I will NEVER get on a greyhound bus.. OMG...

[blondebunny]

OMG I just saw this facebook group, and was like let me see how this poor kid died, and OMG, I could not believe it.. So sad
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080731/Manitoba_bus_080731/20080731?hub=TopStories

 

[tenfour]

yeah, that was definitely the most gruesome murder i have heard of in a long while.
but ummm...i wouldn''t let an isolated incident keep you from taking a bus if you have to.

 

[blondebunny]

Maybe they should step up the security.. I mean I have never been on a bus like that before (besides a school bus) but I mean I would think they would make the people go through security checks and what not?? Maybe someone who has ridden on a greyhound bus knows that the security is like... just scary

its just crazy that make all these movies like the Saw and other ones, and they give people with mental illnesses ideas.. just sad that alot of those scary movies I used to love can actually be reality today...

oh and I dont really go anywhere late at night or ever alone just cuz its scary...

 

[Independent Gal]

You know, if these kinds of things happened often, we wouldn't all be so shocked. In fact, they nearly NEVER happen. So to plan your life around it would be silly. You're far more likely to be killed or raped or otherwise harmed by someone you know. In fact, statistically, you should be most scared of your boyfriend.

Now I don't use facebook myself, but can I just ask, do a lot of people actually get their news from facebook?

 

[blondebunny]

no someone had just sent me a facebook group for the kid and I didnt know who it was so I clicked on it and decided Id read what happened... I usually watch the news... but its all that Caylee Anthony girl on there.. (they are from my area)

 

[tenfour]

that story was all over canadian news stations the morning it happened. i have no idea if people use facebook as a news source.

blondebunny, do you really live in fear?? just curious.

 

[Independent Gal]

ARGH! What does it take to get some actual NEWS on the news in this country?

I just realized the facebook q might have sounded judgmental... it was just curiosity since I don't know much about facebook.

The Bus Butcher was a HUGE story internationally. It was in all the European papers. So I was just surprised you hadn't heard about it!

Speaking of creepy stories, I'm still spooked by that Austrian guy who was keeping his incestuous family LOCKED in a basement for something like 20 years. Wow, talk about sicko. I wonder how they're doing, adjusting to daylight?

And yeah, you really shouldn't live in fear. Trust me. I've spent a lot of time studying crime patterns for a job I once had, and you are just about the least likely victim of a violent crime, so long as your beau is a nice non-violent loving non-jealous guy and you never cheat on him.

 

[tenfour]

Date: 8/9/2008 7:12:07 PM
Author: Independent Gal
And yeah, you really shouldn''t live in fear. Trust me. I''ve spent a lot of time studying crime patterns for a job I once had, and you are just about the least likely victim of a violent crime, so long as your beau is a nice non-violent loving non-jealous guy and you never cheat on him.

absolutely. i grew up rural but have since lived in rough areas of two major cities. my attitude revolved around the saying ''if i don''t bother them, they won''t bother me'' and it worked out well. i''m alive an unharmed.

 

[blondebunny]

I dont necessarily live in fear, but I always thought where I lived, in Orlando was safe...but it really has gotten pretty bad...

Where I go to school there have been numerous rapes, murders, car jackings, shootings, just scary.

Where i lived my first year, there was a shooting right by my building the next year.. just scary to think I could have still been there...

Then we had men trying to break into my sorority house, and we had a couple rapes on campus the next year...

Then I had a friend who was driving and some guy ran into the back of her car (while she was going like 55 or something) so she pulled over and the guy pulled out a gun but she ran into the woods... luckily she got away...

and then not long ago a girl was running and was stabbed to death.. just lots of weird things have been happening, so it just makes me be extra cautious is all really.

I used to have a crazy bf (an ex that is) and called the police numerous times (but they are so wonderufl because they cant give you a restraining order unless the person has physically done something to you, despite the numerous emails, text messages, voicemails, notes, etc. saying he wanted to kill me, slash my tires, all that fun stuff...) so I lived in fear for a while never knowing if he would be crazy or not...

AND THEN some other girl had broken up with her ex bf and was dating a new guy(wasnt like next day or anything atleast over a month or two), and the ex had calld and said he was going to kill her and whatnot, and she called the police, they came over said they couldnt do anything (go figure) and the ex went over to the house 2 hours later and killed the girl and her new guy....

So to answer your question, I dont live in fear, I am just really cautious of my surroundings, and my bf is def is a nice non-violent loving non-jealous guy and I wouldn''t ever cheat on him. He gets worried when I go anywhere alone at night or early in the morning...

