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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Pls give me yoour thoughts re sharing car to work and petrol money.

68 replies

jellyjelly · 10/09/2009 18:01

I give a lift to a girl that I work with every day there and back. I used to charge her £15 per week which is a good deal as its about half for petrol and she would be paying about £23 at the time for train and would have to leave about 50 mins earlier and it would take her longer.

I then charged her £20 which was fairer as petrol went up and I was using more to get to work.

Obviously petrol has gone up since she is still saving money and getting a lift.

I have started to give a lift to another girl and she is happy to pay the same as she is still saving money for her its about £17 a week. The first girl makes us late everyday and we are waiting for her.

The petrol is being split about 3 ways, I have been paying a little less but I pay for increased car insurance and tyres and other car stuff. I know its my choice to drive but I really dont have to take them at all. I make a bit of cash but not alot and they save money. She also makes me late most days to pick up my son. I could get out of work most days by about 30 minutes.

Anyway the first girl has gone behind my back to the other and asked what she was paying which is fair enough but was underhand about it and wants it split further down.

The second girl understands and it totally cool about the costs. (She might stay at work long term and the first one definately is staying)

I dont think even if her husbnad took her to work (he is not working at the moment) that she could do it cheaper.

I dont want to lose the money but I cant really adjust it further or at all.

What do you think? AIBU or not?

OP posts:

mazzystartled · 10/09/2009 19:03

Why not just go and have a calm chat and a cup of coffee and work out what to do about leaving times.

You are offering her a deal that saves her time and money and inconveniences you a little, but not a lot. She can take it or leave it.

HerBeatitude · 10/09/2009 19:04

OP if you have an accident, you'd better hope your colleagues don't tell the insurance company about your arrangement - because unless you have told them that you are charging them more than you are paying (which is the case here), then you have invalidated your insurance.

Most insurance companies will accept car sharing arrangements on the basis that the driver is not making a profit. You are. The wear and tear on the car is not taken into account. If you tell them how much you are charging your colleagues, just see by how much they will want to whack up your premium.

LoveBeingAMummy · 10/09/2009 19:05

I think what she is or isnt saving by getting a lift with you is irrelevent she should be paying a share of what it costs.

Maybe she would be happier to pay the extra if she got door to door service

HerBeatitude · 10/09/2009 19:13

Podrick if she did that she would be changing her status to that of a professional driver and her insurance costs would soar.

Podrick · 10/09/2009 19:32

Ladystealthpolarbear posted on wrong thread somehow

twopeople · 10/09/2009 19:55

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twopeople · 10/09/2009 19:57

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TabithaTwitchet · 10/09/2009 20:01

I agree re the insurance - you are only allowed to recoup "expenses" ie the petrol money for those journeys, and NOT the car tax and other costs of actually running the car. Otherwise you are just an unlicenced taxi cab.

HerBeatitude · 10/09/2009 20:45

"Liftshare suggests that passengers pay the driver 10p per mile each. Alternatively drivers and passengers can split the cost of petrol. Please note that drivers should not make a profit from car-sharing as this can invalidate their insurance. As a basic figure we advise that drivers receive no more than 40p per mile from passengers... The Association of British Insurers clearly states that car-sharing won't affect the insurance of their members so long as a profit isn't made"

That's from this site here

oldraver · 10/09/2009 21:41

HERBEAUTITUDE .. she isnt making a profit, just not paying the same towards petrol costs. Making a profit would be charging more than it cost her in fuel

Jelly.. Just drop the contirbution down to £17 and tell them its been ajdusted due to the third person but also takes into account petrol increase. Also make a policy of no lateness

HerBeatitude · 10/09/2009 22:00

oh yes sorry my maths is crap

Thought that site would be useful though. Good guidelines.

BexJ78 · 10/09/2009 22:02

I share with 4 others i work with and we take it turns to drive with one of the car sharers each driving one day in a week. We have had non-drivers as part of the car share, but they have paid to be involved. the price they pay is significantly less that the train fare would be. our view is that you either take it or leave it! but although we all work at the same organisation, we only know each other because of the car sharing...plus we all adhere to the car-sharing general etiquette of not being late, not playing thrash metal in the car, not smoking etc etc... works fine for us, but if anyone is going to be more than 5 mins late they let the others know...that is just being polite IMO.

HerBeatitude · 10/09/2009 22:05

LOL I guess you have to have a deodorant policy as well...

HerBeatitude · 10/09/2009 22:06

Have always wondered this - who decides (and how) if it is Terry Wogan or John Humphries or some ghastly shouty local DJ or just plain silence?

BexJ78 · 10/09/2009 22:12

yes, but of course, we don't want any stinkies in our car! we are lucky in that we are all about the same age and like the same stuff pretty much, so listen to radio one going to work and radio two coming home... we have got it all sussed. in fact we are sort of professional car sharers, some of our group are on the liftshare.com website, and some have been on BBC breakfast news and on a sunday morning programme! ha ha ha!!

Hando · 10/09/2009 22:24

I cannot believe that these two women who you are kindly giving a lift in your car are quibbling about a pound or two a week and telling you (the driver) when and where to pick you up.

You are doing them a favour. I know they pay towards your petrol, but like you said without you they'd pay loads more on the train and have to leave 50 MINS! earlier each monring. That's quite a long train journey.

I think they should split the petrol costs in return for you driving them there and back and for the use of your car.

If they were arguing over a pound or so I'd tell them to piss off and get the bloody train!

cat64 · 10/09/2009 22:56

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hatesponge · 10/09/2009 23:10

I think YABU - clearly you like their money, but expect not only for them to pay you for the dubious privilege of being a passenger in your car, & fund the cost of any non-work driving you do in the course of the week, but that a) they're not allowed to be any more than a couple of minutes late before incurring your wrath & b) you don't even give them a lift to their own homes.

Frankly it doesnt REALLY sound like you're doing anyone a favour but yourself. I actually hope they both decide either to car share between them and cut you out, or find another colleague to share with.

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