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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What's your cautionary tale?

1000 replies

BrightInMyNorthernSky · 02/06/2024 16:42

Having just got through the most stressful week ever due to a nightmare situation of my own making, I thought I would share a previous and current cautionary tale.

  1. Always remember to change the address on your V5 and not just your license. I didn't. DH got caught speeding twice on the same day on the same stretch of road (33 in a 30) in my car. Both fines went to old address. Didn't answer them, obvs. The whole sorry mess played out without me being aware and by the time it all caught up with me it was had been banned from driving for six months and fined £2k - five months earlier! So had been driving while banned for five months!!!
OP posts:
WoolySnail · 06/06/2024 16:07

MisterMagnolia · 03/06/2024 23:48

When swimming in the same lane as your husband and you decide to tickle his bollocks as he swims past you, make sure that he's not switched lanes and that someone else hasn't joined your lane instead!

You win!!!! 🏆

LaceyLou82 · 06/06/2024 16:14

@MisterMagnolia brilliant

WoolySnail · 06/06/2024 16:29

gardenmusic · 04/06/2024 08:19

Read the instructions on your prescription medication.
For many years I have taken my levothyroxine with a coffee in one hand and a breakfast bar in the other.
Recently supplied with a different brand, I read the instructions. No caffeine or food for 30 mins after taking the medication...

I take mine at night after reading up about it. It absorbs better apparently, and as its before bed you've usually not eaten or drank anything too close to bed time, so no faffing about waiting to be able to take it or waiting for that precious morning brew because you took your tablet first!

LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway · 06/06/2024 17:05

@MisterMagnolia · 03/06/2024 23:48

When swimming in the same lane as your husband and you decide to tickle his bollocks as he swims past you, make sure that he's not switched lanes and that someone else hasn't joined your lane instead!

😂

Julimia · 06/06/2024 21:01

But they wern't your GCSEs were they?

daisychain01 · 06/06/2024 21:12

Make a note of where you've parked your car in a massive field at a busy County Show (near the oak tree/alongside the fencing/which field if there's an overflow park etc) so you don't spend half an hour striding along the rows trying to work out where the heck your car is. Have done this numerous times, we never learn!

JudgeJ · 06/06/2024 21:14

LordSnot · 06/06/2024 15:36

My biggest take away from this thread is don't make a mild joke on MN.

And don't expect anyone to read the thread before replying.

I thought it was general knowledge that the majority of MNers have the sense of humour of a gnat! Often thought how boring their homes must be, no humour, everything cold and sanitised, every word forensically dissected in case it contains a perceived offence.

LordSnot · 06/06/2024 21:19

JudgeJ · 06/06/2024 21:14

I thought it was general knowledge that the majority of MNers have the sense of humour of a gnat! Often thought how boring their homes must be, no humour, everything cold and sanitised, every word forensically dissected in case it contains a perceived offence.

You have a good point. I'm less surprised by the po-faced comments than I am at the number of people so desperate to post "I don't get it" that they don't read the thread and see it's been explained 50 times. Are they so proud of their humour failure?!

SinnerBoy · 06/06/2024 21:52

ElizabethanAgain · Today 09:30

I lost a load of groceries this way. Put the groceries in the boot, and when I came back after returning the shopping trolley the car was gone.

Ouch!

Redburnett · 06/06/2024 22:59

Don't make the mistake of assuming the railway station in a small town will be located near a bus stop, (or even that it will be located in the town). And having made that mistake don't assume you can easily get a taxi because the internet lists several local firms and the only one that answers picked up another passenger for a long journey while you were looking for a bus stop....

OneWildBiscuit · 07/06/2024 10:15

OnePeachCrow · 03/06/2024 12:28

Be wary of cancelling pet insurance and saving the premiums, I considered doing this last year as the premiums for my giant breed dog were £130 a month even though we had never claimed.

Luckily I didn't do it as immediately after I renewed the insurance he got a runny nose. We didn't think much of it at first but tests quickly ran into the thousands and the £10000 cover was just about exhausted when he started having fits and it was found that he had a fungal infection which had spread from his nose into his brain.

He had to be pts as the brain damage was so bad but at least the insurance meant we gave him the best chance.

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog. 😞

I considered cancelling my horse's insurance last year and just saving the monthly cost instead. Fortunately I didn't get round to it as he broke his leg in July and the total veterinary bills exceeded £5k! I would have struggled to afford that without insurance and even if I'd have saved my monthly payments in an account for this purpose, it wouldn't have covered even a quarter of it.

Pudmyboy · 07/06/2024 11:27

chaosmaker · 06/06/2024 13:54

There is NO slow lane. There is only the lane you are meant to be in (left hand lane) and the rest are for overtaking ONLY.

Thank you!

