Should friends give you gas money?

[sweettoothg]

So out of my friend group there’s two of us that drives meaning most of the time they depend on us for outings. I’ve been driving my car constantly for 4 months now and I now feel the pain of filling up my tank every-time. When I get a ride, I usually offer gas money. I’m not begging my friends to give me gas money but from time to time it would feel nice to get even $10.

What are your thoughts?

Yes

No

[MCheetah]

It depends on the frequency. Once every two weeks or so, to go less than 15 minutes, then no. But if it's an "every Saturday" kind of thing, then yes. Let's just do a nice round formula here and say they should give you $10 for every 30 miles driven. But if you're expecting them to pay 100% of the time, then you're not a friend; you're a cabbie. If I had no car at all and was relying on them to get around, then yeah, I'd pay what I can. But if they want to shell out $20 to take them to a place ten minutes away, then no, I think that's dirty and exploitative of the driver.

Maybe I'm biased though, because I used to be friends with a lesbian who used to waste her money driving around the city in the middle of the night, for no reason, but charged me like $50 to get to an important job interview (and then overslept and was an hour late picking me up without so much as a sorry for it). That was likely just a sh*tty friend, though.

[TommyMountainFigure]

If you're driving them everywhere it would be a nice gesture for them to say as you're filling up. "Nah, we've got this" then they go and pay it.
I absolutely would, and have.

[Anonymous]

In high school my friend flat out said to us, you guys want a ride with me, it's $5 a week in gas money. I didn't think that was unreasonable because he drove us like 4 days a week. I mean the alternative is stand out there everyday in the sun waiting for a bus that may or may not be late or riding the school bus which would have taken about 2 hours to get home because we shared a route with another local high school. I think you should just ask them flat out to contribute. YOU have to pay every single time for gas, so even though I'm sure your friends are cool, just say hey, can you guys start contributing some gas money---prices are high and it's hard to drive all that way and have to pay the pump. Decent friends will understand.

[Alyssa11]

I’m the only who drives out of my friends but I don’t expect money for my petrol, nor do I expect it. However, a simple ‘thank you’ and some appreciation would be lovely! Also I like it when you go out with a friend and they offer to pay something because you’re driving them around/and home.


I had a friend who *expected* me to pick them up and drive them around... I also had a friend who expected me to pay for her McDonalds drive through food when I was driving her around. That’s the kind of behaviour I don’t like.

[Alyssa11]

Also one of these friends once expected me to drop her home and phoned her friend who was nearby (I had never met!), and argued with me because she wanted me to drop her home as well LOL. Sigh.

[Dragonpurple]

I was taken advantage of by some friends when I was your age, always wanting a ride. If I got gas money it wasn't enough to cover the cost of gas, let alone maintenance, wear and tear, etc...

I would get calls from friends, can you pick me up from my other friends place and give me a ride home, or can you pick me up at home and take me to my boyfriends place, etc...

These days, I figure in what it costs per mile to drive, including insurance, maintenance, gas and so forth, and say sure... but gotta pay me per mile... not just gas money.

[DonkeyDan]

When I was your age my mate drive and I didn't so we were always in his car. Eclvery couple of weeks I'd full up the tank for him as I had a good job at the time and he didn't have do much cash back then. If your friends are spending quite a bit of time in the car with you then it's only right that they should pay for some of the fuel.

[DeeDeeDeVour]

When I was in hs & college, I'd assume that mutually planned & shared rides required each of us to contribute some gas money & driving time. I was wrong. My friends hardly contributed but were not broke. And, when I'd ask for anyone to get behind the wheel 'coz I'm tired or sleepy, they didn't.

[SunnyFlorida]

If you get into an accident and you charged the occupants money, your insurance company may deny insurance coverage. Talk to a lawyer. Taxi cab and Uber drivers have "commercial insurance," which is more expensive. The wrong insurance coverage and you risk insurance company will deny a claim in an accident. Will the $10 you got in gas money will offset the cost of replacing your car and the car you hit and medical bills?

[hahahmm]

Mention once how you feel about the gas situation. See if anyone volunteers money after that. The ones that do are "good people" and maybe real friends. The others aren't.

