Would you expect an offer of petrol money in this instance?

[Weeksywins]

If driving with two friends on a 80 mile round social trip, would you expect them to offer petrol money?

No.

45 min ish drive to do something and then 45min ish back? Nope.

Sometimes I drive, sometimes they do.

Now if we were driving from London to Scotland for our holiday, then sure, that's different. But even then it would be "I'll get the grocery delivery/dinner whatever [insert stuff of roughly same cost] when we get there coz you drove"

Yes, I offered petrol money someone recently when she drove us both fifteen miles and back (thirty in total) for a one-off trip. It’s not just the petrol cost (and wear and tear) , but a gesture of thanks for the driving.

No I’d pay for parking though or some thing but yeah with friends it always evens out. With acquaintances and if it was just a convenience and doing a favour I would pay cash.

i think it depends on your relationship with the friends,is one where these things are reciprocated and turns taken ?
I have friends where offerring a contribution to fuel cost would be fine as im the one who drives and they never do and friends where we take it in turns and dont reimburse as its fair.

It depends really - if we were travelling together to save costs or they weren't close friends maybe but if it was my bestie and I was going anyway then no, but my friends will generally buy my soft drinks, pay for dinner or return the favour next time.

Depends.
Do you generally take turns to drive ? - No
Do one person always drive? - Yes

Did passenger pay for parking / buy lunch ? - No
Otherwise - Maybe

Were they already going anyway, regardless of if friend(s) jump in or not ? - depends a bit.

How long is the friendship? Does passenger friend contribute to the friendship in different ways ?

Are any of the friends temporarily going through a time when they are skint, or a time when one is feeling quite flush ?

Most people? Where are you getting that from, in all my many years of being a driver I can't remember ever being offered petrol money and I've given lifts to lots of people

Maybe they are all outliers but that doesnt seem likely

Yes, or bought lunch etc.

Not true. Accepting a contribution towards petrol costs when giving someone a lift is not classed as hire or reward

Yes.

Christ the bloody palaver over all this: option X, y, z, etc.

Just give the driver a tenner or buy her lunch, it's not complicated

Sharing the costs to cover a long journey is absolutely nothing like carrying passengers for hire or reward. Unless you deliberately charge them considerably more than it will have cost you for fuel and maybe a small contribution towards the maintenance of the car.

A taxi driver doesn't actually want to go where you are going; you are the sole reason why they are driving there - hence they charge you far more than the actual costs of the journey, to include a decent element of profit for them, and thus they will have appropriate insurance for carrying passengers for gain.

No, but that’s not a big distance to me

No

No, but in my friend group they'd insist on paying for lunch, coffee, etc. instead.

what's weird?

That I don't keep a spreadsheet over who does what? That would be weird, expecting payment for anything and everything.

Most people would offer if it is this particular group's custom and practice to share petrol costs . it's obviously not your custom and practice.
I used to offer petrol money for 10 mile return journey when I was offered lifts when I didn't have my own car and couldnt reciprocate. It was always accepted.

I’d probably offer but I wouldn’t really expect it if it was a friend and it either wasn’t a frequent thing or helping each other out was reciprocal. That said, if I needed the money that would be different and I would ask, or expect anyone who knew my circumstances to offer.

ETA: A colleague used to give me a lift to work multiple times a weeks. I do have a car, but he just really enjoyed driving. I did give him petrol money, an agreed amount based on mileage, because that was only fair and reasonable.

Exactly this.

I’d ask them directly for a contribution of £x each before I’d agree to drive them that far, as petrol isn’t cheap and I’m on a pension.

https://www.cheapcarinsurance.co.uk/petrol-money-lift-legality-why-that-lift-could-invalidate-your-car-insurance/

It wouldn't occur to me nowadays, but when I was a cash strapped teen/20 something, definitely.

That's a click-baity article which confirms what common sense already tells you. It's clearly talking about people who deliberately set up a money-making side-hustle as a non-registered taxi driver, to take advantage of friends and acquaintances; nothing whatsoever to do with friends or family all going somewhere together and each paying a fair contribution towards the fuel rather than the driver/car owner having to stump up the lot on their own.

Yes, but I probably wouldn’t accept if offered.

For 40 miles each way? No it wouldn't occur to me to expect anything. A longer drive, a couple of hours or more, or a regular weekly or fortnightly trip, I'd think it decent to offer something.