Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with transport

Hard case for my Xbox 360?

C17H19NO3 — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 07:08:49 -0800

I'm looking for a good hard case to transport an Xbox 360 in. I am currently looking at Pelican hard cases, but I do not know which ones I should be looking at. I will be transporting the console, four controllers, and the associated cables.

Nothing I seem to do with Google is helping, even though I did find a cool converted Pelican case, but I don't want to convert a case into a gaming system.

I will be traveling from the United States to Afghanistan if that helps.

Any ideas?

What is my risk here?

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:48:56 -0800

I live in Canada. I have a friend in US who is battling cancer. She has asked me to pick up an alternative cancer remedy and bring it over the border to her in New York. The treatment is Coley Fluid, which is essentially high doses of Streptococcus pyogenes and Serratia marcescens bacteria. It has not been an approved therapy in the US since 1962. (The basic idea behind the treatment is that is causes high fevers in the patient, which then kicks the immune system into high gear. I understand that the reasoning behind this treatment might strike you as absurd, and believe me -- I totally get that. But that's not really what the question is about.)

For my drive over the border, I'll have a prescription for the treatment, and she's told me to tell the border guards that I'm bringing an alternative cancer treatment to a friend. She wants me to drive to the nearest UPS location and overnight the package to her.

My question is basically, is this illegal? If so, how illegal? If I'm stopped at the border and the treatment is seized, could I also be arrested? I'm happy to try to get this medication to her if the worst that happens is that I'm unsuccessful. If could also be arrested and/or fined, I'm just not willing to take that risk. I'm guessing that mailing the treatment to her via UPS also may be illegal -- am I right in assuming that? If it complicates things, I am a Permanent Resident in Canada -- I will not be eligible for citizenship until early 2010.

Email can be sent to coley.question@gmail.com.

Chongqing - How is the expansion of the metro going?

priorpark17 — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:21:09 -0800

Anybody in Chongqing? How is the expansion of the metro going? Especially to the Tiandi development? I am meant to be moving to Chonggqing. I don't like cars. I am looking at the Chongqing Tiandi in the Yuzhong District. Any locals know if it has public transport. I think a new line on the metro/light rail is planned/under construction. Anybody know anything?

Pick a rolling hard case for transporting meeting IT hardware

PetiePal — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:11:35 -0800

Help me find a good box to transport a projector, laptop, cables and power cords in, preferably with wheels etc. I'm the IT manager for a Solar Panel manufacturing company. We have numerous meetings out-of-office at local hotels/convention centers. Every quarter we also have a huge quarterly meeting. I always have to pack up the loaner laptop, projector, extension cords, power strips and cables which usually ends up being 2 bags etc.

I'm looking to buy some sort of hard case that with wheels and handle (like a roller bag but a case) that I could use to create 2 of these "Meeting in a boxes" so that when employees need them for off-site they can easily grab everything in one place. I need some recommendations on good brands or models of boxes to look into. It would house the following (for size estimates):

-Dell WX1609 Widescreen Projector
-Dell Latitude D630 or E6400 laptop
-PowerSquid surge protector
-Optical Mouse
-Extension cord (6ft.)

So nothing too huge really! Thanks in advance!

Who can arrange pet-transport from Kastrup?

misteraitch — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:18:21 -0800

Does anyone know of an individual or organisation based in Copenhagen, Denmark, who can organise the transport of pets (specifically dogs and cats) from Copenhagen's Kastrup airport to the UK?

Walk home from dinner or carry a lunch?

dbmcd — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:55:23 -0800

Okay to walk back to our hotel (Riverfront Residence Inn) from Simpatica (Portland, Or) on a Saturday night? Mr Dbmcd and I will be in Portland for our anniversary this year (again!) and I just made reservations at Simpatica for Saturday night. We won't have a car while we're there, and the bus there looks pretty straightforward - my question is: Is the walk 'safe' at night on a Saturday? We're not skeeved out by much, but may not be at our most alert after a big meal/wine, so just trying to figure out if we should take the bus back, or if the walk would be okay.
Thanks for your help.

