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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:
johnd2 · Yesterday 14:14

He's "not allowing you to end the relationship"?
If that's not controlling behaviour I don't know what is!
Ending the relationship is a unilateral decision (unless it's with a controlling abuser)

SadSisterOfAlcoholic · Yesterday 14:16

This is why I am inclined to think there is something about me that makes him mad. I was tempted to ask her if he was ever verbally abusive, as I have her number seeing our children have holidayed together, however I am not sure if it is an overstep.

There is something different about him and it’s that his alcohol consumption has gone up. He’s aware he’s unraveling but not prepared to delve into why.

It isn’t you nor is it anything you are doing. If it was he’s free to leave. This is him seeking to blame someone else for his behavioural problems.

I think you probably also need to work on your self esteem to understand why you’re prepared to accept him telling you his behaviour is your fault.

MargoLivebetter · Yesterday 14:16

@ReturnoftheMe I know you have updated and I know you have lots of concerns now, but I think it is worth banging home this point.

"He says his ex didn't get him to the same point on anger he gets at with me when drinking, so he thinks I am the one who brings it out of him."

This is NEVER true. No one is ever responsible for another adult's actions or behaviour. That is absolute bullshit. You can't stand in a court of law and defend yourself saying "Well Your Honour, @ReturnoftheMe made me abuse her." NO!!!!!

This is the biggest red flag ever!!!!!!

ClairDeLaLune · Yesterday 14:23

ReturnoftheMe · Yesterday 11:22

I did apolgise over and over again for forgetting to pay. I hate forgetting to come through with money for anything. I do forget more things than usual these days but that is my fault because I have so much on my plate. I started setting reminders for things, but for this I didn't, so I assume the full responsibility for forgetting. Especially as I 100% didnt want him to pay it alone.

Regarding the holiday, you're probably right, I should have objected the split the holiday in half and insisted it was split by 5. He didnt want to split by each child at the time of booking, he said he was happy to split, but clearly I now see it is because he didnt want to "upset me".. which it wouldn't have, but now the resentment is showing.

Either way, his blow up last night was very scary, and I am happy it wasn't in person because the anger was out of control.

There’s no coming back from this, surely OP. He was out of control and he scared you. You have got to dump him. Imagine the impact on your kids if they’d witnessed that. And that’s what will be next. Then he’ll move to hitting you.

Dump him now.

ClairDeLaLune · Yesterday 14:26

ReturnoftheMe · Yesterday 14:04

I am in contact with the mother of his daughter whom he was in a relationship with for a decade and they have a very amicable relationship now, and they get along. She is well integrated in his wider family and she is actually the personally hairdresser to his mum and sister, which I didnt think could happen if he was abusive to her.
This is why I am inclined to think there is something about me that makes him mad. I was tempted to ask her if he was ever verbally abusive, as I have her number seeing our children have holidayed together, however I am not sure if it is an overstep.

He was seeing someone else in between the mother of his child, and he is still on good terms with her too because has contacted him a bout things related to a mutual friend of theirs and the interaction was normal. Therefore, the Claireslaw thing doesn't seem immediately relevant based on the current relationship he has with these 2 exes.

One thing that has happened a few times though is people have said "he is punching" when they've seen us together. His own stepmother, a couple of strangers we've interacted with, one of my own friends. He has also expressed he feels insecure being with me. I have never taken kindly to those comments and shut them down calmly each time when people have said them. Might those kind of comments contribute to his anger/resentment of me when drunk?

Regardless.. I fear this post has taken a turn and veered off into something I didn't intend outside of the toll discussion. Thanks for all your comments they have definitely helped me analyse the things I've been concealing to myself and I know that I need to take action.

This is why I am inclined to think there is something about me that makes him mad.

Why are you trying to find a way to blame yourself? It’s not your fault, it’s his. He is 100% responsible for his own behaviour.

Please please dump him.

Livpool · Yesterday 14:27

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.

I agree with this!

