'She’ll text me 'be there in 2 minutes' and still come out 10 minutes later': Employee leaves a chronically late coworker to fend for herself when their ride-share agreement makes them late for work for 2 months

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Oct 21, 2025 7:00 PM EDT

Making your coworker late to work? No more free rides anymore. 

When her car was totaled in an accident, this woman was down on her luck, but because of the generosity of her coworker, she suddenly caught a break. Offering to drive her to work, this coworker decided to be the bigger person, cruising by to pick up their office friend on their morning commute to help them out. But after two months of being chronically late due to their continually tardy colleague, their patience started to fizzle. Finally, one morning, much like the rest, where 2 minutes turned to 10 (as it often did), the coworker left them behind, forcing a woman who had no concern for her friend's time to figure out her own ride to work.

This colleague would no longer risk their career for someone who didn't respect their time. 

For me, there's nothing worse than the chronic disregard for another person's time. As a finite resource, time should be treated with great care. While I understand that there are a few fluke mornings where you hit snooze one too many times or the coffee pot explodes right before you walk out the door, repeatedly making someone wait for you—especially someone who's going out of their way to do you a huge favor—really grinds my gears. 

This time, the free Uber ride left the station for a habitually late coworker whose morning routine was not worth the wait.

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  • Woman going to work with a store-bought coffee
    via dima_sidelnikov

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • AITA for refusing to give my coworker a ride after she kept making me late
    via burritokingdomz
  • I (27F) work with a girl named Trina who doesn't have a car, so for the past two months I've been giving her rides to work
    via burritokingdomz
  • since we live near each other. At first it was fine, but she's *always* late. She'll text me "be there in 2 minutes" and still come out 10 minutes later,
    via burritokingdomz
  • sometimes with a coffee she clearly just made. I warned her that my boss already noticed my late arrivals. Last week I left
    via burritokingdomz
  • without her after she didn't answer my texts. She showed up an hour later furious, saying I "abandoned her" and that
    via burritokingdomz
  • I "should've waited because friends help friends." I told her we're coworkers, not friends, and that I can't risk my job. Now she's been cold
    via burritokingdomz
  • at work and telling people I'm selfish. My mom says I was too harsh and should've just told her earlier I was done giving rides. So.. AITA for finally saying no?
    via burritokingdomz
  • Duelce9121. You set an appropriate boundary/expectation for her. You let her know this was the expectation. She continued to ignore that expectation, and is now angry about the consequences?
    via Duelce9121
  • NTA - your mom is not affected by Trina's actions, and therefore, (sorry) her opinion doesn't really matter.
    via Duelce9121
  • CapableOutside.... How is Trinas' boss not on her for tardiness as well as yours? Your Mom can drive her to work if Mom wants to give her opinions
    via CapableOutside
  • marla-M⚫ NTA "I am leaving at 8am. If you want a ride you will be there at 8am. Not 8:02. In fact 7:58 would be safest. If you are not there at 8am when I leave you will need to find another ride". Period.
    via marla-M
  • Except after she's now treated you poorly I don't know if I'd even bother with it at all anymore
    via marla-M
  • XOXOpandaXOXO . NTA. She's selfish for putting you in a position that jeopardizes your job. Tell her she needs to look for other arrangements and then tell the most gossiping coworker at work that she's been making you late to work since you've helped.
    via XOXOpandaXOXO
  • Risky-Biscuitss ⚫ You're totally safe here. Respect, not friendship, is at issue here. If she doesn't respect your time enough to be ready when you get
    via Risky-Biscuitss
  • there, she needs to find another ride. She also made coffee rather than being honest about the "two minutes" nonsense! Family, that's not cool. You can't risk losing your job if your hustle isn't appreciated. Don't give up, buddy.
    via Risky-Biscuitss
  • auscadtravel ⚫ NTA if you say be there at 730 she better be standing outside at 729. This is on her. Tell her your schedule has changed and you can't drive her anymore. Being late is rude and disrespectful.
    via bauscadtravel
  • You losing your job is a possibility. No more roses and start showing up a bit early to recoup your respect from your boss.
    via auscadtravel

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family drama boss worker employee manager job work coworkers working chronically late ceo employees supervisor workplace late company coworker business entitled people
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