AIBU to think my son should not charge friends for lifts?

Yeah i’d tell my son he was being tight if he did that, i’ve never charged my friends for anything. But at the same time, £1 is nothing. But still.

My daughter had a different problem at Uni - she had the car, they all agreed to pool petrol costs for the Uni journeys, and she even took them shopping and the gym as a favour - they accepted the lifts for a term and then refused to pay as “she was going into Uni anyway so why should they?” They were so nasty about it she had to leave the shared house.
Fair play to your son (but not the travelling in the boot bit).

Do you mean they are locked in the boot or that they are sitting in the back of a hatchback?

Nothing wrong with that. Why should the get a free ride while he pays for petrol to drive them around?

Yes, it isn't purely the cost of a bus that makes them less desirable.

I'm thinking back to the thread from a couple of months ago, where OP and her DD went to the hobby group and enjoyed their private quality time together in the car there and back... but a 'challenging' woman who lived near them and went to the same hobby group was putting huge pressure on them to give her a lift every week, even though (iirc) she already had a free/paid-for inclusive bus pass.

They don't

if OP pays for the car & petrol [and i assume tax etc], it's up to OP to make all calls on how the car is used.

"Fake Taxi"

What first time driver / college age kid is driving around in a people mover? unless parents are privileged enough to either buy one or hand down their old one.

"Ethnically corrupt"???? What planet are you from?

If he is giving lifts for money his insurance will be voided. It’s classed as hire & reward which a private car policy does not cover. If the passengers in the boot is correct he is overloading his car which is also a breach of his policy

They're paying for a ride in pounds, not rupees.

'Ethically corrupt'!! I snorted out the orange juice I was drinking when I read that phrase, and it stung my nose.

I think you need to consult a dictionary to look up the meaning of the word 'corrupt' so you realise your DS's behaviour isn't that. He gets some of his costs covered; his friends get a cheap and convenient trip to college. Win-win and not in the least corrupt.

Thanks for the lecture

@YourGoldLurkeryou seem massively invested in this thread, replying to so many people to point out the “fact” he’s putting his mates in the boot. You haven’t seemed to twig that it’s VERY unlikely to be true. Either the OP didn’t like the responses on the thread so added something in to turn the tide OR it’s a completely bullshit thread in the first place. Possibly being used to train AI.

Did you not think it was odd that the OP used £ but then referred to a “trunk” and then switched to “boot”? Almost like an American AI forgot it was pretending to be British for a moment.

And if this were real, do you really think any parent would come online and ask if it’s ok that their kid is charging to give their friends lifts, but not even mention that they’re in the boot of the car too until they’ve had a number of responses? If you’re a parent, would you be more concerned with your child putting their friends in the boot, or charging them for fuel money?

Using a bit of critical thinking is always a good idea.

well that was a drip feed @KatherineJ1775 !!!

Absolutely should not be using the boot to transport people -that's massively unsafe and he'd be in a lot of trouble with the police if something happened. Someone could get really injured.

As for the rest - he charges, they pay - presumably willingly. That's between them and you should stay out of it!

I’ve noticed this with my dc and their friends. They are all constantly transferring each other money depending on who has paid for what or driven them somewhere - none of them are bothered by it and just see it as normal! Far healthier and more financially aware then a lot adults who post on here not wanting to asking for money for this or wanting money for that but scared to ask. Teenagers/20s have a lot of things right!

Rogue thread if ever there was one … why are you talking in English money but American car parts? 🤔

This may impact on his insurance. Does he now need to pay taxi insurane? Does this make his insurance null and void because he is operating under different conditions? Actuaries might have different odds on the kid in the boot.

peopke don’t always live on a bus route though, or need multiple busses where a 15 minute car journey can take 1.5 hours by bus. It’s saving them in time or hassle if not £

Oh yeah, you also "missed the fact" that this is a piss-take post. As if teenage boys are paying to squeeze into the boot. If that's what he's doing then it's illegal and you, being oh so morally righteous, must report him to the police.

He's not hiring it - he's getting petrol money

No if he is putting them in the boot, that's a crime and he shouldn't be allowed his car. if he has 5 friends all in seats that's not an issue. charging them isn't a problem

He's saving them having to get on a bus though.