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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

disaster journey home w w u have done...

303 replies

Sarah510 · 12/08/2020 11:59

So, coming back from campsite yesterday, the battery in my phone was low-ish but I wasn't too worried as I had bought a solar charger, which worked perfectly on the drive down, and I was able to charge my phone as I was driving. 2 kids and a dog in the back (just FYI!)

Couldn't get solar charger to work :( Battery getting lower and lower. I tried to get the directions into my memory, but the last bit of the journey is all motorways and junctions, and always rely on google maps to get me home - only lived in the area a few months. Soooo, phone dies about an hour from home. Tried to find the way on the motorway but came off at wrong exit, ended up so lost, miles away from home. Thougth could I charge my phone in mcdonalds - found one, but they said it wasn't allowed (understandably). Went to a petrol station to buy a map - didn't have any. Asked lots of people, nobody knew. Finally found a sign to a town that I've visited a few times, so went there, Its about 10 miles from home. It was pitch dark by now and we'd been travelling for more than 6 hours, so very fraught in the car. I thought I recognised the 'road home', but went wrong somewhere. Finally stopped at another petrol station, no maps again, but asked the lady, and thank god she knew my town. If it wasn't for her I think I'd still be driving round. I learned my lesson anyway. Never ever go out without a map, or backup written directions. I felt so guilty for my poor kids, I feel like I let them down. (and they think that too, rightly so as it was idiotic). I do have a sat nav in the car but it just stopped working one day, for no reason, so I always just use my phone now. Anyway, I dont' think I'm even going to tell my friends/family as I'm so embarrassed at putting us all at risk like that, and putting us through it. A 3.5 hour journey took more than 7 hours :( Voting: UANBU - ok to rely on technology. UABU - always have a map in the car!!!!

OP posts:
Genevieva · 13/08/2020 07:48

I keep a large national road atlas in the car under the seat. Otherwise write instructions.

Pobblebonk · 13/08/2020 07:58

Why write out the route so painstakingly when you can just print it off something like the AA route finder?

And why does your daughter think your car is too old to have a cigarette lighter socket? They've been around literally for decades.

NerrSnerr · 13/08/2020 07:59

Of course it does, providing you have the right cable or adaptor, which can be bought from a petrol station etc in times of desperation.

The cigarette lighter in my car doesn't work any more, my car is old and there's no point in fixing it. I can't be the only one (I do keep a power bank in the glove compartment though)

CrowdedHouseinQuarantine · 13/08/2020 08:20

no you are not @NerrSnerr

irrationally annoyed that people cannot appreciate that Grin

Reallybadidea · 13/08/2020 08:42

When my phone battery was running low I turned it off right up until the point that I needed it. Surely between you both, you and your daughter had enough charge to navigate the last few miles if you'd done that?

MilerVino · 13/08/2020 09:21

Why write out the route so painstakingly when you can just print it off something like the AA route finder?

I prefer to write out a route. A. I can write it in large letters that I can glance at whilst driving. B. the act of writing it helps me remember it. I suspect in the OP's case we also have C. didn't print it before she left home and no printer available at campsite.

MaggieAndHopey · 13/08/2020 09:29

Chuckling at all the borked cigarette lighters. I don't think they have worked in any of my last three cars! But I do drive shit old bangers.

Clutterbugsmum · 13/08/2020 09:34

Get a power bank to have with you for car journeys.

Hingeandbracket · 13/08/2020 09:40

Amazed at all the fubared fag lighters. I also drive shit old bangers and have never had one where the lighter socket didn’t work. Maybe I should set up a business fixing them.

Hingeandbracket · 13/08/2020 09:41

Just had a thought - I don’t smoke so only use the fag lighter for power - wonder if that has any bearing.

MaggieAndHopey · 13/08/2020 10:00

I don't smoke either, so I don't think that's it. But could it be related to the make/model of the car? Last two cars have been Ford Focuses (Focii?!) and the car before that was an old Nissan.

FudgeBrownie2019 · 13/08/2020 10:05

I'd say I'm a pretty confident driver generally and travel alone often for work, so don't panic. However a few years ago we were travelling down to Cornwall for a week with friends and DH had to work so was flying down to meet us the following day. I packed the car, put the DC and dogs in, got us going and all was well. Eleven hours later we arrived at our friends house and by this point I was crying, the DC were crying, the dogs were traumatised and I vowed never to do that journey again. Admittedly most of the 11 hours was roadworks and traffic, but the last 90 minutes was me being a total incompetent arse and forgetting my phone charger.

