# Professional people: would you take a job as a chauffeeur for a 50% bump in pay? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 9, 2016, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445 "2016-07-09T00:41:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/21 "2016-07-09T02:59:06Z")
> [@spamforbrains](#): > > yuck, no. I hate driving, refuse to be “on call” all the time, and find children annoying. Money isn’t everything. I don’t know where you got on-call all the time from, but it wasn’t from the OP. 🆒 > [@Pantastic](#): > > So are these 40-hour weeks 8-5 M-F, or do I need to work nights and weekends since that seems to be time time you’d need the most driving? If so then it’s not worth the money to trash my social life, if not then it doesn’t seem like a real chauffeeur job. You’re driving 10-year-old special needs kid (and his nurse) around. They’re not going to be hitting the clubs. Your hours are 8 to 5, five days a week. Tjere’s a relief driver over whom you have priority; in other words you can opt for overtime but do not have to. And if the kid needs an emergency ride to the hospital at 2 in the morning, that’s going to be handled by an ambulance, because taking using hte chuaffer for that would be stupid. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/22 "2016-07-09T03:03:26Z")
As long as there’s something I can do to pass the time when I’m just sitting in a parking lot waiting for the child and her hot nurse. A book, listen to the radio, even if I can just write, I’ll be fine. I won’t like wearing a uniform, but I will like not looking at one deadline after another and knowing the job is done each day when I’m done working. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/23 "2016-07-09T03:10:10Z")
I’m a little in clear about what the job is. Skald said I always have to be in the physical presence of the child so that doesn’t seem to be a good job. If she goes and rides a rollercoaster I’d have ride too. She goes to a toy store I’d have to stand there. I don’t want to be around my own kid that much let alone someone else’s. If the job is to drive her from A to B wait in the car and then drive her from B to A I’d totally be down. I’d love to get paid a quarter miilion to drive someone around 8 hours per day 5 days per week. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/24 "2016-07-09T03:12:38Z")
Just reached 24 years on the job today with County Gov. Though as a programmer, the job has changed a LOT, as you can imagine. I’ve never been asked to be on call or overtime. I would agree to be on call or overtime if it was an emergency situation. No problem. Otherwise, no. I have a hell of a lot of knowledge at what I do, but admit, it does get a bit tiring keeping up in my field. GIS is crazy. A 50% increase driving a car for the last few years before retirement would be skating. I don’t mind driving a bit. Might even consider the chauffer uniform. On call? Or over 40 hours a week? Even with the extra pay - No way. I have a life. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/25 "2016-07-09T03:16:49Z")
Is it a guaranteed job for as long as I want it (and perform well)? I ask, because chauffeuring has got to be pretty high on the list of jobs likely to be replaced by robots sooner or later, and if I have to go back out into the workforce, but have something like a ten-year gap (in terms of building up meaningful job skills), this could be negative in the long-run. And even if so, probably not, because I wouldn’t enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/26 "2016-07-09T03:28:13Z")
> [@Oredigger77](#): > > I Skald said I always have to be in the physical presence of the child . No he didn’t. Skald said you have to be in the presence of the child OR in the car, parked near to whereever the child is; OR within a three minute walk of the car when it is parked as in (b). In other words, if the nurse has taken the child to a doctor’s appointment, you can choose for yourself whether you want to go with them to the doctor’s office, or sit in the car with the AC on watching videos on your tablet; or sipping coffee in the Starbucks across the street from the doctor’s office. The point is to remain available within, say, 5-10 minutes when the nurse and child need to be picked up. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/27 "2016-07-09T03:31:59Z")
I’d do it if only 40 hours per week were required, with any more being optional. Plus at least 6 weeks paid vacation. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/28 "2016-07-09T03:41:47Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > No he didn’t. Skald said you have to be in the presence of the child OR in the car, parked near to whereever the child is; OR within a three minute walk of the car when it is parked as in (b). > > In other words, if the nurse has taken the child to a doctor’s appointment, you can choose for yourself whether you want to go with them to the doctor’s office, or sit in the car with the AC on watching videos on your tablet; or sipping coffee in the Starbucks across the street from the doctor’s office. The point is to remain available within, say, 5-10 minutes when the nurse and child need to be picked up. Oh, well hopefully ability to read isn’t in the job description. In that case I’d take that job in seconds, it sounds awesome. ---
**Author:** ![davida03801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@davida03801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davida03801)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/29 "2016-07-09T11:36:20Z")
NFW I own the business, make my own hours, travel when and where I want, and answer to very few. No way I would give that up, and I don’t need the 50% extra. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/30 "2016-07-09T12:27:51Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Your standard week would be 40 hours. That’s the deal breaker for me. I’ve tweaked/tuned my life so that I’m making a good living putting in 28 hours a week. My time off is so valuable that it would take the temptation of millions of dollars to bump up to 40. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/31 "2016-07-09T13:13:05Z")
The question is just about money vs. meniality, right? A professional career can feel pretty damn menial much of the time, too, and opportunities for real pay increases can be pretty damn limited. I’d do it. ---
