texas without a car
 

Hi! I'm afraid to drive on the right hand side of the road...so consequently do not plan on hiring a car in the US. Does anyone have any suggestions for public transport within Texas. How would you get around if you didn't hire a car? For example: would you get the bus accross the state or would you fly? How safe is the bus? Do you know of any private tours in Texas...esp that go to West Texas and Big Bend? Any ideas will be very helpful to me. Thanks.

My honest advice is that you probably already KNOW how to drive on the right hand side unless where you drive now doesn't have any expressways.

Is the real issue the steering wheel location? The shifting?

Frankly, I'd get a rental which has automatic transmission (fewer pedals to worry about) which is what I'm doing when I go to the UK this April.

Texas is HUGE; don't take busses or organized tours because of your fear...do something positive to overcome it and minimize it.

Thanks Intrepid1

I guess that I could get used to driving on the RHS (the technical side of things after a few hours driving but I'm probably more afraid of being on the road in the US by myself: Breaking down, being hijacked, getting lost, being in an accident etc. Public transport gives someone else the responsibility for my safety. I know I would have a much better time in the US if I could just get over this fear.

Being highjacked? Bus safety? Did you mean Texas or Colombia?

My biggest problem driving in the UK was entering the car on the "wrong" side. I did have a bit of a problem with "knowing" where the left side was in "space" as well.
Those will not be a problem on the highways and especially not in "Big Bend", Terlingua, Lajitas, Marathon (Hot. Gage), Marfa, Ft. Davis, Balmorhea (Hots. at the state parks for the latter 2), etc.
M

Texas is a very big state and there's really no reliable (or frequent) public transportation that you can take between it's major cities so you'd have to fly from city to city. that means you'll spend lots of time in airports rather than enjoying what Texas really has to offer. Besides once you arrive at the "new" city you'll still need a car to see the sights as getting around them is not really easy using public transportation. In all honesty Texans are in love with their cars and very rarely use buses to travel from point A to Point B so the public transportation infrastructure is not really condusive for travel, except perhaps during rush hour to/from suburban bedroom comunities to the downtown business centers.

The highway systems are well maintained and very safe to drive. Hijackings are very rare (don't let the images of stage coach robberies that you see in old western movies worry you - Texas is not the "wild west" anymore) and you'll find plenty of rest stops, emergency call boxes, service stations, small towns, and other places where you can get assistance should the need arise. The highways are well patrolled and they are relatively heavily travelled so that if, on the slim chance, you do suffer a mechanical breakdown someone will probably stop to offer you assistance (Texans are very thoughtful like that).

As for getting lost, that shouldn't be a problem if you stay on the major highways. If you do decide to venture on to some of the secondary roads all you will need is a good road map to get you back on track - don't forget you can always stop at a local gas station or convience store and someone will gladly give you directions.

Or you could rent a car with a GPS system (like Hertz Neverlost)

The "hi-jacking" probably happened more frequently in Florida than in Texas.

I somehow doubt there is much chance of a "breakdown" in a rental car but most, if not all, rental companies provide services in case of a breakdown.

Getting lost..depends on where you are driving. Open majpor roads in the US are some of the best signed/marked anywhere, including Europe.
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But I'm going to sign off this thread for the simple reason that you have identified the "problem" you have to deal with and, unfortunately, no amount of information from me is going to prompt you to act.

leanapayne, I feel as safe driving in Texas alone as I would in Ireland or the English countryside.

I can understand your hesitation toward driving on the right with a left hand steering car. I had the same fears when i had to learn to keep to the left. After about 15 minutes in Kingston, Jamaica I was appointed chauffer.

If you do decide to rent a car, you will have little difficulty once you leave the airport area and get out onto the highway. Its a little intimidating, but public transport in Texas would not be reccommended. My lingering trouble with right hand steering is that whenever i want to signal a turn i flip on the windshield wipers. Flying from place to place is an option..Texas is big.

Where are you coming from? Hope all works out well for you.

Leana, everyone here has given you very good advice. You would do well to rent a car if you want to see West Texas and Big Bend. There are very few airports out there with commercial passenger service; most of them are for private planes only. I lived in West Texas for 6 years, and the people are extremely friendly and are very curious to meet foreign tourists! Getting directions if you get lost, or getting help if your rental car did break down, will not be a problem. I've never heard of any hijackings, etc. in West Texas.

