Thbplttttttttt
I’ll add this to my list of US / UK differences. 
I’ve worked in various jobs here for 33 years and never heard anyone demand a ride. Word would soon get around about such rudeness.
If his car is being repaired, then he should politely say so and only then ask for a favour.
In any case, if he can’t afford a taxi or bus, how on earth can he provide for four children?
I don’t like it when people ask me for favours in cutesy challenging ways, like I HAVE to do it. It just smacks of trying to get the upper hand. Maybe I spend too much time around assholes (granted, I myself am an asshole) but setting up the transaction on such a note is simply a precursor to getting pushed around and gently bullied regarding the agreed up on favour later on down the line.
So my answer would have been “No, I don’t HAVE to do anything” with a laugh-even if I go ahead and do it, it tells the asshole in question that I’ve recognised the attempt to set the tone, and am willing to issue smackdowns and retract the favour in case an attempt to push me around will be made.
Yes, I might say something like that, “You’ll give me a ride, right? Right?” but only with someone I knew really well, who I know would take it in the spirit I intended.
Or if you get beat down.
I also work with assholes, however they happen to be my type of asshole.
Which is to say, if someone had the poor sense to be like “you need to give me a ride…” not only would I have said “suck it”, but he would have probably been ridiculed for the next three days.
As it happens we do have someone like that, and he is routinely ridiculed for his dumbass antics.
Miss Manners says to never offer an excuse because then you’re merely negotiating. Who am I gonna listen to, you or Miss Manners? 
I wasn’t suggesting an excuse. I was advising brutal mockery. I do that.