Q. We have moved to the country and my husband often prefers me to drive — not because he wants to drink, but just because he’s quite a lazy fellow by nature. My problem is that his back-seat driving is making our journeys intolerable as he keeps telling me how to drive. Apart from this we get on well, so how can I end his control freakery in a car?
— Name withheld, Sittingbourne, Kent
A. Next time he asks you to drive, say you will only do so if he agrees to wear an airline-style eye mask (keep a stockpile in the glove compartment) and leave you to get on with it. This should put a stop to the nuisance and, in the meantime, he can enjoy a power nap.
Q. A grand neighbour and his wife are invited to the same long weekend as I am. I learn they are using their access to a private plane to fly directly to the house party and will thereby shave about six hours off the journey. As we live less than two miles apart and they are going to the same destination, where we will be socialising over three days, do you agree that it would not be pushy in the circumstances to ask for a lift? I am not in their league so could not contribute, as it were, to the cost of this flight but would be happy to give a present. Given that I would save around £160 on other travel costs, how much should I spend on a present for them and what sort of thing would be appropriate?
— Name and address withheld
A. You are missing all sorts of points. First, it would be a breach of etiquette for you to ask for a lift.
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