GFBurger · Yesterday 14:29

£45 is a cheap way to back up that you need to LTB. The booze doesn't make him aggressive and rude, it just blocks out the filter that stops him being aggressive.
He is an aggressive drunk, he is an aggressive man. Get out before it gets worse. Thank god you don't live with him.

unsync · Yesterday 14:36

So many things off with this man's behaviour. None of which are your fault @ReturnoftheMe, it is concerning that you think so. Please do some work on boundaries and acceptable behaviour in relationships before you embark on any more intimate relationships. This one is over, but you know that right?

bigboykitty · Yesterday 14:46

He shouted and called you names for half an hour, and when he was sober he said he won't allow you to end the relationship. He's a nailed on manipulative abuser. If you must allow him to abuse you half a dozen more times before you leave him, at least do a Clare's Law request. Your poor children. This will not end well.

nomas · Yesterday 14:50

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.

He sounds awful.

DH has paid parking fines I've incurred in his car without even telling me about them until I've stumbled on the PCN.

I think you would be better off out of this relationship. No one should be shouting at you.

thingamynbob · Yesterday 14:52

Please please please don’t use HIS last relationships as a marker for this being your fault! He is in charge of his reactions. You did nothing wrong. He is basically saying you made him be abusive. This is hallmark of an abusive relationship. Please do some soul searching on this. Look at some info that’s readily available out there… JimmyonRelationships on YouTube is a good example.. and understand that his behaviour is not ok and it’s NOT you. My ex was friendly with his ex after they split. He holds down friendships, he is thought of well. But behind closed doors with me he was a totally different person. Alcohol can be a factor in changing the way someone behaves and reacts one decade to the next. Just because he is civil to his ex doesn’t excuse him from bad behaviour now.
I’m saying this from a place of concern because some of the things you’ve been saying remind me of what I used to tell myself during my marriage. And I had a decade of awful behaviour to deal with. No one knew and everyone would have been stumped because to the outside world he was a different person. Behind closed doors he was abusive. It was because I was too noisy. I was too quiet. I was too sensitive. I was too insensitive. I was too messy. I was too particular. It wasn’t about that. It was HIM. He felt out of control in his own life so he controlled me as a way to feel better and feel more powerful. Please for the sake of your kids… don’t let this go further. Four blow ups in a year is every three months. That four too many x

I’ll add too that we had lovely times in between the bad! Holidays abroad, weekends away. It’s what made it confusing. But in the end it came down to the fact that abuse is abuse. It doesn’t just stop. And it’s NEVER okay.

SueKeeper · Yesterday 14:57

Shmee1988 · Yesterday 10:46

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?

They split it equally despite her having two children and him one, that is him not being petty and being generous. He's also doing all the driving and she doesn't drive, so he just sucks it up. The fact that he didn't quibble these things but OP does the minute it's not in her favour is why OP looks bad. Not as bad as him turning aggressive, but hardly moral high ground behaviour.

thingamynbob · Yesterday 15:02

Also op.. I am still on good terms with my ex’s family. It means nothing. My ex has also been in a new relationship for a year. He shows his true colours when pushed but in between is mr big spender and mr generous. It doesn’t change the fact that he was routinely abusive to me towards the end of our marriage. And it wasn’t me pushing him to it or “making” him behave that way. You can’t “make” someone be abusive. It’s only been a year. It’s not long. I was stuck for the longest time. You aren’t. Please please see this for what it is x

