Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Who should pay?

83 replies

ExcitedRabbit · 20/04/2022 12:54

Week before last I gave a friend who doesn’t drive a lift to his office. Office is in the same town as mine but I don’t ever drive into town as my office is on an industrial estate on the outskirts. This means I didn’t know where this office was and my friend was giving me directions. His directions sent me up a bus lane and I have just received a fixed penalty notice.

To be clear I’m probably just going to pay the fine myself and keep quiet about it because 1) I can afford the fine 2) I make more money than said friend and 3) ultimately I was the one driving so I am responsible for where my car goes.

I think friend would probably insist on paying if I mentioned it so not really an AIBU but interested in consensus of opinion re: who should pay?

Mostly just annoyed I was doing someone a favour and now it is costing me 💷🙄

OP posts:
Itshonestlynotthathard · 20/04/2022 13:42

You pay

both in law as keeper and driver of the vehicle
and
all the other softer non legal considerations!

richteabiscuitpaws · 20/04/2022 13:50

Stay out of bus lanes, it will save you money.

OatmilkandCookies · 20/04/2022 13:51

You should pay.
What would you say if you got a taxi and directed the driver through a bus lane, and then received a letter asking you to pay? You'd expect that they as the driver would know not to drive in a bus lane.

Comefromaway · 20/04/2022 13:55

You should pay as you are the driver. He is a non driver so will not necessarily know all the road signs etc. That's your job.

mewkins · 20/04/2022 13:59

That's annoying. I think most people would split it 50/50? If I were him I would offer or else he will know he's never getting a lift again!

Babiesandboardgames · 20/04/2022 14:00

@ExcitedRabbit

Hi , here's the perspective of the friend who doesn't drive .....

Technically as you drove, you pay.

However , I have often relied on friends or husband to drive me places as I hate driving myself , so I can see where you are coming from.

Personally i would pay, but mention the issue to your friend in a polite way. If it was me I'd reimburse you completely and I wouldn't mind at all.

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 20/04/2022 14:24

Unless your friend said "Go in that bus lane, it will be fine", then you very obviously need to pay it.

thatweirdhippygirl · 20/04/2022 14:28

You should. It’s your responsibility to follow the road rules regardless of idiot directions.

but I feel your pain! I’ve had an identical thing happen to me! There were zero signs and I ended up in a bus lane. I never did it again though! I now know that one road is bus only, despite actually being on it without anywhere to turn before you know it’s bus only. 🥴

Original poster
ExcitedRabbit · 20/04/2022 14:29

I didn’t notice it was a bus lane until I was in it as it was a right turning at a busy intersection. When I saw the words “BUS LANE” I turned the car around and went a different way but it was obviously too late.

This is an interesting split though. Like I say, my gut reaction was to take it on the chin and pay it without saying anything. It is irritating though!

OP posts:
Original poster
ExcitedRabbit · 20/04/2022 14:29

thatweirdhippygirl · 20/04/2022 14:28

You should. It’s your responsibility to follow the road rules regardless of idiot directions.

but I feel your pain! I’ve had an identical thing happen to me! There were zero signs and I ended up in a bus lane. I never did it again though! I now know that one road is bus only, despite actually being on it without anywhere to turn before you know it’s bus only. 🥴

Yes that’s exactly the situation I was in!

OP posts:
MrsR87 · 20/04/2022 14:32

You should pay. As the driver, you are responsible for where your car goes. In my experience, many people who don’t drive don’t really pay attention to bus lanes.

Moochio · 20/04/2022 14:45

ExcitedRabbit · 20/04/2022 14:29

I didn’t notice it was a bus lane until I was in it as it was a right turning at a busy intersection. When I saw the words “BUS LANE” I turned the car around and went a different way but it was obviously too late.

This is an interesting split though. Like I say, my gut reaction was to take it on the chin and pay it without saying anything. It is irritating though!

If that really is the case then I'd appeal it.

comealongponds · 20/04/2022 14:52

You should pay. As the driver it’s your responsibility to follow the rules of the road. If a passenger tells you to go somewhere you’re not allowed, you don’t go that way. People who don’t drive may not be aware of bus lanes, one way streets etc.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 20/04/2022 14:59

You should OP, you were driving and had a responsibility to read signs

Cas112 · 20/04/2022 16:33

You should pay. Irrespective of directions, it’s your responsibility as the driver to follow road rules

this

MissMaple82 · 21/04/2022 01:39

I'd say go halves

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 21/04/2022 08:13

But when you were turning at the intersection (or getting ready to turn) weren't there signs to say a bus lane was coming up?

Itshonestlynotthathard · 21/04/2022 08:15

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 20/04/2022 13:39

It's your responsibility as the driver to make sure you're following the rules of the road, so you should pay.

You wouldn't turn into a one-way street because a non-driver told you to, and this is no different. Passengers who don't drive can't be expected to know all the rules of the road, but as the driver, you should be paying attention and not just blindly following someone else's directions.

Yes
It would have been extensively sign posted
but the op, as driver, took the word of her non driver passenger over the extensive highways signage
hence She is fully responsible for the fine and absolutely no point in appealing as per pp

rookiemere · 21/04/2022 08:21

No good deed goes unpunished it seems Sad.
I would do what you said and mention it to him so he knows not to do that again. I'd also jokingly mention it if he ever asks for a lift again.

In future either get him to plug the address in on his phone, or get yourself a decent sat nav. I'm rubbish at directions and one of my pet hates is people telling me where to turn or go at the very last minute, so I love my sat nav. DF - mainly responsible for telling you to turn at the 95th second because that's how he drives - gets miffed when I insist on using it with him, but ultimately I'm the driver so I need to be confident in what I'm doing.

OctopusSay · 21/04/2022 08:27

If I was the passenger and I knew I'd want to pay, but for that reason, as the driver I'd keep quiet.

BluKorner · 21/04/2022 08:33

YABU. It’s on you as the driver. There would have been signs before you turned on the road to say buses only, and it’s on you as the driver to spot them.

Barkingmadhouse · 21/04/2022 08:36

You should pay - you were the driver, you should know mot to enter a bus lane

ENoeuf · 21/04/2022 08:37

Was it Reading?! I know about five people with perfect driving records and we’ve all had fines for bus lanes in Reading !

Antarcticant · 21/04/2022 08:39

I am a non-driver - I would offer to go halves on this, since you were doing me a favour in the first place.

Hollyhocksarenotmessy · 21/04/2022 08:39

Ha, I got my one and only bus lane fine in Reading!