Nobody likes being told what to do. People prefer to have choice and exercise their free will as much as possible, especially once they’ve become adults and enjoy a degree of autonomy in their lives. 

For one woman, she’s at the end of her tether because her partner forces her to walk everywhere, just because he prefers it. What’s worse, he has a problem with her taking the bus, even when she’s got luggage. She turned to mumsnet to vent.

More info: Mumsnet

A good walk now and then never hurt anyone, but for this woman’s partner it’s an obsession

Image credits: José Barbosa / Pexels (not the actual photo)

He insists on walking everywhere, dragging her along with him even when she’s got luggage

Image credits: cottonbro studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)

His aversion to taking the bus is getting to be too much for his partner, who wants to use public transport like normal people

Image credits: Rizzo8

She finally point-blank refused to walk and insisted on taking the bus, which the couple ended up doing

OP begins her story by asking the community whether or not she’s being unreasonable to be annoyed by her partner’s obsession with walking everywhere. She goes on to explain that she and her partner went on holiday earlier in the year. Her partner’s preference was for a quiet part of town, about 25 minutes’ walk from the town center.

She says it was lovely, since they were on an island, and she didn’t mind the walks. Now, though, her partner has relocated to a place about a half-hour walk out of town but hates it if OP takes the bus, which she says she usually prefers if she’s traveling alone.

OP then tells us that the couple went away for a long weekend and, once more, rented a flat about 30 mins outside of the city center. OP says they walked back in the evening, but when she wanted to take a bus (with her two bags) the next morning, her partner gave her grief and asked her if they couldn’t alter their plans so she could walk with him.

By this point, OP had had enough, and says she told her partner in no uncertain terms that they were taking the bus like normal people, which he somewhat reluctantly agreed to.

From what OP tells us in her post, it seems the couple are both very much tied to their ideas on modes of transport, with OP’s partner getting his way most of the time. The situation is unbalanced, and their relationship could probably benefit if they learn to compromise.

Image credits: Mikhail Nilov / Pexels (not the actual photo)

In her article for Indeed, Jennifer Herrity writes that negotiation is a discussion to settle disputes and reach agreements between two or more parties, a “give and take” process resulting in a compromise where each side makes a concession for the benefit of everyone involved. 

Herrity goes on to list 12 important negotiation skills, some of which include employing clear communication and active listening, using your emotional intelligence, managing expectations, exercising patience, being adaptable, acting with integrity, and working together to solve the problem.

In her article for The Source, Davina Adcock takes a closer look at what compromise looks like in a healthy relationship. Adcock writes that compromise doesn’t mean you completely agree with your partner or vice versa—it’s healthy to maintain your personal values, beliefs, opinions, and preferences while still meeting halfway.

Adcock goes on to list a few ways you can achieve healthy compromise in your relationship. Firstly, the sacrifice should be mutual, not one-sided. Second, there should be good intent – you won’t always approach a compromise joyfully and ready to sacrifice for the sake of the relationship, but you’ll do your best. 

Next up, both partners should seek to maintain their unique identities – in a healthy relationship, individuals stay true to their values and beliefs without fully giving up the parts of themselves that make them unique. Finally, be as open as possible in your communication – create a safe space where hard truths can be addressed, and compromise isn’t a dirty word. 

What do you think of OP’s situation? Is she just being lazy, or is her partner’s obsessive behavior crossing a line? Let us know your opinion in the comments!

In the comments, readers seemed to agree that walking would be their preferred option for anything up to half an hour away, since the bus would actually take longer and walking is free

Image credits: prostooleh / Freepik

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