Buying a left-hand-drive car from the UK?

rongorongo — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:06:43 -0800

What is the best way to buy a left-hand-drive car given that I live in the UK? I am planning to move to France in the next several months. However I would like to replace my car sooner than that - an LHD car would seem to be a good option. I would probably be interested in second hand rather than new. Probably a small family car. Have an existing 1999 car to trade.

How to bring bikes on vacation?

Argyle — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:35:45 -0800

Mrs. Argyle and I want to take our road bikes on vacation this summer. What's the best way to take them along? We live in LA and will be going to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Hard bike cases look to cost in excess of $300. The airlines want $150+ to bring them on the plane.

Any experience with packing & shipping bikes to a bike shop at the destination who can reassemble them and after a week, re-pack and ship them home?

Any bike boxes that cost less than $300 that are meant for shipping?

Thanks!

Seriously, is Bank/Monument really so bad?

Helga-woo — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 10:09:57 -0800

London Tube Geeks needed: A long time ago, we planned to take 30 kids and 10 adults on a trip from Victoria Station to Greenwich. The date we choose was the 14th February. This is now a week away, I've just checked TFL's web page and I have a feeling we're royally screwed. So here goes:

- The Jubilee line is shut from Waterloo to Stanmore
- Tower Gateway station is shut until 'Spring'
- 'Due to ongoing escalator improvement works customers are advised to avoid changing at Bank and Monument stations'

Journey Planner wants us to take the train from Cannon Street to Greenwich, but I think we'll have to pay for the kids if we do this. Buses and Tubes are free to us, and this was supposed to be a bargainous day out, which is why we're not going on the river. Playing around with the Journey Planner options either makes it suggest taking buses all the way there or changing tube lines 5 times (did I mention the 30 kids?). I suspect because someone has drummed into it that changing at Bank/Monument is a bad thing and should be avoided at all cost.

The way I see it, using human eyes to look at an actual paper tube map, we have two options:

- Circle line to Monument (or maybe Cannon Street), walk to Bank, DLR to Greenwich

- Bus to Waterloo, Jubilee line to Canary Wharf, DLR to Greenwich.

Which one do you think will be easiest with 30 kids? Is there another way I'm missing? I'll happily take a longer route if the changes are easier.

Also, thanks TFL, don't you know it's Half Term?

Individual free choice but collective predictability?

zaebiz — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 13:54:03 -0800

Can someone explain why despite the fact that every one of these incidents occurs at a unique time and place, each involves a complex history of events and personal decisions leading to its very unlikely outcome, that the death toll on the roads year-on-year is so predictable? See here and here. Why doesn't it jump around from 100 one year, to 8000 another year for example? What is it about human nature in particular that makes the rate of error leading to death so predictably in the same narrow range? This is not a question about law enforcement, personal practices or the nature of death. It's more a question of individual free will, statistics and aggregate regularity. Does anyone even understand the existential puzzle I am trying to unravel here or is it really just unmysterious?

Getting from OC to LAX on public transport

bsdfish — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 17:58:22 -0800

Useful transport from Orange County to LAX? I need to get from South OC to LAX. It's completely not a problem to be dropped off at a bus/train/etc stop, but I can't be driven to LAX.

It looks like one option is to take Amtrak over to Union station and then take the Flyaway bus to LAX. Do people have any experience with that? I know amtrak is great but potentially slow; I suspect the bus (that has to travel 20 miles through LA) may potentially be very slow and off-schedule. Also, is Union station and/or the bus particularly shady?

Any other useful options? There are some shuttle services for $50-60, but I''d prefer something a bit cheaper. Renting a car looks like an option too, but it seems pretty absurd ...

Is air shipping much more inefficient than truck shipping?

