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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:
RetiredFromExplaining · 16/09/2026 13:02

ReturnoftheMe · 16/09/2026 11:22

I did apolgise over and over again for forgetting to pay. I hate forgetting to come through with money for anything. I do forget more things than usual these days but that is my fault because I have so much on my plate. I started setting reminders for things, but for this I didn't, so I assume the full responsibility for forgetting. Especially as I 100% didnt want him to pay it alone.

Regarding the holiday, you're probably right, I should have objected the split the holiday in half and insisted it was split by 5. He didnt want to split by each child at the time of booking, he said he was happy to split, but clearly I now see it is because he didnt want to "upset me".. which it wouldn't have, but now the resentment is showing.

Either way, his blow up last night was very scary, and I am happy it wasn't in person because the anger was out of control.

I think you should ignore comments about whether you should or should not pay half. You have paid half and the matter should be considered dealt with.

Because it's not about the money. It's about the insults he called you.

He spoke to me like I was an animal and I am not sure where all that anger could be stemming from. The insults used were wicked, asshole, dumb, idiot, bipolar, crazy, mentally unstable, liar, lazy, all in one convo. I asked him to refrain for shouting and berating me multiple times, but he carried on.

This is a huge red flag. He cannot control his temper and he berated you using words that he probably thinks about you. You said you were frightened. This is another huge red flag.

Then you say that you clean for him and you are buying him things he is short of or things he needs.

When you assert your independence and are happy to travel by train, he insists on picking you up and driving you.

I am concerned that you are actually in a coercively controlled relationship and he is just showing his controlling and abusive behaviour. I think you should leave the relationship for your own safety. Maybe make a Clare's law request to the local police. Stay safe.

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 16/09/2026 13:01

Just end it, this relationship is not good.

and you should not be trying to control an adult's behaviour at a wedding - you walk away from that adult and disassociate yourself from him not go pinching him.

End it.

He is an abusive drink anyway

you can do better.

leavingonajetplane76 · 16/09/2026 13:00

Poo I hit unreasonable as I was scrolling through you are Not being unreasonable. Any man that speaks like that to a women is not worth it

rwalker · 16/09/2026 12:58

So he’s driven used his car and paid more than his fair share

there’s far to much info the top and bottom of it is you’d say you’d pay then didn’t
I presume he’s had some follow up regarding the fine that you’d said you’d pay

tbh having driven my car and paid for 1/2 of one of your kids I’d be pissed off if you were kicking off about £45

ReturnoftheMe · 16/09/2026 12:57

PinkyFlamingo · 16/09/2026 12:25

You havent said what you are going to do about it?

I think I will tell him I'd like to call it a day, but I did this a few weeks ago when he screamed at shouted at me because I pulled him up about some drunken antics at a wedding while the father of the bride was speaking. I told him in a whisper and a quick pinch of the arm that he was shouting and laughing with his pal while the father of the bride was making a heartfelt speech. The slight pinch was because I was trying to signal him to pay attention to the speech but is his inebriated state, he just blanked me. Once the speech was over, there were still some guests there and he began to lay into me because I corrected his behaviour. I walked away from him and went to our room (we were staying onsite), and he refused to let me go back alone, he followed me and shouted at me for about 30 mins. Again despite me remaining calm, strategically not to escalate things further, he couldn't be calmed down. The following day he did apologise profusely, but he actually didnt really recall half of what happened, be blacked a lot of it out. Anyways, I wanted to end the relationship then but he said he'd worked on arguing while drinking and said he wasn't allowing me to end the relationship.

Very upsettingly, these drunken arguments aside, he is the most kind, fun and enjoyable partner I have ever had. He is very nice to my kids and they really like him, my whole family does.
These drunk arguments are completely opposite to what he is like sober. The difference is staggering and actually I haven't told anyone in real life because it is so polar opposite to what he is like day to day.

Today he has already messaged to say he has a lot to explain, and I think he'll probably talk his way out of this and expect me to stay with him. It is tempting to because this behaviour when drinking is the only thing I can fault him on really,

I know I should end it because he is volatile. I just need to grow a pair and consider what his outburst could lead to in the future where my kids are concerned.

