Dh, I & My Friend In Car - Sitting Configuration

My childhood friend was visiting my city for her college reunion. DH and I drove 1.5 hours to pick her up from the reunion venue around 11 pm. As we waited for her to come to our car, I asked DH if I could sit in the back with "Haritha" so we could chat on the way back. He said, "Yes! Why asking."

So Haritha and I sat in the back, chatted non-stop, showing each other pictures on our phones, and some whatsapp conversations with our other childhood friends. Once or twice DH said something and once or twice I or Haritha asked him something.

All was fine but I had this niggling feeling that it was not "nice" that DH was driving us and the front passenger seat was empty. Felt like we were treating him like a "driver" with all due respect to that profession.

Am I the only one? Does anyone else feel that when a family member or friend is driving, it looks "odd" if the others sit in the backseat leaving front passenger seat empty?

Just wondering what others think. I do understand that i) it is a trivial matter ii) everyone's opinion will vary and iii) all will decide based on their situation. Still, it would be interesting to know what others think about it.
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Yeah, it is a hard to define weird! The driver is part of the conversation but still not really.

Maybe, if all the people know each other very well, the seating arrangement won't hamper conversation and all will be talking equally with the driver using the rear-view mirror to make eye-contact. : )

 

LOL. Only you can be so delightfully naughty.

Wonder why you know that Walmart carries chauffeur caps.

 

This notion -- that my DH is delighted at not having to hear my non-stop chatter did cross my mind. : )

I should stop feeling bad about it after the years of chauffeuring my kids and their friends around when they were too young for the front seat!