Caviar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:51:31 -0800

How much jet fuel does it take to fly a 50lb box 100 miles vs. gasoline for driving the same box the same distance? Assume the vehicles are going there anyway - what I want to know is the difference between flying an empty plane and flying one carrying the box, and the same question for a car/truck. Presumably the answer depends heavily on the type and efficiency of the plane and car, but approximate answers are fine. Are we talking roughly equivalent amounts of fuel, or an order of magnitude difference?

Best way to get between Disneyland Paris and the Airport (CDG)

Goofyy — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 11:39:38 -0800

We are planning our second trip to Disneyland Paris in a couple of weeks and are trying to figure out the best way to get between the airport (CDG) and Disneyland. The two main options discussed in a previous thread around this topic recommended the RER or the VEA shuttle. The RER seems like a hassle with luggage having to change in Chatelet-Les-Halles. During our last Disneyland Paris trip we took the VEA shuttle and we did not enjoy it at all (having to leave 2.5 hours before check-in, unpredictable timing, long stops at the different hotels, crowded). We are therefore looking for alternatives.

One option that never seems to be mentioned anywhere is to take the TGV (train) from Chessy to CDG Terminal 2. It is fast (10 minutes), should be much more predictable than the shuttle or the RER and appears to cost the same as the bus. What are we missing here? Why is this not the preferred way to go?

One other option we are considering is to take a taxi - does anyone know how much this would cost, and how long?

Do I need a Zone 1-3 Travelcard for this journey?

generichuman — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 06:24:55 -0800

Transport for LondonFilter - Am I on the hook for a Zone 1-3 Travelcard if I travel from a Zone 3 station to a Zone 2 station via an unavoidable hop into Zone 1? Here's one of those tricky questions about the London zone-system and travelcards. If I have a regular commute from Southfields (in Zone 3) to Holland Park (in Zone 2), do I need the full £100-and-change Zone 1-3 Travelcard? The problem is that this route, on the District Line's Edgware Road branch, goes through High Street Kensington in Zone 1. There's no interchange, but I'd technically travel through Zone 1 for one station.

Can I use a £60 Zone 2-3 pass for that journey, or will the system automatically charge my Pay-as-you-Go credit for passing through a station in Zone 1? (Or, would I be on the hook if a fare inspector were to ask to see a ticket? I never mess with my transit karma.)

I'd like to save myself £40 per month on this one, but I suspect I'm SOL.

How can I transport some tofu cream cheese across the Atlantic?

kdar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:09:42 -0800

I'm looking for some advice about transporting tofu cream cheese for long distances. Specifically, on a flight across the Atlantic. I'm going to visit a couple of friends in Germany tomorrow. To thank them for their hospitality, I wanted to bring along some NYC bagels and cream cheese for breakfast. After reading about the EU's customs regulations and seeing that they don't allow milk-based imports from non-Schengen countries, I decided to bring tofu cream cheese (which I like better anyway, although it's not quite as classic) from one of the bagel stores in Williamsburg.

Basically, I want to know:
- what, if anything, needs to be done for this tofu cream cheese so that it doesn't spoil during the flight (which has a long layover in Dulles, so I can't count on it staying cool in the hold)?
- does this need to be declared?
- bonus points for advice on how to keep bagels fresh for 24 hours.

No, I'm not saying where I'm buying the bagels, because I don't want to get into a holy war.

Switching off Traffic Lights

SarahM — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:21:19 -0800

I'd like to ask a relatively simple question – what would happen if we switched of traffic lights when we didn't really need them? I'd like to know from an environmental aspect what effect turning off the nations traffic lights would have towards saving electricity and reducing emissions. From a social point of view could the nation's road users manage with such a change? And from a technical innovation view point – could it and should it happen and if so how?

Is there public transport to Bodega Bay?

andraste — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:58:47 -0800

A friend will be visiting San Francisco in September and really wants to visit Bodega Bay, where Hitchcock's The Birds was filmed. Is there any way for him to get there without a car? My friend would dearly love to visit Bodega Bay and stay there one night, but according to his travel guide there is no public transport to there from San Francisco. Do any local MeFites know if that's actually the case? And if not, does anyone know of any tours or day trips that go there, which he could join? He's English living in Australia, and he won't be able to drive in the US (he doesn't drive here either) so renting a car is out of the question. Any advice very much appreciated.

