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AIBU?

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Original poster

TO ask how much petrol money to offer for a 2hour 40 minute journey

113 replies

Heartraker · 09/04/2019 20:55

Non-driver here.

My camping group has someone offering me a lift - I’m planning to volunteer money upfront as I don’t want them to have to ask and feel awkward but not sure how much? ( on a tight budget myself) They’re also camping.

OP posts:
SnowyAlpsandPeaks · 10/04/2019 12:43

£17 wtf?!😂😂😂 well if that’s for half, and you are expecting the journey to be done for £34, carrying a full car of equipment, and people.... < shakes head > looks like you are going to be buying an expensive breakfast somewhere!!!

SnowyAlpsandPeaks · 10/04/2019 12:46

My car used to cost £75 and would do 400 motorway miles if I was lucky. If I filled it for work, and was close to home, so lots of mountains, hills, stopping and starting- not a chance I’d get that much! My ‘petrol’ would say 361 miles at the bottom of a mountain and 288 at the top- it was only actually 3 miles!

BlueSkiesLies · 10/04/2019 12:48

LOL £17 is such a strange amount to offer. A bit out of kilter with social norms Grin Like are you going to want change from a twenty or turn up with coins?! £20 would have been a fair amount to offer.

Usual rule is the passenger is very nice and helpful, and brings a pack of sweets for the trip and offers petrol money. Don't fall asleep. Don't be a pain.

Bluntness100 · 10/04/2019 12:48

Ignore all the post telling you it’s weird

It really is weird, no two ways about it. 🤣

Alsohuman · 10/04/2019 12:50

@Snowy, it would be almost exactly the correct amount in my car which would cost around £35 for the round trip.

GirlcalledJack · 10/04/2019 12:50

£20 fair
£15 fine

£17 very odd HmmConfused
For some reason it just seems a really odd amount and I’d be a bit perplexed tbh. It’s not so much the amount as £15 would’ve been ok (i’d have offered £20 as I think that’s the fair amount) but £17 just seems like you sat at home and worked out the precise amount to the dot factoring in wind pressure, weight, windows up or down, etc etc, that you think the journey should cost.

BlueSkiesLies · 10/04/2019 12:50

If you are being fair you should really go for what the gvt thinks is a fair amount to claim for fuel, wear and tear and depreciation for tax relief - which is 45p per mile.

So 300 miles, that's £135 for the trip or £67.50 for your share of the 'true' costs of driving up there and back.

Most people wouldn't accept that off you though, but it makes your £17 looks shitty.

WaxOnFeckOff · 10/04/2019 12:56

What are you all driving that your petrol costs are so high? taking a conservative estimate of about 40 miles to the gallon, that still works out at about £40 in fuel. On a journey like that I'll get nearer 60 mpg. What car the driver has is really of no concern though. The driver will be going anyway, she'll have more weight in the car due to OP and her kit so the amount offered will more than cover any extra fuel used. However, I'm sure the driver isn't doing it for the cash (as has been illustrated). OP has indicated she is on a tight budget so doesn't have money to burn but is clearly not trying to freeload.

If the situation was such that they had agreed upfront that they both wanted to go and only the other person had access to a car and they agreed to half the costs, then it's a case of making sure that it is divided straight down the middle. In this case though, driver has offered to take OP and OP has offered money towards costs. Driver has said no and that buying breakfast will be fine. I'm sure driver isn't expecting a slap up full breakfast - it's likely to be a caff or mcds for a coffee and a roll.

WaxOnFeckOff · 10/04/2019 13:02

The OP isn't using the persons car for business use!! She has no liability for wear and tear on a journey that the driver is making anyway. I used to drive a couple of extra DC to school and back everyday. It saved their family a lot in running about and bus fares for a really awkward journey - too far to walk/not safe to cycle.

I was going anyway and didn't ask for anything. they figured that I'd have extra weight in my car - every day, not just a one off and therefore offered money for extra costs and also as I was saving them hassle and fares. At no point did we work it out based on business mileage rates!!

HBStowe · 10/04/2019 13:08

do people really calculate wear and tear etc when giving lifts?!

