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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to have expected them to put petrol in the car?

14 replies

ConnieComplaint · 15/04/2009 21:56

My uncle's stepson & his wife were visiting my uncle (who lives 5 mins away from us) last week & their car broke down. Without transport they would have been stranded here (ie: the back of beyond) with nowhere to go & they had a young baby with them.

My uncle asked dh if he would lend them our 2nd car (a heap of scrap but it does us).

Not wanting to see them stranded dh said yes.

Anyway, this was last Saturday morning... DH filled his car on Friday evening (as he always does) but not full up, he put £30 in as his work is local so doesn't go through a lot of petrol.

Anyway, the couple had the car from last Saturday until Tuesday night... on Wednesday morning dh got into the car (which they had incidentally just abandoned at the front of our house with the keys still in the ignition) & the red petrol light was on.

Not only had they driven all the petrol out of the car & not refilled it, they hadn't even said thanks, bye, or anything.

I am furious. They have now gone back to Scotland but I feel used & want to let off some steam.

If i had borrowed someones car I would have at least put some petrol into it!! AND said thanks for the loan of it!

We won't see them again until God knows when so I know I won't say anything to them, was just wondering if maybe they saw the loan of the car as a free reign to use all the petrol & thought we hadn't meant for them to refill it?

OP posts:

ridingjoker · 15/04/2009 21:57

ungrateful selfish buggers. yanbu at all

LadyPinkofPinkerton · 15/04/2009 21:57

Very rude of them. They should have been very grateful that they got to use your car at all.

Ready4anotherMiniEgg · 15/04/2009 21:59

bloody cheek. YANBU

Ripeberry · 15/04/2009 21:59

They just sound very thoughless. My sister in law once borrowed my carpet cleaning machine and it had a full bottle of carpet cleaner which is quite expensive and they used ALL of it and never replaced it.
Also the cleaner was really dirty and they had not even bothered to rinse it out.
Gross!

onepieceofcremeegg · 15/04/2009 22:01

That's very rude and inconsiderate of them.

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 15/04/2009 22:03

Sounds bizarre! Left with the keys in the ignition? Are they mad?

tiggerlovestobounce · 15/04/2009 22:18

Thats so rude. YANBU at all.

bran · 15/04/2009 22:20

Mention it to your uncle in a non-complaining way. You could say that you hope his stepson and wife were ok becuase they appear to have had to leave the car in a frantic rush (no petrol and keys in ignition). That way he at least knows what they've done.

Original poster

ConnieComplaint · 15/04/2009 22:29

I wanted to say to uncle (or his wife!) & dh said not to! Said it would look like we were grasping for money!

My uncle told me before they arrived that he hoped they didn't stay v.long as they always expect everything for nothing & hated spending money, which is why they stayed in a 2 bedroom apartment with my uncle & his wife rather than stay in a b&b with the baby....

I just didn't think it would run over into costing us for them to stay!!

They aren't short of money by the way, he does something with computers & she is a childminder.

OP posts:

Baconsarnie · 15/04/2009 22:38

Could you say to uncle or his wife something along lines of "we absolutely don't want any money from you, but we're a bit pissed off with the way X left the tank empty and didn't even bother to say thanks. Could you let them know that we're quite upset by their ingratitude?"
Then uncle or wife hopefully with give them a bollocking. Not sure what that's going to achieve, but it'd make me feel better.

nametaken · 15/04/2009 22:58

YABU - they are scots aren't they

nametaken · 15/04/2009 23:15

Jesus, not another thread killed by yours truly.!!!!!

ChippingIn · 15/04/2009 23:27

Nametaken - just to get you off the hook....

YANBU they were incredibly rude and ungrateful. I would def say something to the Uncle. I'd probably say, 'I see what you mean now about them wanting everything for nothing!! They left our car with an empty fuel tank and the keys in the ignition, so I'm presuming they wont want to borrow it again!'.

Jackaroo · 15/04/2009 23:29

Let me rescue you NT -

what is it with men and not wanting to rock the boat???? You absolutely should say something to the uncle - ESPECIALLY (sorry) as he has already complained about them! He obviously doesn't think the sun shines himself... so it wouldn't be a problem. Love the idea of being concerned because they left in such a hurry.....

Sounds to me as if the hurry was in case you checked the car and found it wanting. OTOH, maybe hte baby was being impossible/throwing up etc etc and they just fled. Even so, a thank you phonecall might be nice.

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