 

[WishfulThinking]

Date: 8/9/2008 7:12:07 PM
Author: Independent Gal
ARGH! What does it take to get some actual NEWS on the news in this country?

I just realized the facebook q might have sounded judgmental... it was just curiosity since I don''t know much about facebook.


The Bus Butcher was a HUGE story internationally. It was in all the European papers. So I was just surprised you hadn''t heard about it!


Speaking of creepy stories, I''m still spooked by that Austrian guy who was keeping his incestuous family LOCKED in a basement for something like 20 years. Wow, talk about sicko. I wonder how they''re doing, adjusting to daylight?


And yeah, you really shouldn''t live in fear. Trust me. I''ve spent a lot of time studying crime patterns for a job I once had, and you are just about the least likely victim of a violent crime, so long as your beau is a nice non-violent loving non-jealous guy and you never cheat on him.

And as long as he stays that way as the relationship progresses rather than showing a perhaps previously hidden abusive side.

That story from Austria haunted me for months. It still does. Last I heard [a few weeks ago, I think] the kids were doing pretty well. I think their mother/his daughter [ugh...] is the most damaged of all of them. It''s so heartbreaking. The doctors, both medical and psychiatric seemed very hopeful about their chances for recovery. /tangent


Indy is right on the money, as usual.

Don''t let the bus thing scare you, hon. Really, the chances that anything like that would happen to you on a bus is extremely small. You''re far more likely to get into an accident in it. Or, like Indy said, be the victim of an assault or sexual assault. Don''t live your life in fear. My point is not to scare you but there are a bunch of things that can happen to any of us at any time; we have to live in the meantime!

It was a horrible crime though, obviously. I heard about it the day it happened, and I admit I was a little wary on the bus that morning.

I read the news obsessively, though, which is probably why I knew so fast; from what I understand, American news was a bit slower on the story, since it happened in Canada. I first saw it on BBC.

As for facebook, I definitely do NOT get my news on facebook, but everyone who is friends with me gets "posted items" on their minifeed every day with at least 3 or 4 of what I think are the most interesting stories of the day. Otherwise I think some of my friends would never know what was going on!

 

[beau13]

This happened over a week ago, surprised you are only hearing about it now. I guess since It happened closer to home for me (Canada), it was everywhere...over in the US..why would you hear about what''s going on in Canada right? Unless you watch international news I guess!

 

[blondebunny]

Date: 8/9/2008 7:36:07 PM
Author: beau13
This happened over a week ago, surprised you are only hearing about it now. I guess since It happened closer to home for me (Canada), it was everywhere...over in the US..why would you hear about what''s going on in Canada right? Unless you watch international news I guess!

My news is just all the Caylee Anthony girl since all that is going on in my town, I cant turn on the news without that going on. I rarely turn on CNN or whatever the other news channel is, just have been too busy lately, def going to turn it on more though... just really sad

 

[beau13]

See.and I have no clue what this Caylee Anthony stuff is. Best thing to do is NOT turn on the news, its full of depressing things going on around the world anyway. This stuff happens daily...the news only reports a small fraction of what is really going on out there! I wouldn''t worry about riding the bus..you could be anywhere (wrong place, wrong time) when someone decides to make a random attack (such as this individual on the Greyhound bus)!

 

[purrfectpear]

I assume you''re just being dramatic about the "I''m never taking a greyhound bus" bit

You are MUCH more likely to be hurt while pumping gas, having your car washed, driving on the freeway, using a public restroom, standing at a public bus stop, stopping at a kwik trip/7-11 store....need I go on?

For that matter, better not get into bed tonight. I have it on good authority that an awful lot of people die there

 

[luckystar112]

Yeah, this story was big news. It gives me the shivers. Could you IMAGINE?

I've ridden a greyhound bus before...from Portland, ME to Houston, TX. It was a three day trip, I believe. My gosh...the PEOPLE you meet on a greyhound.

The stripper: I originally sat next to a girl who was my age at the time (19), who worked at a strip club in Maine. She had met some dude while dancing, and he wanted her to go to NYC to work for him. No idea what kind of work. Anyway, that's where she was headed. She left two baby girls at home to go meet this guy. I got off the bus with her in NYC (we had an hour layover or something) and waited with her for the guy to come get her. He pulled up in some type of convertible. As I watched her drive off I wondered if I was going to read about her in the paper in the near future.

The runaway: The next girl that I sat next to was a runaway. There were actually a ton of runaways on greyhounds (lots of drifters too), most between the ages of 15-18. She had left her mother's house to go live with her father in Alabama (I think), except, he had no idea that she was coming.

