being self employed. He is terrible with finances (which he admitted to me early on) and found himself in a pickle about a month after being laid off, and needed £800. He asked me to borrow it to him and I transferred him the money immediately So far, he owes me about £1600.. which I have never raised with him since borrowing. He eats at my house frequently and the shopping is always on me. He does bring food over when his daughter comes along with him, so he isn't completely taking the piss, but I definitely pull my weight and more, and paying a £2 toll or a £45 fine is no skin off my nose, but I didn't enjoy how he somehow made it out that I had intentionally avoided send him the money, as though I am tight and I expect him to pay for things for me. Given how generous I usually am, he has no grounds to even believe I would intentionally withhold money that I said I'd give him.

OP posts:
BoulevardOfBrokenSleep · 16/09/2026 15:40

He says his ex didn't get him to the same point on anger he gets at with me when drinking, so he thinks I am the one who brings it out of him

Apart from the 'look what you made me do' thing...
...he's already said he doesn't remember big chunks of the abuse he's doled out to you when hes been drinking, how does he know what he did to his ex?

His ex is probably looking at your relationship thinking "wow, he mustn't be as horrible to her as he was to me, I guess it must just have been something about me that made him do it"

Dandeloosha · 16/09/2026 15:38

ReturnoftheMe · 16/09/2026 15:09

You're right, I think by now his drinking intake worsened to what it was when he was with his daughters mum. Especially as she doesn't drink at all.

He actually just called me saying he was having heart palpitations, sweaty palms and feeling a sense of doom, so I had to coach him into breathing and finding someone onsite to tell and ensure they know he is feeling unwell. I am guessing this is a reaction to him know what is coming.

He often says he has random bouts of this fear and it is all down to being scared I will leave him. It is a lot to deal with. I think I will ask him for space initially because I am scared he'll hurt himself if I end things immediately. He has said before when I tried to pull away that he doesn't want to go on in life without me with is insanity, considering he is a father.

I know all this sounds like glaring red flags, but when you're in it, you try to do your best to manage in a way that doesn't have to result in ending things. The first thought is to fix, well mine is anyways, but I know this isn't something I can fix for him. The stark personality change when drinking isn't something I can possibly help with or endure.

I just want to try and let him down gently.

I don’t think you’re unreasonable wanting to finish with him. You need to be clear rather than gentle. He will make threats and try to get you to pity him. The man is a walking enormous red flag and you’re better off out of it.

CruCru · 16/09/2026 15:36

I have read the OP’s posts and some (but not all) of the other posts. The thing is, if this guy was a total horrorshow all the time, the hills would be black with women running the other way. So of course he is nice sometimes / most of the time. But when he isn’t, he is properly abusive (I include calling you to say he is having heart palpitations as abusive).

Can you imagine how delicious your life would be without this man in it? Break up with him - he will take it appallingly badly no matter how you do it so no need to let him down gently.

Dandeloosha · 16/09/2026 15:34

Toosadtonight · 16/09/2026 10:11

I’m trying to understand why you went on a week holiday abroad with your boyfriend of less than a year taking your kids and his kids as well. Is it not a bit soon to be playing happy families.
Quite apart from the issue about the toll, it seems you barely know him as you seem surprised that he responded so aggressively when you say something he doesn’t agree with. What if this had kicked off while you were on holiday, him ranting at you while you and your 2 kids were stuck with him presumably in the same hotel / accommodation.?

Edited

That’s not the point and not the question she was asking FFS. Stick to the point.

OP, it’s all his responsibility. He failed to pay it when he should have. You shouldn’t have to pay for his fuck ups - through you shouldn’t have offered to pay in the first place. The most you should ever have had to pay is £2 - half of the original toll. If he’d wanted you to take responsibility for the toll he should have told you in the first place so you register.

Imdunfer · 16/09/2026 15:33

ReturnoftheMe · 16/09/2026 15:09

You're right, I think by now his drinking intake worsened to what it was when he was with his daughters mum. Especially as she doesn't drink at all.

He actually just called me saying he was having heart palpitations, sweaty palms and feeling a sense of doom, so I had to coach him into breathing and finding someone onsite to tell and ensure they know he is feeling unwell. I am guessing this is a reaction to him know what is coming.

He often says he has random bouts of this fear and it is all down to being scared I will leave him. It is a lot to deal with. I think I will ask him for space initially because I am scared he'll hurt himself if I end things immediately. He has said before when I tried to pull away that he doesn't want to go on in life without me with is insanity, considering he is a father.

