Best Amazon Prime Day deals: Mumsnet favourites

Best Amazon Prime Day deals:
Mumsnet favourites

Shop now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Service for company on long drive - does this exist?

7 replies

Ughhhhhhhhhhh · 21/06/2026 01:00

Does anyone know of a service that will come with you as a passenger while you drive?

For reasons I won’t go into here, I have to do a long drive to get from A to B in a particular car (train/bus is not an option as it’s more about getting the car there, not myself) and really don’t want to do it alone. Don’t mind doing the driving as such, just nervous of doing it alone. Happy driving alone on either end but the drive in between feels daunting and I don’t want to take any risks.

Basically want a surrogate friend who is there for moral support and to keep another eye on the sat nav.

it’s quite a long drive but I could drop the person back on a train station with a direct line to the a big city at the end of it.

Thinking about asking my lovely handyman - paid at his usual rate ofc including train back - which would be expensive, but I’m getting desperate at this point. However, I worry he’ll think I’ve lost the plot, or that I’m making up excuses to spend time with him!

Needs to be done tomorrow. had a friend lined up but she canceled; can’t find anyone else last minute. Please don’t ask me about the minutiae of why it has to be tomorrow; it’s extremely dull but very real!

Any ideas!?

OP posts:
waltzingparrot · 21/06/2026 01:25

If it's just a bit of company you're after, know any 16+ yr olds? They've all finished their GCSEs now. Likely to be grateful for a bit of extra pocket money.

ClayPotaLot · 21/06/2026 01:47

Could you try a hitchhiking/car pooling app and take someone who wants to go in the direction you're traveling in? You might even get a little petrol money out of it.

Ughhhhhhhhhhh · 21/06/2026 01:52

@waltzingparrot oh interesting… I don’t know any but I was also hoping for someone who has a bit of a feel for driving and navigation, even if they won’t be doing any themselves. Just in case I come across a weird junction or don’t understand what the sat nav is telling me or similar - someone to sense check with essentially! And the company too, of course. As I’m really not accustomed to long solo journeys.

@ClayPotaLot I did, but no luck - they seem quite dead :( at least blablacar and the fb groups iI tried. Would love a recommendation though if you have one!

OP posts:
Schnapper · 21/06/2026 02:04

I'm sure you are lovely OP but from a stranger passenger's point of view, what assurance do they have that you're not an axe murderer? Maybe this is paranoid but to me it would be like getting an unlicensed minicab with someone who doesn't even have a DBS check, let alone the tracking & infrastructure you get with a registered cab or uber. A teen is a good idea, except I would only let mine do this with someone I already knew.

I reckon you should break the journey into chunks. Navigate from pitstop to pitstop, and take take time at each one to review the next chunk of the route. Maybe have a friend at home lined up you can call while on your breaks for a bit of company.

Reassure yourself that missing a junction is no biggie. On motorways you just turn round at the next one.

You might find it easier to find someone to just deliver the car. This is a recognised service where the person involved doesn't have to sit and be driven by a stranger for several hours. Sometimes they even have special little motorbikes that fit in the boot and they can use to get back, other times they hook up with a colleague or just navigate home by public transport.

ClayPotaLot · 21/06/2026 02:07

Sorry. Never used one in the UK.

I understand your concern re looking like you’re flirting with the handyman, but if you’re desperate you’re desperate. Maybe phrase it as does he know anyone who would.

SirChenjins · 21/06/2026 02:11

Sorry I can't offer any suggestions OP, but have often wondered this too. Watching with interest.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page