Pudmyboy · 07/06/2024 11:45

daisychain01 · 06/06/2024 21:12

Make a note of where you've parked your car in a massive field at a busy County Show (near the oak tree/alongside the fencing/which field if there's an overflow park etc) so you don't spend half an hour striding along the rows trying to work out where the heck your car is. Have done this numerous times, we never learn!

Similarly with car parks in an unfamiliar location: on a first visit to Warwick Castle we spent a pleasant afternoon there, then, once tired and just wanting to get home, spent a very frustrating hour going between 3 different multistorey car parks as we couldn't remember a)which one and b) which floor!

coldcallerbaiter · 07/06/2024 14:07

As someone said up thread, never go to a second location with a criminal with or without a weapon on the pretext of I won’t hurt you if you stay quiet - they are a criminal, you cannot believe them.

Scream, run, fight, bite-
not to get taken

obviously not happened to me but something to tell youngsters not to obey orders if scared.

BamBamHam · 07/06/2024 14:16

coldcallerbaiter · 07/06/2024 14:07

As someone said up thread, never go to a second location with a criminal with or without a weapon on the pretext of I won’t hurt you if you stay quiet - they are a criminal, you cannot believe them.

Scream, run, fight, bite-
not to get taken

obviously not happened to me but something to tell youngsters not to obey orders if scared.

Yep, I was always told this

Tell them whatever they’re going to do they can do it in front of everyone

Washingupdone · 07/06/2024 14:27

Pudmyboy · 07/06/2024 11:45

Similarly with car parks in an unfamiliar location: on a first visit to Warwick Castle we spent a pleasant afternoon there, then, once tired and just wanting to get home, spent a very frustrating hour going between 3 different multistorey car parks as we couldn't remember a)which one and b) which floor!

Always take a photo from the parking point and every time you change direction. Otherwise download Waze and register your location. Easy.

ElizabethanAgain · 07/06/2024 17:20

When you are walking in an unfamiliar place, turn round every so often to see what the path or road looks like from the other direction. This is the way you will be facing on your way back.

StarlightLady · 07/06/2024 17:50

Don’t do cartwheels in a skirt without your knickers on 🫢.

HurdyGurdy19 · 07/06/2024 18:05

daisychain01 · 06/06/2024 21:12

Make a note of where you've parked your car in a massive field at a busy County Show (near the oak tree/alongside the fencing/which field if there's an overflow park etc) so you don't spend half an hour striding along the rows trying to work out where the heck your car is. Have done this numerous times, we never learn!

If I remember (not usually) I get my WhatThreeWords location and take a screenshot of it, so I can follow it back to the car when I am invariably lost in a huge, or unfamiliar, car park 😀

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 07/06/2024 18:09

daisychain01 · 06/06/2024 21:12

Make a note of where you've parked your car in a massive field at a busy County Show (near the oak tree/alongside the fencing/which field if there's an overflow park etc) so you don't spend half an hour striding along the rows trying to work out where the heck your car is. Have done this numerous times, we never learn!

I always take various photos of surrounding area (or street name / floor number ) when parking somewhere unfamiliar now.

CarrieMoonbeams · 07/06/2024 18:39

Totally agree with the "take photos of your parking location" ones.

I had to go to my nearest city for a medical appointment, no parking there so just on-street parking locally. Of course it was much busier than I'd expected (being a country bumpkin and not used to Big City Parking) so I was driving round and round loads of streets until I found a space, all the while getting more and more stressed about potentially being late.

Eventually found a space, had my appointment, came out, and could I remember where I'd parked? No I could not. It was winter time so it was getting dark and I was really cold, ended up flagging down a taxi and he drove me around all the streets until we spotted my car! What an embarrassment.

coldcallerbaiter · 07/06/2024 18:54

Epipens are just an adrenaline shot, not a magic medicine that cures anaphylaxis. It can sometimes buy you 15 mins in which to get an ambulance. If anyone saw the scene in Peter Rabbit where they threw blackberries at him knowing he was allergic and Peter took his epipen and was all better?—irresponsible!!

Epipens sometimes misfire. Sometimes you need more than one.

Severe allergies are becoming more prevalent as this faulty immune response is now being passed down in dna.

asdfgasdfg · 07/06/2024 21:02

I change all my batteries on July 1st. Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and catflap. Then I don't get woken at 2am when they need changing. PS why is always 2am?

asdfgasdfg · 07/06/2024 21:10

My spare front/alley/back door keys are in a key safe hidden inside my gas meter box It's a smart meter so no one goes in there

NonPlayerCharacter · 07/06/2024 21:13

asdfgasdfg · 07/06/2024 21:02

I change all my batteries on July 1st. Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and catflap. Then I don't get woken at 2am when they need changing. PS why is always 2am?

To make you spend more money on a new one after you take a hammer to the fucking thing.

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