Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask my friend to contribute towards the fine?

112 replies

Milkshakebelly · 28/07/2017 20:44

A friend of mine asked my to drive her to a course in an area which I'm unfamiliar with, in a big city (I am a rural area driver) It was a struggle for me to get childcare but I eventually managed to take her.

I was using the sat nav and the sat nav told me to turn right, as soon as I turned right I was unsure as it looked liked it was a bus only section. I slowed down and my friend said it wasn't bus only and as the sat nav had told us to turn this way we were ok to drive down.

I've now received a fine through the post from a cctv camera and it was in fact a bus only section. I can't afford to pay the full fine. AIBU to ask her to pay half? She didn't offer me anything towards the petrol but paid for a coffee whilst I sat and waited for her

OP posts:
TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge · 28/07/2017 20:46

YABU. You are the driver, you are responsible!

Sirzy · 28/07/2017 20:47

Your the driver. You are responsible for ensuring you follow the rules of the road not just blindly follow a sat nav

Chathamhouserules · 28/07/2017 20:48

I'd tell your friend and she might offer to pay towards it but I don't think you can ask her. It's your responsibility unfortunately.

WorraLiberty · 28/07/2017 20:49

You drove in a bus lane. I'm afraid that was your responsibility to notice that - not the Satnav or your friend.

ImperialBlether · 28/07/2017 20:51

Harsh comments here!

I think your friend ought to pay half. Whether she will or not (as she sounds tight) is another matter.

InfiniteSheldon · 28/07/2017 20:51

Not at all if I was your friend I'd insist on paying it for you. You were only there as a favour and she told you, you were fine to drive there!

HundredMilesAnHour · 28/07/2017 20:53

You're responsible for the fine but I think she should have contributed to your petrol costs (or bought you more than just a coffee!) depending on how far away it was.

LindyHemming · 28/07/2017 20:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LadyWithLapdog · 28/07/2017 20:53

I'd probably mention it in the expectation she'd offer to go halves.

toolonglurking · 28/07/2017 20:54

YABVU, you are the driver and therefore you are responsible. Being a 'rural driver' is NO excuse for not following the law.
Your friend could offer to pay half but it certainly is not her responsibility to get you to drive correctly!

RortyCrankle · 28/07/2017 20:55

YABU - you were driving and therefore responsible for your actions. It's not rocket science to read the road signs. The sat nav is irrelevant as is whether she paid for petrol or not.

Rhubarbtart9 · 28/07/2017 20:55

She should pay all your petrol. You should pay the fine. Although if I was the passenger in your car, I'd insist on paying the full fine.

HipsterHunter · 28/07/2017 20:56

I think she should pay half, if not all! You were only driving there for her and she said it wasn't a bus only bit.

Rhubarbtart9 · 28/07/2017 20:58

How much did it cost you in petrol distance wise.

Text her this and see what she says

'Damn, that was a bus lane on the way to your training course! I've a £? Pound fine 😞'

stonecircle · 28/07/2017 20:59

Legally you are responsible for paying the fine. Morally she should have paid for all the petrol, all the fine and any childcare costs.

Do you normally put yourself out so much for people?

Ragdoll545 · 28/07/2017 21:01

Why the hell did you arrange childcare and not ask for any petrol money to taxi your mate about?!

AnUtterIdiot · 28/07/2017 21:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RainbowPastel · 28/07/2017 21:01

You are at fault for not reading the signs not your friend.

Rhubarbtart9 · 28/07/2017 21:03

The kind thing would be for her to offer to pay.

needmorespace · 28/07/2017 21:05

she should pay all of it
I cannot believe she wouldn't offer tbh

AvoidingCallenetics · 28/07/2017 21:05

I think she should pay petrol and the fine. You were only there because of her - she even told you it was okay to drive there, which makes her morally responsible imo.

I think posters are being unfair to say it is up to you to follow the rules of the road - some city roads are really tricky if you are unfamiliar with the roads. A cynic might think they were designed to generate fines on purpose!
Anyway, long and short of it is that doing someone a favour shouldn't leave you out of pocket.

mokaerisifhija · 28/07/2017 21:07

I don't think she should pay the fine - you were responsible for that.

But I think you would be reasonable to say to friend "I was happy not to ask for petrol money for the trip to xxxxx as a favour to a friend but now I've been slapped with a £60 fine for that bus lane mistake. My bad obviously, but I can't afford the fine and the petrol without going into the red so would you please be able to do the petrol for the trip at £xx?

VestalVirgin · 28/07/2017 21:12

She said it was fine to drive there. I feel she should feel morally obliged to pay at least half of the fine.

manhowdy · 28/07/2017 21:13

I'd pay half OP. But then I would also have insisted you take petrol money too.

JaneEyre70 · 28/07/2017 21:15

If it were me, I'd offer to pay at least half as you were doing me a favour. Have you told her?

Swipe left for the next trending thread