To think full vomit charge was unreasonable?

[Sabrina145]

So my friend vomited in the taxi home from a night out last weekend. She was in the front seat and a very small amount of sick went on the gear stick. The driver stopped quickly and she opened the door and continued getting sick outside. The driver wiped the bit of vomit from the gear stick with a tissue. He charged us the full price of the soiling fee-180 euros. Now I totally think the fee is fair, don’t get me wrong, if someone throws up in the car. But this was only a small bit and he wiped it off so should
it have been maybe half the fee? Anyway, we paid and that’s that. I guess I’m just wondering AIBU to think maybe she should have got a partial charge instead? Or am I totally wrong! I do understand it’s horrible for the driver to have any amount of bodily fluids in their vehicle!

Where do you draw the line? If you only vomit a little bit on the window and it wipes off easily is that ok? If you vomit on the driver’s head but he’s having a shower layer is that fine? And then the driver ends up in an awkward situation because someone is complaining ‘but my friend threw up and you didn’t charge them this expensive fee, why am I being charged?’

It’s easier just to have a blanket policy. If you vomit while you are in the taxi, you pay the fee.

It wasn’t a ‘sick in your mouth’ situation though. It was a ‘sick on the gearstick’ situation. Which (as op has emphasised the driver cleaned quickly. Not the friend. Not op. The driver. He had to, at his work, clean and sanitise a drink person’s vomit. He therefore decided to implement his vomiting fee.

Doggolover2

You’re right! What can I say? I’ve learned a valuable lesson tonight. Maybe need to row back from being nearly sixty.

How very un-Mumsnetty 😁

SO?!?! She threw up in his car, which he then has to use to work and other people have to get in it. The fact he had to clean a single speck of sick of any of it means you get charged. I imagine it’s a flat fee. You and your friend should have been begging forgiveness not thinking he’s shafted you. Christ.

He didn't "clean on the spot". He cleaned off what he could so he could continue driving because the gear stick is kind of necessary.

You have no idea where the vomit landed or what crevices it dribbled into.

I also don't consider "Karens on MN" a rational response, either.

If you or your friend had wiped it up, I'd have some sympathy for you.

But no, he had to deal with the unpleasantness of it, he earned the £180.

Maybe see it like a speeding ticket, a dis incentive for a behaviour that could have had a much worse outcome.

I agree. Why didn't you wipe or off OP if you don't think it's such a big deal.

A) Cop yourself on.

B) She had control over the toxin that her body didn’t like, you don’t put that much in to start with. Used to really be able to drink, never ever vommed in a taxi.

For the love of all that is good and holy STOP, just STOP, you are embarrassing yourself.

Your friend may think twice about getting so drunk the next time.

Small bit in one area??? Really? Of vomit? That the person has no control over?

How old is she? She needs to stop drinking before she gets to this point.

Personally for me if someone did a little or a large vomit in my workspace, it would still make me feel ill to have to use it.

If I were that taxi driver I'd be forever looking at my gearstick and remembering!

The poor guy has to spend his life in that car.

No one should drink so much they're throwing up.

Hmmm I’m on the fence nasty for the driver but that does seem steep.
I paid £120 last autumn my DD was sick all over the back seat (no alcohol she’s too young for that yet! But it was allergic reaction to some food) he did waive the taxi fee though.
I will always be grateful to the taxi driver who took me home walked me up my drive made sure I was safe never charged me anything and I was sick all over his car but that was the 90s when people I think were kinder

See if I were you I'd insist on paying for the car to be cleaned (that's what I've done in the past). Yes, he was kind but tbh you took advantage of his kindness, shame on you.

Your friend is disgusting. That poor driver.

It's vomit. That's the vomit charge. Vomit needs special detailed cleaning because vomit stinks. That's his livelihood impacted.

You can't just get a small vomit charge, based on your (drunk) assessment of the amount of vomit and where it may or may not have landed.

There is nothing amazing about her if she behaves like this.

Exactly!!!!

@Sabrina145 you sound ridiculous. “Oh it was just a little bit and he wiped it off”
WTF?

It’s not his job to wipe off people’s bodily fluids - he is a driver! He has to use the car after dropping idiots like your friend off. He doesn’t know her from anywhere - it’s disgusting enough to clear up vomit of my own family let alone a random stranger.

You sound so entitled. Have some respect for the man and his job and his property.

I think you got off lightly! In some areas the fee will be much higher. The taxi will have to be taken off the road and all cleaned and sanitised and won’t be able to be used until the smell has gone. Also you say your friend vomited into the road - there’s the possibility that some went on the door which means the door panel coming off in case it went inside the door liner. Yes it can happen to anyone, not necessarily drink related, but give the guy a break - what a horrible thing for him to deal with.

Might teach her text time

As far as I’m concerned if anyone vomits in a car,even a little bit,the car is then a write off. That smell is never going to leave and it’s just vile

When it comes to vomit, it isn’t a spectrum.

Either vomit was present, or it wasn’t.

In this case, it was. So - you get a fine.

There is zero reason or incentive for taxi drivers to have a range of fines, depending on the amount or placement of vomit. Why on earth would they do that?

If vomit is present, you get fined. End of.

The fee is the fee. Same as you'd pay the same for your meal in a restaurant whether you ate 2 bites or the whole thing.

I'm trying to picture how somebody vomiting in a car can hit the gearstick to their side and nowhere else!

I don't know how you have the bare-faced nerve to quibble about the price of your friend chucking up in that poor driver's car. Do you realise how unpleasant it must have been for him. Urghhh.

The comments on this threat are rather extreme.

The car is a write off ?
She can't be an amazing person ?
Your friend is a disgusting person ?

None of those things are true.
I don't advocate throwing up in taxis. But the judgemental superiority complexes on this thread are beyond off-putting.

Can't believe you're asking the question.......I'd have charged way more.......YABU