To think my DH is being a dickhead?

[Irritatedmama]

So, my idiot DH didn't want to come around the supermarket with me earlier so waited in the car with the kids. I was about an hour or so. He left the radio and air con unit on the entire time and surprise surprise when I got back the car wouldn't start!

He claimed to have no idea that sitting for an hour with the air con and radio on would drain the battery ( who the hell wouldn't know this?!?!). So we had to wait another hour for the breakdown people to get to us and jump start the engine.

He then dropped me and the kids home while he drove around to charge the car battery.
I put away all of the shopping, fed kids, bathed kids, put kids to bed, packed nursery bags for tomorrow, put away laundry and made dinner. He has just walked in the door and told me that he doesn't need dinner as he got himself a burger while out!!!

I've just got annoyed at him and he is nowsulking upstairs as apparently I am being a cow ( not his exact words but that's the gist).
Apparently this was not selfish of him because when he asked me earlier what was for dinner I said I wasn't hungry right now. We had just eaten sandwiches while waiting for the breakdown van. So according to him this meant that 2 hours later it was ok for him to get himself food without even bothering to check whether I wanted anything.

I now have a cottage pie in the oven that I don't bloody want and that I busted a gut to make because I thought he was hungry.

You're ahead by one cottage pie, anyway - or half a one (unless you ate it all).

Who wouldn't know this?........erm me?!

I did exactly the same a couple of years ago, I nipped out in my pj's in the freezing cold and dark to pick ds up from Cubs, sat waiting for him with the heater and radio on. Then got stranded in a car that wouldn't start. That'll teach me for nipping out in my pyjamas. DH said exactly the same as you to me.....

Ahhh... DH did this to me once. Refused to come round town with me & sat listening to cricket. Car would not start at all. We tried loads of times. So, we sat waiting for AA for around half an hour, very fed up. I decided to try again (out of boredom) and the car started! Apparently battery can do this... Don't ask me how!

I could have written this post! I totally get your frustration.

My DH ran out of petrol yesterday in the middle of the school/hobby run. Hardly ever get him involved, as it's more trouble than it's worth, but yesterday had no option. Caused havoc to whole evening and involved three taxi journeys, kids late and unfed for hobbies and me following him with food for the DCs.

It's not the first time. He ran out of petrol a couple of weeks ago. It drives me mad.

I get so frustrated with his lack of planning, disorganisation and lack of thought for me and DCs.

So OP, I feel your pain!!! One offs happen, but this seems to be a permanent feature of my life. I have taken on more and more, to save the stress of having to involve him, which is exhausting.

Why would he put the air con on in winter? It's bloody freezing out.

I know this isn't the main point of the topic
Olympiathequeen but the air con can heat as well as cool - I usually have it in in my car - my wife hates having it on in hers - tbf her journeys are much shorter.

But the air con doesn't work with the engine off, it doesn't drain the battery.

If it took you an hour to get round the supermarket then you weren't just popping in for a few bits on your way home - you were doing a full on shop.

Pretty stupid for you all to go along.

So whoever came up with the idea that your DH and the kids should come along and sit in the car and wait, rather than be dropped off at home while one or the other of you went to do the shop, is to blame for it all.

I just feel sorry for the kids. Two hours hanging around in a car, yuck!

But the air con doesn't work with out the engine being on

And no way would the battery drain listening to the radio fir an hour. That's hardly his fault.

However I don't get by he wouldn't go shopping with you. But id defubatkey say you git the easier part of the deal. Keeping two kids entertained in a car for an hour sounds like hell to me. I'd rather shop. And I hate shopping.

I'd he pissed off though that he couldn't wait fir tea and got a burger though. Thats just rude.

In my car you can use air con and radio without the engine running and it very quickly leads to the engine warning light coming on. I would also be fuming about the entire sequence of events. He should have called before getting the burger and also acknowledged how much you got left with whilst he had a lovely drive round!

Well, you need to make sure the battery is properly charged. I'd be taking it out tonight for a few hours whilst he does all the mundane chores. Get yourself a burger whilst out. This driving lark is hard work...

sunnyjac As I and other posters have said. You cannot have the air con on while your engine isn't running.

There is a compressor that is run from a belt that goes around your crankshaft pulley. The fans will work as well the radio, but not the air con. If your battery ruins out after only a short while then take it for a drop test and see if it needs replacing.

I am a mechanic and have been for 19 years.

Disclaimer I have not worked on electric cars not hybrids.

When I pop into the shops I'm about 10 mins not an hour.

I'd probably be a little miffed, but would have just got a pizza or takeaway.

TBH you lost me after the first four words of your OP, so my idiot DH 🙄

Firstly, sounds like you have a knackered battery.

I think you need to both communicate better, left & right arm don't seem to pulling in the right direction.

And it's 2017, why are you not online shopping?

The kids were fine in the car as they both went to sleep. We often all go to the supermarket together so I don't see a problem there. My kids enjoy helping put things into the trolley.

It was the fan heater he had on along with the radio. It's possible we do need a new battery but it wouldn't have run down if he hadn't kept things running. Or had not been lazy and helped me with the shopping!

Anyway the thread was about my annoyance with him for getting himself food without at least checking with me if I wanted anything. That's just rude.

AS PP said, there's a problem with the battery or alternator as that in itself wouldn't have killed the battery. A fairly small draw from a radio and fan.

Maybe the engine was idling while air con and radio were on? I've heard leaving engine idling will drain battery.

posted too soon:

I'd love an hour by myself in a supermarket whilst DH sat in the car. I wouldn't say you got the short end of the straw there. Besides which, an hour.... you obviously weren't rushing to get back.