OP posts:
fuschiaproudparrot · 16/09/2026 12:56

You should pay half of the fine. One of your children got a subsidised holiday. The outcome though is ridiculous and I would think carefully about continuing this relationship.,

SandyHappyPerson · 16/09/2026 12:55

You both realised he'd get a £90 fine.

You offered to pay half. You didn't pay.

He asked if you'd send over the money,
you said you'd do it that night.. You didn't pay.

He asked a week later if there was a problem you paying it.. and instead of saying you forgot.. You said you didn't think you should have to pay it!

I'd be pissed off too to be fair, you should have been honest from he start rather than drag your feet and make it awkward, which then led to an argument.

All the other stuff sounds like red flag alcoholic behaviour though, so I'll call time on it for that alone.

watchingthishtread · 16/09/2026 12:53

You are both being unreasonable.

This relationship isn't headed anywhere good.

Wadsworthy · 16/09/2026 12:48

Yes the toll (and fine because you both forgot it) is half your responsibility. So YABU about that. I don’t drive but when on holidays with a driver, I help to take responsibility for parking etc. Tolls are a shared expense, as is parking. His bad driving etc is his problem, but other things should be shared. You’re already paying less for your two DC as opposed to his one.

But his reaction in the situation was completely unacceptable, and of course you need to dump him. Block him, and cut him out of your life. His response to your slight selfishness was a total overreaction and red flags all over the place!

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 16/09/2026 12:44

This is all bonkers. A simple text of ‘oops sorry, I forgot all about paying the fine, I’ll do it now’ would have saved all this bother.

PuggyPuggyPuggy · 16/09/2026 12:43

I think the only important thing here is your last paragraph. He's a shitty human being, regardless of the ins and outs of both of your responsibilities for this or that. (but also, if he said he would pay the toll and already has everything set up to do so, it's his cock up initially, and everything that came after was deliberately picking a fight)

DustyMaiden · 16/09/2026 12:43

You should pay because you offered.you have two DC he has one. But that’s not the point. He’s just not nice. Get rid.

PleaseDontTreadOnTheDaisies · 16/09/2026 12:42

Ultimately it's his responsibility to pay the toll and the fine, as he's the legal driver. You offered to pay half, which I would have done too. You forgot to pay him - maybe slightly irritating for him, but meh.
None of that excuses or justifies the level of anger he showed to you, and the namecalling.
I'd be very scared of a man who could get that angry over something like this. Be wary OP - I think you're in a relationship with a very angry man, who may have just shown you his true colours.

dizzydizzydizzy · 16/09/2026 12:41

Legally speaking, it is obviously his responsibility but you were morally correct to offer to pay half. Your DP is overreacting to say that he has changed the way he sees you. It is only him who is allowed to forget something?

getupdostuffgotobed · 16/09/2026 12:41

As you're not together as such it was the decent thing to go halves on it.

He forgot, you forgot. Pot kettle black. His reaction to you forgetting though.......

I think you've got bigger things to resolve than a late £45.

lottiegarbanzo · 16/09/2026 12:36

Oh no. He wants you to take on the mental load for everything, while he cherry picks tasks and only does essential things ‘when asked’. So, for you to be his manager / PA.

He is not looking for an equal and is not offering equal partnership. He fundamentally thinks of women as help-meets to men.

He also sounds disorganised, irresponsible and like someone who will rack up fines all over the place. Not a grown-up.

That would be your future life.

Eatally · 16/09/2026 12:28

I think if he was taking on all the driving for the holiday and you were just resting as his passenger, you perhaps should have paid the toll there and then.

However this was not something he asked you to do and his response afterwards is crazy. It would really make me question the type of person he is and rethink the relationship.

PinkyFlamingo · 16/09/2026 12:25

You havent said what you are going to do about it?

JumpingJimny · 16/09/2026 12:23

As regards the toll fee I do think that’s shared responsibility. Not being a driver doesn’t make you suddenly unable to understand the concept of a toll charge, or not responsible for remembering it exists. In the same way as fuel costs, parking costs (especially at an airport) etc should be shared between all the people using/benefitting from them. So yes I think you’re responsible for the fee or fine just as much as him given this was a shared trip, the only exception to this for me would be if the driver chose to speed and got a fine.

