Being last in a taxi

Why do you think she doesn't want to be on her own in a taxi?
Has something happened to her in the past?
Holidays abroad may not be so scary for here hence her confidence?

Probably doesn't want to give the driver a tip 😬

Initially I thought you were going to say she didn’t want to be last since it meant she’d have to pay - and she’d conveniently have ‘forgotten’ to pay her share beforehand.

Does she invariably pay her share?

I'm sure nothing has happened in the past. She would have told me. I can only think she is worried about having to pay more than her share of the fare. When I've not been dropped off last I always make sure I leave more than enough to cover my share of the taxi fare but she is very frugal and worries about money. She only just leaves me enough money to cover the bill. A little bit short on occasion. Not that I am bothered about that but as I mentioned, I am feeling a bit taken advantage of. I have known this lady for decades, and she has been a good friend in the past but she is increasingly stingy. I am not unsympathetic, maybe she is struggling .

Sit in the front, whisper to the driver your address and tell him you want to be dropped first. When he stops at your house look surprised exclaim "Oh I'd better get out now." Pass her your money and leave.
Don't do it every time just now and then, so she can never be absolutely certain if it's deliberate or not.

anna7

I'm sure nothing has happened in the past. She would have told me. I can only think she is worried about having to pay more than her share of the fare. When I've not been dropped off last I always make sure I leave more than enough to cover my share of the taxi fare but she is very frugal and worries about money. She only just leaves me enough money to cover the bill. A little bit short on occasion. Not that I am bothered about that but as I mentioned, I am feeling a bit taken advantage of. I have known this lady for decades, and she has been a good friend in the past but she is increasingly stingy. I am not unsympathetic, maybe she is struggling .

So in other words, she’s tight! That’s surely at the bottom of it.

Would it not be possible to alternate routes with dropping her off first and the next time dropping you off first. You could always say you don't like being in the taxi by yourself which may make her question her own attitude.

Perhaps say “You’ve made me think, do you know, I realise I don’t like being in a taxi by myself either! What are we going to do about it?”

Plus if your DH is kind enough to collect her in the first place, to go out, she ought to recognise that, and probably pay extra for the taxi.

I deplore folk who won’t pay their share.

X posts sassy

I deplore people who won’t pay their share.

Me too.

Actually, seeing this in black and white it is obvious. Yes, she is being tight and she is taking advantage of me. Thanks ladies, I've decided it stops here. Long friendship or not I've had enough.

I also dislike people , who orchestrate having to avoid paying their share .

Being last in a taxi is a good dodge .

Then , they are those , who order expensive items in restaurants , get out the calculator making sure that you pay for their greed . And go on to claiming not to have change so that you tip the server every time even suggesting how much .

It takes two or three trips out with them until I finally get fed up .

Just tell her that you'll make your own way there and back and that she (and others) need to make their own travel arrangements.

You are being taken advantage of; the fare will increase if the driver has further to go, and she is not prepared to pay it even though it is for her benefit. It won't improve; you have to tell her to make her own arrangements.

I agree with others saying you should tell her to make her own way but also know how hard this can be sometimes. 3 of us, ex colleagues, meet up a couple of times a year. One lady who lives half way between the other two always suggests a venue that is not far from her. Not a problem, except every time on the morning she will message me to ask for a lift as her husband has taken the car. This always means I have to go out of my way to pick her up and drop her off. The one time I didn’t respond she messaged the other woman and asked her, she was going even further out of her way. Her take on it is that I’m going past her house anyway, I’m not though!

Why not ask the total cost once the taxi driver knows where all the drop off points are going to be, and then divide the cost equally between the number of passengers?

Why is it being assumed that this is a ploy to make a smaller contribution? Just because she confidently takes holidays abroad on her own, doesn't mean she takes taxis on her own.

I wouldn't take a taxi on my own at night unless I knew the taxi firm and the driver.

Smileless2012

Why not ask the total cost once the taxi driver knows where all the drop off points are going to be, and then divide the cost equally between the number of passengers?

Why is it being assumed that this is a ploy to make a smaller contribution? Just because she confidently takes holidays abroad on her own, doesn't mean she takes taxis on her own.

I wouldn't take a taxi on my own at night unless I knew the taxi firm and the driver.

Well, someone is still being left as the lone person in the taxi, even doing as you suggest. Why should that be the OP?

I haven't said it should be the OP Calendargirl. I'm questioning the assumption that this lady is doing this to reduce her contribution to the taxi fare, when it's just as likely that she genuinely doesn't want to be the last passenger.

Short arms, long pockets comes to mind!
Unless she’s absolutely legless, there should be no danger being the last person to be dropped off.

Thanks again for all the responses. I do like this lady and she has been a good friend in the past which makes it more difficult. I am going to do as suggested and just say I'll make my own way there and back and not go into any detail. The thing is I could easily get lifts with another friend who doesn't drink so always drives. I don't though because I don't like leaving the 'tight' friend on her own. More fool me.

I wouldn't necessarily assume that her motives are financial. If she's normally the type to duck out of bills then maybe, but otherwise it could easily be that she just doesn't like being on her own in the taxi. People do get ideas about things like that, whether they seem reasonable to others or not. It wouldn't bother me, but there are other things I'd rather do or not do that others might find odd.

If you're not comfortable with being alone in the taxi either, however, then you need to find a way round it - maybe take turns, or see if you can get a firm that sends female drivers.

If she is the 'last to the bar and first out of the door' type, then you could ask for a fixed price taxi and get her to pay half when she gets in (or before you leave).

Also, does she have a husband who could take his turn in dropping you off? It doesn't seem fair that you organise the outward journey every time.

You're responsibility is to get yourself home. She can ride with you to your home and perhaps her husband can collect her at your home since she doesn't want to ride the remaining journey alone in a taxi. It really is her choice to go out and it is not your problem that her home is a bit further down the road. That is her decision if she wants to have a night out knowing that she must take a solo taxi trip home. She can chat on the phone with you during her ride if that makes her feel safer.

*Your