Dear Greyhound: Thanks For Ditching Me In Philadelphia. May I Please Have My Bags Back Now? [Travel]

Greyhound ditched reader Austin at a Philadelphia rest stop on the way from Chicago to New York. During the previous stops, the driver clearly announced that the bus was about to depart. This apparently wasn't necessary when the bus stopped in Philadelphia, even though Greyhound ordered off all the passengers so the bus could be cleaned and refueled. After thirty minutes, Austin quickly dashed into the bathroom. When he returned, the bus had disappeared with his bag. Now, Greyhound's executive office is refusing to talk to Austin, or provide any compensation for his lost bag.

Austin writes:

Below are several e-mails I've sent to Greyhound in an attempt to be reimbursed for my carry-on luggage that was missing after Greyhound ditched me in Pennsylvania. We were on our way to NYC from Chicago (ew, I know) and the woman said we were pulling into Philadelphia so they could clean and refuel the bus and it wouldn't take long. After waiting for a half hour, I decided to go to the restroom. I came out several minutes later and the bus was gone! There were speakers in the bathroom, so I know there was no announcement or anything. They just left me.

The worst part is that when the bus driver told us to get off of the bus, she said we'd be coming back onto the same bus, so we could leave our belongings. Unfortunately, that was the last time I ever saw my bag again.

They put me on the next bus, and when I arrived at Port Authority, I went directly to the manager and they took me around to all of the holding areas for luggage, lost luggage, etc. They then told me that it was gone and that was that. After looking on the website, I read that Greyhound will not reimburse customers for lost carry-on luggage, but I decided this was a special case.

As I had already dealt with Greyhound managers and what not for hours at the Port Authority, I decided to call Greyhound CEO, Dave Leach's office to resolve the issue. His assistant, Liz, gave me her e-mail address so I could send her my letter, and she quickly forwarded me onto executive customer service . A woman named "Ms. Walker" called and left me a voice mail, and we played phone tag for a couple of weeks. While I work during the day and may not be able to take calls, it perturbs me that she couldn't do the same, being as that IS her job. Once I came to the conclusion that Ms. Walker and I probably wouldn't get in touch, I sent Liz another e-mail, to which she decided to begin ignoring me altogether.

I know that the BBB complaint will be pretty useless, but I'm banking on the idea that small claims court will see it my way (read: Greyhound won't show up to court and I'll win by default). Maybe?

We're not surprised that Greyhound's executive customer support staff can't return calls or emails. Nothing escapes Greyhound's ruin.

Small claims court is worth a shot. Since you'll need to deliver papers, try serving a driver, preferably one about to leave on a cross-country route.

(Photo: Tom in NYC )

Throwing $4 Drinks At Unfriendly Starbucks Managers Is Not Misdemeanor Harassment [Verdicts]

A Portland jury recently found Latasha Curry not guilty of misdemeanor harassment for throwing a $4 venti iced mocha at a Starbucks manager who accused her of running a free drink scam. Curry was initially offered a free drink after she complained that her iced tea was too bitter. When she tried to redeem her freebie two days later, store manager Ryan Smith decided that Curry looked suspiciously like a woman who redeemed a free drink from a different store 11 months earlier. Smith accused Curry of running some elaborate drink scam, prompting Curry to serve Smith a free venti shower.

When asked by Curry's defense attorney how he recognized Curry from 11 months ago, Smith said it was her glasses and her voice.

Curry later testified that she doesn't wear glasses and produced a driver's license as evidence.

Upset because she felt targeted, Curry said she began to raise her voice as Smith raised his.

Curry said when the other employee placed the drink on the counter, she grasped it, then let go when Smith grabbed it and tried to pull it toward him. He spilled the drink on himself, she said, when she let go of the cup.

"I was very much upset," she said. "He accused me of going to a store in Jantzen Beach and in his words running a scam. I was offended. . . . I don't need to steal for or scam for a $4.20 drink."

Smith called 911 after the incident, claiming that "a customer [just] assaulted me with a hot drink." We'd like to think that Curry would be entitled to a freebie if her iced tea was served scalding hot.

Starbucks' corporate office essentially sided with Curry, saying: "Providing great customer service is part of (the company's) commitment and if a drink isn't perfect, we want customers to let us know and we'll make it right."

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