A Couple’s Road Trip Tradition Falls Apart Over One Simple Request
Their peaceful routine cracked under a fight about fairness.
Most couples who take regular weekend trips eventually fall into a routine. This pair has been together for almost four years, and their ritual involves waking up before sunrise, hopping into his small hatchback, and driving about three hours round-trip to a hilltop temple.
It sounds peaceful, but the drive itself is anything but. The route includes narrow two-lane roads that twist through the hills, which requires “101%” focus. And by the time they get home, they, especially the person driving, feel drained.
OP’s girlfriend knows how to drive, but she isn’t comfortable taking the wheel on that route. That means every weekend, OP handles the driving to and fro.
Since they travel on a tight budget, they always pack their own food to eat once they reach their destination. Recently, OP asked if his girlfriend could take charge of preparing both their meals for the trip so things would feel a little more balanced.
To him, it made sense. If he’s spending hours navigating difficult terrain, maybe she could handle the food prep and give him an extra thirty minutes of sleep.
She didn’t see it that way. She felt that each person packing their own food was the fair approach.
The conversation escalated quickly, especially when she pointed out that he eats more than she does.
OP felt frustrated that fairness mattered for food but not for driving, and soon the tension between them overshadowed the trips entirely.
Now neither of them brings up traveling, and the weekly ritual they once enjoyed is frozen.
Check out the full story screenshots below to see how everything unfolded.
Let’s dig into the details
Reddit.comOP and his girlfriend like to travel a lot
Reddit.comOP usually drives when they travel to the temple because his girlfriend isn’t confident about the route
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OP suggested she take full responsibility for packing their food while he takes full responsibility for the driving, but she didn’t like the idea
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It didn’t take long before they got into a verbal argument
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We gathered some reactions from the Reddit community
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“Just be like everybody else and wake up at 7:30. Pack your food and be on your way.”
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“It's kind of sounding like this is a stressful thing that you probably shouldn't be doing every weekend.”
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“It's kind of sounding like this is a stressful thing that you probably shouldn't be doing every weekend.”
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“Why aren't you packing food the night before if you want to sleep in?”
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“I really want to know why she is pushing back on making food for you.”
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“Seems like she’s being petty, but some People really have hang ups around making food, prep etc.”
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“Your relationship sounds kind of transactional.”
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Situations like this show how small routines can reveal bigger feelings about effort and balance. Both of them seem stressed in different ways, and neither is wrong for wanting things to feel fair.
At the same time, the argument grew because they each focused on what they felt was unequal instead of working together on a smoother plan.
Whether it’s driving or preparing food, teamwork matters most on these kinds of regular trips. What do you think about their fight and how they handled it?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
