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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Asking for half of parking ticket

129 replies

ellie09 · 19/12/2023 11:31

So, messy night out.

Ended up going home accidentally with someone else's coat. Everyone was drunk may I add.

Their wallet, keys etc were in the coat and said person had parked their car in the town that night then was planning to get the car in the morning.

I got coat to them by 12.

Message today to say they got a parking ticket. Asked me to pay half the ticket.

I have paid half as didnt want to get in an argument.

AIBU to think its a little bit cheeky considering it wasnt my decision for them to park their car there or is the other person reasonable for asking?

OP posts:
LakeTiticaca · 19/12/2023 13:08

Nah I wouldn't have paid. Next time tell the colleague to leave the car at home and take a taxi

MissBuffyAnneSummers · 19/12/2023 13:10

Paying in full was the decent thing to do so well done for that.

NuffSaidSam · 19/12/2023 13:11

LakeTiticaca · 19/12/2023 13:08

Nah I wouldn't have paid. Next time tell the colleague to leave the car at home and take a taxi

Your view is that no-one should drive anywhere incase someone accidentally takes your keys and you get a parking ticket?! We should all just taxi everywhere to avoid this situation?

What an interesting world view!

Original poster
ellie09 · 19/12/2023 13:11

MissBuffyAnneSummers · 19/12/2023 13:10

Paying in full was the decent thing to do so well done for that.

Thanks and yeah he's a nice guy and we get along well. Dont want anyone being out of pocket this time of year for something out of their control.

OP posts:
Killinginthenimya · 19/12/2023 13:54

ellie09 · 19/12/2023 12:15

Perhaps so, but even if he was over the limit and wanted to drive it wasnt exactly my place to stop him.

I went home around 12am and the next day I felt uncomfortable driving so I got a lift down to bring down the coat to him. As far as I am aware the rest stayed out until 4am?!

I know most have two sets of keys (I know I do) but I am aware that some maybe don't.

Anyhow, disaster adverted because its all sorted now. Would rather just pay it and the issue is dealt with.

Edited
Show quote history

I think you did the right thing:
good on you for posting here and owning up.
i would have been annoyed not been able to get into my home.
it was an accident, we all make them.
it will all be forgotten soon.

Asiatoyork · 19/12/2023 14:03

There's no evidence to suggest he was going to drive over the limit

Unless they were going to get someone else to pick up the car before 10am, it sounds as if they would have been driving drunk still tbh. In which case, not such a nice guy

momonpurpose · 19/12/2023 14:36

SecondUsername4me · 19/12/2023 11:33

So you took their coat home? As in, you caused the issue of them not being able to move their car in time?

You are lucky they've only asked for half the fine!

This. If you hadn't taken the coat it wouldn't have happened

Greenpolkadot · 19/12/2023 14:40

If ..as you say..'everyone was drunk '
Why were they driving.?
If they were drunk then they wouldn't have been able to drive until the next morning so it would be there fault entirely if they got a ticket

MasterBeth · 19/12/2023 15:23

Greenpolkadot · 19/12/2023 14:40

If ..as you say..'everyone was drunk '
Why were they driving.?
If they were drunk then they wouldn't have been able to drive until the next morning so it would be there fault entirely if they got a ticket

Can you not read?

"The person had parked their car in the town that night then was planning to get the car in the morning."

NuffSaidSam · 19/12/2023 15:26

Asiatoyork · 19/12/2023 14:03

There's no evidence to suggest he was going to drive over the limit

Unless they were going to get someone else to pick up the car before 10am, it sounds as if they would have been driving drunk still tbh. In which case, not such a nice guy

And no evidence to suggest that's not what he was going to do, right? Every chance a partner/flatmate/parent was going to pick up the car (and possibly him ?) in the morning.

MasterBeth · 19/12/2023 16:27

Asiatoyork · 19/12/2023 14:03

There's no evidence to suggest he was going to drive over the limit

Unless they were going to get someone else to pick up the car before 10am, it sounds as if they would have been driving drunk still tbh. In which case, not such a nice guy

Well, no , that entirely depends on how drunk they were the night before. They could be over the limit at midnight and perfectly fine to drive the next morning.