ReturnoftheMe · Yesterday 15:09

thingamynbob · Yesterday 14:52

Please please please don’t use HIS last relationships as a marker for this being your fault! He is in charge of his reactions. You did nothing wrong. He is basically saying you made him be abusive. This is hallmark of an abusive relationship. Please do some soul searching on this. Look at some info that’s readily available out there… JimmyonRelationships on YouTube is a good example.. and understand that his behaviour is not ok and it’s NOT you. My ex was friendly with his ex after they split. He holds down friendships, he is thought of well. But behind closed doors with me he was a totally different person. Alcohol can be a factor in changing the way someone behaves and reacts one decade to the next. Just because he is civil to his ex doesn’t excuse him from bad behaviour now.
I’m saying this from a place of concern because some of the things you’ve been saying remind me of what I used to tell myself during my marriage. And I had a decade of awful behaviour to deal with. No one knew and everyone would have been stumped because to the outside world he was a different person. Behind closed doors he was abusive. It was because I was too noisy. I was too quiet. I was too sensitive. I was too insensitive. I was too messy. I was too particular. It wasn’t about that. It was HIM. He felt out of control in his own life so he controlled me as a way to feel better and feel more powerful. Please for the sake of your kids… don’t let this go further. Four blow ups in a year is every three months. That four too many x

I’ll add too that we had lovely times in between the bad! Holidays abroad, weekends away. It’s what made it confusing. But in the end it came down to the fact that abuse is abuse. It doesn’t just stop. And it’s NEVER okay.

Edited

You're right, I think by now his drinking intake worsened to what it was when he was with his daughters mum. Especially as she doesn't drink at all.

He actually just called me saying he was having heart palpitations, sweaty palms and feeling a sense of doom, so I had to coach him into breathing and finding someone onsite to tell and ensure they know he is feeling unwell. I am guessing this is a reaction to him know what is coming.

He often says he has random bouts of this fear and it is all down to being scared I will leave him. It is a lot to deal with. I think I will ask him for space initially because I am scared he'll hurt himself if I end things immediately. He has said before when I tried to pull away that he doesn't want to go on in life without me with is insanity, considering he is a father.

I know all this sounds like glaring red flags, but when you're in it, you try to do your best to manage in a way that doesn't have to result in ending things. The first thought is to fix, well mine is anyways, but I know this isn't something I can fix for him. The stark personality change when drinking isn't something I can possibly help with or endure.

I just want to try and let him down gently.

OP posts:
Ohnobackagain · Yesterday 15:17

While it’s nice to do things for your partner, I think he may be viewing things in a different light. Just because you do a desk job doesn’t mean you need to go to his and do his housework? There are a lot of things you’ve said about him that would make me run a mile @ReturnoftheMe

MargoLivebetter · Yesterday 15:17

@ReturnoftheMe just pause for a minute and think of the lack of care and consideration he has shown for you and your feelings by shouting abuse at you.

Don't do all the heavy lifting here. There will be no letting him down gently, if he doesn't want to be let down gently. You have to state what is right for you and your mental and physical well-being. He will have to accept that like the fully grown adult that he is. You are not responsible for him in the same way that you would be for a child. He is a grown up.

Sounds like he has had plenty of exes and survived to tell the tale and slag them all off. He will be just as well able to do the same again.

Ohnobackagain · Yesterday 15:18

And all this ‘hurt himself’ if he has to be without you @ReturnoftheMe please just end it. Get yourself free of him.

Morepositivemum · Yesterday 15:21

Overreaction of the millennium!!! Rethinking your relationship over a bill? Sorry op but thst is crazy!!!

Shmee1988 · Yesterday 15:27

SueKeeper · Yesterday 14:57

They split it equally despite her having two children and him one, that is him not being petty and being generous. He's also doing all the driving and she doesn't drive, so he just sucks it up. The fact that he didn't quibble these things but OP does the minute it's not in her favour is why OP looks bad. Not as bad as him turning aggressive, but hardly moral high ground behaviour.

Not necessarily. What difference does the amount of kids make? They could have hired an Airbnb. He drove, and was expected to pay the toll. She may well have paid accommodation of the same total. The OP clearly said everything was split equally, he was driving. The amount of kids is irrelevant in this situation. The driving was his responsibility

HoppingPavlova · Yesterday 15:28

He actually just called me saying he was having heart palpitations, sweaty palms and feeling a sense of doom, so I had to coach him into breathing and finding someone onsite to tell and ensure they know he is feeling unwell. I am guessing this is a reaction to him know what is coming

This is the problem. You didn’t ‘have’ to do anything, for some reason you chose to. It’s perfectly fine to say ‘okay, if that’s how you are feeling, then you need to call 999/111 and they will give you advice on what to do, I’ll hang up to let you call them now’. There is no need for you to make this your problem and ‘have’ to do anything.
eta - he is manipulative, and unfortunately you seem to accept this manipulation.