I know all this sounds like glaring red flags, but when you're in it, you try to do your best to manage in a way that doesn't have to result in ending things. The first thought is to fix, well mine is anyways, but I know this isn't something I can fix for him. The stark personality change when drinking isn't something I can possibly help with or endure.

I just want to try and let him down gently.

Threatening to commit suicide if you leave him is emotional abuse.

He's had drunken rages 4 times in a one year relationship. Please end this no matter what his threats are.

HoppingPavlova · 16/09/2026 15:28

He actually just called me saying he was having heart palpitations, sweaty palms and feeling a sense of doom, so I had to coach him into breathing and finding someone onsite to tell and ensure they know he is feeling unwell. I am guessing this is a reaction to him know what is coming

This is the problem. You didn’t ‘have’ to do anything, for some reason you chose to. It’s perfectly fine to say ‘okay, if that’s how you are feeling, then you need to call 999/111 and they will give you advice on what to do, I’ll hang up to let you call them now’. There is no need for you to make this your problem and ‘have’ to do anything.
eta - he is manipulative, and unfortunately you seem to accept this manipulation.

Shmee1988 · 16/09/2026 15:27

SueKeeper · 16/09/2026 14:57

They split it equally despite her having two children and him one, that is him not being petty and being generous. He's also doing all the driving and she doesn't drive, so he just sucks it up. The fact that he didn't quibble these things but OP does the minute it's not in her favour is why OP looks bad. Not as bad as him turning aggressive, but hardly moral high ground behaviour.

Not necessarily. What difference does the amount of kids make? They could have hired an Airbnb. He drove, and was expected to pay the toll. She may well have paid accommodation of the same total. The OP clearly said everything was split equally, he was driving. The amount of kids is irrelevant in this situation. The driving was his responsibility

Morepositivemum · 16/09/2026 15:21

Overreaction of the millennium!!! Rethinking your relationship over a bill? Sorry op but thst is crazy!!!

Ohnobackagain · 16/09/2026 15:18

And all this ‘hurt himself’ if he has to be without you @ReturnoftheMe please just end it. Get yourself free of him.

MargoLivebetter · 16/09/2026 15:17

@ReturnoftheMe just pause for a minute and think of the lack of care and consideration he has shown for you and your feelings by shouting abuse at you.

Don't do all the heavy lifting here. There will be no letting him down gently, if he doesn't want to be let down gently. You have to state what is right for you and your mental and physical well-being. He will have to accept that like the fully grown adult that he is. You are not responsible for him in the same way that you would be for a child. He is a grown up.

Sounds like he has had plenty of exes and survived to tell the tale and slag them all off. He will be just as well able to do the same again.

Ohnobackagain · 16/09/2026 15:17

While it’s nice to do things for your partner, I think he may be viewing things in a different light. Just because you do a desk job doesn’t mean you need to go to his and do his housework? There are a lot of things you’ve said about him that would make me run a mile @ReturnoftheMe

ReturnoftheMe · 16/09/2026 15:09

thingamynbob · 16/09/2026 14:52

Please please please don’t use HIS last relationships as a marker for this being your fault! He is in charge of his reactions. You did nothing wrong. He is basically saying you made him be abusive. This is hallmark of an abusive relationship. Please do some soul searching on this. Look at some info that’s readily available out there… JimmyonRelationships on YouTube is a good example.. and understand that his behaviour is not ok and it’s NOT you. My ex was friendly with his ex after they split. He holds down friendships, he is thought of well. But behind closed doors with me he was a totally different person. Alcohol can be a factor in changing the way someone behaves and reacts one decade to the next. Just because he is civil to his ex doesn’t excuse him from bad behaviour now.
I’m saying this from a place of concern because some of the things you’ve been saying remind me of what I used to tell myself during my marriage. And I had a decade of awful behaviour to deal with. No one knew and everyone would have been stumped because to the outside world he was a different person. Behind closed doors he was abusive. It was because I was too noisy. I was too quiet. I was too sensitive. I was too insensitive. I was too messy. I was too particular. It wasn’t about that. It was HIM. He felt out of control in his own life so he controlled me as a way to feel better and feel more powerful. Please for the sake of your kids… don’t let this go further. Four blow ups in a year is every three months. That four too many x

I’ll add too that we had lovely times in between the bad! Holidays abroad, weekends away. It’s what made it confusing. But in the end it came down to the fact that abuse is abuse. It doesn’t just stop. And it’s NEVER okay.

