Running out of gas or having to breathe off of someone else's tank is uncommon. Gas planning and monitoring is a fundamental skill that every diver needs to master just to get a basic open water certification. If your buddies aren't able to do this reliably then they need remedial training.

It's good to practice gas sharing as a contingency in case of equipment failure but actually running out is not acceptable.

Yeah this is no laughing matter, i would refuse to dive with someone who lacks the basic skills to monitor their air responsibly.