The mom: There was a lady on there with a baby girl, couldn't have been a year old yet. She'd ask complete stangers to hold her baby while she slept. I held her baby for her a couple of times.

The sci-fi guy: This guy was weird. I talked to him and apparently he was going on a church retreat someplace. He was with his sister and she was SUPER weird as well. One time, at one of our many stops, I was browsing a gift shop and looking at stuff. I turned around and saw him writing down my name and address (from the tag on the backpack I was wearing). I was SO paranoid after that...but turns out he just wanted to send me some religious pamphlets. Still....weird.

The odd couple: By far, THE weirdest people I met. It was a black guy and a hispanic guy (I mention this because it has a lot to do with the story). They were both gay, although they weren't together. They were also cross dressers. They were showing everyone a photo album with pictures of them in women's clothing. Anyway, they were on their way to Houston as well, so we got off the bus together. When they got their bags, apparently they were missing one. The one with their "normal" clothes...so all they had were their womens clothes. Fast-forward a week and I'm watching the news. Two guys went on a robbing spree, and there is even a composite drawing! A black guy and a hispanic guy...AND...the reporter noted that they were in women's clothing. The crimes took place in Sugarland (a suburb of Houston) and I remember the Hispanic guy telling me that's where they were headed, that's where his mom lived. I obviously have no proof but I am pretty convinced that was them!

So...................yeah. Greyhound people are crazy!

 

[luckystar112]

Re: Security

I don''t think there was any...actually. None that I remember at least. This was just a couple months after 9/11 too. And we drove right through NYC, so I think I remember actually being perplexed by that. Also, people did drugs at many of the spots (marijuana I know for sure....anything else was probably done in a bathroom stall), so people were obviously able to get it on the bus.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 8/9/2008 7:12:07 PM
Author: Independent Gal
Speaking of creepy stories, I''m still spooked by that Austrian guy who was keeping his incestuous family LOCKED in a basement for something like 20 years. Wow, talk about sicko. I wonder how they''re doing, adjusting to daylight?

I don''t remember this

Where the heck was I?

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

Date: 8/9/2008 10:03:11 PM
Author: MonkeyPie

Date: 8/9/2008 7:12:07 PM
Author: Independent Gal
Speaking of creepy stories, I'm still spooked by that Austrian guy who was keeping his incestuous family LOCKED in a basement for something like 20 years. Wow, talk about sicko. I wonder how they're doing, adjusting to daylight?

I don't remember this

Where the heck was I?

Seriously? I read CNN everysay and it was the top story for a long time. Here is one of literally dozens of articles about it. http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/06/10/austria.fritzl/index.html?iref=newssearch

I read CNN at least twice a day but don't do much with the local news. I have started my morning with reading the news since I was nine and can't imagine going without it. I am about the only one in my age group I know who does though.

As for the Canada case, now they are saying he started to eat the body too. Weird. Greyhounds have weird people but I rode them a lot in college to go home and never had a problem..

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 8/9/2008 8:14:06 PM
Author: luckystar112
Yeah, this story was big news. It gives me the shivers. Could you IMAGINE?

I''ve ridden a greyhound bus before...from Portland, ME to Houston, TX. It was a three day trip, I believe. My gosh...the PEOPLE you meet on a greyhound.

The stripper: I originally sat next to a girl who was my age at the time (19), who worked at a strip club in Maine. She had met some dude while dancing, and he wanted her to go to NYC to work for him. No idea what kind of work. Anyway, that''s where she was headed. She left two baby girls at home to go meet this guy. I got off the bus with her in NYC (we had an hour layover or something) and waited with her for the guy to come get her. He pulled up in some type of convertible. As I watched her drive off I wondered if I was going to read about her in the paper in the near future.

The runaway: The next girl that I sat next to was a runaway. There were actually a ton of runaways on greyhounds (lots of drifters too), most between the ages of 15-18. She had left her mother''s house to go live with her father in Alabama (I think), except, he had no idea that she was coming.

The mom: There was a lady on there with a baby girl, couldn''t have been a year old yet. She''d ask complete stangers to hold her baby while she slept. I held her baby for her a couple of times.

The sci-fi guy: This guy was weird. I talked to him and apparently he was going on a church retreat someplace. He was with his sister and she was SUPER weird as well. One time, at one of our many stops, I was browsing a gift shop and looking at stuff. I turned around and saw him writing down my name and address (from the tag on the backpack I was wearing). I was SO paranoid after that...but turns out he just wanted to send me some religious pamphlets. Still....weird.

