Whose rights should take priority?

If she could spend the whole journey telling you all about her allergies then she is not going to have an asthma attack.

Cats give me asthma, hayfever

Eczema and conjuntivtus. I keep well clear of them

I also don't think in this case it's a matter of "rights" on either side. I'm sure, had you known you would be sharing a car with someone who is allergic to perfume, you would not have worn it.

Given that you weren't aware of her allergy, I actually think it was rather rude of the woman to make such a song and dance about it. If it was such an issue for her, she should not have accepted a lift. I agree with petallus that her reaction sounds like attention-seeking.

I had a work colleague who found that she became very nauseous and got an awful headache if someone was wearing Opium. Once people knew, out of consideration, they stopped wearing it at work. I'm not sure what I would have done if a colleague had been allergic to other people's make up - I'd have probably got another job rather than have people tell me how ill/tired/awful I looked!

correction: not a matter of rights on either side.

I'm of the opinion that the lift-giving friend bears some responsibility for the situation.

She knew about the allergies suffered by her friend, yet still gave you, annsixty (also a friend, of course) a lift without any qualms and apparently without warning you or the allergy-stricken one!

That's true!

You are quite right Ana and she did know how I felt on the day.I am sure she will be more careful another time.On the other hand she is probably so used to her friend that she doesn't always think about it.

I feel I should say once again the person I referred to in my OP did not have any sort of reaction and managed to talk freely for the whole journey so her breathing wasn't affected at all.The friend who gave me the lift said it is a skin reaction she has.

I wouldn't worry about it annsixty - if she does have an allergy, it must be a very mild one from what you have said. Maybe make alternative travel arrangements if she is to be in the car again? If you like wearing your perfume, carry on wearing it - it's not as though everyone who might come anywhere near her can be requested to stop wearing it so she must be able to cope relatively well with the allergy.

My mother often uses her 'allergies' as a form of control/power as well - gets others to do what she wants, so I might be being a bit cynical. If it was me, I'd just stay well clear of her.