to not want to be forced into giving this woman a lift every day?

[BellaBahBooBoo]

About 6 months ago a woman started working at the same place as me; she lives fairly locally to me, about 10 minutes away, and I work 30 minutes away from my workplace. The woman lives 10 minutes away in the opposite direction to my workplace.

When she started, she was getting a lift in each day with someone who worked for another company near our work. She doesn't drive. Her husband does but he works in a different town. About 3 months ago the person giving her a lift each day got a different job so the lifts from them had to stop. She went to our boss, who had the brainwave that I could give her a lift to and from work every day. Despite the fact that it was 10 minutes out of my way, so 10 minutes there and back twice a day equals another 40 minutes onto my day.

I said to my boss that I wasn't happy with it and he basically said "what are you complaining about, it will be petrol money for you each week, and she needs to get to work somehow". I'm not assertive so agreed to give it a try. However this woman has done nothing but take the piss; she is meant to give me petrol money each week but regularly forgets, and has now not paid me for 3 weeks, despite me asking her for it. She is also never ready when I pick her up in the mornings so I end up sitting in the car for up to 10 minutes. I have had enough of it. She also does things like turns the stereo on in the car without asking, and moans about things like the seat not being comfortable enough. And then of course there is the issue that I need to leave 20 minutes earlier each morning and get home 20 minutes later each night, which means my children are at the childminder for longer.

I went to see my boss today about her and said I will no longer be able to give her a lift, and he wasn't happy to say the least. He said that I am to perform any other duties apart from my job that he sees fit, and that making sure a fellow team member gets to work is important and that he will take further action towards me if I prevent this colleague from getting to work.

I don't know what to do; obviously I don't want to piss my boss off but I cannot continue with giving this woman a lift everyday. I'm not a taxi driver but I feel I'm being used like one. Surely it's not my responsibility to make sure someone else - a grown adult - gets to work everyday? Or am I being mean spirited?

I don't believe this thread at all I'm afraid. Note how lots of posters have asked sensible questions and Op has completely ignored them, but comes in from time to time to add a little nugget such as the fact that the woman never makes her coffee, or that she's thinking of taking a day off sick.
If this is serious op there's plenty of advice about what to do on this thread, so do it.

Could you say it is not possible to pick her up on a regular basis because of childminding problems.

So rather than mess her about it would be easier if she made her own way in.

Then give her the bus time table and taxi service number.

OR

Tell your boss if it is part of your duties your contract should be changed [legal reasons] because if you had an accident on the way in or home with her in the car he would be liable because technically you are still at work and therefore he must look into insuring your car for business use. Or provide a company car.

Also the hours of work must be added on and mileage factored into your wage.

I know all the ideas people have posted are good and I also know although you know you are right it is difficult sorting it out with a boss like you have.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

I second getting what he said in writing. Good luck getting this sorted, he sounds like a class A prick. As for her - remove your radio, then put it back in without entering the PIN - she won't be able to get it to do anything

No way would I be able to add 40 minutes to my day when children need picking up & all sorts need doing!!!

It's got nothing to do with your boss, it's your car, and it's not convenient. Tell her to piss off find her own way into work from now on. And I bet you wont get the 3 weeks money she owes you either, cheeky cow!

Shutupanddrive - when I saw your username I thought for a moment you were going to be the person ungrateful wench op gives the lift to!

Haha I never thought of that! But no I'm not her honest!

It's looking pretty good to me

If this is for real then no, you are under no obligation whatsoever so give this woman a lift. If you have an HR department, go to them immediately. If you don't, go to your union if you have one. If you have neither of these, go to the CAB and get some serious legal advice. But don't pick her up again! Just don't.

Ah, is that asterisk the end of the tail? I thought it was a was a little blob of (bull)shit on its way out.

It does not sound that unbelievable to me, people really do take the piss in appalling ways.

Do you want to hear a true story about someone who really took the piss?

A guy I know got one of his colleagues to drive him to work for 4 years. He lived a few minutes away on the way to work so as it wasn't a detour for the other guy he never offered any petrol money.
And get this? He had a car. In fact they had two cars. He just thought parking was really expensive near his office and didn't want to pay it.

On days where sucker colleague was sick/off he got his wife to get the baby out of bed at 7 in the morning so that she would drive him. And of course fetch him at the end of the day.

She has to do it every day now (with 2 under 5s) because the colleague's now moved.

Are people really this doormat-like? No one I know would put up with this and most would have called out the boss on his ridiculous comment.

OP, grow a pair and tell the colleague straigt that you cannot drive her to and from work any more. No need to explain why, make up any elaborate stories or anything.

Don't bring your boss into it, it's none of his business what you do/don't do outside work.

Definitely raise the insurance issue with your boss/HR. At my last workplace a colleague was kindly giving a non driving colleague a lift home and was involved in a minor accident, they both had injuries, cuts and bruises. The person who was being given a lift then went on to sue the driver, unless you want to leave yourself open to this tell this woman and your boss to take a running jump, her husband can bring her to work as you won't be doing it.

AHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHA

Sorry Im just trying to imagine this actual situation actually happening

No cant do it, very aMOOsing though OP

This is horrifying.

But, rather than raise a grievance, I would:

1. Get it in writing from your boss that it's part of your work-related duties
2. Therefore perform them within business hours - i.e, leave work twenty minutes earlier to cover the extra time I'd be driving her, and arrive to work late.
3. File a claim for mileage.

I have reported those of you that are accusing me of being a troll to Mumsnet, as it says very clearly at the top of the page that troll hunting is not allowed on here! Thank you to those of you that have offered decent advice, shame on you to those of you that are just being bitches

Tell your boss to take her.

My jaw dropped when I read this.

Put it in writing - For reasons relating to childcare it is no longer possible for me to chauffeur Lift scrounger to work therefore I regret that i have to stop doing so from the end of this week.

In writing I would like it noted that Lift Scrounger owe me 3 weeks petrol money amounting to £x. I can no longer afford to subsidise her for the extra petrol.

Regards

Bellabahboo