Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

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?

249 replies

CountryVic · 10/08/2024 11:34

Last month, 4 work colleagues were going in a work car to another office for the week. We were to meet at work for 7.30am and the drive was an hour, and we returned for 5pm. Two people were not able to drive, one has a frozen shoulder, and the other has not got a full licence (trainee) so the driving was left to myself and one other, let’s call her Sonia.
I drove every morning, and Sonia drove 4 of the 5 afternoons, all good. Until a speeding ticket arrived at work. My boss sent an email to all 4 staff advising as per policy that we signed when taking the car, this needs to be paid by the driver, so can we please confirm who was driving on Thursday afternoon at 4.36pm so they can update the details and have the ticket sent in the correct name and with licence details.
I responded to the email 2 days later when my manager called me to follow up, I had assumed Sonia had responded and taken ownership. I CC everyone in the email and confirmed Sonia was driving, but she replied saying she can't be sure and she thinks it was me! The other 2 staff said they think she drove, but it was a while ago so can’t be sure, so the manager had head office send the full ticket so he can see who the driver is. Of course it shows Sonia, we look nothing alike, but she still says she does not think she should be held fully responsible.
The ticket is $260 and Sonia is suggesting that we split it 4 ways paying $65 each and as we all benefitted from driving together. The other staff member with the frozen shoulder agrees that this is fairest, I disagree and have said no, I won’t be paying this.
On Friday morning I got an email saying this needs to be resolved on Monday, if we can not agree then we have to to attend a meeting with the manager and someone from corporate services as they oversee the work car bookings.
The manager has said it’s up to us how to handle it, reminded us we’re all one team, here for one another but I have said there is nothing to handle, the photograph shows Sonia driving, she should pay the fine, it’s a legal document and nothing to do with work at all. I am happy to go to the meeting and advise this.
The other staff member has put $65 in an envelope for the manager, the trainee has said she’s not got any spare cash until payday and could she pay it over a few pays, I have said there is no expectation for anyone by but Sonia to pay as she was the one with her foot on the accelerator!
Am I wrong here?

OP posts:
SprigatitoYouAndIKnow · 10/08/2024 12:01

The driver should pay as it is their responsibility to know the speed limit and stick to it. She chose to break the limit, no one forced her.

Everyone should pay for the joint expenses such as petrol.

HurdyGurdy19 · 10/08/2024 12:02

Well unless the three of you were egging Sonia on, and encouraging her to break the speed limit, then it's her problem. She was behind the wheel, it was her right foot that dictated the speed, and therefore it is down to her to face the consequences.

If there are points handed out, are the other three expected to share those too? No - it's all down to the person who was driving.

Yes, the three other occupants of the car benefitted from the use of the car, but they were not responsible for the speed the car was moving at.

Bearpawk · 10/08/2024 12:03

Your manager is being ridiculous.
She broke the speed limit and also put you all at risk whilst doing so.
I'd be really pissed off about this tbh.

Cherrysoup · 10/08/2024 12:03

This is entirely her responsibility, why on earth is your manager banging on about you being a team and therefore needing to take responsibility? I’d send an email to all parties reminding them that the law states it’s solely the driver’s responsibility, no body made her put her foot down. It’s completely ridiculous to say anyone else should pay towards it. You can’t split the points!

Portfun24 · 10/08/2024 12:03

Well if you feel it's not fair on the trainee to pay and agree to split, I'd suggest splitting three ways, why should you pay more than Sonia for her fine and if she has any decency shel accept that

bluewatermelon · 10/08/2024 12:04

Hellogoodbyehello4321 · 10/08/2024 11:47

As a passenger I would probably agree to split as I'd appreciate she was only driving as I couldn't. But as you shared the driving and she tried to blame you, no way would I offer to split. And I'd be pointing out that you shared the driving and did the team a favour and managed to not incur a ticket.

This.

EatTheGnome · 10/08/2024 12:06

Yanbu.

If Sonia had killed someone because she was speeding would you all volunteer to split the prison sentence.

Sonia is responsible in law. I think i would decline the meeting, saying you weren't the driver, your position under the law is clear and if Sonia wants to sue you personall she is welcome, but you won't be paying and have nothing more to say on the matter. The companies beef is with the driver, Sonia.

whatthehellnpw · 10/08/2024 12:07

Why was Sonia even saying it might not have been her driving if she believed it should have been split 4 ways. I bet she wouldn't have offered to share costs if you had been caught on that camera!

Igmum · 10/08/2024 12:08

On the assumption that you weren't all urging her to go faster of course she should pay (and if you were she should have told you not to be idiots). I suspect she knew it was her and blamed you to avoid it. Normally I'd cough up for the sake of team dynamics. Her attempts to dodge this and blame someone else would make me dig my heels in and refuse.