Edited

You're right, I think by now his drinking intake worsened to what it was when he was with his daughters mum. Especially as she doesn't drink at all.

He actually just called me saying he was having heart palpitations, sweaty palms and feeling a sense of doom, so I had to coach him into breathing and finding someone onsite to tell and ensure they know he is feeling unwell. I am guessing this is a reaction to him know what is coming.

He often says he has random bouts of this fear and it is all down to being scared I will leave him. It is a lot to deal with. I think I will ask him for space initially because I am scared he'll hurt himself if I end things immediately. He has said before when I tried to pull away that he doesn't want to go on in life without me with is insanity, considering he is a father.

I know all this sounds like glaring red flags, but when you're in it, you try to do your best to manage in a way that doesn't have to result in ending things. The first thought is to fix, well mine is anyways, but I know this isn't something I can fix for him. The stark personality change when drinking isn't something I can possibly help with or endure.

I just want to try and let him down gently.

OP posts:
thingamynbob · 16/09/2026 15:02

Also op.. I am still on good terms with my ex’s family. It means nothing. My ex has also been in a new relationship for a year. He shows his true colours when pushed but in between is mr big spender and mr generous. It doesn’t change the fact that he was routinely abusive to me towards the end of our marriage. And it wasn’t me pushing him to it or “making” him behave that way. You can’t “make” someone be abusive. It’s only been a year. It’s not long. I was stuck for the longest time. You aren’t. Please please see this for what it is x

SueKeeper · 16/09/2026 14:57

Shmee1988 · 16/09/2026 10:46

How do you know, and why do you assume that he has been more generous? The OP clearly said they split things equally, so I assume the fact that he was driving and the tolls were bith taken into consideration when deciding the equal split?

They split it equally despite her having two children and him one, that is him not being petty and being generous. He's also doing all the driving and she doesn't drive, so he just sucks it up. The fact that he didn't quibble these things but OP does the minute it's not in her favour is why OP looks bad. Not as bad as him turning aggressive, but hardly moral high ground behaviour.

thingamynbob · 16/09/2026 14:52

Please please please don’t use HIS last relationships as a marker for this being your fault! He is in charge of his reactions. You did nothing wrong. He is basically saying you made him be abusive. This is hallmark of an abusive relationship. Please do some soul searching on this. Look at some info that’s readily available out there… JimmyonRelationships on YouTube is a good example.. and understand that his behaviour is not ok and it’s NOT you. My ex was friendly with his ex after they split. He holds down friendships, he is thought of well. But behind closed doors with me he was a totally different person. Alcohol can be a factor in changing the way someone behaves and reacts one decade to the next. Just because he is civil to his ex doesn’t excuse him from bad behaviour now.
I’m saying this from a place of concern because some of the things you’ve been saying remind me of what I used to tell myself during my marriage. And I had a decade of awful behaviour to deal with. No one knew and everyone would have been stumped because to the outside world he was a different person. Behind closed doors he was abusive. It was because I was too noisy. I was too quiet. I was too sensitive. I was too insensitive. I was too messy. I was too particular. It wasn’t about that. It was HIM. He felt out of control in his own life so he controlled me as a way to feel better and feel more powerful. Please for the sake of your kids… don’t let this go further. Four blow ups in a year is every three months. That four too many x

I’ll add too that we had lovely times in between the bad! Holidays abroad, weekends away. It’s what made it confusing. But in the end it came down to the fact that abuse is abuse. It doesn’t just stop. And it’s NEVER okay.

nomas · 16/09/2026 14:50

He proceeded to call me, shout and me and call me a few names because he believes I should concede and take responsibility DESPITE me paying half the fine (sent the money last night) he still believes I am a wicked person (his own words) for not being willing to accept the responsibility was OURS.

He sounds awful.

DH has paid parking fines I've incurred in his car without even telling me about them until I've stumbled on the PCN.

I think you would be better off out of this relationship. No one should be shouting at you.

bigboykitty · 16/09/2026 14:46

He shouted and called you names for half an hour, and when he was sober he said he won't allow you to end the relationship. He's a nailed on manipulative abuser. If you must allow him to abuse you half a dozen more times before you leave him, at least do a Clare's Law request. Your poor children. This will not end well.

unsync · 16/09/2026 14:36

So many things off with this man's behaviour. None of which are your fault @ReturnoftheMe, it is concerning that you think so. Please do some work on boundaries and acceptable behaviour in relationships before you embark on any more intimate relationships. This one is over, but you know that right?

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