To not want to pay above a full tank of petrol for a lift to the airport?

[alexandrasm]

I fly from my “local” (2 hours away!) airport at the end of summer. My flight is in the early evening and I have an appointment in the morning.

My brother offered to give me a lift, it won’t affect his work as he’s on 0 hours and can just request a late start/no hours on that day (he usually doesn’t work on a Friday anyway).

I said yes please, and said I’d be happy to cover a tank of fuel as it would probably use about that to get there and back, and have some left over. (So I’m thinking about £40, he has a hybrid so it doesn’t use a ton of fuel).

He’s now said £40 plus £75 on top for “his time”

AIBU to think sod it, I’d rather just pay a taxi (about £100 according to local Facebook groups) because he’s being a CF?!

Nope, but a simple google search will tell me … and yes, I would have a general idea.

Seems like it in your world 🤣

"As I say I’ve always made my own way."

I always try to make my own way, but when a rail strike was announced after I'd booked my flight home once, it was either a lift or cancel the whole trip! I'm lucky a family member was able to come. Cost of taxi would have been more than my flight and I would have just had to cancel.

I think it's outrageous to charge for his time. He's your brother!

Why is it weird? Doing nice things for friends and family doesn’t have an age limit.

I'm not saying you're wrong in general, but I disagree with your understanding of the word 'offer.

"I asked, he said yes - ergo he offered."

That's accepting/agreeing, not offering. Offering is spontaneous i.e. he would offer without being asked.

I hate the phrase ‘Don’t ask, don’t get’. It’s so fucking grabby.

If you ask your neighbour can I borrow a tenner, they will probably feel obliged to say yes, because it’s so bloody awkward to say no, but they really won’t want to.

I just hate asking for favours - I’ll sort myself out thanks.

I mean, I can sort myself out but my friends like to support me if they can. And vice versa.

Accepting help isn’t a character flaw or a sign of weakness.

But it’s the truth, isn’t it? Nobody is obliged to say yes.

What? You think the middle of the afternoon is stupid o’clock?

I’m so used to this myself. Maybe I’m too self-reliant. Maybe sometimes it is actually OK to ask for help as long as you’re very self-aware and considerate to the other person. There’s a balance. But as far as a long run to the airport, I wouldn’t like that unless really necessary, but that’s me.

We live up north, our closest airport is manchester and about 2hr and 30 mins away. Costs £150 one way. Did you call and check how much the taxi would charge you for that particular day/timings etc. You brother might still be cheaper and I assume more reliable. I can’t imagine charging my sibling but I guess he needs the money.

So about 5 hours in total - £15 per hour? Doesn't seem unreasonable. Get an actual quote for the taxi and offer him that. Or take the taxi.

I don't know about that. There have been times when we've all struggled and managed to do something alone and then being told by someone later that it would have been really easy for them to help us.
Might not be totally the case here as it's a 4-hour drive, but there's nothing wrong with the expression in general.

have you looked at trains from where you are to Cambridge? Seems a lot of hassle to get lift to airport, the whole airport process, waiting about, then having to find a way from London to Cambridge at the other end, with possibly an overnight stay? Might be 3-4 train changes but a much easier journey possibly depending on where you are? And if you include th wait at airport/security etc are you really saving time?

Even the mileage alone at £0.45 per mile (the allowance HMRC allows for the first 10,000 miles) would be £83.70, and that's not allowing anything for the fact that he's using 4 hours of his time.

But it’s not a business transaction

Thankfully I’ve been moved onto an early flight home, so Stansted isn’t so much of a worry anymore. I’ll have all day to get home

I agree I think your brother is out of order. It’s nice to be nice! Isn’t the world a better place for people being kind and generous and yet we have people on here thinking your brother should charge you the actual cost of fuel, time, wear and tear and depreciation. Jeez.
I will say this is exactly the kind of thing my brother would do.
I on the other hand am the polar opposite and did drive to pick up my cousin to take her to my parents on Thursday. I left at 1.30pm and got home at 7pm. I would never have dreamed of accepting any money or asking for it.
i shall be doing the same in a few weeks when she leaves.
if your brother was on a low income or struggling then I’d see the point but you’ve said that’s not the case so I thinks he’s very unreasonable.

😂😂😂😂😂😂

imagine claiming mileage from your sibling hahahaha

But he's using 4 hours of his time, don't you know!

There are plenty of people on here saying they would happily give 24 hours of their time to help their sibling, and the trolls haven't given them a hard time for daring to take and receive favours from family. They have it in for you in a weirdly personal way. Ignore them and bon voyage!

You know it isn't.

Some sad comments here thinking it’s normal to charge family for a lift. I can understand covering the fuel but it’s crazy thinking it should be anything more. Sad sign of the times, people want a village but don’t want to be a villager themselves. Sorry OP, take a taxi.

I cant believe peoples responses ok this thread! I give lifts to both mh brothers and their respective gf's and the other way around whenever anyone in my family travels. In fact, I think maybe twice have we had to book a taxi as no-one was around or they were all away. That also includes my mum and dad. Fuel is paid for and if we stop for food and drink etc.. its just what family's do

Think this went over your head!