You might also consider buying a "go phone" which is a mobile phone that is pre-paid and doesn't require a contract. Mobile phone reception along the highways in West Texas is surprisingly good.

ALL rental cars here in the US have automatic transmission as most Americans (self included) are unfamiliar with how to drive a manual transmission car! They are also usually quite new and very well-maintained, and if you have any sort of trouble with the car, the rental company will assist you with everything.

FYI, you can't drive a US rental car into Mexico.

Interesting to note: several "no votes" based on friends' or friends of friends' experiences. Some "go for it with precaution" by what seems more experienced drivers in MX. Sounds a lot like the go or dont go to Jamaica threads in the Caribbean posts.

Thanks for all the detailed advice. I live in South Africa where hijackings are quite common! I think that my fear of America stems from all those movies (I think one of them was actually called 'Breakdown') where people end up having very nasy experiences on the road in the middle of nowhere. Probably also because I live in a relatively dangerous country and am paranoid about crime.

I have done two trips to Texas already but was restricted to downtown Austin & Fort Worth because of my fear of hiring a car & driving. I also spent a fortune on taxis including something ridiculous like $150 between Forth Worth and Dallas on my first night in the USA.

Follow the advice on this board and buy a "go phone" when you are here so you can call if there's a problem.

Do rent a car with a navigation device if you aren't a good map reader.

But, you will be amazed at how nice folks are. I've traveled for years on rural southern roads and rarely have had ANY kind of problem (flat tire, etc.) but folks have always been helpful. The last time I had a flat, I was waiting for the tow truck service I had called, and the sheriff stopped and changed the tire for me (and waved the truck on when it arrived).

The only place I've ever been nervous in a rental car was in Miami, FL. You'll be more than fine in Texas.

Be sure to spend time in the Hill Country and drive out to Fredricksburg, TX.

While I too agree that driving is the better way to go in Texas, there must be bus service, Greyhound? Or trains, Amtrak? Or flying city to city?

The easiest solution for Leana is to rent a car, but there must be other alternatives. Right?

That said, I would definitely not be afraid because of hijacking or "road rage" type incidents. Highly unlikely IMO!

Texas is BIG BIG BIG, much of your driving would be along straight open highways.

Big Bend is pretty difficult to see without a car. There is no public transportation within 100 miles, and most tours begin from towns much closer than that. Besides, it's such a huge park that driving through it with just a few stops wouldn't do it justice.

When are you planning to go? The busiest season at Big Bend is spring (March/April) and summer is brutally hot. Also, cellphone reception is virtually non-existent within the park and the immediate vicinity. I had no reception on my phone until I got to Alpine.

Re: security.
Texas has a concealed weapons law which
has significantly reduced many house invasion and car jacking crimes.
M

I'm not sure Greyhound would be the most "scenic" way to "do" Texas.

If leana truly does not want to drive, then perhaps a combination of flights to the cities (Southwest Airlines has cheap flights) and then book a bus tour (Gray Line or similar).

mikemo, your input serves little purpose (IMO) and also gives the OP more imagery that cannot be helpful. Your posts are often caustic and critical, but is your intent truly to add more things for her to needlessly worry about?

HERE ARE SOME LINKS, LEANA...

For Gray Line tours of key Texas cities, check out -
http://www.iridekbc.com/grayline.asp

For bus service (Greyhound) between cities in Texas, click on the "Schedule Service" link to the right.

I found these by going to www.grayline.com, but Kerr Bus Service is the franchise they use in Texas

Leana, I've seen the movie "Breakdown," and that's not reality here in the USA, especially not in West Texas! That's like saying you don't want to go to New York City because you saw "Escape From New York!" I've had several South African friends, and things are very different here!! They told me about how things were at home (amazing home security systems, armed guards, etc.) and it just shocks me. In West Texas, there are many small towns where people don't even lock their home's doors...it is just that safe!

I'm so sorry that you spent so much money on cabs when you were here in Dallas/Fort Worth. :-( These cities are just not friendly to people without a car...

Amtrak in Texas is not a good way to travel because it severely limits the places you can go. There is one north-south route, and one east-west route. It's not nearly as handy as the trains in Europe!

