Anyone ever traveled long distance via public bus (e.g. Greyhound)?

[s0me0nesmind1]

Anyone here ever traveled long distance across the US via public bus?

My Mother in law is... well... scared of heights to put it simply. She won't fly. She won't even drive across a bridge That's a long story though - but regardless, she wants to travel to Florida from Texas and in order to avoid flying and driving herself, she wants to take a public bus... This will involve a 6 hour stop at a main center in Louisiana, and some other small stops along the way.

Everything I hear is that everywhere you go on these public buses are pretty shady. Anyone have experience with this type of travel?

 

[IronWing]

It's been decades since I last traveled by Greyhound but it was fine when I did. The only issue was smoking was allowed on the buses back then. Smoking is banned on the buses now so that shouldn't be an issue anymore. People having sex in the back seat probably won't impact your MIL (unless she's into that).

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

It's been decades since I last traveled by Greyhound but it was fine when I did. The only issue was smoking was allowed on the buses back then. Smoking is banned on the buses now so that shouldn't be an issue anymore. People having sex in the back seat probably won't impact your MIL (unless she's into that).

Shes from Brazil (as is my wife) - so she was basically like "It's America, so it can't be that unsafe can it?" Apparently another family member recently reached out that he took one and was scared shitless the whole time from basically seeing drug deals happening right in front of them at the bus-centers and stuff. They said never again.

So.....Just wondering how big of a life insurance policy I should take out heh.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Never done that but don’t see why it would be a problem. I’d like to take a train journey to some day. They have one that runs to Chicago, I’d have to ride over to Jackson to catch it though.

 

[IronWing]

Shes from Brazil (as is my wife) - so she was basically like "It's America, so it can't be that unsafe can it?" Apparently another family member recently reached out that he took one and was scared shitless the whole time from basically seeing drug deals happening right in front of them at the bus-centers and stuff. They said never again.

So.....Just wondering how big of a life insurance policy I should take out heh.

People who have to travel but can't buy a plane ticket (no CC or maybe outstanding warrants) end up concentrated on buses.

 

[JEDIYoda]

I took a bus from Pensacola ,Florida to El paso then on to Salinas, California!
Your Mother in law will be OK!! She just will need to mind her own business and stay in the bus station.
Usually you can purchase something to eat or right across the street is some place to eat or get a cup of coffee!!
Good luck!!

 

[tynopik]

talk to doctor about getting a prescription to calm/sedate her

or just stay in texas

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

talk to doctor about getting a prescription to calm/sedate her

or just stay in texas

Been there, done that.

Even with a FUCKING VALIUM in her while being escorted in a fucking wheelchair wasn't enough last time we flew to Brazil together.

Next time we need a fucking roofie equivalent.

 

[IronWing]

Think of the Greyhound as the mobile equivalent of the Group W bench.

 

[BoomerD]

Several times. Coast to coast a couple of times. Ignore the goings on in other seats...and in the stations UNLESS it directly affects/impacts her...she should be fine.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Several times. Coast to coast a couple of times. Ignore the goings on in other seats...and in the stations UNLESS it directly affects/impacts her...she should be fine.

These general statements are equivalent to "Just make sure you don't make eye contact with ANYONE at ANYTIME"... Care to elaborate?

 

[KillerCharlie]

My mom took greyhound to come visit me and had a horrible experience. My dad made fun of her and thought "it can't be that bad," so he did the same. Now both of them have decided to never ride a public bus for long distance travel ever again. They do take the train quite a bit.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

My mom took greyhound to come visit me and had a horrible experience. My dad made fun of her and thought "it can't be that bad," so he did the same. Now both of them have decided to never ride a public bus for long distance travel ever again. They do take the train quite a bit.

Details details details!

I'm using this to assess how much of a life insurance policy I need to take out for her.

 

[JEDIYoda]

These general statements are equivalent to "Just make sure you don't make eye contact with ANYONE at ANYTIME"... Care to elaborate?

Sounds like you come from a family of whimps…..

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

Sounds like you come from a family of whimps…..

Wut? Let me elaborate... I said mother in law... she is old, crazy, and is afraid of heights...

Let me elaborate further.... If she is on a public road that crosses a bridge, she will pull over and not cross it. She will not fly. She will be scared shitless on an elevator. The list goes on and on.

None of this relates to me or my wife (I hope) so how is that my family?

 

[BoomerD]

These general statements are equivalent to "Just make sure you don't make eye contact with ANYONE at ANYTIME"... Care to elaborate?

Sure...it she sees someone having sex in the seats, ignore it...unless they're actually disturbing her. If she sees someone selling drugs, look the other way. (Just a couple of quick simple examples, but it doesn't take much imagination to expand on them) and yes, eye contact can be sketchy too...

 

[Six]

I rode the bus once from the Midwest to SoCal once, just for the experience. I've also taken several shorter trips. Your mother-in-law will be fine. No one cares about what anyone else is doing. Everyone will be too tired to care. The most you'll get is a couple young adults bragging to each other about what they've done. You MIL will be so sick of fast food. Bring socks change and dispose of. If the bus driver suspects anything shady, he'll radio the police to escort the people off at the next stop.

 

[Mayne]

several times. Calgary to Toronto/Toronto to Calgary. Met some interesting characters on those trips. the first time going to Calgary I met a mother and her baby...she ended up letting me stay at her home for a couple months..thank god for that since I really had no where to go at the time. Another time I met a native indian couple and ended up getting into a fist fight...the cops put me in jail overnight outside of Thunderbay...i didn't even start the fight and the couple got to go along their merry way. I had to go to court later that year so once again i'm on a bus going from Calgary to someplace outside of Thunderbay Ont.
One time I met a couple mountain climbers on the bus and they gave me a job framing homes. I've had a few adventures on the greyhound

 

[zinfamous]

I have some friends that once took Greyhound from NC to CA. It was a horror show.

You MIL will meet some very interesting people along her journey, that's for sure.

 

[LTC8K6]

Looks like a lot of the Gulf coast Amtrak service is still suspended.
So a train is probably not going to work too well. It would go well out of the way to get to Florida from Texas.

My last long bus ride ended at Fort Leonard Wood...

 

[Thebobo]

I rolled a Van and destroyed it on the Alaska Highway in the Yukon territory and took busses back to Washington DC. About 3500 miles. First third was a party with students, campers and such. Crossed the border at Buffalo. This was a while back when the Alaska Highway was still all gravel.

 

[JTsyo]

talk to doctor about getting a prescription to calm/sedate her

or just stay in texas

It's the A-team all over again. "I pity the fool."

I've took Greyhound to college and back for breaks. Just a 3 hr trip so not super long distance. No issues.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Not across the US but I did go about 800km south to Toronto area on the Northlander (similar to greyhound) bus, and also the train, on a few occasions. It beats driving, but takes longer. Like 12-16h if I recall? Those coach buses are comfy though. It was actually kinda relaxing. The train was fun too. The funny thing is the first time I went on the bus alone was like a week or so after that crazy psycho guy beheaded and tried to eat a passenger on one. My mom was uneasy about me going haha.

Been a while since I've gone down south alone though, since then we have porter airlines now which has made it affordable to fly, so if I was going again I'd probably just take the plane.

 

[brianmanahan]

talk to doctor about getting a prescription to calm/sedate her

or just stay in texas

whoa you're back

 

[lxskllr]

Back in the 80s I took one a few hundred miles. I liked it. There were interesting people, and I enjoy looking out the windows. As long as you aren't scared of poor or brown people, the worst thing that'll happen is you get bored.