What would you do? aka Rant

So here is the complete facts from a small, yet aggravating situation my last time in Vegas.

My girlfriend and I were staying at Cosmo and wanted to just browse the strip because it was her first time ever coming to the promised land. We headed over to Planet Hollywood and I grabbed up two of the yard drinks to take on the journey. We are walking out and she starts asking questions and one of them is "where is the one with the boats that go through the canal inside the hotel?" I tell her it is the Venetian but it is quite a walk but there is a bus that comes every 10 or 15 min that we can hop on.

To that day, I had used the Duece once or twice but not within the last 2 or 3 years. The first time I had rode the bus, I had an open beer and it was late after noon early evening. Previous to that I had taken all sorts of drinks in Taxi's. Anyways I look around to make sure that there was nothing telling us to not take open containers on the Duece so I buy 2 24 hour passes and we wait, and wait and wait. 3 of the express pass by and finally about 22 minutes later one stops.

We proceed to get on and the lady says I can't bring my completely full, $16 drink (plus my girlfriends) on the bus. I respond that we just bought tickets and nothing says no open containers? She says you have to finish it or throw it away. So of course I just ask for a refund, her response is "we don't do refunds at all for anything", I tell her they need better info, I didn't even see a note posted in the bus and this is Vegas for crying out loud, everyone is drinking.

Understanding that she can't do anything for me anyways because they probably don't let her handle any cash, I step out and we start walking as I call the main office. I plea my case and they have the same response "we don't do refunds for that." I ask for a supervisor, same response except she says they don't do refunds at all. So I wasn't going to let it ruin my time there, although a bit frustrating, I called my CC company when I got home and disputed it. I haven't seen a resolution yet and it has been about a month, on the same note they take the charge off the card right away.

So now my opinion. Cabs let you take drinks in them, you can walk around with any drink in your hand, Vegas thrives on tourists either buying or getting alcohol while they "play", if you are going to limit consumption on a major public transit up and down the strip, please post it where tickets are bought. That is the only think they would really have to post right? No open containers? The way they handle it is poor as well, absolutely no

I feel swindled, albeit out of only $16, by a public transit company. It doesn't make any sense that they can make up rules as they go. I know I have the remedies outside of their jurisdiction but what if I paid cash? A public transit company shouldn't have such awful customer service because they are publicly owned, no wonder why people stop using the service and never go back. I work in the private sector and look for solutions to the issue, which was easy for them in this case. I can also equate this to the Post Office where some of the people working feel so entitled to their jobs that they don't have to work hard or care about the customer. There have been some down right rude post office workers I have dealt with in the past.

Rant over, thanks

 

Funny thing is there is nothing in the rules mentioning akcohol. Only that drinks be in spill proof containers.

http://www.rtcsnv.com/transit/how-to-ride/transit-rules/

 

I was not allowed on a bus a couple of years ago because I had a Starbucks drink. As far as "What would I do?" I would wander around until I finished my drink, then get on the bus.

 

The web site does say no drinking or eating at all on the bus. If you bring a drink, it must be in spill proof container. I am pretty sure one of those yard drinks with a huge straw would not be considered spill proof because it has a hole for the straw. Also, note that while you can drink on the strip, you cannot bring your drinks outside in downtown or anywhere in Las Vegas city limits (other than within the Fremont Street Experience)

None the less, I would guess that a lot of Vegas visitors do not understand these intricacies, and they should post it clearly.

 

I go to Vegas a lot, already 4 times since December, and still don't know everything. I guess my biggest downfall was not moving more than a couple casinos down the strip from home base. However, I have stayed on both ends and many places in between so it isn't like i have missed much, just the bus ride lol.

 

I know it's a rant...but I think the difference is just that..PUBLIC vs PRIVATE (I think Taxi's and Limo's are considered "private charter")

 

Honestly I'd be annoyed but consider it a lesson learned. I would have walked around and finished the drinks or started the long walk planning on jumping on the bus along the route. But I do agree, a no food or open containers sign would probably be the best thing.

 

Too much drama for $16

 

6yrs ago I purchased a strawberry jewel 64oz drink from La Bayous. We the proceeds to the deuce stop to head back the the strip. As the driver pulled up it was announced no drinks on the bus. I had the same WTF question but this awesome lady from Jamaica had a plastic grocery bag and told me to put my drink in there, I did and the driver didn't say anything.

 

A possible reason for this could be that the bus travels from the unincorporated area of the Vegas strip that is actually in Clark Co. to the incorporated city of Las Vegas. The liquor laws differ and there are open container laws in the city limits of Las Vegas that do not exist in the unincorporated Las Vegas strip.

Just a thought, the government could not "allow" a violation of their own law.

 

I have only taken the bus maybe three times. Once I got on with a beer, no problem. Last time I tried, I was told no alcohol. So I just threw it away. I figure I waited for a long time for a bus to show up that wasn't full, throwing away that beer wasn't going to kill me. Lol.

 

Sounds like having one of those fold up grocery bags in your pocket would work. Just put the drink in there when getting on the bus.

 

Open containers

I am thinking this is sort of a good thing.
You go on the bus and someone just poured is alcohol all over the floor, as you said you waited for 15 minutes since there are not enough buses going around, would you want one out of commision for a spillage problem?

I would either walk around drinking it or push the venetian to another day.

 

Those big drinks are for staying in one spot or walking around.

I have been ridiculed for my airplane sized bottles of booze in my purse but this is an instance where they come in handy. I mix myself up a cocktail in a pop bottle and get on any bus I want.

The folding shopping bag idea is a good one though.

 

Happened to me too the first time I tried to ride the bus. Just made a huge rum and coke drink and was told I couldnt get on with it. By the time I finished it I had no desire to go DT so never did ride it.

 

Since the bus runs every 10-15 minutes (or something like that) and there's tons to do where you were and you had a 24 hour pass, I think you have to let this one go. I don't want to belittle your feelings, I know I get fixated on small things. You could just wander around, finish your drinks and enjoy everything around you and then get on the bus.

I love drinking but I can't bring myself to get those drinks because the containers look sticky as hell.

 

I am stuck on $16 from Planet Ho to Venetian..made that walk many a time...not worth $16...plus a stop at Casino Royal for more cheap drinks...

 

Just a suggestion - my life got considerably more peaceful and serene once I stopped trying to circumvent authority and their rules, whether they seemed to be fair or not.
Admittedely, there was a time in my life when I too would have been bitching about being mistreated. Fortunately, I've been shown the errors of my self-centered way of looking at the world.
Bottom line, the Deuce bus drivers have established policies to follow. What it comes down to is not their policies, but my reaction to them.

 

Well said, Chef. It's Las Vegas, you can do ALMOST everything. $16, $16? Really, I think you you played this out enough, forget it. If this is your normal way of thinking you will have a short life span.

 

Outstanding words Chef! Also to the OP... get off your "private sector" high horse. Having worked in both, there's plenty of solid, hard-working, caring people working in the "public sector". I mean plenty.