Parents allow teenage son to drive car only if he drives his younger siblings to and from school and their extracurricular activities and pays for gas, balks to ride his bike to school instead: 'They were taking advantage of me' '

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Nov 6, 2024 8:00 PM EST

When you're an isolated teenager, you think getting your driver's license is the only key to freedom before turning 18. For many kids, that's a totally accurate assessment of their situation. If your only options for transportation are getting your mom to drive you everywhere or walking next to a six-lane highway, having a car you can drive yourself feels like total and complete liberation. 

While cars can be liberating, they can also burden drivers financially and temporally. The teen in this story is getting cut a real raw deal. After he got his driver's license this summer, his mom and stepdad told him he could only use their car if he could drive his younger siblings to and from their different schools and extracurricular activities. That already sounds a bit extreme to me, but considering that they're also making him pay for the gas and it's no wonder he reneged on the deal.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10424887808
    via Courtney Corlew

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    AITAH for riding my bike instead of driving my younger siblings to school unless I'm paid?
    via u/Icy-Bag-9706
  • 03
    I got my license this summer while I was with my dad. So I was really excited to drive places when I got back to my mom's. My mom and stepdad let me use their spare car a couple times. Then said I could only continue using it if I drove my younger siblings to school, picked them up after school, and paid for gas. I said okay. They kind of laughed about it and I didn't get why. Now I realize it's because they were taking advantage of me.
    via u/Icy-Bag-9706
  • 04
    Driving my younger siblings to school sks because they're all difficult to deal with in the morning. I also have to deal with insane traffic at the drop off area at the elementary school and then again at the middle school and then I still have to find parking at my school. With all that I actually have to leave home earlier than when I rode my bike to school or even when I walked.
    via u/Icy-Bag-9706
  • 05
    Then after school I don't get to do anything with my friends because | have to immediately pick them up and deal with the traffic by their schools again.
    via u/Icy-Bag-9706
  • 06
    Then I also have to pay for gas. So it feels like I'm just working on the weekend for money to drive my younger sibling instead of money for stuff I want. Even when I get to drive the car to go somewhere I want to it just doesn't feel worth it when I could ride my bike.
    via u/Icy-Bag-9706
  • 07
    So I decided I didn't want to continue driving their car anymore and would go back the riding my bike to school. It's free and it's so much easier. I can get around traffic and I can easily lock my bike up on the bike rack instead of spending time looking for parking.
    via u/Icy-Bag-9706
  • 08
    My mom and step dad aren't happy because they said I'm breaking the deal and they already rearranged their schedules. The deal was specifically if I "want to continue using their car" then I have to drive them. I don't want to continue using their car. So that's it.
    via u/Icy-Bag-9706
  • 09
    They still were mad so I offered to make a new deal for them to pay me for my time to drive them plus gas. They said no because it would be too expensive since it would be almost $100 a week and they can't afford that, but I don't want to even do it in the first place. The money idea is just a compromise.
    via u/Icy-Bag-9706
  • 10
    BabyLlamaGirl ⚫ 1d ago NTA. They were taking advantage of you. Don't let them use you. Stand your ground.
    via u/BabyLlamaGirl
  • 11
    PrideofCapetown And they laughed about it. What
    via u/PrideofCapetown
  • 12
    EnvironmentOk5610 NTA. Tell your dad about the 'great deal' your mom & stepdad are claiming you're locked into. I wanna be a fly on the wall when he tears into them
    via u/EnvironmentOk5610
  • 13
    leginnameloc Exactly! Those aren't OP's kids but they sure are behaving like they are. They could have at least paid the fuel cost.
    via u/leginnameloc
  • 14
    Reluctantagave It's literally why I refused to get a license in high school. My parents had already told me that I had to take my siblings to their schools which were in opposite directions and to any after school things. It didn't make sense since one got out an hour before I did! So I just said no thanks and they were so mad but couldn't argue with me much.
    via u/Reluctantagave
  • 15
    No-Personality5421 Nta They offered you a job you need to pay to do, and get no perks from. That's terrible deal.
    via u/No-Personality5421
  • 16
    xCupcakeCutie THIS. It's unreasonable for them to expect you to pay for gas and put in all that effort without any benefit. You deserve to use the car without feeling like you're working for it. Your time and freedom matter too OP. NTA
    via u/xCupcakeCutie
  • 17
    Martha T001 • 1d ago Top 10% Commenter NTA I can see you paying for gas for your own use of the car. I can see taking and picking up your siblings for use of the car. No way is it right for you to pay for the gas involved in transporting your siblings.
    via u/MarthaT001
  • 18
    PassComprehensive425 NTA- The deal mom and SD came up for you had no real benefit for you, lots of benefits for them. They had already changed their schedules in anticipation of you taking over drop off/pick up duties which are truly a pain. They're just mad they have to change the schedules back, lose some chill time, and have to deal with your siblings. Besides, what's going to happen when you go away to uni? They will be back in this situation all over again.
    via u/PassComprehensive425
  • 19
    Vegetable Business897 Good for you for figuring out out and standing up for yourself! You don't state your age but guessing 16, so time to get a job and ask your dad to hold your money so you can buy a used car. That way your mom and step will have no say in your car usage.
    via u/VegetableBusiness897
  • 20
    JustBid5821 Sounds like he has a job that Mom and SD were using for him to pay for gas and the 'privilege' of being taken advantage of. NTA OP.
    via u/JustBid5821
  • 21
    Connect Tackle299 Nta. Since your a new driver I wouldn't feel comfortable with you having g that much responsibility in stressful situations personally. Plus I have to pay gas money to have my kids car pooling, that's normal and basic respect in my book
    via u/Connect_Tackle299
  • 22
    Princess_forbidden Nta! They thought the car would make it worth while but obviously it's not!
    via u/Princess_forbidden

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family drama school crazy things parents say teenagers siblings cars reddit story driving parenting family sibling reddit thread Reddit Parenting Fail parents Parenting FAILS
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