The DC remember it and think it was hilarious. All I remember is the feeling of blind panic at all those tiny little Cornish lanes and it being pitch dark and having no bearings at all. Never gone anywhere without a battery pack since.

FudgeBrownie2019 · 13/08/2020 10:06

@Hingeandbracket

Amazed at all the fubared fag lighters. I also drive shit old bangers and have never had one where the lighter socket didn’t work. Maybe I should set up a business fixing them.
Mine's a 4 year old X3 and the fag lighter hasn't ever worked. I'd love to be able to pay someone to come and fix it!
Waveysnail · 13/08/2020 10:11

I did this op driving from.scotaland to England. We needed up over the moors. Kids called it the scenic tour Grin.

BarbaraofSeville · 13/08/2020 10:30

I wonder how many of these knackered fag lighters just need a new fuse?

heartsonacake · 13/08/2020 10:35

It sounds very much like you rely on your directions—that you’re not even reading, your son is—to get you absolutely anywhere, so rather than actually learning the area you’re driving in you’re just blinding following instructions and not taking it all in.

Hence you have absolutely no idea of where you live and the surrounding area. That’s something you need to fix.

torquewench · 13/08/2020 10:56

Has the OP found her way back to this thread yet? 🤣

BigSandyBalls2015 · 13/08/2020 11:19

One of advantage of living near London is that it's sign posted from almost everywhere!

Shizzlestix · 13/08/2020 11:29

Get an in car charger.

SoupDragon · 13/08/2020 12:09

@Shizzlestix

Get an in car charger.
I can't believe no one else has suggested that!
Original poster
Sarah510 · 13/08/2020 12:20

Yes I'm still here, thanks for all the stories, it's making me feel better! DD aged 16 just kept saying why didn't I write down the directions before we left, and she was right lol. Am calmed down now though and realise the solar charger has to be charged first, like from the wall …. Investigating in car charger

OP posts:
crosstalk · 13/08/2020 13:04

OP definitely check out your car has a cigarette lighter socket which works to charge phones. I have an elderly car which manages. However I always look at outward and inward journeys on Bing or AA and note off the major routes and carry a map - because where I live there are huge areas where a signal will drop and very few road signs.

My DH is a technophobe so I write out major junctions and where he should be heading. He does luckily have a good knowledge of English cities and their relation to each other.

I bite my thumb at the PP who said "most cars come with satnav". Yes, it's been around since 1981 but only became common relatively recently. So the two affordable second hand cars in our household don't have it.

I also bite my thumb at the PP who said you could just follow roadsigns. I can't be the only one who finds road signage (even on motorways) lamentable for those not familiar with a route. It's very confusing or entirely absent in rural areas.

Oliversmumsarmy · 13/08/2020 13:36

I do think people need to familiarise themselves with a map of the UK

Just having some idea where major cities lie in relationship to major motorways/the A1 etc and have some idea about the different towns around where you live so you know if you are in one village you need to pass through village X, Y and Z to get yourself closer to home.

I only got a Sat Nav on my phone a few years ago.
Even now if I am going somewhere new I will put it in the Sat Nav and familiarise myself with the route before I set off. Then I turn the phone off and then I can at least get to within a few miles of the destination without consulting a sat nav again.

Yes London is sign post from lots of places but so is Birmingham, Leeds, The North, The South etc and as long as you have some idea which direction you are going in you should get to nearish your home and then things should look more familiar.

Don’t understand not knowing an area 10 miles from where you live. Surely you would know where abouts the place was in relation to your home (even if you have never been to this place before) so if you live to the east of this village and you entered it from the south then you need to turn right at some point to go towards your home.

Pobblebonk · 13/08/2020 22:58

@Sarah510

Yes I'm still here, thanks for all the stories, it's making me feel better! DD aged 16 just kept saying why didn't I write down the directions before we left, and she was right lol. Am calmed down now though and realise the solar charger has to be charged first, like from the wall …. Investigating in car charger
I don't think she was, actually. Pre-written directions are of limited help if you get off the route accidentally or because of something like roadworks. You're better off with a backup (e.g. satnav plus phone) and also maps.
Badbadbunny · 14/08/2020 11:04

@NerrSnerr

Of course it does, providing you have the right cable or adaptor, which can be bought from a petrol station etc in times of desperation.

The cigarette lighter in my car doesn't work any more, my car is old and there's no point in fixing it. I can't be the only one (I do keep a power bank in the glove compartment though)

Probably just a fuse that costs a pound or so. Something your garage can do at minimal cost next time you have it in for it's service if you mention it to them.