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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:
BananaPopcorn · Yesterday 10:45

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.

Where have you got two quid from? The fine is £90.

Shmee1988 · Yesterday 10:46

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.

How do you know, and why do you assume that he has been more generous? The OP clearly said they split things equally, so I assume the fact that he was driving and the tolls were bith taken into consideration when deciding the equal split?

Lochroy · Yesterday 10:47

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.

100% this IMHO. You over reacted badly first and then he did the same. Why didn’t you just say sorry, forgot, and pay up?

Also a true partnership implies sharing things. Did you offer fuel and wear and tear costs for his car or just expected him to cover all those costs, plus the toll, while you got a free ride? And then on top he was subbing extra spending money because he only had one child vs your two.

Brummyhelpplease · Yesterday 10:49

I would have sent him 2pound as half the initial toll and told him to take his bad attitude and find someone else. Nerve of him to speak to you like that.

His car, his toll cost and the fact he forgot is not your problem.

Also - he has 5 phones?

PussInBin20 · Yesterday 10:50

I wouldn’t have paid after that rant!

ScotiaLass · Yesterday 10:50

I think in a situation where you are on holiday together and splitting costs 50/50 and he's doing all the driving it would have been totally reasonable for you to log on and pay the toll in the first place. I get that he said he'd deal with it, but I always find it easier to just pay for it when we're on the road and my OH is driving because it's too easy to forget afterwards as you have discovered. I think taking joint responsibility for the fine was the right thing to do, and you were unreasonable to tell him a week later that you didn't want to do that because car stuff is his responsibility.

On the other hand, his reaction to this has been completely disproportionate and he is showing you all sorts of red flags. I really think it is time to rethink this relationship.

IchiNiSanShiGo · Yesterday 10:51

This should have been a stupid little argument that you both move on from pretty quickly. Your partner should never shout, rant, or call you names. Completely unacceptable and I hope you’ve ended things. Your kids shouldn’t be near someone like that.

soddingspiderseason · Yesterday 10:52

LTB. Seriously, he forgot to pay the toll on his account which he has as he’s the driver. Its CF territory to ask you to pay as he forgot, and calling you names is wholly unacceptable. This is a relatively minor issue, can you imagine what he would be like with something more serious?

PurpleThistle7 · Yesterday 10:52

IchiNiSanShiGo · Yesterday 10:51

This should have been a stupid little argument that you both move on from pretty quickly. Your partner should never shout, rant, or call you names. Completely unacceptable and I hope you’ve ended things. Your kids shouldn’t be near someone like that.

Yup. Whoever is meant to pay it shouldn't mean it escalates like this.

My husband and I aren't perfect and we've both made mistakes - financial or otherwise. Mostly it's a 'haha, you are rubbish' and then we move on with our lives. I wouldn't want to continue with someone who makes this kind of fuss regardless of blame - eventually someone will break something or a child will make a mistake or something much more important and you now know what his reaction will look like.

Toosadtonight · Yesterday 10:53

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Just for your information I’m not a bitter spinster I am part of a very happy blended family of many years. Did you miss the part where the newish boyfriend did indeed go off on one at the OP, which kinda proves my point, that she didn’t know him well enough to understand that he could react in that manner and that he could have gone off on one while they were away.

Ncforthis2267 · Yesterday 10:57

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Greenlawnbrownlawn · Yesterday 11:00

Blimey. Five phones you say. Is that one phone and four burners or how does it work?

thingamynbob · Yesterday 11:05

I would have done as you did, paid half the fine. You were both in the car, it was a trip you were both on.. you both forgot… the fine gets halved and that’s more than fair.

Him asking for you to pay more is unreasonable.

Him yelling and calling you names is abuse.

Please have a think back through your relationship for other signs of this. Is this utterly out of character for him? Or has he done this before?

Viviennemary · Yesterday 11:06

I think you should have paid half. And he was generous splitting holiday costs. And you've dragged your feet paying towards the fine. You're on different planets. Call it a day.

Blondeshavemorefun · Yesterday 11:06

He’s a driver so should be aware to pay tolls esp on way to a holiday

If he has an account not sure why doesn’t get taken automatically like mine does

or he should have done it once in airport

nice to offer to pay half and you should have done it then.

splitting 50/50seems slightly unfair as you have 2 kids and he has 1 so meals /trips in your favour slightly

and yes a year in seems a bit quick to go on a blended holiday but if kids get on ok - what’s their ages

MargoLivebetter · Yesterday 11:10

His car, his responsibility. I would never in a million years expect someone to pay a fine for my car!!!!! I'd be delighted if my partner offered half, but would probably decline their offer, as it was my responsibility to sort that out myself.

Really, really dislike his attitude to you now after your offer to pay half. If he has gone off you, then tell him to go and find someone else. Using guilt tripping and character assassination to make you feel obliged to pay money is a giant red flag.

ReturnoftheMe · Yesterday 11:10

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.