Getting the scoot from there to here without driving it.

o0dano0o — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 10:54:28 -0800

What's the best way to ship a scooter from Ohio to Massachusetts? I'm looking at buying a scooter that is too far for me to go and pickup myself. I'm wondering if there are any specific shipping companies that anyone would recommend. There seem to be a bunch that show up with a google search, but I'm not sure how to weed them out.

I've also heard about UShip, and am wondering if anyone has any experience with it.

Some sort of door to door service would be preferable.

Also, I wouldn't mind hearing advice about buying vehicles at a distance.

Thanks.

Where do I look to find information on rail cargo rates and services?

Nothing — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 16:09:25 -0800

Where to start looking for rail cargo rates? I need to move about a shipping container worth of stuff from one side of the USA to the other. (DC to Fan Francisco). I have been told several times that rail is the cheapest, but I can't find much information about how to do it.

How tall is an articulated lorry?

nthdegx — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 06:09:43 -0800

How tall is an articulated lorry?

RER open in Paris on Christmas Day?

skylar — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 12:34:15 -0800

Two questions about Christmas in Paris, France. First, will the Metro and - crucially - the RER line be open on Christmas Day? Secondly, can anyone suggest great things to do that will definitely be open in Paris on Christmas Eve?

Denver camper hire

juniorbonner — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 07:29:33 -0800

VW Camper Hire in Denver Is there anywhere in Denver where I can hire a VW camper van? I can't find anything on Google

MULTIPLE questions about a terrible car accidnet and the medical/legal fallout.

lattiboy — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 12:01:42 -0800

My brother and his wife were in a near fatal car accident in California while on vacation. I need to get them about 200 miles back to Las Vegas. I have MULTIPLE questions, and I hope you guys (and gals) can help... So, a head on collision at almost 65 mph and they're alive. Extensive injuries, but it looks like they'll both pull through (after a combined 10 surgeries). I have multiple questions, but the first is how to get them back to Las Vegas without spending $4000 on an ambulance.

They had both just quit their jobs and were on a long needed vacation, so no personal health insurance. They both were covered by $150,000 a piece medical, and the other driver had $50,000 per person medical coverage. It was the other drivers fault, he died at the scene.

This happened almost 2 weeks ago and I didn't even think to ask the smartest people I know what the hell I should do next. We have an attorney who is looking at our options as far as litigation goes, but the pressing issue is getting them out of the hell hole town in Western California without personally bankrupting my family. I called 2 ambulance services, and they don't seem to like "claim numbers" much.

Man-with-a-van -type trasport rules and liability?

glibhamdreck — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 05:40:46 -0800

I'm thinking about offering a small man-with-a-van -type moving service for a few moves in the short-term. I have a couple of feasibility/legalish questions about transport rules and liability. I have large vehicle that's titled as an RV; if I start hauling cargo (even if it's not commercial cargo), does the classification of my vehicle change? What sort of registration and taxes would I be looking at? Do the rules change if I make moves across state lines?

Have you used a small, independent mover? What kind of liability agreement was in place for your belongings? Official or handshake?

Links are appreciated.

Help us find a regular location for weekends away - starting in Birmingham, UK - by public transport

LyzzyBee — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 12:37:23 -0800

We want to find somewhere we can regularly visit, that is accessible from Birmingham by public transport (up to 3 hours) and not too expensive. Seaside would be the best option. A guesthouse or perhaps a caravan site. Where can we easily get to in that timescale? We like unpretentious places, we're not interested in jacuzzi baths or 5 star food - a nice B&B and fish'n'chips on the pier is more our style.

The problem we have is finding out where we can actually go and get there by public transport. I miss the seaside and would like to be able to get there. Quiet out of season seaside is just as good as the bright lights of Blackpool!