To think DH should sit in the front?

The front passenger seat is the comfiest, roomiest and easiest to get into and out of - unless you're transporting a young child who needs to be in the back for safety reasons, I cannot understand why anybody would choose to let the best seat go needlessly unused and only use the worse ones in the back instead.

Just to add that of I'm in a taxi alone I always talk to the driver, I'd have no problem sitting in the front but I'm not going to insist.

DP and my exH would both automatically sit in the front in this situation, I don't know why, I think it's just something most men do. Like they'd both walk on the road side of the pavement.

I like a bit of old fashioned gentlemanly behaviour personally, in a relationship at least.

Pondering question, though: considering that a lot of people suffer from travel sickness, what happens if there's more than one such person in the vehicle?

As someone who gets horrendously travel sick, I ALWAYS sit in the front - whether its a taxi or an uber or a mates car, even on the shuttle bus at work, I always ask to sit up front

It's never been an issue (except for 1 snarky shuttle bus driver, but he can fuck right off) I'm not making myself sick for anyone!

It doesn't have to work in such a sexist unequal fashion that men do once a week jobs like gardening whilst women work all day then all evening do you have him out gardening or putting up shelves every night

@cannonballz when was the last time you took a taxi? i ask because you’re talking out your bum if you’re in the UK

Yeah I’m not sure about this. I’d say they general etiquette would be that if there are two of you or less, you’d sit in the back (would probably be a bit weird to sit in the front as a lone passenger or just with one other) but if there are more than 2, someone sits in the front.

my interest is piqued by the OP’s references to the nuances of this scenario that she can’t go in to!

This OP is a depressing insight in to how marriages can unfold after many years together!

Indeed. If you don't want to share the privacy of your car with strangers, it's a very odd choice indeed to choose to take fares and operate it as a taxi.

I would say that the whole car is your private space - UNLESS you decide to use it as public transport. No different from the fact that a landlord can't object to their 'private home' being 'invaded' once they advertise it and start taking rent from people in exchange for their living there.

We used Ubers when we were abroad on holiday and unless it was one of the big ones that has the seats facing each other in the back, DH sat in the front. It was him, me and teenage DD. I can’t bear being squished in the back in a row!

There needs to be a third vote button:

Hmm, I’m not really sure either way.

OR

I think you are being neither unreasonable or reasonable.

OR

Is this really a question.

What does the Uber driver think?

Have you actually asked him if one of you can sit in the front?

Maybe your partner is too timid to ask the driver?

Maybe next time take the front seat yourself - and then ask partner if he'll do it next time?

I've just read the whole thread and I really regret it, because life is short and I've just knocked a pointless five minutes off mine.

For the love of God, OP, just fucking sit in the front.

Logically, surely the tallest person should sit in the front?

@BusyCM is everyone that scared to have a conversation with the driver?

😂

Is the front of the car open to the elements, but the rear enclosed? Think some of the cars in Downton Abbey. If so, he should definitely sit in the front. Your hair is far more likely to be affected by wind, flying insects and general atmospheric dust. In the likely event of you wearing a hat, this is more likely to be blown off. Therefore he should definitely be in the front.
Likewise, if the UBER is a stagecoach, once again he should be in the front to “ride shotgun”. The field of fire is far less restrictive than from the inside. And him being a man means he is more likely to know how to use a shotgun.

OP could request a female driver. Perhaps her DH would jump in the front then.

Why do you generally think he should sit in the front? Is it a masculine thing to sit in the front?

OMG, all the problems in the world & this is what Mumsnet is offering me!!! A man with long legs won’t get in the front of the Uber & the wife or daughter won’t because… I have no idea why they won’t but it is a serious enough issue that other people’s opinions are required!

May I suggest when the Uber arrives you open the front passenger door & say out loud “I will get in the front to give DH with the long legs more room in the back”! Problem solved!

The front passenger seat isn't the driver's private space, the driver's seat is that.

When he says “budge up” say no, sit in the front. Then close the door. Or you should just sit in the front and ignore the door he has opened for you. I’m not sure why this is so difficult to resolve 🤔

I get that black cabs are different, as they're designed that way - and they have five seats in the back anyway - but what is it with taxi drivers with 'normal' cars who ask you not to/don't allow you to sit in the front?

It's the equivalent of a van driver keeping a few empty cardboard washing machine boxes in the back and insisting that only the back two thirds of the cargo section can be used for actually usefully transporting goods... because... 'reasons'.

If you're not comfortable being at close quarters with members of the public in a normal travelling-in-a-car context, being a taxi driver is probably not a good occupation for you; same as if you cannot abide heights, maybe don't pursue the pilot training.