The odd couple: By far, THE weirdest people I met. It was a black guy and a hispanic guy (I mention this because it has a lot to do with the story). They were both gay, although they weren''t together. They were also cross dressers. They were showing everyone a photo album with pictures of them in women''s clothing. Anyway, they were on their way to Houston as well, so we got off the bus together. When they got their bags, apparently they were missing one. The one with their ''normal'' clothes...so all they had were their womens clothes. Fast-forward a week and I''m watching the news. Two guys went on a robbing spree, and there is even a composite drawing! A black guy and a hispanic guy...AND...the reporter noted that they were in women''s clothing. The crimes took place in Sugarland (a suburb of Houston) and I remember the Hispanic guy telling me that''s where they were headed, that''s where his mom lived. I obviously have no proof but I am pretty convinced that was them!

So...................yeah. Greyhound people are crazy!

OMG, luckystar I had to laugh at some of your post. I''m sure some of it was very creepy for you, but it sounds like the makings of a movie or something!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 8/9/2008 10:51:40 PM
Author: brazen_irish_hussy

Date: 8/9/2008 10:03:11 PM
Author: MonkeyPie

Date: 8/9/2008 7:12:07 PM
Author: Independent Gal
Speaking of creepy stories, I''m still spooked by that Austrian guy who was keeping his incestuous family LOCKED in a basement for something like 20 years. Wow, talk about sicko. I wonder how they''re doing, adjusting to daylight?

I don''t remember this

Where the heck was I?

Seriously? I read CNN everysay and it was the top story for a long time. Here is one of literally dozens of articles about it. http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/06/10/austria.fritzl/index.html?iref=newssearch

I read CNN at least twice a day but don''t do much with the local news. I have started my morning with reading the news since I was nine and can''t imagine going without it. I am about the only one in my age group I know who does though.

As for the Canada case, now they are saying he started to eat the body too. Weird. Greyhounds have weird people but I rode them a lot in college to go home and never had a problem..

I recently heard that an eye-witness saw him start eating the body as well. The whole story was one of the creepiest I''ve heard in a very, very long time.

There was recently a show on about the Austrian guy--20/20? 60 Minutes? Something like that. I still don''t understand how nobody knew he was building 8 chambers under their home? That story was absolutely awful as well.

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 8/9/2008 6:56:16 PM
Author: blondebunny
Maybe they should step up the security.. I mean I have never been on a bus like that before (besides a school bus) but I mean I would think they would make the people go through security checks and what not?? Maybe someone who has ridden on a greyhound bus knows that the security is like... just scary

its just crazy that make all these movies like the Saw and other ones, and they give people with mental illnesses ideas.. just sad that alot of those scary movies I used to love can actually be reality today...

oh and I dont really go anywhere late at night or ever alone just cuz its scary...

I''m sorry BB but this is just really not a valid reason.
It is a media concept and a (weak) defence used by criminals.

 

[Haven]

I get my news from NPR, and I read Newsweek and The Economist. I haven''t heard of any of these stories until just now. However, I only care for political, legislative (as if they aren''t one and the same), and economic news in general. I do not wish to cloud my head with real-life horror stories.

This story about the Greyhound bus is just awful. How horrifying for the poor victim''s family, and the other passengers on the bus. My heart really goes out to this young person''s family.

I took a Greyhound bus from Chicago to Champaign once in college and I met some very interesting people. It was only a three hour ride, but it left at 3 AM, so needless to say you get a motley crew when you''re traveling at that hour. Luckily, I was with a male friend and felt pretty safe with him next to me, I would not have taken that ride alone. There were no security checks whatsoever, we just stowed our bags and walked on the bus. (In fact--I had a laundry basket filled with things because we were supposed to drive my car to Champaign . . . long story . . . and a very helpful Greyhound employee constructed a makeshift moving box for me out of recycled cardboard and labeling tape. It was quite a sight to see.)

 

[decodelighted]

Just wanted to say that if you live in Orlando .. you should be scared!

That was the scariest place *I* ever lived and I''ve lived in Manhattan & Brooklyn.

Just watch America''s Most Wanted one time ... every Driver''s License they show of a murderer on the lam has an ORLANDO driver''s license. Most were within blocks of my apartment it seemed. Fugitives from all over the country flock to Florida because for some odd reason (weather? sleep outside?).

 

[lovegem]

This news was all over the Canadian newspapers and it was on many USA news websites too. All I can say is that this is an isolated instance. I have used the greyhound numerous times. I feel very safe both traveling in and out of Canada using greyhound.