The closest cities with commercial passenger airline service to Big Bend are El Paso (300 miles), Del Rio (280 miles), and Midland/Odessa (273 miles). So, if you want to see Big Bend, flying really won't help you get close to the park.

Forget about trains and buses. Between the cities, the best way to travel is Southwest Airlines. That's basically our "bus system" in Texas. Frequent flights between all major cities. Once you get out to West Texas, driving is easy, as everybody's already told you. The place is wide open and traffic light. You won't have any problem.

But in the main cities - especially Houston and the DFW Metroplex - driving can be pretty difficult. To get anywhere, you will need to get on the urban freeways, which have heavy traffic and often 6-7 lanes in each direction.

So, if you have more specific itineraries - like which cities you want to visit, and for how long - we can give you better information about how to do it.

Having lived in Texas briefly I believe it to be one of the friendliest states in the nation! I would not have any fear of car-jacking in fact most Texans will go out of their way to help you out. Now if you were traveling to New Mexico that would be a different story..

everyone has been so helpful! Thanks. Now I'm thinking it may be a good idea to fly to Midland and then hire a car to drive to Big Bend. I originally had the idea of getting the bus or train to Alpine and then seeing if there were any local guides. I haven't been able to find any private guides in Texas - either I'm not looking properly or they don't exist. I know that in South Africa you can always get a guide for the day ($100 or more). Someone who knows the area well and/or who is a specialist in a certain area like wildlife or geology or music or food...whatever your interest.

This link will give you an idea of the various tours available in the Big Bend area. However, I think all of them originate from the SW side (Terlingua, Lajitas area), so you would still need to find a way to get there from Alpine if you decide to use public transportation.

http://www.visitbigbend.com/whattodo.htm

I believe there are tours from Marathon and/or Alpine, but if I remember right, they are one-day visits, so you'd spend several hours just driving back and forth to the park. If I can find links for them I'll post them.

I used to live in West Texas and I remember there were tour services from the Midland TX airport to Big Bend. I did a quick web search and found these 2 ideas:

http://www.timbertours.com/SWCCC_BB.htm

http://www.heardmuseum.org/press_rel..._Bend_Trip.doc

Leana, i totally understand your trepidation about driving on the "wrong" side of the road-which is what's kept me out of car rentals so far in UK and St John USVI--which I regret. Upcoming trips, I'm gonna "go for it"--and you should try too!! From afar, the images you get of a foreign country can be quite skewed, creating wrong impressions, even though you've been here before. In personal meetings and phone conversations, I have to say, (though this may be a generalization) Texans are theTHE friendliest group of people I've met in the USA.
I'm about to take my first ever trip to Arkansas and Texas and will be alone on the roads in a rental car. I'm not nervous about it--and I'm defintely not the calmest person in the world!! Agree that you should rent a cell phone to have with you--maybe also a GPS navigator, as others suggested? Maybe others will know if the navigator system is always available in TX rental cars? Though not necessary, it might give you an added sense of security. Also many rental cars now come with built in security systems.
I've been to your beautiful country, and always wanted to return, but have heard the crime/hijacking stories which make me hesitate. So, it works both ways! But from what I've read...or the impression I've received, right or wrong...you'll be FAR, FAR less likely to encounter on-road crime here than in South Africa.

Texas without a car would be like Antarctica without a jacket.

If you want to see Texas you will need transportation, so please rent a car. I drove for three years in the UK and after the first few minutes driving on their side of the highway it came natural. If you pay attention to your driving you will have no problems....I don't think you really realize just how large the state is. May I suggest you get a map of the state as well as the surrounding states and spend some time with them before you arrive. Safety will not be a problem, use the same precaution as you would anywhere else you would travel.

Within the centers of the major cities, you can get by without a car, if you're willing to use public transportation such as buses and, in the case of Houston and especially Dallas, metro rail. The things that a visitor would enjoy seeing are usually in or near the center of the cities.

For travel from one Texas city to another, travel by air. Southwest Airlines is the preferred mode of transport, because of its low cost, frequency, and in the case of Dallas, proximity to the center city.

For travel outside of the cities, i.e. to explore the countryside, rent a car. This is good advice not only for Texas, but for just about anywhere in the United States. You need a car to explore rural California, rural New England, rural anywhere.

West Texas is the best place in the state to have a car. There's not much traffic and the roads are often wide, straight and long!

What city are you planning to fly into?