Money Moral Dilemma: Should I ask my boss to pay up for carpooling?

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  • scd3scd4
    scd3scd4 Posts: 1,180 Forumite
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    CaptainLuke$$ wrote: »
    I was in a similar situation a few years ago - I lived in Leeds but our office was in Bradford. A new person joined the company (I was a junior and she was a senior) and happened to live near me. I was asked if I could give her a lift into work and I obliged, not asking for any money, It only added a few miles to my trip, but after the first couple of weeks, when it became apparent that it was going to be a "free ride" and nothing had been offered, I asked her to contribute to the journey - at the equivalent cost of £2 a day for a return trip (this was less than one train fare that would have only got her part of the way. My petrol bill at the time was around £30-£40 a week, so I felt it was a fair amount. I was told that "I was going that way anyway and so it wasn't costing me anything" - forgetting the obvious costs of purchasing MY car, paying for insurance, maintenance, road tax. In addition, the public transport route would take around 60-90 minutes vs a 30 minute car journey. Yes, the additional cost of taking her was a negligible increase in fuel, but the benefit she received (5-10 hours of commuting saved for less than the cost of public transport) outweighed this cost massively in her favour.

    I stuck to my guns and she backed down. If she had offered me something (e.g a fiver) towards the journey, I would have probably told her not to worry and done it for free. The thing that got me was that it was expected that I would do it for free and because I had a car, apparently I could afford it.


    To be honest I would not let a person do it for free for me and that's for a selfish reason. It you contribute, the person is less likely to one day say they don't want to do it anymore or they don't go that way anymore..........something my old dad you to say regards always treating people for little jobs and help they give you.
  • scd3scd4
    scd3scd4 Posts: 1,180 Forumite
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    coloquil wrote: »
    hi,
    yes you should ask but the reply will probably annoy you i used to drive my line manager from dover to Ramsgate and go about 6 miles out of my way and he thought just because i had the firms van it was my right, baloney mind you he was scotch lol :rotfl:


    What happens about your time??


    Did the company pay for the petrol??




    I would have told him to do one.




    I use to give a lift at my current job but on another plant. Its was only an extra 5-7 minutes and cost little in fuel. But I had a rule as we were in different departments. He was a chemist and I in the refinery with different reliefs. I expected him to be by my car so I did not have to wait. I did not charge him but he would get me a little thank you at xmas.
  • tallgirld
    tallgirld Posts: 484 Forumite
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    The next time they ask just say "Yes I can pick you up but from now on it will cost you for each journey as I'm going out of my way plus petrol and all that" If they are not happy with that stop giving them a lift!
  • Primrose
    Primrose Posts: 10,621 Forumite
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    Quite apart from the financial aspect, there's an issue here about possible abuse of a more senior employee exerting undue influence over a more junior employee during what is officially "out of office" hours. It obviously puts the more junior employee in a very difficult situation if it's something they would rather not have to do, for whatever reason.
  • Ashagill
    Ashagill Posts: 53 Forumite
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    *Ignoring all the moaners.*

    If it is literally on your way I don’t think it would be right to ask for money if it’s what you’d be doing whether they are there or not.
    If it’s quite out of your way, I would probably say next time they asked - “oh I was going to go a different way because I need to pick up some petrol”
    And hope that would be enough to give a hint.

    I’ve been in the same position where you offer a lift once or twice and then people come to expect it or don’t say “thank you”. And that’s where I have a problem. In these cases I gently remind them (like with the petrol line, not directly) that it’s not something to expect.

    My worry with this situation is that if anything goes weird at work, the lifts will be automatically awkward.

    My boss at my first job working in a pharmacy used to give me lifts as she went past a road that lead to my house, meaning I didn’t have to pay for the bus and could walk. It was literally the same road she was driving along.
    But one day I was late to work (once! In 2 years!) and she was furious and took away some overtime and gave me really menial jobs from then on. I felt she over reacted, and knew it would be really uncomfortable in the car outside of the work place so I declined the lifts from then on. (And found a new job quite soon after).
    "The thing about quotes on the internet is that you cannot confirm their validity." ~ Abraham Lincoln
  • JayD
    JayD Posts: 699 Forumite
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    Might it not be better for you to fill up another forum with your discussions about the validity/entertainment value/possible fallacy of Moral Money Dilemmas?


    Some readers are interested in them - regardless of above propositions - and enjoy reading contributions and writing their own. So please




    GIVE IT A REST!!!!!!
  • JayD
    JayD Posts: 699 Forumite
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    To the Dilemma:


    Difficult but maybe you could suggest a pay rise, to cover the increasing cost of petrol, car insurance and car maintenance that his employees face ...
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,557 Forumite
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    Ashagill wrote: »
    If it is literally on your way I don’t think it would be right to ask for money if it’s what you’d be doing whether they are there or not.

    But if the boss wasn't getting a lift, she/he would have to pay out for a car or public transport or a taxi - anyone decent would offer something towards to the ongoing costs.
  • sclare
    sclare Posts: 66 Forumite
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    How often is "often", and how many miles are "a few"
    Rather than ask for money, I'd just stop being available. Maybe your route is changing, maybe you regularly have something to do/someone to visit on the way so can't pick him up.
  • gettingtheresometime
    gettingtheresometime Posts: 6,911 Forumite
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    The problem I see with the MSE MMDs is that there is no context or back story .....or anything really.


    Can I suggest, as I just see them clogging up whatever board the MSE places them on, that a separate board is created just for MMDs and if people want to get into a debate about them then they can.
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