# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/61 "2016-07-11T16:08:14Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > My vision’s pretty bad. I have great difficulty proofreading. I think the “Blimey, it’s French, how the bleedin’ hell am I supposed to know how to spell some fancy bollocks word for a fucking driver” might have held more weight than a [Should have gone to Specsavers.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9tSN0178Us) ---
**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 11, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/62 "2016-07-11T16:35:35Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > I think the “Blimey, it’s French, how the bleedin’ hell am I supposed to know how to spell some fancy bollocks word for a fucking driver” might have held more weight than a [Should have gone to Specsavers.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9tSN0178Us) Chauffeur is as Egnlish a word as “machine.” ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/63 "2016-07-11T16:55:27Z")
I’d be too bored. Plus my current bonus arrangement is approximately 2-4x my annual base salary. So this would be a pay cut. While my bonus isn’t guaranteed, it’s based upon my performance, so primarily within my power. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/64 "2016-07-11T17:06:41Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Chauffeur is as Egnlish a word as “machine.” “Chauffeur” is French. as is “machine”. Most English words have been borrowed from other lanuages. Why bother making up words when we can use someone else’s? Sure you don’t need [Specsavers?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VELQ39QAYP4) ---
**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 11, 2016, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/65 "2016-07-11T17:25:11Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > “Chauffeur” is French. as is “machine”. Most English words have been borrowed from other lanuages. Why bother making up words when we can use someone else’s? > > Sure you don’t need [Specsavers?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VELQ39QAYP4) My point was that chauffeur and machine are both loan words from French, and that in both cases, there are two phonemes that are spelled using French rather than English rules. I’m not kidding about the bad vision. It’s not something glasses can help. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/66 "2016-07-11T17:51:32Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > My point was that chauffeur and machine are both loan words from French, and that in both cases, there are two phonemes that are spelled using French rather than English rules. > > I’m not kidding about the bad vision. It’s not something glasses can help. Fair enough, mate… I was only having a little bit of a bubble (Bubble Bath = Laugh), don’t take it to heart… I only said it because I’m a proper English Cunt, (now there’s a good old English word, which became popular around about the same time that the Danish King Cnut held a lot of the east of Britain.) Best wishes to you though, hopefully you’ll get your eyes sorted out. Best of luck, mate… ---
**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 11, 2016, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/67 "2016-07-11T18:46:45Z")
^Taking the piss/taking the piss out of/something like that? ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/68 "2016-07-11T19:46:30Z")
Naw, not being able to surf the interwebs at work is a non-starter. I wouldn’t spend the extra cash wisely anyways. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2016, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/69 "2016-07-11T23:14:49Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > My point was that chauffeur and machine are both loan words from French… I always think “loan” words is an odd description; we’re never giving them back! ---
**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 12, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/70 "2016-07-12T00:32:05Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > I always think “loan” words is an odd description; we’re never giving them back! Yet the interest compounds daily. ---
**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 12, 2016, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/71 "2016-07-12T02:22:40Z")
With the new Self-Driving cars though, you better cash those checks fast. If you’re buying your own limo, I’m not sure you’ll still have a job before your 5 years of payments will be up. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/72 "2016-07-12T05:16:55Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > It’s to discourage late nights. The kid’s parents don’t want you sleepy while driving their baby. Same motivation as the cell phone and tablet rules. > > Writing a novel willprobably be fine, but no working at a bar from 9 p.m. till closing every night. > > GPS in the car was implied by new,top-of-the-line SUV, wasn’t it? But yet I assume I am free to go sit in a bar from 9 pm until closing… ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/73 "2016-07-12T06:01:21Z")
I’ll accept the position…with qualification. The qualification being that the nurse is a hot nymphomaniac who finds me irresistible, the automobile is one of those Tesla self-driving cars, and we can stick the kid in the front passenger seat while nurse Hotsy-Totsy and I play “_doctor_” in the back. I’d require a well stocked bar, sound system and hot tub back there, too. It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it. Might as well be me. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/74 "2016-07-12T10:10:09Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > ^Taking the piss/taking the piss out of/something like that? To be honest, I didn’t realise **Skald** had what is obviously a serious problem with his sight. ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/75 "2016-07-12T14:59:48Z")
Assuming equal vacation/sick leave to what I have now, and 50% bump? Nah. Make it a three-digit percentage increase, and, well, we could start talking, I guess. ---
**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 12, 2016, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/76 "2016-07-12T15:08:20Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > To be honest, I didn’t realise **Skald** had what is obviously a serious problem with his sight. S’alright. I hadn’t talked about it here until this thread. It’s apparently associated with my heart problems. Apparently I might as well have said “Fuck blood sugar control” and eaten as many Oreos as I wanted to over the past decade. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/77 "2016-07-12T15:46:36Z")
Unhesitatingly. I can’t turn down such a huge pay increase. Besides, it might be fun. What’s wrong with being a chauffeur? Someone has to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/78 "2016-07-12T16:11:16Z")
$50/hour would obviate most of my family’s financial needs. I’m thrilled that next year, after 9 years on the job and after obtaining the top certification I can in my field, I’ll be earning almost $50K a year; you’re talking about doubling my salary. Two years of that work, and we have no more house payments. Three years, and we can afford to move to a nicer house, with a glorious down payment. I would miss a lot about teaching, no doubt. But I assume that a lot of my time involves sitting in a car, waiting. If that’s the case, if I’m paid $50/hour to sit around, I can explore a career as an author, a lifelong dream that I’m otherwise not seeing a path to. ---
**Author:** ![TommyzNR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@TommyzNR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyzNR)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/79 "2016-07-12T18:36:38Z")
Make that 4 weeks’ vacation, plus 10 holidays. Add in some flex time where I can trade a couple of hours with the backup driver for a couple hours off early once in a while. I have full control of the radio. I also control the route I take between stops and the kid’s schedule allows for road trips. With that I am in. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/professional-people-would-you-take-a-job-as-a-chauffeeur-for-a-50-bump-in-pay/759445/80 "2016-07-12T18:39:32Z")
This makes me wonder: How does a chauffeur get time off? A rich tycoon may need a car ride at any time, 24/7. [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=3) [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=5)