HOWEVER the guy is clearly a cunt, you were totally reasonable by paying half the fine, he clearly has issues and is not the sort of person I’d want to have a relationship with. He sounds abusive. Get rid!

Pashazade · 16/09/2026 12:21

Honestly OP you’ve dodged a bullet. End things now. His reaction is completely unhinged and he scared you over the phone! Walk away. Yes you messed up but his response was very disproportionate. Do not keep engaging. End the relationship.

MaryBeardsShoes · 16/09/2026 12:21

Stop thinking of this loser as your “partner.” He’s a boyfriend, or better still an ex. Don’t settle for shitty behaviour. You weren’t responsible and don’t send him another penny.

theturtleswims · 16/09/2026 12:19

soddingspiderseason · 16/09/2026 12:12

His behaviour is seriously unhinged and manipulative. You need to end this relationship, otherwise it will escalate and you will be walking on eggshells all the time.

This. It's no longer about the fine - it's about his response, which is extremely concerning. Please listen to the posters warning you about red flags. He is not a good person or he wouldn't speak to you the way he has.

bigboykitty · 16/09/2026 12:17

He should have paid the toll in the first place. He was unreasonable to ask you to pay half of the fine. I think you've been quite passive aggressive. You agreed to pay half and (understandably) you really weren't on board with this, and you 'forgot' to pay. I'm not suggesting it was deliberate, but it was at least in part a consequence of his unreasonable demand that you pay half, and of you resenting this and not being assertive. In any case, he quickly became hostile and abusive, for which there can be no defence. I think you're seeing his true colours. He soulike a misogynist.

soddingspiderseason · 16/09/2026 12:12

ReturnoftheMe · 16/09/2026 11:10

My message back, which I explained after on a call to him was because I was perplexed by his question. I felt like he was implying I didn't want to pay for either the toll or the fine. When I was happy too, but I really don't think I was responsible for it not being paid. The most important thing for me was that, I wanted to ensure he didn't have to take the burden of the fine alone.
On the way out, I would have happily paid the toll if I could have logged into his account, I tried and he said he'd have to be the one to log in from his account, on his phone.

Recently he picked me up from the airport (when traveling solo) - which I actually told him that I'd happily take the train back home. However he insisted, and when he arrived, I immediately asked how I pay the airport charge to let him know I didn't expect that he'd have to as he was kind enough to pick me up. He showed me the QR code to scan and I paid immediately. He often offers to pick me up when we're doing things together, but I always say I am happy to take the train and make my way to him, to avoid him driving. He has a manual job, so I don't want him to be driving me around when we're doing things all together because he has to exert himself physically so much for work, and I feel terrible about it.
I work behind a desk all day, so I often go to his house to work, to clean for him so during my break so when he gets home, he doesn't arrive to a mess.. I am alway buying him things he is short of or things he needs. I am ultra generous in so many ways, not just monetarily. I do these things because I see how happy it makes him to be with someone who genuinely cares and does things not wanting anything in return. He has told me that no one has ever cared about him the way I do.

I don't expect anything from him which is why it is so hurtful to be berated and shouted out the way he did last night. He spoke to me like I was an animal and I am not sure where all that anger could be stemming from. The insults used were wicked, asshole, dumb, idiot, bipolar, crazy, mentally unstable, liar, lazy, all in one convo. I asked him to refrain for shouting and berating me multiple times, but he carried on.

However my guess is, he regrets paying the total holiday cost in half and he didnt voice it at the time, but has gone on to think that somehow, him spitting everything despite me having 1 extra child, he has somehow been taken advantage of. Especially as my childrens' father isn't very forthcoming financially speaking, so maybe he thinks their dad should have chipped in.

His reaction on the phone was frightening, to the point I was in tears (silently) while he hurtled insults at me.

And to add - he had been drinking wine which I have noticed does seem to fuel him being argumentative in the past when we've had conflicts.

His behaviour is seriously unhinged and manipulative. You need to end this relationship, otherwise it will escalate and you will be walking on eggshells all the time.

Bjorkdidit · 16/09/2026 12:07

I work behind a desk all day, so I often go to his house to work, to clean for him so during my break so when he gets home, he doesn't arrive to a mess

Eh? Why would you do this? If his house is a mess it's his responsibility to sort it or pay a cleaner.

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