Greenpolkadot · 19/12/2023 17:42

MasterBeth · 19/12/2023 15:23

Can you not read?

"The person had parked their car in the town that night then was planning to get the car in the morning."

Show quote history

So what's the big deal then. The op shouldn't have paid half for the ticket as it wasn't her fault

NuffSaidSam · 19/12/2023 17:44

Greenpolkadot · 19/12/2023 17:42

So what's the big deal then. The op shouldn't have paid half for the ticket as it wasn't her fault

Show quote history

Well it was her fault because she took his car keys so he couldn't move his car the next morning.

It'd all make much more sense if you read the OP!

Asiatoyork · 20/12/2023 01:08

And no evidence to suggest that's not what he was going to do, right? Every chance a partner/flatmate/parent was going to pick up the car (and possibly him ?) in the morning

And no evidence they were going to do that, right? We don’t know either way, but a lot of people do drive still over the limit the next day, so it’s not a given.

Well, no , that entirely depends on how drunk they were the night before. They could be over the limit at midnight and perfectly fine to drive the next morning

OP suggested they were all very drunk and that others carried on until 4am. Again, we don’t know, which is why I didn’t frame it as a certainty but a probability.

Raffington55 · 20/12/2023 01:16

They would likely have been over the limit next morning and also probably not turned up early enough to NOT get a ticket. Also, they should not have got so drunk that someone else ended up in their coat/they decided to leave their car and not drive home, surely? Were they also very drunk?

GreyWednesday · 20/12/2023 01:19

ellie09 · 19/12/2023 13:07

Yep I left around 15 minutes before they were heading to another bar where somebody confirmed that I had his coat.

As FYI, I walked out without ANY coat and a guy in our group lifted what he THOUGHT was my coat and gave it to my boyfriend as I was in the passenger seat. The coat stayed in the back seat until we took it back next day as we had just assumed it was mine.

Show quote history

Oh well in that case it wasn’t your fault at all. Not the fault of the person who gave your boyfriend the coat either, as they were trying to be helpful, or the fault of the car owner.

Bit of an unfortunate situation that anyone had to pay anything!

Raffington55 · 20/12/2023 07:56

But she didn't 'take' his coat. Someone handed her the wrong coat. Why should she pay the fine?

Tourmalines · 20/12/2023 08:40

Gotta love how some people never seem to be able to read a post properly and offer such wrong advise lol .

SezFrankly · 21/12/2023 09:21

Fair play, it was the right thing to do 👏

Mornusting · 21/12/2023 10:01

12 was far too late to return someone's property to them when it was your fault.

shockthemonkey · 21/12/2023 10:01

PhulNana · 19/12/2023 11:36

If 'everyone' was drunk, you saved them from potentially being breathalysed and banned, or at least prevented some drunk driving. Would you pay that fine because you didn't take their coat? Tell them to take a running jump.

They were planning to fetch their car in the morning, not to drive it home that night!

YWBU, OP.

shockthemonkey · 21/12/2023 10:06

Sorry, just read all your updates and you have redeemed yourself, OP.

YWNBU

Grammarnut · 21/12/2023 10:11

They parked their car and left their keys in their coat, rather than in a pocket or a handbag that would have stayed with them. The OP's fault is that she did not realise the coat was not hers till too late. I'd offer to pay half the fine, but not expect to be asked, since I had not been irresponsible with my car keys, they had. Lesson learned: don't leave car keys in coat pockets at a party where lots of people are around and your coat may go awol. Also, have spare keys somewhere else e.g. at home (all my cars have come with two sets of keys). Those are two obvious precautions.

Grammarnut · 21/12/2023 10:15

shockthemonkey · 21/12/2023 10:01

They were planning to fetch their car in the morning, not to drive it home that night!

YWBU, OP.

Show quote history

So where are their spare keys? At home, presumably. Surely they have a set, I have never had a car that didn't have spare keys. I'd offer to pay, but not expect to be asked.

Viviennemary · 21/12/2023 10:17

You caused the problem. They couldn't get their things. You should have paid for the whole ticket IMHO. I see you did pay it all. Well done it was the right thing to do.