 

[Independent Gal]

Yeah, I''ve taken long distance trains and buses all over the world. Only place I was ever scared was in Peru, where they DO have mega-security on the posher buses (bag checks, armed guards on board, frisking, and the buses don''t stop). But that''s because a pretty decent percentage of buses in Peru are held up by armed bandits. I also had a friend who was on a bus in Haiti that had no breaks. Great loss of life and for her a fractured skull and stolen passport ensued. But one freaky incident in Canada wouldn''t make me stop riding buses there or in the US or anywhere.

Even with the random violent crimes that occur, you''re still WAY more likely to get hit by a car. And your chance of being murdered by a crazy stranger is about 100 times lower than your chance of developing a psychotic disorder and becoming the "crazy" stranger yourself. And more sane people (%-wise) are violent than "crazy" people. "Crazy" people just get more creative about it.

 

[Independent Gal]

Date: 8/9/2008 11:26:38 PM
Author: lovegem
This news was all over the Canadian newspapers and it was on many USA news websites too.

It was also on Spiegel and BBC. Blondebunny, if your local news channel thinks news is a sick three ring circus about a missing girl, why not change channels? newyorktimes.com, bbc.co.uk, etc. will all give you real news with intelligent background and analysis.

When my sister was here, we played a game while watching the "news" in the gym to see if they actually said ANYTHING with content about policy or politics in their political coverage. Amazingly, in the 90 minutes we were watching (MSNBC, I think?) they managed to say NOTHING! Not one thing that had any content or substance AT ALL.

Now, there are many fine things about this country, but the tv news is pathetic. And I mean pathetic. I don't know how a democracy can survive under conditions like that.

Now, granted, a story about a gruesome murder on a bus is not important political news. But if it had happened in the US the three ring circus would have been about that, and it just goes to show that the US is largely oblivious to the rest of the world. Part of America's news deficit is that there is so little international coverage and international knowledge that I bet most Americans have no idea that Russia is at war with Georgia, or even any idea where in the world Georgia is. For that matter, I wonder how many Americans even know where Manitoba is, where the bus incident happened.

update: looks like Georgia pulled out of South Ossetia, so that war is likely going to end...good thing they didn't let Georgia join NATO or the whole gang, including America, would be at war... an attack on one is an attack on all!

 

[allikatac]

I agree that this is an isolated incident and you are more likely to be killed by someone you know, but it is still very scary and sad!

I definitely think that Greyhound needs to add some security measures. Like Luckystar said, you definitely meet some very interesting people. I rode the greyhound twice during college with my dh(then bf) and it was quite an experience. We met 2 ex-convicts, a couple of woman going to visit their SOs in jail, many people who were openly doing drugs during rest stops, and also some runaways.
I had led a pretty sheltered life prior to college so this was definitey an eye opening trip. I don''t think I would have felt comfortable had I been by myself. My dad recently did a favor for a friend which involved riding a greyhound. He ended up on a bus with an armed man convicted of murder. Their bus was escorted by police into the station, but he said it was definitely a scary experience.

 

[WishfulThinking]

Date: 8/10/2008 8:00:46 AM
Author: Independent Gal
update: looks like Georgia pulled out of South Ossetia, so that war is likely going to end...good thing they didn''t let Georgia join NATO or the whole gang, including America, would be at war... an attack on one is an attack on all!

Indy, I was JUST saying that to FI on the phone. That would have been quite the interesting NATO fiasco...

 

[LuckyTexan]

They have NO security, and they also have NO passenger accountability.

I wanted to surprise my parents by coming home from college for Thanksgiving. I was only 17.

I had saved all the money I had made from my little job I had after class... and I got a Greyhound ticket... Chicago to San Diego.

They LEFT ME in the rest stop in BLYTHE California.

I was in the bathroom... Everything I had carried on was STOLEN...

So, UM. YA. I''d NEVER ride Greyhound!!!

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 8/10/2008 7:53:57 PM
Author: LuckyTexan
They have NO security, and they also have NO passenger accountability.

I wanted to surprise my parents by coming home from college for Thanksgiving. I was only 17.

I had saved all the money I had made from my little job I had after class... and I got a Greyhound ticket... Chicago to San Diego.

They LEFT ME in the rest stop in BLYTHE California.

I was in the bathroom... Everything I had carried on was STOLEN...

So, UM. YA. I''d NEVER ride Greyhound!!!

Oh LT that sucks!

Were you able to get any form of compensation??