Non-driving friend

[rainydays3]

A close friend of mine doesn't drive and probably won't ever bother learning (her words).
We have been friends a long time and I love her to bits , but I do sometimes feel like she treats me like a free taxi service. It's almost as if petrol is free...

We do a lot of stuff together, normally go for days out, trips away and she's never once offered a contribution towards fuel. It can get quite expensive when we go away as normally I will pay for my accommodation, food, activities plus travel costs on top which can be an extra £40-£60. It does get on my nerves at times, as if we were to get the train then she'd have to pay for her ticket but never thinks to offer towards petrol costs, like somehow it's different?

My sister has a similar set up with her non-driving friend but her friend does offer money towards fuel and will sometimes pay for drinks or their meal out to kind of balance it out I guess. My friend has never done this (well, maybe paid for the odd drink but nothing that equates to what I've paid in fuel). She does expect a lot of lifts as well - for example last night around 12:30, she called me asking if I could pick her up from the train station as her connecting train had been cancelled. Apparently there were no taxis available (not sure if that's true as we live in a quiet area and it was a weeknight). I just don't think she wanted to pay for a taxi as probably would have been around £20-£30.

I did pick her up in the end as I didn't want to leave her stranded, but again no offer towards fuel. Just a thanks. I didn't get home until after 1am and I'm knackered this morning. That's probably why it's annoyed me more than usual.
I do love her and enjoy spending time with her, but I think because she doesn't drive she forgets it's not free to run a car.

AIBU?

Sorry, I forgot to add, when you have the conversation with her don't ask like "please could you pay" or "would you be able to pay?". It needs to be framed as "this is how we are proceeding from here on", with the option of her either paying her share or you aren't driving. Asking if she can pay opens the opportunity for "I can't afford it, I can't pay..." etc, it's better not to give her the option of whether or not she can or wants to, and rather state that this is how it'll be going forward and it's up to her if she still wants you to drive her places or not.

She is self absorbed and must know Petrol is expensive plus tax and insurance even if she doesn't drive
I think you need to ask to split the costs on your next outing directly
It might feel awkward, but she is taking the absolute Piss asking for a lift at 1am What " friend" would think that's ok?
For the record I don't drive but expect to contribute just as if I'd pay for a taxi( I get enhanced PIP)
I also pay for my DC petrol to visit as I live 8 miles away

This

Just tell her before you agree to go somewhere, petrol for that journey there and back is x, do you want to pay me half? See what she says. The lift thing at night, I'd ignore it. She could have gotten a taxi.

No, don't say "do you want to pay me half"!
Say "you will have to pay half the petrol costs from now on"

I find it much more unreasonable to start a whole thread instead of asking for petrol money. "Hey, cost of living crisis has increased costs here too, is it okay if from now on we split the petrol money?"

YANBU, your friend is taking advantage of you!

And yet, and yet, you keep on providing lifts and not asking for any contribution.

Goodness, whatever could you do to change this?

Nope, can't think of anything xx