Not surprised your friend turned you down OP, I never accept petrol money unless it’s a 700 mile road trip. But I think you were kind to offer and £17 was generous.

Rockbird · 10/04/2019 13:11

Bloody hell, such angst on this thread. You offered, she refused etc. Job done. The amount you offered was fine. I'm usually the driver in these situations and don't give a moment's concern to these things. I'm far from loaded but if I'm going somewhere anyway who can be bothered to work out the additional weight ratio on the car or whatever. It's nice to offer. You did, that's it.

CallipygianFancier · 10/04/2019 13:14

Catchingbentcoppers

Last time we did this my friend was driving. She filled up with petrol on as we left and then again when we got back. Worked out the difference and halved it.

That's how my friends and I do it. Actual amount of fuel used, split however many ways.

Assuming it's some kind of specific trip out somewhere. For just general driving around we tend to just take it in turns and it all probavly works out about even over time.

MarthasGinYard · 10/04/2019 13:15

'offered £17'

What a strange amount

thisisalongdrive · 10/04/2019 13:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Magenta82 · 10/04/2019 13:28

I find £17 odd as it is a weirdly specific amount, £15 or £20 would have been fine.
I think the best thing to have done would have been to say, "How much would you like for petrol?"
That way it is up to the driver and they can suggest what works for them.

cheeseypizza · 10/04/2019 13:43

£17 makes you sound so tight. Why not just round up to £20?

MaryMcCarthy · 10/04/2019 15:05

£17 is weird, unless that was literally all you had in your pocket.

It just screams of you having put too much thought into it, which will serve to make you look tight even if you're not.

HarrysOwl · 10/04/2019 15:18

Be a good passenger. Take sweets and drinks and share. Put £20 in an envelope and insist on leaving it with them after

This!!

ShirleyPhallus · 10/04/2019 15:19

If you are being fair you should really go for what the gvt thinks is a fair amount to claim for fuel, wear and tear and depreciation for tax relief - which is 45p per mile.

So 300 miles, that's £135 for the trip or £67.50 for your share of the 'true' costs of driving up there and back.

Most people wouldn't accept that off you though, but it makes your £17 looks shitty.

This is so hilariously weird. No one in their right mind would offer that.

PassMeTheWine · 10/04/2019 15:25

Why not £15 or £20?
Dont get the £17 lol 😂

Honeypickle · 10/04/2019 15:25

I pay our nanny 45p a mile in petrol money based on the government website. 146 miles is £65.70, so you should have offered half that.

Or next time, just say, obviously I'll split the petrol money with you - just let me know how much it is! And then buy a few drinks as a thank you.

Otherwise I think you are rather mean.

WaxOnFeckOff · 10/04/2019 15:29

Be a good passenger, fine - leaving £20 and insisting they take it? - Not required. Op has already offered cash and that's been declined. If the person wanted cash they'd have either asked or taken it when offered.

WaxOnFeckOff · 10/04/2019 15:35

I pay our nanny 45p a mile in petrol money based on the government website. 146 miles is £65.70, so you should have offered half that.

Your nanny is your employee and that's perfectly appropriate to the situation.

This is someone offering a friend a lift to somewhere they are already going - completely inappropriate. Do you charge 45p a mile when you run your DM into town, or charge friends 45p a mile when you give them a lift to a restaurant you are both going to? Jeez, I really don't know how some people actually function and have friends etc.

lalafafa · 10/04/2019 16:08

Very mean spirited to offer £17. You wouldn’t be able to go if the weren’t taking you. I would have given £20 and packed lunch or bought breakfast too. They’ll be moaning about you I can guarantee.

Fiveredbricks · 10/04/2019 16:13

You're not just paying for petrol. You're paying for the wear on their car and their insurance. And the fact they're doing all the bloody driving. Cars don't just cost in petrol 🙄

I'd be offering £25 minimum, if it was just the two of us. £30 probably though because they've been kind enough to drive. Don't be so tight OP. £17 is a very weird amount to offer for what is a 4hr journey! (1hr 50 ew is not 2hrs 40 total 😳 fyi)

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