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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To pay a bus lane fine even though I was a passenger.

114 replies

LondonElle · 23/04/2018 19:07

Went to a concert last month in Cardiff.
My friend drove me and three other friends there and back ( we paid her petrol money)
Whilst driving through the city centre she inadvertently went into a bus lane therefore she was fined £50.
She has since asked that we all give her a tenner... is this a reasonable request do you think?

OP posts:

Coveredinbeeeeeeeeeeeees · 23/04/2018 19:50

CF she was driving and she made the wrong choice.

SerenDippitty · 23/04/2018 19:50

On reflection I think I might cough up though.

HippityHoppityWho · 23/04/2018 19:50

No, she was the driver and it was her responsibility to read the signs. CF

PatisserieDeBayeux · 23/04/2018 19:51

I would probably have offered to contribute, it's pretty stressful trying to drive in an unfamiliar town, especially with a car full of passengers

This. I find it very distracting to drive a car full of chattering passengers. She may very well not have done it had she been on her own. She wouldn't have to ask me for a tenner. I'd offer.

ButchyRestingFace · 23/04/2018 19:52

So what happens if OP agrees to pay the £10 but the other three passengers refuse? (possible).

Is OP supposed to go halvers with the driver?

Tink06 · 23/04/2018 19:52

I think it's fair to split the cost. It's easy to make a mistake in an unfamiliar city and she was doing you all a favour. £10 each isn't a hideous amount whereas £50 is. Being the designated driver can be a pita at times and in the interest of keeping the friendship just pay up. I am thinking about dd here. She is usually designated driver with uni mates as they only one who has a car. She is a fairly new driver and some bus gates/lanes here are very confusing. She would be gutted if she was £50 down through taking her mates somewhere.

HippityHoppityWho · 23/04/2018 19:53

The penalty for all moving traffic contraventions in Cardiff is £70.00. If payment is made within 21 days then this is reduced to £35.00.

From the Cardiff website.

Ask her to show you the fine.

notonmywatch28 · 23/04/2018 19:54

Got a bus lane ticket myself whilst visiting Cardiff in February, the bus lane signage is not good,especially if you are driving in the dark and don't know where you are going ! Fine is £70, reduced to £35 if you pay within 14 days. You can appeal the fine, if you loose, you still have another 14 days to pay the reduced rate. We won our appeal,. Not sure how your friend has been charged £50 though....?
www.cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/resident/Parking-roads-and-travel/Moving-Traffic-Fines/Received-Traffic-PCN/Pages/default.aspx

HippityHoppityWho · 23/04/2018 19:55

'If you ignore the PCN then the Council will send you a Charge Certificate which provides you with 14 days to pay an increased penalty of £105.'

PlatypusPie · 23/04/2018 19:56

In the circumstances described, I think you should all have offered to chip in on that I feel it was a slip - easily done in an unfamiliar town. That is unless she was being cavalier about driving down there because she thought she knew better. There was an awful road layout near me which used to catch traffic turning right across a junction, with the inner lane having to try and immediately avoid a bus lane. Must have caught out many not familiar with the area.

TheFirstMrsOsmond · 23/04/2018 19:58

I appreciate the point that she's the driver and it's her responsibility - but it is quite easy to make such a mistake when driving in a city you don't know whilst trying to find your way and as she was doing just that for the benefit of all of you, I think I would be inclined to give her £10.
I find I am always much more likely to get flustered & inadvertently make such errors as a driver under those circumstances, especially if the car is full of other people chatting!

WonderWhippet · 23/04/2018 20:00

It's not a moving traffic penalty. It's a bus lane penalty. There is a difference and the amount will also be different I imagine

badg3r · 23/04/2018 20:03

If she is not a super confident driver and presumably doing you a favor and not drinking, dropping you at your respective homes at the end of the trip before getting back herself, then I would pay.
If she has fo for making people dig her out then I would see it a bit differently!

Original poster

LondonElle · 23/04/2018 20:04

Pretty sure the fine was £50... she’s usually very honest... I couldn’t offer her money previously as I was unaware of the fine until now.

OP posts:

EasterRobin · 23/04/2018 20:06

I would pay £12.50 (assuming it wasn't a financial struggle for me). Why would you only pay a tenner?

She didn't do it deliberately and she incurred the charge as a result of doing the driving (which isn't a fun task for a night out, especially if everyone else is drinking). It's an unexpected cost of transport, so it isn't fair for her to pay it all.

Also, she'll likely never give you a lift again if you don't contribute. It's not worth putting your friendship at risk.

HippityHoppityWho · 23/04/2018 20:08

@wonder, nope, it is the same cost.

Original poster

LondonElle · 23/04/2018 20:09

There were four passengers... five of us including the driver... she asked for a tenner!

OP posts:

Original poster

LondonElle · 23/04/2018 20:10

Just to confuse the issue... I have changed a few details to protect my identity.......

OP posts:

EasterRobin · 23/04/2018 20:11

Oh yeah. My mistake.

RedRedBluee · 23/04/2018 20:11

Her driving, her responsibility. If she ran someone over and killed them while you were a passenger would you go to prison with her too?

MrsLaurac · 23/04/2018 20:11

I certainly think you should offer to pay a share she was doing a good turn by driving you there.

NapQueen · 23/04/2018 20:12

Id paypal it and say 'Hi x, ive paypalled you a tenner towards the fine as a goodwill gesture and an extra little thanks for the lift"

Ruffian · 23/04/2018 20:14

I got caught in a bus lane in Cardiff years ago, got stopped by the Police and they were really sarky, looks like their signs haven't improved much!

Bit odd about the payment discrepancy but I would pay her the £10 just out of common decency - she did all the driving so it's not just about a flat cost.

BewareOfDragons · 23/04/2018 20:15

Well it depends, if I was doing 4 friends a favour, driving in a city I didn't know and offering not to drink while they saved time and possibly money by avoiding taxis and trains and due to being a little stressed, not knowing the way and possibly following confusing directions, I inadvertently entered a bus lane and got fined, I would feel grateful if my friends offered to pay the fine and a bit pissed off if they didn't. I wouldn't insist and I would get over it, but it would hurt for a while and may change how I viewed the friendship.

Exactly. £10 a small price to support a friend who was supporting my night out.

Noqonterfy · 23/04/2018 20:17

Hmm well if my mate was doing us all a favour anyway then personally I would offer to pay a tenner towards it.

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