Maggie the Cat Needs a Lift
January 5, 2015 3:40 PM Subscribe
My husband's sister's father has died, and we are trying to get her from Macon GA to Virginia Beach, VA for the funeral. We are running into some serious snags, both logistically and financially. Looking for possible options.
His sister is a career waitress with no credit cards, no bank account, no debit card, a PO box for an address, and a broken down pick up truck. She is a lovely woman, but is what they call in the South "a bit eccentric".
The catch is, Amtrak and Greyhound are stupidly expensive and convoluted and take up to 18 hours to get there. Flying is a possibility, but since it is last minute it is extremely expensive (we know about the death certificate discount, but we don't know how reliable his sister will be with getting the paperwork taken care of under the circumstances).
Renting a car would be our best bet money and time-wise, but so far we are blocked by the fact that she has no credit or bills that come to her home address (PO box). Even if we put it on our credit card, she can't pick up the car.
Ridesharing of some sort is an absolute last act of desperation since 1. she doesn't have a computer or know how to use one, so we would have to arrange it and 2. she sort of doesn't stop talking. Ever. It would be a lot for someone to deal with for 8+ hours in a car with a stranger. She is pleasant, but doesn't always make sense and it is seriously relentless.
Any one have any ideas or work-arounds? Recommend any companies you have worked with under similar circumstances?
His sister is a career waitress with no credit cards, no bank account, no debit card, a PO box for an address, and a broken down pick up truck. She is a lovely woman, but is what they call in the South "a bit eccentric".
The catch is, Amtrak and Greyhound are stupidly expensive and convoluted and take up to 18 hours to get there. Flying is a possibility, but since it is last minute it is extremely expensive (we know about the death certificate discount, but we don't know how reliable his sister will be with getting the paperwork taken care of under the circumstances).
Renting a car would be our best bet money and time-wise, but so far we are blocked by the fact that she has no credit or bills that come to her home address (PO box). Even if we put it on our credit card, she can't pick up the car.
Ridesharing of some sort is an absolute last act of desperation since 1. she doesn't have a computer or know how to use one, so we would have to arrange it and 2. she sort of doesn't stop talking. Ever. It would be a lot for someone to deal with for 8+ hours in a car with a stranger. She is pleasant, but doesn't always make sense and it is seriously relentless.
Any one have any ideas or work-arounds? Recommend any companies you have worked with under similar circumstances?
Drive down and get her, have her drive the leg back up so whomever gets her can sleep?
9 hour trip each way. Long but doable.
posted by edgeways at 3:50 PM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
9 hour trip each way. Long but doable.
posted by edgeways at 3:50 PM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
How much time do you have? Is it possible for one of you to drive down there and rent her the car?
posted by bleep at 3:51 PM on January 5, 2015
posted by bleep at 3:51 PM on January 5, 2015
Best answer: Could you get her a preloaded debit card that she could use to rent a car? I'm thinking of the generic VISA/MC/AmEx cards you can get to give as gifts. If you got one of those for her, would that be sufficient to rent since it would show "available credit" sufficient to cover the car charges?
posted by notjustthefish at 3:52 PM on January 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by notjustthefish at 3:52 PM on January 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
I've found megabus to be way less expensive and way more convenient than Amtrak or greyhound.
posted by rubster at 3:52 PM on January 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by rubster at 3:52 PM on January 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
You could try a preloaded debit card but the company might require a large cash deposit, like $500. You could try calling a local branch of Enterprise or what-have-you near her, explain the situation and see what their policy is.
posted by bleep at 3:54 PM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by bleep at 3:54 PM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I'm sorry, I should have been clearer about this. We aren't going to Virginia. We live in the Pacific Northwest and are just trying to help her get to her father's funeral. Either of us traveling there would be crazy expensive and would require time off of work and school that we don't have., The deceased wasn't my husband's father, he barely knew the man. But he cares about his sister and wants to help.
posted by evilcupcakes at 3:58 PM on January 5, 2015
posted by evilcupcakes at 3:58 PM on January 5, 2015
I would pay a college kid to drive her.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 4:01 PM on January 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 4:01 PM on January 5, 2015 [5 favorites]
Response by poster: Sadly, it looks like the closest the Megabus gets to Virginia Beach is Christiansburg, which is even further away from VB than Macon. But that would have been great!
posted by evilcupcakes at 4:02 PM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by evilcupcakes at 4:02 PM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Rome2Rio shows a bunch of options for travel between Macon, GA, and Newport News, VA.
