What is a fair price to pay ?

Efour said:
I thought there would be more replies like this but it seems you are very much in the minority.
Everyone sees it more as a business transaction.
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But it's not a one off favour where you are giving up a few hours in a single day to help a friend out. Your friend it giving up his personal time and freedom daily, this is what you're compensating him for, not just the fuel and car.

You say it's a 2 min detour to drop you off. Is that 2 mins each way or in total? Are you always waiting outside work ready to be picked up or does he have to wait some days?

Does he take he detour to you home and Mr Z's?

For the 7 years I gave lifts I only received a payment around 10 times. When I asked for people to contribute they decided the bus/train was cheaper until it started to rain then would ask for a one-time ride which again turned in to another free week.

These weren't my friends so there was no other way me having the favour returned outside work
 
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Efour said:
I thought there would be more replies like this but it seems you are very much in the minority.
Everyone sees it more as a business transaction.
Click to expand...
Probably because the tone of the OP's initial post is all about calculating a "fair" amount of money, with an apparent inference of what the minimum fair amount is.

I don't commute regularly and haven't for a very, very long time. So I have to try to inagine myself in that position. If I were the person getting the lift, I'd be quite happy paying the full cost of the bus fare, because without my friend putting himself out, it would cost me that anyway, so the favour is in me not having to get the bus not in it saving me a few pounds.

If I were the driver, while an occassional arrangement is fine, the whole of bus fare is way short of what it would take to get me to lock myself into a commitment to do this every day because, as others have said, it means sacrificing the freedom to decide to do something else at short notice, like work late, go out for a meal with colleagues or even go home early. Besides, my travel time is valuable to me, either for work if I'm not driving, or for the peace and quiet to think through the day's challenges in the morning, or decompress on the way home. I don't want anyone in the car with me on a regukar basis.

But it seems to me the "fair" thing is to either accept whatever the driver wants, or get the bus.
 
Orionaut said:
It is costing you the commitment. You are no longer a free agent free to plan your day differently on a whim.

This is hard to put a value on except as to put a value to the other parties on what it might cost them if you choose not to turn up, which is actually quite a lot.

On another note,

I have a sneaky feeling that whatever the driver receives, he should be careful not to make a "Profit" from the exercise since it might invalidate his insurance. (I am sure that Hire or reward restrictions allow for small contributions to cover just this sort of situation but I would expect making a profit to be a different thing all together)
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But by charging for it, surely you are creating the commitment far more?

If it's a favour, then I'd say it's much easier to just say 'Sorry, have plans/need to do 'x', so am doing that. You'll need to make your own way'. When the other person is chipping in, then i'd say the expectation is created more.

Yes it's a favour deserving of a drink or so when you're out or even a meal, but given that it's not particularly out of the way, I would treat it as a favour being done for a friend.
 
shadow_boxer said:
Personally if it was my car I wouldn't give anyone a lift, can't stand waiting around for others to finish.
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This. The faff and waiting is the true cost (if the driver values his time).

If i was only getting a tenner a week for it I'd prefer the flexibility to do what i like. For a similar reason I wouldn't do my works carshare scheme.
 
Mr. X is no friend of Mr. Y and Mr. Z. You don't charge friends unless the favour has considerable costs(a 2 min detour is not much of a cost).

Therefore, the fair price is the price all parties agree on(good old capitalism :)).
 
SexyGreyFox said:
In the 27 years I worked at a factory I had a round 6 mates who gave me a lift over those years and I made sure they always got my bus fare money. I can't believe this question is being asked but then again it's the age of selfishness where people want something for nothing.
If the bus costs £40 a week I'd pay it all for the comfort and somebody picking me up.
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I see it the other way. The age of selfishness where someone can't do something for a friend without expecting compensation.

It's not the offering payment I disagree with, it's the accepting of the payment. Or even worse asking for payment.
 
Jambo said:
I see it the other way. The age of selfishness where someone can't do something for a friend without expecting compensation.

It's not the offering payment I disagree with, it's the accepting of the payment. Or even worse asking for payment.
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How is it any way less 'selfish' than expecting a free favour off someone that effectively saves you money, hassle and discomfort AND inconveniences them at the same time?
 
People stating that it costs nothing for Mr X to take Mr Y each day to work. Not true. He has mass, and that extra mass needs extra fuel burnt to achieve equal amounts of acceleration and momentum. So if he pays nothing for fuel, it is actually costing Mr X slightly more in fuel than if he just drove himself. Ergo, stop being tight and pay towards the fuel.
 
Arsonist said:
People stating that it costs nothing for Mr X to take Mr Y each day to work. Not true. He has mass, and that extra mass needs extra fuel burnt to achieve equal amounts of acceleration and momentum. So if he pays nothing for fuel, it is actually costing Mr X slightly more in fuel than if he just drove himself. Ergo, stop being tight and pay towards the fuel.
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Mr Y is actually a holographic entity
 
If Mr Y is joining - splitting the cost seems fine.

If Mr Y and Mr Z are going - 1/3 the cost each surely? That way Mr X isn't making money?
 
People who want to claim that no expense should be shared because the driver is going that way anyway should try that one with the bus driver.

If I were the driver, and the potential passenger expected to be a free loader at my expense... It would be /carshare for him. As with any transaction, the consumer does not dictate the price, the service provider does that. If the consumer is not prepared to pay, then /service.
 
booyaka said:
If Mr Y is joining - splitting the cost seems fine.

If Mr Y and Mr Z are going - 1/3 the cost each surely? That way Mr X isn't making money?
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Cost of running a car isn't just fuel ;)

How about Mr Y buys a car and Mr X only pays for the fuel he uses? Bet Mr Y would soon realise what a good deal he was getting before hand.
 
james.miller said:
half the fuel cost for each passenger. sounds reasonable. they can go back to getting the bus if they dont like it.
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That would be reasonable if they were doing the full distance that Mr X is doing.

But they're doing half the distance. 25k not 50k.

So I'd think that 25% was more reasonable.

Is Mr X running a taxi service or is he giving his friend/colleague a lift?

Because in the former case money is everything; in the latter case it shouldn't be.
 
String said:
People who want to claim that no expense should be shared because the driver is going that way anyway should try that one with the bus driver.

If I were the driver, and the potential passenger expected to be a free loader at my expense... It would be /carshare for him. As with any transaction, the consumer does not dictate the price, the service provider does that. If the consumer is not prepared to pay, then /service.
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Do you have any friends ?
 
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