I'd find excuses not to give a ride to the people who never contribute. Let them use Uber/Lyft or a bicycle. Not your problem. Well actually, I would just stop giving anybody a ride but I don't think you want to go that route.

[Eyering]

If you give them free rides on an ongoing basis, I think it'd be nice (and probably the socially proper thing to do) if they offer to share some of the expenditures on gas.
However, I personally wouldn't feel comfortable asking my friends for gas money. I'd be afraid that they might perceive me as a bit cheap.

[bolverk]

When I've given friends lifts to work or to airports I've never asked for fuel money, but they have always stumped up to pay for fuel.
The pair of you may need to make some pointed remarks or just refuse to do any outings until it sinks in that a contribution to the fuel would be appreciated.

[Anonymous]

There's a chance that they'd be happy to chip in but just never thought about it. I think maybe you should let them know that gas is expensive and over time can be a financial burden. I don't have a car, and have had my boyfriend do all of the driving. I didn't realize for the longest time that gas was expensive! I had just never thought of it because I've never paid for it myself. When I was told about it (by my parents) I started giving some money

[Anonymous]

Yeah, it’s definitely courtesy to offer some gas money, but I don't know maybe they just don’t feel like it’s a problem for you, especially if you don’t make it known. That’s not begging, filling the tank doesn’t magically happen and often times it’s not cheap.

[Starrisunset]

Yes. I think it'd rude for them not to offer at least occasionally. Gas is expensive. It isn't fair you should be responsible for buying the guess every time you want to do something.

[jennifer_bloom]

I believe rides to church should be free unless its more than $30 a month but you can ask for gas money if you are doing other events with your associates.

[ChrisMaster69]

Yeah definitely. They need educated about the principle of taking a loan out of mates.

pick some place fairly far off and just leave the fuckers.

[Paris13]

"Hey, Buds, Gas is going up. Thank Joe Bide." They should contribute. They can't live on a free meal ticket. xx

[Dinklex3]

We used to always chip in and give gas money when another friend was driving.
I don't think that's unreasonable.

[Aiko_E_Lara]

If you only have to drive them somewhere and that's the only purpose then yes they should give you gas money. But if they're only hitching a ride to a place you're also about to go then there's no need.

[EnglishEuropean]

Yes they should since the expense is not insignificant. You are being taken for a ride.

Fortunately there's an easy solution. Tell them no more excursions because you're broke. It will be true soon anyway if this continues.

[DarkWinterNights]

Yes absolutely. Gas, grass or ass. Put your foot down now or they’ll only keep taking advantage of you and you’ll start to get very resentful.

[spartan55]

Absolutely, they should kick in for gas on a reasonable basis.

[Nobefore]

Of course. That's why we called them as a friend, not the stranger who doesn't think me at all. :)

[LemiaOfChampions]

I would give them gas money if they are going out of their way to travel.

[ChasingAmy01]

If you’s go more then hour yes or if you drive them to work daily then sure.

[Jamie05rhs]

Yes, absolutely. I don't allow people to mooch off of me. If they think that's okay, then they're not a real friend.

[exitseven]

Yes, Especially now that we are heading into 4 bucks a gallon territory.

[legalboxers]

should be an option of FUCK YES. I got someone who keeps on using me to take her places because of her paranoia of bridges. And Im sick of it

[DWornock]

If on a long trip or on a regular basis. Not for a ride 1 to 3 times of short duration.

[Wise4myage]

Yes they should, and you shouldn't have to ask them for gas money.

[Twalli]

I give everyone who drives me anywhere $5 every time except family (or my girlfriend).

[Sketti2021]

Once in a while if you're really good friends and they know you're good for it

[innerman]

I’d like to give, expect nothing in return.
you will never be disappointed.

[beefy40]

If your under the age of 21 yea, if older and it's not a 100 mile round trip than no.

[EbirosManas]

Yes, I dont have much money, I would like more like food money but gas is ok

[Anonymous]

If they're the ones asking me to come over then yes

[Fireguy17]

It would be nice if they offered.

[Aristomachos]

Yes... except you are a Rothschild.

[IncognitoBandito]

Either that or oral, its the rules of the road

[888theGreat]

yes, when I was in umpire school I did

[karaspara]

Yes they should

[Iron_Man]

Yes why not

[Fuentes]

Gas money

[Diya010]

Nope