If renting a car is the best option, is there someone you can trust in Macon who can pick up the car and then hand it off to your husband's sister?
posted by evoque at 4:23 PM on January 5, 2015
If renting a car is the best option, is there someone you can trust in Macon who can pick up the car and then hand it off to your husband's sister?
posted by evoque at 4:23 PM on January 5, 2015
You might be able to rent a car through RelayRides. I haven't used it before but it looks like a peer-to-peer car rental thing,
posted by jabes at 4:39 PM on January 5, 2015
posted by jabes at 4:39 PM on January 5, 2015
Actually Megabus goes to Richmond, which is 107 miles to VA Beach. Then she can do Greyhound for $22 (If you buy it on the Web,) for Richmond to VA Beach.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:40 PM on January 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:40 PM on January 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
FYI, most rental companies require a hold on a debit card. So you might need 250-500 on the debit card *plus* the amount for the rental.
posted by politikitty at 4:44 PM on January 5, 2015
posted by politikitty at 4:44 PM on January 5, 2015
Response by poster: If I understand that Rome2Rio site correctly, it's basically showing me what I already knew, except it is showing the fare prices as cheaper because they aren't next-day travel. That looks like a really cool site for future reference, though!
Unfortunately, we don't know anyone in either Macon or Virginia. My husband is from Kinston, NC, his sister moved to Macon years ago, and she doesn't seem to have much of a network down there.
posted by evilcupcakes at 4:44 PM on January 5, 2015
Unfortunately, we don't know anyone in either Macon or Virginia. My husband is from Kinston, NC, his sister moved to Macon years ago, and she doesn't seem to have much of a network down there.
posted by evilcupcakes at 4:44 PM on January 5, 2015
Could you get her a preloaded debit card that she could use to rent a car? I'm thinking of the generic VISA/MC/AmEx cards you can get to give as gifts. If you got one of those for her, would that be sufficient to rent since it would show "available credit" sufficient to cover the car charges?
Actually, not really. The card MUST be in the renters name. So a random Pre-Paid card won't cut it.
I saw someone crying about going to a funeral at a rental car counter because the card wasn't hers. They didn't care, they wouldn't let her have the car unless her credit card and driver's license matched.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:44 PM on January 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Actually, not really. The card MUST be in the renters name. So a random Pre-Paid card won't cut it.
I saw someone crying about going to a funeral at a rental car counter because the card wasn't hers. They didn't care, they wouldn't let her have the car unless her credit card and driver's license matched.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:44 PM on January 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I was going to say that Megabus to DC and Amtrak or Greyhound from DC to VA Beach might be cheaper.
posted by jferg at 4:45 PM on January 5, 2015
posted by jferg at 4:45 PM on January 5, 2015
Response by poster: Ruthless Bunny: Are you sure about that? I am on the website, and the drop down menu doesn't list Richmond and it doesn't have a blue dot in that area on the map? Maybe I am doing it wrong... not the first time!
posted by evilcupcakes at 4:47 PM on January 5, 2015
posted by evilcupcakes at 4:47 PM on January 5, 2015
Best answer: This is the best:
Greyhound from Macon to Atlanta=$20
Megabus from Atlanta to Richmond VA=$65
Greyhound from Richmond to Virginia Beach, VA=$22
Then do the hokey pokey in reverse.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:48 PM on January 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
Greyhound from Macon to Atlanta=$20
Megabus from Atlanta to Richmond VA=$65
Greyhound from Richmond to Virginia Beach, VA=$22
Then do the hokey pokey in reverse.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 4:48 PM on January 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Ruthlessbunny: I stand corrected, on the first page it wasn't in the drop-down. I went further into the site and then it is in the menu. Weird. Thank you!
posted by evilcupcakes at 4:49 PM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by evilcupcakes at 4:49 PM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
List something on craigslist in rideshare. Describe the SIL including her chattiness. Choose someone who seems normal from the responses you get and arrange to pay them via paypal once your SIL is in the car, or your SIL pays cash. Easy.
posted by arnicae at 4:53 PM on January 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by arnicae at 4:53 PM on January 5, 2015 [2 favorites]
There's a Megabus stop in Hampton, VA that would be even closer to VA Beach. I live in Richmond and I can also tell you that the Megabus station is about five miles from the Greyhound station, so you would also need to budget for cab fare, or she would need to manage transfering via the city bus in Richmond, for connecting in Richmond to work.
posted by strangely stunted trees at 5:08 PM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by strangely stunted trees at 5:08 PM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
For future reference, many car rental agencies will not accept debit cards.
posted by oceano at 10:59 AM on January 7, 2015
posted by oceano at 10:59 AM on January 7, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
Greyhound is a very good alternative for those who live a bit off the common path.
posted by heathrowga at 3:50 PM on January 5, 2015 [1 favorite]