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AIBU?

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AIBU to think the toll fine was not equally my responsibility?

207 replies

ReturnoftheMe · Yesterday 10:02

Scenario

My partner (MP) of almost one year and I went on a holiday which we split between 2 (for the most part)
I have 2 kids and he has 1, but we decided to split the cost of the holiday and spending money down the middle.

On the way to the airport, MP mentioned to my son that the tunnel we go through has a toll (£4) and said, "I need to remember to pay that"...I asked him how it is paid, and he said through his account that he has registered. We leave the conversation there. At the time, I thought, at some point he will log in a pay the toll, but we both completely forgot. I don't drive and never have, so anything pertaining to the car doesn't really come across my mind by habit.

On the way home from the holiday a week later, he remembered the toll, but by then he said we would have incurred a fine of £90. I immediately took my phone to see if I could log in a pay, but he said I should try his phone instead. I didnt manage to get into his account because he had 5 of them, and in the dark while driving it didnt seem like the best plan to keep putting the phone up to his face to log into them and see which one worked. I told him either way, I would pay half once he managed to log in at home. I offered straight away to pay half as I felt guilty and sad that he'd got the fine, especially as he is self employed and misses a week of work to go on holiday.

He logged in at some point in time and paid the fine. I have no idea which day because we don't live together. We were talking about other financial things a day or so later via text, and he asked if I'd pay the fine from my Revo bank and I said, I will do it later via Barclays. However, that morning I forgot to do so. It 100% was just an oversight on my part due to be busy.

7 days later, he messages me to say...

"Do you have a problem with paying for half that fine?

Do you think it should be my responsibility because it’s technically “my car”?!"

I wrote...

"I don’t think I should be expected to pay it.
I’d only pay it because I offered to, out of feeling guilty that it was down to our family holiday that you got it. And also because you were so upset, I offered to pay half of it due to how it seemed to sting you at the time.

I don’t feel a responsibility to pay it, because it’s not my car and I am not attuned to all those tolls. It’s not on my mind.

So short answer is, I wanted to pay half to a) account for it being a holiday for us all and b) knowing how upset you were about it, upset me. So I wanted to help.

I didn’t send the money yet, because I actually forgot about it.

But I will do it now"

He said that my response has changed the way he views me as a woman, and that I am not the type of person he wants to be in a relationship with because I should be taking the responsibility of paying the initial toll, as he was driving and too distracted after to do it. My push back was to say that the toll was not my responsibility, we each had separate and shared responsibilities pertaining to the holiday, but I trusted that he would take care of the toll and didnt need my input, despite trying to help.

Is he being unreasonable or am I? He proceeded to call me, shout and me and call me a few names because he believes I should concede and take responsibility DESPITE me paying half the fine (sent the money last night) he still believes I am a wicked person (his own words) for not being willing to accept the responsibility was OURS.

OP posts:
Yupstillhere · Yesterday 10:07

Ultimately it's his responsibility as the driver. Would of been helpful if you'd managed to pay the toll on the spot as you weren't driving but he said he would. He's annoyed with himself and deflecting the anger on you. He's massively reacted. Wicked is a crazy word to use. Have you now ended the relationship?

Purplecatshopaholic · Yesterday 10:09

The fine is the least of your problems with this twat. Calls you names, including wicked? I hope you have dumped him, and if you haven’t do so now!

Toosadtonight · Yesterday 10:11

I’m trying to understand why you went on a week holiday abroad with your boyfriend of less than a year taking your kids and his kids as well. Is it not a bit soon to be playing happy families.
Quite apart from the issue about the toll, it seems you barely know him as you seem surprised that he responded so aggressively when you say something he doesn’t agree with. What if this had kicked off while you were on holiday, him ranting at you while you and your 2 kids were stuck with him presumably in the same hotel / accommodation.?

FlapperFlamingo · Yesterday 10:11

Exactly what @Yupstillhere said. YANBU to not pay, it was v kind to offer. He is the driver his responsibility.

Dinosweetpea · Yesterday 10:13

He's being unreasonable. And you should definitely dump him after his ranting and name calling.

Yupstillhere · Yesterday 10:16

Toosadtonight · Yesterday 10:11

I’m trying to understand why you went on a week holiday abroad with your boyfriend of less than a year taking your kids and his kids as well. Is it not a bit soon to be playing happy families.
Quite apart from the issue about the toll, it seems you barely know him as you seem surprised that he responded so aggressively when you say something he doesn’t agree with. What if this had kicked off while you were on holiday, him ranting at you while you and your 2 kids were stuck with him presumably in the same hotel / accommodation.?

Edited

They were in the UK. They weren't abroad, calm down.

PurpleThistle7 · Yesterday 10:19

I think he sounds deeply unpleasant. Anecdotally no of course a car fee isn’t your problem. But he was paying for your kids which also isn’t his problem. But I think inherently he’s shown who he is and you can disengage before things get worse.

SueKeeper · Yesterday 10:20

I don't think either of you come out of this well, tbh.
He's the more generous, splitting costs in a way that you benefit more from and doing all the driving, you are petty when something isn't in your favour. You were involved in the whole toll debacle, not completely separate, he's possibly feeling taken advantage of.

However, his response is extreme and aggressive.

It's either too early for blended family holidays or too late to salvage things, only you can know.

