Well, I'll briefly give the examples of the two fanfics I recall with that trope. The Sentinel: The team just finished a huge bust out in the boonies somewhere, with a large number of vehicles for the cops and the crooks. They're almost back to the city when Jim calls someone in the other car wanting to speak to his partner, when he's told that they thought Blair was in the care with him. They hurriedly turn around and find a seriously pissed off hippy a mile or two from the bust site, walking along the roadside.
Magnificent Seven ATF: The team plans to go out camping together but find that Josiah's van won't start, and since Chris's car won't hold everyone someone has to drive to Denver and rent a vehicle large enough to hold most of the team and their camping gear. They unload the van and load up everything and everybody into the rented van. Ezra comes out onto the porch from getting one last cup of coffee just in time to see the taillights disappear down the road. Oh, well, he didn't want to go camping anyway, not being an outdoors person at all. The team is at the ferry (last trip of the day) before realizing that no, Ezra is not in the other vehicle. They get back to Chris's ranch to find that Ezra has availed himself of Chris's finest bourbon and a good book.

So, no, while valid your scenario doesn't alway work.