Lift to airport

[Teddybear120]

Hello
My sister has asked if I can drive her to the airport next week. We live about 2 hours from the airport and she needs to be there in the early evening so will involve driving back on the M25 in rush hour. Normally I would have no problem doing this but I’m hesitant this time. I am 37 weeks pregnant with our second child. My first child was born at 37 weeks after I had an accident so I am a bit wary going to far from home atm. My husband could try to get the afternoon off and take her but if I did go into labour he could potentially be 3 hours away from being back and my first labour was very quick. He may not be able to get it off short notice either (boss is aware of potentially needing to leave if I go into labour and that is ok) Other family members cannot take her. She could get the train but issues would mean two changes including a bus. It is predicted to take her 3 hours. She works abroad so has been back visiting us, plus one of our grandparents who has been very ill. She has been great helping me out with my son so I can rest after a stressful few weeks for various reasons. I don’t know if I am being over cautious and feel like I’m letting her down on the small chance I go into labour but I just don’t think I can do it.

This is what taxis are for. It’s way too much of an ask.

No, she can get a train

Cheeky to even ask

Could you contribute to a taxi for her

Er, WHY???

I would offer to pay for a taxi for her.

Because she’s visiting from abroad and sounds as if she’s helped the OP out substantially while she was here to see a sick grandmother?

Cf, she can get the train, its only one hour longer

Uber.

@HuevoRanchero

She has been great helping me out with my son

She's helped out. So she has seen op struggling in late pregnancy yet wants her to do that journey???

Pay half for an Uber or taxi for her if you feel guilty.

Taxi

I am a "sister who lives abroad" and I wouldn't dream of relying on anyone to get me to or from the airport: especially as for me it also involves using the M25:

I always factor in public transport when looking at flight times (for instance I can't land at Stansted after 5 pm as the risk of getting stranded is too great). It's not as if OP's sister isn't used to travelling........

In the present case it is wholy unreasonable to expect a woman who might go in to labour at any minute to attempt what can be a very stressful journey at the best of times.

She’s asked. The OP can of course say no. Hence my suggestion that she contribute to a taxi, if her sister has been helping her in big ways.

YANBU - “Really sorry but I won’t be able to give you a lift to the airport” no explanation needed. (if she does cheekily ask why, you can tell her honestly that a 4 hours+ round trip in the car is too much for you at 37 weeks pregnant and the thought is making you really anxious.)
She could take a taxi or get public transport and she’s being unreasonable to ask.

It’s a big ask, can’t she get a taxi?

So 3 hours for her, but 4 for you? And that's of traffic is ok

She can get the train, maybe if you're feeling generous you could take her part way to avoid some of the changes if possible

She needs to get the train

I'd explain to her that normally you would be very to help but as you are so close to your due date (keep in mind 37 weeks counts as full term) you don't feel comfortable being that far from home. But also as PP have suggested, are there some compromises, eg can you drive her to a train station where she won't have to do so many connections, or she goes part way by train but then gets an Uber?

If she's been there to help and support you and she has done you a massive favour, I'd pay for her cab. However if I was your sister I'd never let you pay for the cab although the offer would be a nice gesture. Driving her, no way.

Wow never in a million years would I ask this of someone 37 weeks pregnant!!

Me either!!!

She's been there and seen her pregnant sister struggling! So why then go on to ask this, it's beyond me!

Why? just why?

I would decline. There are buses, trains and taxis. It's incredibly rude of her to even ask you to do a 4h round trip. I'd tell her to do one.

And this kind of automatic outrage and aggression is why so many Mners have no friends, are NC with family, and convert the school run into some gauntlet of ‘cliques’ and ‘exclusions’. There’s really no need. There is a lot of middle ground between the OP telling her sister to ‘do one’ and doing a four hour round trip (which I don’t think anyone on here thinks is a good idea). @SummerInSun ’s post suggests several alternatives which won’t overtax the OP and will make her sister’s trip easier.

Why can't she get public transport and/or a taxi? If she can afford a foreign holiday, then she can afford the associated costs. I would never ask someone for a lift, whether they were pregnant or not.

Could you drive her part of the way so she could get to somewhere that means she can just use one train?