... to refuse to be the designated driver tonight?

[ButIForgetMyself]

My little brother is home from uni for the first time in about 6 months for one night only, and it's his 24th birthday. He wants to go for a curry in a town 4 miles away, with my Mum too. Public transport round here leaves a lot to be desired.

I am 36 weeks pregnant. I am really, really knackered. I've been having twinges for 2 days, and I have backache from hell. It is freezing outside, the roads are icy. I would much rather lie in front of the telly eating chocolate, but I want to see my brother and celebrate his birthday with him.

My Mum just called me to see "what the plan is". Translated: "what time are you picking us up?" I deflected and fobbed off in the short term because nobody quite knows what time they want to go.

Points to note:

• my Mum drives and has a car, which she doesn't like to move out of the street because she won't get it parked outside the house when we get back.
• there is a train, but their station is close to them and mine is quite a walk for me, and I'll be on my own and it's dark.

Can't you go by train then. Drive to your local station and leave the car there so you can just drive home when you get off the train on the way home?

not yanbu

why dont you get them to come to yours and have a takeaway ?

Oh and total empathy for the twinges, sucks nearing the end of pregnancy.

I'd call them back and say 'i'll pick you up at x time but just to let you know i am feeling very rough and will be coming home NO LATER than 9pm, so if you two would rather get the train of course thats fine...'
and they'll either get the train both ways, come with you and get trai home or they'll have to leave with you early!

If I'm going to drive to the station I may as well drive to the meal - by the time I've de-snowed it and driven it through the ice.

Is it too much to ask that somebody else picks ME up for once?!