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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think taxi should be split 3 ways?

168 replies

MyNewBearTotoro · 04/01/2016 14:45

I volunteer for a charity. Once a week myself and two other volunteers need to get a taxi together as part of our work for the charity. None of us receive any expenses from the charity so the taxis are paid from our household finances.

The other two volunteers are married and share all of their funds. The first time we got a taxi they paid the driver and I then gave them a third of the fare to cover my share. The last two times I have paid and they have given me 50% of the fare to cover their share.

AIBU to think if 3 people get a taxi then each person pays a third (and so they should be giving me two thirds of the fare when I pay) or are they right in thinking as a married unit with shared finances they count as one?

We will be getting a taxi together next week so it would be good to know what others think is fair before then. Thanks!

OP posts:
Original poster
MyNewBearTotoro · 04/01/2016 15:15

Unfortunately the charity is not in a position to pay expenses to us. It's by choice that we volunteer and none of us mind spending a little of our own cash on travel to enable us to do so. What I do mind however is my cash being spent to fund another couple's travel and I'm glad to see most don't think I'm being unreasonable.

Anyway, next week I'll say I'm either paying 1/3 or getting the bus. Hopefully they will see I'm being reasonable!

OP posts:
Penfold007 · 04/01/2016 15:17

If your taxi journey is part of your volunteering role why are any of you paying for it? No charity should expect volunteers to be out of pocket because of their 'duties'.

Penfold007 · 04/01/2016 15:19

Sorry x-post. They either pay 2/3 rds or make their own way.

TendonQueen · 04/01/2016 15:23

You've worked it out now - you actually have the power here because without you, they will end up paying the whole fare themselves. All I'd say is: tell them in advance and ask what they want to do before the day, to avoid any 'we only have this much cash on us' shenanigans.

SheHasAWildHeart · 04/01/2016 15:24

Let them get into the taxi first and pay, and then you just give them your third?

Optimist1 · 04/01/2016 15:38

I can sort of see it from their POV, though - if they got a cab without you it would make no difference to the price whether only one of them travelled or both of them, would it? I agree with PP who suggested you say you've realised that when you're paying 50% it's actually more pricey than going by bus and see what they suggest.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 04/01/2016 15:43

Unfortunately the charity is not in a position to pay expenses to us

Obviously you know them best, but are you absolutely sure about this - or do they simply see no reason to pay while someone else will?

I've raised a great deal for charity, but have always seen my actual time as the donation; being prepared to pay expenses as well is extremely generous of you, but isn't there a possibility of this being abused?

SoupDragon · 04/01/2016 15:47

I was going to say that I could see both sides. However, that was when I assumed they were being picked up at one stop and you at another. As you are all being picked up from the office, there is no doubt it should be split 3 ways.

fascicle · 04/01/2016 15:57

If you've paid 50% instead of 33.3% for the last two journeys, you'll be quits if they pay for the next journey entirely (assuming you're charged the same amount each time).

Clearly it's not an equitable arrangement, but out of interest, have they verbalised their rationale for only paying half for two people, or is just an assumed thing about their shared finances?

Moob · 04/01/2016 16:03

While I can see your point I think you are wrong.

If you had to get a taxi without them it would cost you full fare.

If you got the taxi without them it would cost them full fare so you split it 50/50

Me, and my daughter shared a taxi with the people from next door to an event recently, there were five of them. We split 50/50 as that was the benefit to each group of sharing

AyeAmarok · 04/01/2016 16:13

I think I disagree!

If you weren't there then the fare would be X, regardless of how many people were going to the one address.

It's different to restaurants or variants rounds, we're unless the couple are sharing a drink or meal, then or should be per head.

It's not the same as a bus, which is also per head. Taxis are charged on distance, not per head.

GarlicCake · 04/01/2016 16:18

You've misread OP's posts, Moob and Aye. All three are doing exactly the same journey and there is alternative transport (bus).

I'd get the bus if I were you. They'll have to pay for both their bums if they go with you!

I cannot understand people seeing couples as one person. It's weird.

Original poster
MyNewBearTotoro · 04/01/2016 16:18

It's a small charity with limited funding. Almost nobody in the charity is being paid a salary or expenses aside from a handful of local staff (we are not in uk). All volunteers cover expenses and often cover other costs for the charity too so I don't think having the charity pay is an option and nor do I want it to be.

Nothing has been verbalised with regards to paying, it's just happened that at the end of the journey the person in the front (once the husband, twice me) has paid the driver the whole amount. The others have handed over cash to the payer without discussion as it goes without saying one person isn't paying the whole lot, it's just it seems we have different ideas of how much each party owes.

OP posts:
OnlyLovers · 04/01/2016 16:20

I think YABU. Their finances are not relevant, no, but as they're going to the same address they count as one 'fare'.

WoodHeaven · 04/01/2016 16:24

But the other half wasn't in the taxi were they???? So how on earth should they count in the split for you 3 to take a taxi??

The thing with rounds when at the pub isn't relevant either as both partners are there. No one in their own mind would ask a single person to pay for twice the rounds compare to one who is married.....

Leelu6 · 04/01/2016 16:27

YANBU. They are being massively unreasonable.

If they refuse to pay you 2 thirds next time, I would just take the bus.

Leelu6 · 04/01/2016 16:28

Woodheaven - the couple are BOTH in the taxi.

WoodHeaven · 04/01/2016 16:28

Sorry misunderstood. I see that they are the couple.

As they have accepted your 1/3 wo saying anything the first time round, then I think it's more than normal that you would expect them to pay 2/3 the next time.
As they seem to think they count for one person as they are a couple, I would take the bus and let them pay 1/2 of the fare each.....

Moob · 04/01/2016 16:29

"You've misread OP's posts, Moob and Aye. All three are doing exactly the same journey and there is alternative transport (bus)."

No I haven't. Doesn't matter where they are going or starting from or what other transport is available.

If the three of them weren't sharing it would cost the couple twice as much to get their own taxi, and it would cost OP twice as much. Therefore you split 50/50. Each travelling group pays their share.

Food, drink etc is obviously different

WoodHeaven · 04/01/2016 16:29

leelu xpost. Saw my mistake....

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 04/01/2016 16:32

This is tricky and I can it Moob's way (which seems to be the couples) as well as yours. Taxi's do charge per journey although there is usually an extra for each passenger so it isn't a simple calculation.

GarlicCake · 04/01/2016 16:32

So ... If you're driving somewhere and take a friend who's going to your destination, the friend shouldn't pay you anything, right? Because it would've cost you the same to go alone.

FlibbertigibbetArmadillo · 04/01/2016 16:33

I think if it's multiple stops you pay per stop but if you are all going to the same place it should be a third each

WoodHeaven · 04/01/2016 16:34

Moob but in most cases, when you are talking about transport, you are talking about a price per head, for very good reasons too.

The taxi isn't something that is paid by head but by distance. However, this is the group constituted by the 3 people present that is paying that fare, therefore the only way to divide the cost for the group, within the group, is the divide it by the number of people in the group ie 3.
The fact there is a subgroup (the couple) in the middle is irrelevant. The important group is the one made of the 3 individuals.
Otherwise, you also should take into account the fact that subgroup is bigger and therefore will cost more money to transport (twice the weight, teice the space etc...) etc and you come back to the fact that a 50/50 split isn't right.

MaidOfStars · 04/01/2016 16:34

If the three of them weren't sharing it would cost the couple twice as much to get their own taxi, and it would cost OP twice as much. Therefore you split 50/50. Each travelling group pays their share

In a single journey, where all three "heads" are doing the same journey, why would you group two of them together to count as a single unit for payment purposes?

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