Imdunfer · Yesterday 15:33

ReturnoftheMe · Yesterday 15:09

You're right, I think by now his drinking intake worsened to what it was when he was with his daughters mum. Especially as she doesn't drink at all.

He actually just called me saying he was having heart palpitations, sweaty palms and feeling a sense of doom, so I had to coach him into breathing and finding someone onsite to tell and ensure they know he is feeling unwell. I am guessing this is a reaction to him know what is coming.

He often says he has random bouts of this fear and it is all down to being scared I will leave him. It is a lot to deal with. I think I will ask him for space initially because I am scared he'll hurt himself if I end things immediately. He has said before when I tried to pull away that he doesn't want to go on in life without me with is insanity, considering he is a father.

I know all this sounds like glaring red flags, but when you're in it, you try to do your best to manage in a way that doesn't have to result in ending things. The first thought is to fix, well mine is anyways, but I know this isn't something I can fix for him. The stark personality change when drinking isn't something I can possibly help with or endure.

I just want to try and let him down gently.

Threatening to commit suicide if you leave him is emotional abuse.

He's had drunken rages 4 times in a one year relationship. Please end this no matter what his threats are.

Dandeloosha · Yesterday 15:34

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

That’s not the point and not the question she was asking FFS. Stick to the point.

OP, it’s all his responsibility. He failed to pay it when he should have. You shouldn’t have to pay for his fuck ups - through you shouldn’t have offered to pay in the first place. The most you should ever have had to pay is £2 - half of the original toll. If he’d wanted you to take responsibility for the toll he should have told you in the first place so you register.

CruCru · Yesterday 15:36

I have read the OP’s posts and some (but not all) of the other posts. The thing is, if this guy was a total horrorshow all the time, the hills would be black with women running the other way. So of course he is nice sometimes / most of the time. But when he isn’t, he is properly abusive (I include calling you to say he is having heart palpitations as abusive).

Can you imagine how delicious your life would be without this man in it? Break up with him - he will take it appallingly badly no matter how you do it so no need to let him down gently.

Dandeloosha · Yesterday 15:38

ReturnoftheMe · Yesterday 15:09

You're right, I think by now his drinking intake worsened to what it was when he was with his daughters mum. Especially as she doesn't drink at all.

He actually just called me saying he was having heart palpitations, sweaty palms and feeling a sense of doom, so I had to coach him into breathing and finding someone onsite to tell and ensure they know he is feeling unwell. I am guessing this is a reaction to him know what is coming.

He often says he has random bouts of this fear and it is all down to being scared I will leave him. It is a lot to deal with. I think I will ask him for space initially because I am scared he'll hurt himself if I end things immediately. He has said before when I tried to pull away that he doesn't want to go on in life without me with is insanity, considering he is a father.

I know all this sounds like glaring red flags, but when you're in it, you try to do your best to manage in a way that doesn't have to result in ending things. The first thought is to fix, well mine is anyways, but I know this isn't something I can fix for him. The stark personality change when drinking isn't something I can possibly help with or endure.

I just want to try and let him down gently.

I don’t think you’re unreasonable wanting to finish with him. You need to be clear rather than gentle. He will make threats and try to get you to pity him. The man is a walking enormous red flag and you’re better off out of it.

BoulevardOfBrokenSleep · Yesterday 15:40

He says his ex didn't get him to the same point on anger he gets at with me when drinking, so he thinks I am the one who brings it out of him

Apart from the 'look what you made me do' thing...
...he's already said he doesn't remember big chunks of the abuse he's doled out to you when hes been drinking, how does he know what he did to his ex?

His ex is probably looking at your relationship thinking "wow, he mustn't be as horrible to her as he was to me, I guess it must just have been something about me that made him do it"