**Author:** ![phantom\_lamb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@phantom\_lamb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phantom_lamb)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/32 "2016-07-09T13:15:54Z")
Without ever having been a chauffeur, it’s hard to answer. I don’t care that the job is deemed a “servant’s job” I just don’t know whether it would drive me insane with boredom or actually be easy-going and relaxing. If it’s the latter, sure. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/33 "2016-07-09T13:23:23Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > By “professional people,” I mean either (a) a person working in a field that requires specific technical training to acquire and keep; or (b) the any job in which you have hiring and firing authority over 5 or more people. Nurses, computer programmers, doctors, and so forth are professionals under this definition. So would I, in my current incarnation as an corporate sales manager, but not when I was in insurance or car sales.While on duty you must remain in the physical presence of the child and nurse; in car and in the parking facilities of wherever the child and nurse are; or within a three-minute walk of the parked car. In any case you must keep your cell phone charged and on at all times while on duty.Speaking of cell phones, you’ll be given a new smart phone of the highest quality. The phone will have an app connecting it to the car’s electronics that prevents it from being used while the car is in gepar for any purpose other than calling 911, the child’s doctor, or the child’s parents. You’ll have tablet computer with similar restrictions.Lastly, you’ll have to wear the traditional chauffeur’s uniform while on duty. > > For working as a servant in this fashion, you’ll be paid $50/hour or 150% of your current yearly salary, whichever is greater, with annual raises of from 5-10% depending on performance. You are forbidden to moonlight. If circumstances require you to start work early or end late, or to work on a weekend, or federal holidayyou’ll be paid time and a half. If you ever end up working more than 60 hours in a given week, or having to work 7 days in a row, you’ll be paid DOUBLE time for the hours over 60 and/or all hours on the extra days until you get a complete day off. Three weeks paid vacation and generous medical & dental insurance. > > Professional people: would you take this servant’s job? If not, why not? Hell yeah, I’d do it. I like driving and I’m already working 50-60 hours most weeks anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/34 "2016-07-09T13:25:24Z")
Sure. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/35 "2016-07-09T13:40:19Z")
> [@phantom\_lamb](#): > > Without ever having been a chauffeur, it’s hard to answer. I don’t care that the job is deemed a “servant’s job” I just don’t know whether it would drive me insane with boredom or actually be easy-going and relaxing. If it’s the latter, sure. I’m a bit surpried that no one has asked for more info on the disability suffered by the kid. My first question would have been, “Wait–why does he need both a full-time nurse AND a driver? What makes him such a handful that the nurse can’t drive him around without assistance?” ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/36 "2016-07-09T13:54:57Z")
I have a real life equivalent. 🆒 One of my mates worked in the UK police force and when he retired he was offered a job ‘apartment-sitting’. For high pay (really high pay 😃 ), he had to literally stay in the London apartment of a wealthy chap who mainly lived abroad. My friend could order meals delivered, use the TV, phone and computer - but not go out for a week at a time. No guests allowed. There would be a relief sitter for one week, then my mate would have to return for another week. He confirmed it was genuine - but decided not to take it. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/37 "2016-07-09T14:53:00Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I’m a bit surpried that no one has asked for more info on the disability suffered by the kid. My first question would have been, “Wait–why does he need both a full-time nurse AND a driver? What makes him such a handful that the nurse can’t drive him around without assistance?” What difference does that make? I assumed the kid’s family is rich, and not too bright either for the ridiculous amount of money they’d pay me to drive a car. Now I have to admit I’d think differently about this if I wasn’t thinking of retiring pretty soon. If I had 10 or more years of working ahead of me the extra money might not mean anything because I’d wonder if I could stand doing the job that long. Getting another job as good as I have now might not be easy, although I did get it after taking several years off from my career. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/38 "2016-07-09T16:03:43Z")
Let’s see, I’m working in a field that requires specific technical training to acquire & keep, so I qualify as a professional for the first time in my life. Less hours for more pay? For driving? Hell yes, where do I apply? ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/39 "2016-07-09T16:22:42Z")
I would seriously be tempted. I make a good salary now. A 50% increase would be lifestyle changing. Ultimately, I think I’d turn it down. I am not a people person, at all, and the thought of having to deal directly with strangers on a daily basis turns me the heck off. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/40 "2016-07-09T16:54:07Z")
Abso-fuckin-lutely. Sign me up. I was a courier for a business specializing in making copies for legal and medical lawsuits right when I got out of undergrad, and I LOVED working from my car and learning all the routes and figuring out when all the traffic hit. I love driving, I am competent at it, and I enjoy helping people, so as long as 1) my boss wasn’t an asshole, or 2) the hypothetical allows me to move to a different client if my current one turns into an asshole, then totally yes it would be amazing. I wouldn’t even mind the extra hours, it gives me something fun to do. A wife of a friend currently works driving cars for dealerships that are trading between themselves and don’t find the mileage in the cars in question low enough to warrant trucking them. She had to learn to drive stick-shift, and be willing to drop everything and drive for 10-18 hours at a stretch on like 2 hours notice at any time of the day or evening, but since she’s retired, she’s fine with it, and she makes bank doing it. I wouldn’t mind a job like that either, but it’s not quite stable enough to be a primary income source. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445.md?page=3)