Asking for lifts off strangers

August 4, 2024 9:59 AM

Can I work away from home without my own transport?

I am a casual worker who only gets work in term time. It's the summer holidays and I have the opportunity to work for one week on a new Netflix series as a children’s chaperone. It is 80 miles from home. My plan is to travel there by train. I am eligible for accommodation, however, the hiring company has told us we will need to transport ourselves to the filming location each day which is a 15-minute drive. They have suggested we all carpool.

There will be around 20 chaperones staying at the accommodation. Would it be stupid and entitled of me to accept this assignment in the hope that I will be able to cadge a lift off strangers there and back each day? I would of course contribute towards fuel, but still? I’ve looked at public transport but the transport links are poor as it's a rural location so that wouldn’t be feasible. This would be my first time chaperoning away from home so am not sure of the etiquette over things like this.

posted by charlen to Work & Money (10 answers total)

You aren't cadging a ride from strangers, you asking your fellow chaperones for a lift to your joint workplace when it has already been suggested that you carpool. If it were me, I would a little nervous but I think you can pull it off if you are willing to be very open about needing to share a ride and offer to cover the full cost of the fuel. (It is only 15 minutes away and they are providing the car - that feels fair and not too expensive)

Then again, the situations that I have been in that have been the closest, there has been a strong sense of community so that people watch out for each other and if folks knew that you needed a ride there would be some that make the effort to make sure you had one. I would guess that chaperones might tend to be similar but I don't know.

Is there anyway you can contact the chaperones ahead of time and ask try to find a reliable ride partner in advance? I can understand not wanting to disclose to the hiring manager your situation but if you could match with a friendly driver in advance it would reduce the risk and worry to zero.
posted by metahawk at 10:16 AM on August 4 [6 favorites]

Is the worst case scenario that you don't get to the job site, or is the worst case scenario that you take Uber every day? Those are two vastly different levels of risk.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 10:43 AM on August 4 [11 favorites]

Since they've suggested carpooling, I'd follow-up with a question about how many people on-site will have cars. As long as there will be enough cars to fit everyone, I wouldn't worry about this.
posted by coffeecat at 10:56 AM on August 4 [2 favorites]

I think in most job settings, expecting to be able to carpool to get to work would be out of line -- but in this specific case, you've been advised to do so, so my guess is that you should be fine. It might even turn out to be a really nice part of the experience, getting to know your fellow chaperones without having competing needs for your attention from your charges. I like coffeecat's suggestion about asking how many people will have cars.
posted by eirias at 11:03 AM on August 4

This sounds perfectly fine. As soon as you get there, introduce yourself, say hey nice to meet you, and say you'd like to organize carpooling if someone hasn't already done so. I'm sure other folks are in the same boat. Or lack of boat.
posted by seanmpuckett at 11:08 AM on August 4 [1 favorite]

Just on the "strangers" part... they are not strangers when you are there. The moment you arrive, they are your coworkers. And as others have noted, you're being encouraged to carpool. It won't be a problem.
posted by Meldanthral at 11:14 AM on August 4 [1 favorite]

For a short-term assignment, I think this is fine. I was in a similar situation once: I had started a new (temporary) job and needed a lift to site for the first week. I can't remember how the discussion started, but four of us (freshly hired!) organized a carpool pretty quickly.
posted by invokeuse at 1:27 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]

And this probably goes without saying but if you’re an impeccable carpool passenger your chances will be optimal. Reimburse for gas, buy a coffee en route, be quiet and agreeable even if their beliefs and music taste are repellent, etc.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 3:41 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]

You’d know better than us, I think, but will you all need to get to the site at the same time/leave at the same time? Or do your chaperonees have variable times to arrive/depart/need you? I ask because it might be a hitch for the carpooling.
posted by janell at 7:34 PM on August 4 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks Everyone. Just to update, the organiser set up a chat group where many chaperones have requested lifts and others have offered lifts. The organiser has said they will run mini buses for those struggling to get to the set.
posted by charlen at 7:34 AM on August 6 [3 favorites]