My message back, which I explained after on a call to him was because I was perplexed by his question. I felt like he was implying I didn't want to pay for either the toll or the fine. When I was happy too, but I really don't think I was responsible for it not being paid. The most important thing for me was that, I wanted to ensure he didn't have to take the burden of the fine alone.
On the way out, I would have happily paid the toll if I could have logged into his account, I tried and he said he'd have to be the one to log in from his account, on his phone.

Recently he picked me up from the airport (when traveling solo) - which I actually told him that I'd happily take the train back home. However he insisted, and when he arrived, I immediately asked how I pay the airport charge to let him know I didn't expect that he'd have to as he was kind enough to pick me up. He showed me the QR code to scan and I paid immediately. He often offers to pick me up when we're doing things together, but I always say I am happy to take the train and make my way to him, to avoid him driving. He has a manual job, so I don't want him to be driving me around when we're doing things all together because he has to exert himself physically so much for work, and I feel terrible about it.
I work behind a desk all day, so I often go to his house to work, to clean for him so during my break so when he gets home, he doesn't arrive to a mess.. I am alway buying him things he is short of or things he needs. I am ultra generous in so many ways, not just monetarily. I do these things because I see how happy it makes him to be with someone who genuinely cares and does things not wanting anything in return. He has told me that no one has ever cared about him the way I do.

I don't expect anything from him which is why it is so hurtful to be berated and shouted out the way he did last night. He spoke to me like I was an animal and I am not sure where all that anger could be stemming from. The insults used were wicked, asshole, dumb, idiot, bipolar, crazy, mentally unstable, liar, lazy, all in one convo. I asked him to refrain for shouting and berating me multiple times, but he carried on.

However my guess is, he regrets paying the total holiday cost in half and he didnt voice it at the time, but has gone on to think that somehow, him spitting everything despite me having 1 extra child, he has somehow been taken advantage of. Especially as my childrens' father isn't very forthcoming financially speaking, so maybe he thinks their dad should have chipped in.

His reaction on the phone was frightening, to the point I was in tears (silently) while he hurtled insults at me.

And to add - he had been drinking wine which I have noticed does seem to fuel him being argumentative in the past when we've had conflicts.

OP posts:
PinkyFlamingo · Yesterday 11:10

The fine is the least of your problems it's his reaction that's the problem.

HollyhocksandPeons · Yesterday 11:13

Very unpleasant. I would rather be on my own than with such a 'partner'.

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · Yesterday 11:15

He paid for half of your 2nd child's holiday - as you say you split it 50/50.

ReturnoftheMe · Yesterday 11:15

Viviennemary · Yesterday 11:06

I think you should have paid half. And he was generous splitting holiday costs. And you've dragged your feet paying towards the fine. You're on different planets. Call it a day.

It was very generous of him to split, but I made sure I paid all the extra costs before the holiday like travel bags, toiletries, neck cushions for the children, the 90euro deposit for the airbnb, food on the plane.

I think the resentment deep down comes from the fact the holiday was split in half and this is now rearing its head with the toll situation.

I honestly just forgot about the toll, and I expected him to let me know when the bill came through the door, and so subconsciously I put it to the back of my mind thinking, he'l let me know when it arrives and then I'll send him the money!

OP posts:
Passaggressfedup · Yesterday 11:16

What wasted time and energy, honestly, absolutely bunkers!!

Should you also have had a long email exchange about he didn't need to pay anything towards your second child, that it's not his responsibility and your issue that you chose to have to kids, that he only agreed to not upset you, and he feels guilty he would have more disposable income to treat his child than you?

You too need to grow up and focus your energy on important matters. You should have paid as soon as he said he did and just apologised when you forgot, for 7 days. End of!

thingamynbob · Yesterday 11:16

PinkyFlamingo · Yesterday 11:10

The fine is the least of your problems it's his reaction that's the problem.

This 👆
The incident may well have done you a long term favour and exposed his true colours. If he blows up like this over a simple fine, then what’s next?

I was married to an abusive man and was called stupid, psycho, crazy, sensitive, hormonal etc etc for years.. for things like putting a T-shirt int he wrong drawer or using too many pans to cook dinner with.

Do not let this slide. He’s showing you who he is. Believe him.

blackpooolrock · Yesterday 11:16

The insults used were wicked, asshole, dumb, idiot, bipolar, crazy, mentally unstable, liar, lazy, all in one convo. I asked him to refrain for shouting and berating me multiple times, but he carried on.

Next time just put the phone down - it only carried on because you allowed it to.

ReturnoftheMe · Yesterday 11:17

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · Yesterday 11:15

He paid for half of your 2nd child's holiday - as you say you split it 50/50.

I guess that must be where the real resentment comes from, but he just didnt want to admit he regrets splitting 50/50.

He has told me in the past his exes never paid for anything and he liked the fact I wasn't like that. Yet, he must have been harbouring this resentment. I didnt think of it all this time, but your comment and similar from others has made me think that this could be the underlying reason. Thanks for your input.

OP posts: