Would you have said something?

[Peterpickedapickledpepper]

So took DD to a farm today (DH is working so went alone). She's 1.5years old so limited speech herself but seems to understand most basic things (relevant!). She pointed at a little mechanical ride which I told her she could go on so she got very excited. I set her into it & gave her the coins to put into the slot (it cost 50p). The 2x20p were fine but our 10p coin kept coming out.

As I lifted her out of the ride to go to the kiosk directly beside, another child approx 3/4 years old ran at the Car and asked his mother for a ride. She said no. I explained that I'd just put 40p into the ride for my DD & I was just going to change my 10p coin as my only coin was being rejected (I was next in the queue so would have been less than a minute). She waited until I was getting my 10p exchanged & I heard her say to her child "since it'll only be 10p, you can have a turn" and proceeded to put 10p into the ride!

I then only had 10p left in coins so had to tell DD she could in fact not use the ride (the farm had no cashpoint and all I had was a debit card). She cried and pointed at the boy now riding the machine not understanding & the mother turned her back to ignore me.

I was shocked & didn't know what to say so I left without saying anything. I was so annoyed by the incident that I phoned DH at work to have a rant & he said I should have had it out with the mother as that was ridiculous or asked her for 40p to let DD have her ride.

What on earth would you have done in this situation? If someone had used the machine while I had my back turned and I hadn't told them I had my money in it, that would be completely my fault and I wouldn't have an issue but I told this woman I had used all my coins and was going to swap a 10p so DD could have a ride! I know in the grand scheme of things that it's a very minor issue but I'm still reeling & feeling guilty for breaking a promise to DD which yes she's probably already over but nonetheless!

@Missingstreetlife DD isn't great with motor skills so I wouldn't have felt safe leaving her on an open ride in case she fell out the side otherwise that'd have been a good way of preventing it! Although in saying that, I'm not sure she wouldn't have just let her child shove in next to her anyway.

I think we always have situations where after you think wish I’d said something but your kind of in shock at time of the sheer cheek of some people. Once you’ve got over the anger you’ll laugh about it . Some people just go through life doing what they like .!

Hindsight is a wonderful thing....

So you were shocked and didn't say or do anything this time. You're now forewarned that some people are indeed that cheeky and next time you'll nail it.

Hope you enjoyed the rest of the farm and that dd had a ball!

Because misunderstandings do happen. Maybe she had a hearing problem or maybe language or maybe she was stressed and only caught a few words. Who knows but this is why this country is full of rage and moans. People love to act offended to then be molly cuddled for being victimised.

We've all acted inconsiderate through misinterpretation of a situation. All it takes is to have it pointed out and the large majority of people apologised and make up for their mistake.

Thanks everyone,
I really appreciate your responses. I feel better just ranting about it! I know I was ridiculous to call DH at work but I was so taken aback & I was going to call him to let him know what we were up to at the farm anyway as he was upset to be missing the trip as he misses a lot with work so it wasn't just for the sole purpose of that! Although I would have called at a later point instead had that not happened. I will be more assertive in future so at least I can draw a line under these things rather than dwelling like today.

@Jux thank you she did! But not when we went to a "petting session" where she was sat next to me & we were passed a nice fluffy rabbit & guinea pig as expected at a petting session! before a huge chicken was lopped onto my lap right next to her with no warning 😂

If she had been nice she could have given you 20p and kids shared if there was room. World is a strange place sometimes

Bollocks to the misunderstanding
If the woman misheard or whatever as soon as the op came back she would have been mortified, explained she misheard and offered the op the money straight away. She wouldn't have turned her back.
She's a cf who knows a lot of people wouldn't have said a damn thing. And when she is called out, then she would have done the oops, I'm sorry line

I would have rushed back as soon as I heard the only costing 10p comment and would have asked what she thought was happening.

Why didn't you just leave your DD sat in it though if the kiosk was that close

Oh ignore me re leaving dd

Unbelievably cheeky and I’m be fuming but probably like you would have said nothing as I don’t like confrontation 🙈 but I’m so angry for you OP

I'd be tempted to use it as an opportunity to teach my child that sometimes grown ups are naughty

Sometimes I’d you run a coin on a metal part of the machine (often the plate around the slot) it takes the static away or something and it works after that.

It’s worked for me in the past.

It is confusing because most people 8 know would have pressed the returned coins button and get the 40p back before going to get changed instead of leaving it in the machine and indeed risking someone coming and using the money in it.

Then if that person had said they had already put 40p I would assumed they meant that the child had already had 4 rides but wanted a 5th one hence going to get change. Why would she had said loudly that it oy costed 10p otherwise.

So I stick to thinking that all you needed to do was say 'I'm very sorry I think there's been some confusion the cost is 50p and I'd already put 40p in...'

If shed responded 'tough' then yes she would have been a cow.

I really think she probably thought you weren't going on the ride. I know you say you left your things there etc but some people have the child fog where they don't notice anything apart from concentrating on their own child (I can relate!) or are a bit thick so don't notice and could have misinterpreted what you were saying. I can't imagine being so brazen as to spend a strangers money while they're right there.

Britain seems to be a nation of wet lettuces, hiding under the cover of being 'non-confrontational'.

“Then if that person had said they had already put 40p I would assumed they meant that the child had already had 4 rides but wanted a 5th one hence going to get change. Why would she had said loudly that it oy costed 10p otherwise.”

I think this is what happened actually.

OP I hesitate to say this as I know you are already feeling bad about it. But I really think you should work on your assertiveness. Yes, your daughter did understand what was happening and it would have felt very unjust to her. But you put the comfort of this other woman above that of your DD because you didn’t want the confrontation. I think that’s a shame and a tendency you should work to overcome x

This is one of those times when I hope the woman is on MN and recognises herself and the situation.

If you are reading this, you are a scummy cunt. You knew precisely what you were doing, you thieving bitch. Hope you feel proud of yourself.

From the way you said it in the OP it really sounded like you were saying to her that’s there 40p in there if she wants to use it. And you intended to change 10p but she could use it instead of she wanted.

Anyway, next time press the return coin button if you leave a machine like that or try my trick stated above.

I explained that I'd just put 40p into the ride for my DD & I was just going to change my 10p coin as my only coin was being rejected

I can't see how anyone would think after saying the above that they really meant go ahead and use the 40p.

OP, I don't think what you said was confusing, you clearly said that you had put in 40p and were going to get the other 10p as your coin was rejected. The woman was a total CF and clearly knew what she was doing.

I would have confronted her, I have when people have pushed in front of me in queues or in restaurants. You should have said loudly, "excuse me, that is my 40p you are using, can I please have it back as that is my daughter's ride that your child is taking".

I had to ask a kiosk attendant to remove a child from a ride recently, as he hadn't paid, was refusing to get off and when I approached the parents nicely, they scowled and said that he wasn't doing any harm. no he wasn't, but he was stopping my child from using the digger at the same time as their friend, which was the whole point...... The kiosk attendant told the parents to either put money in or remove their child.

How rude and spiteful of that mother, I would have said....hang on you're using my money, so please hand 40p over, so that my child can rude. If she refused, I'd have made a big thing of reporting her to the manager, and I'd have made sure people were looking at her, knowing what she'd done.

Britain seems to be a nation of wet lettuces, hiding under the cover of being 'non-confrontational'.

I think it might be because we've become a nation of 'texters', 'emailers' and online complainers.

Awkward face to face conversations are now often considered 'confrontation', rather than simple adult communication.

I lick coins when they don't work. That's really disgusting isn't it? Never thought about it before.....