Longleaf · Yesterday 10:20

I don't think you have any responsibility to pay but I would have done just because it is an incidental cost of the holiday, especially as he's already paid more than his "share" as you have more DC.

It's also the kind of cost you'll never incur as you don't drive but are happy to benefit from all the costs he incurs in maintaining the car etc.

I think your message is absolutely bonkers and these are the things you should actually talk about.

coldcalling · Yesterday 10:21

Yupstillhere · Yesterday 10:16

They were in the UK. They weren't abroad, calm down.

They were on their way to the airport though so quite likely going abroad.

DahliaDelights · Yesterday 10:21

has changed the way he views me as a woman, and that I am not the type of person he wants to be in a relationship with because I should be taking the responsibility of paying the initial toll, as he was driving and too distracted after to do it.

So this is full of FOG he is using a Fear, Obligation and Guilt all in this one statement which is signs of a manipulator. He is using your fear that he wont continue the relationship, he is pushing the responsibility onto you. I'd be seeing just that one statement as a huge red flag.

Take your opportunity and get out of there. It doesnt sound like he wants to be on a path of change to become more self aware.

Oh and the shouting too, anyone who actually shouts at you and name calling, he raised a voice in anger. Done. That is just a no go zone.

Toosadtonight · Yesterday 10:24

Yupstillhere · Yesterday 10:16

They were in the UK. They weren't abroad, calm down.

I read in the OP that they were on their way to the airport when they incurred the toll so assumed they were going abroad, if you know different I accept your superior knowledge

AbzMoz · Yesterday 10:26

You said you’d pay half the fine; you should have just paid half the fine if it really was an oversight and your response would have been ‘Sorry, yep, I haven’t had a minute yet this morning.’
Your back-pedalling and guilt tripping him with the convoluted explanation is dramatic and unnecessary, and would really annoy me too.

Butchyrestingface · Yesterday 10:26

I think you were both BU initially. And then he deteriorated into batshit insanity.

You’ve surely ended it by now?

Stop forcing your kids to enact National Lampoon’s Vacation with ppl you actually don’t properly know.

Butchyrestingface · Yesterday 10:28

AbzMoz · Yesterday 10:26

You said you’d pay half the fine; you should have just paid half the fine if it really was an oversight and your response would have been ‘Sorry, yep, I haven’t had a minute yet this morning.’
Your back-pedalling and guilt tripping him with the convoluted explanation is dramatic and unnecessary, and would really annoy me too.

It would annoy me too. They both appear to have memories like sieves.

However, he is plainly nuts and she should end it.

Weirdpig · Yesterday 10:28

He said it is paid through an account that he was registered for, and he said 'I need to pay it'. Both of these indicate that he was taking responsibility for it. So you didn't need to take responsibility for it as he had already acknowledged that the responsibility was his.

It is good of you to offer to split it.

His aggressive response would change how I would view him as a man and make me not want to be in a relationship with him.

2chocolateoranges · Yesterday 10:28

It’s his car, he is the driver then it’s his responsibility to pay.

Bushmillsbabe · Yesterday 10:30

I do think you were both responsible for paying the toll, and it not being paid was both your responsibility and the fine is therefore split. My husband generally drives when we go away, that doesn't mean it's all his responsibility to pay tolls, petrol etc, it's a shared benefit so its a shared responsibility. You were unreasonable to say 'I don't drive so I don't think about these things', and acted like you were doing him a favour by taking responsibility for your portion of costs - that's a cop out, and would have annoyed me

However, there was no need to be calling names and shouting on his part

WhosGotTheKeysToMyBimma · Yesterday 10:31

He is weird and aggressive and I wouldn't stand for that

Even his first message would have got my back up "do you have a problem with paying half"

Yes you forgot, it's not a crime. And your reply was a bit of a retort tbh. Agree with you OP the fine wasn't your issue but you were generous to say you'd help

However the way he reacted was horrible. He would be gone if i were you. Nobody speaks to me like that.

ClairDeLaLune · Yesterday 10:36

Oh just dump him, life’s too short for this drama.

And next time, wait much longer before you introduce your new boyfriend to your kids, let alone take them on holiday with him. Make sure you actually know what he’s like. Imagine if he’d had the meltdown and shouted at you on holiday. Your poor kids. They need stability, not their mum putting her need for a bloke first.

Bonden · Yesterday 10:37

Why don’t you just buy an extra round of drinks, or ice creams, or hand him two quid from your purse? Good grief.

Itiswhysofew · Yesterday 10:40

I wouldn't expect a non-driver passenger to be responsible for knowing about tolls & fines, no. He must think you're trying to rip him off.

Get rid of him. He seems unstable. Certainly wouldn't include him in your domestic life.

GasPanic · Yesterday 10:41

Asking whether you are unreasonable or not over this seems like a microdetail, a bit like winning a bet that the earth will end.

Ncforthis2267 · Yesterday 10:44

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ScaramoucheCanYouDoTheFandango · Yesterday 10:45

This is how the conversation would have gone with my dp

DP: I got a £90 fine for the bloody toll.
Me: Nae luck, that will teach you to pay on time in future 🤣
DP: Fuck off 😏
End of conversation. Get on with day.

If he views you differently and it makes you not the door mat he thought then so be it. I would be viewing him very differently too. The escalation to questioning your relationship over a fine he was responsible for will be a pattern, he is telling you the type of man he is. Listen .

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