ToEllewithIt · 10/08/2024 12:11

Sonia should pay. If your manager feels it's unjust to push the entire cost onto her then the company should pay.

rainbowstardrops · 10/08/2024 12:11

No way would I be paying a penny! Sonia was driving, so Sonia pays.
I wouldn't be doing any more car shares with Sonia, that's for sure!

Mindymomo · 10/08/2024 12:12

Sonia was speeding, so she should pay, I would probably contribute 25 to 40 as a gesture, but only if I could afford to.

ByCupidStunt · 10/08/2024 12:15

If Sonia had been honest and fully owned up to driving, I MIGHT have given her something towards the fine.

The fact that she tried to blame you is dispicable. I notice she didn't say anything about chipping in for the fine when it was you that was going to have to pay it.

Walker1178 · 10/08/2024 12:15

I would have been happy to split at the start but seeing as Sonia wasn’t, I wouldn’t now. She didn’t want to chip in to help you out so you shouldn’t be doing anything to help her. She fucked up twice here

CatJ21 · 10/08/2024 12:20

She needs to pay this. She was the one driving and had her foot on the pedal no one else.

If she was drink driving and injured someone would you all be expected to share a prison sentence if she got sent down? I think not

She would have let you pay the whole fine if it was you driving

WiganPie · 10/08/2024 12:21

Sonia was driving and Sonia was caught speeding. Sonia pays the fine.

Or, for a quiet life you could (begrudgingly) put $65 in an envelope.

LouOver · 10/08/2024 12:21

Your company and manager are really in the wrong to make this a personal choice when they have a policy on place to cover this. Very spineless manager and incredibly poor to put a cash contribution on a trainee.

I would be typing something up covering this and send prior to any meeting.

Sonia is ofcourse a cheeky fucker but she's being propped up by the company who are dragging out the inevitable rather than just sticking to the policy.

Tirzepatide · 10/08/2024 12:22

Sonia should pay, especially as she was slow to take any responsibility and tried to pin it on you!

Trainee definitely shouldn't chip in to help her out.

If you're going to split it for the sake of harmony then Sonia 50% and you and the person with the frozen shoulder pay 25% each.

Work haven't exactly been helpful have they...they should've make it very clear to Sonia that it is her responsibility to pay and possibly helped her out with it as it is a first offence (presumably).

Ewock · 10/08/2024 12:22

My boss sent an email to all 4 staff advising as per policy that we signed when taking the car, this needs to be paid by the driver,

As your manager has stated this is the policy then they need to stick to that. The driver pays and I'd be spelling it out to them that it literally says that in their policy.

EllyGi · 10/08/2024 12:23

She should pay. She was speeding so it's her responsibility and her ticket. If someone was making her go fast or you were in a hurry and it was agreed she needs to be speeding I would say yes you all pay. But it sounds it was her fault. Let her pay.

ACynicalDad · 10/08/2024 12:23

If you’d all been telling her to hurry up to get somewhere quickly (she should have resisted) I’d expect her to pay this.

User478 · 10/08/2024 12:24

Ask HR to contact the police for advice on who should pay the fine.

Original poster
CountryVic · 10/08/2024 12:24

It’s a government job so I don’t think I can refuse to travel with her again, but I can probably insist on driving. My manager is new to the role, when I say manager he is the office manager, but he is not my line manager as such, I am in a higher role than him but respect that this is his area, but he’s come from a private practice background so I’m not sure he has even read the car guide at length, there’s a lot of policies when taking one, approved work only and carpooling is normal as tax payers funded.

I won’t know more until Monday but I’m hoping corporate step in and resolve it discretely with Sonia.

OP posts:
gillefc82 · 10/08/2024 12:25

It’s the driver’s responsibility to stick to the speed limits so it’s for her to deal with any and all consequences/ punishments associated with her failure to do so.

If your manager is so keen to be ‘one team’ I’d suggest they chip in or have the company cover the entire cost given this situation occurred during work related travel.

letsjustdothis · 10/08/2024 12:26

The benefitting from driving together thing is ridiculous. If Sonia felt that way then she should have said that the 2 non-drivers should have paid her and you money for driving in the first place since otherwise they would have had to arrange alternative transport. Trying to make the claim after with hindsight is illogical.

And your manager is shit for leaving it up to you to decide, that's terrible management.

What does the contract specifically say about who is responsible for speeding fines? I would just go off of that and then there's no emotion involved. And if it's vague, I would say since it doesn't say passengers are responsible, it's the driver's responsibility.