Most rational people are more concerned about possible or potential bodily harm to themselves than in news headlines. I pity the poor French who face the daily prospect of living with the unhappy underclass of immigrants who set cars and tires afire so often it is no longer newsworthy.

artlover- what an interesting post. thanks for passing on our ideas to her, and for posting back her reply. Fodor's at its best.

I'm glad to hear so many people think she still is mentally "all there". She has traveled by herself a lot--even rented a car and drove herself around Ireland a few years ago (I sure wouldn't attempt to drive on the right hand side of the road!) but other times, I'm not so sure.

LoveItaly, if you could give me you e-mail address, I'd like to ask you a few questions, and DD and I are going to be in SF in Dec., so would be fun if you could join us one night...and maybe some other Fodorites there?

gail,
WOW, your story is really something else as well! Bet they are related!

kswl,
I'm studying Spanish now, and my high school French doesn't cut it with your post, but if you (or someone) assures me that there's nothing offensive (to my friend) in it, I'll forward it to her, as she's fluent in French.

I really hope this encourages her to contact the Shuttle company (and hotel). She's a very strong writer (as you see), but dreads using the telephone, but she could just as well write as call, right?

artlover...did the shuttle driver get her room number from the hotel?? If so, absolutely, she should contact the manager of the hotel as well as their corporate. Giving out anyone's room number is of course is a HUGE no no, so huge I had assumed it came either from her son, or the driver called her at the hotel and she gave it to him!

I was very surprised to hear the assisted living being batted around and was thinking how glad I was those people weren't my kids! She sounds pretty cogent to me. She was no longer in the room, her bags were not in the room, she assumed, as anyone would, that he was just going to use the bathroom, not take a shower, it wasn't the standard hotel where he had to pass back through the lobby where there are public bathrooms he could use. It isn't all that outlandish a request to grant, IMHO!

Hunterblu's post would not be offensive to her. In a nutshell, he asked why, with some of the crimes that go on in the US, people would be upset about someone taking a shower in someone else's hotel room. Only in America would there be that outrage. Why he used French to say that is beyond me. He normally posts in English.

Would you mind clarifying where the room number came from? I am assuming you feel it came from the hotel, thus the reason for writing them as well.

Well, I started the assisted living deal, but realize that was when I thought she was sitting there in the room the whole time -- my bad!

On the other hand, I still don't understand the part about the driver taking her bags to the van and she had checked out, and then the driver returned to the "still opened room". Huh? Do others leave their door open when they check out of a room and depart, opening themselves to anyone walking in and stealing things to which you'd be responsible?

*****"I had checked out of the room earlier, and the "key"
was a magnetic card. And the guy did carry my bags
out to the van before returning to the still-open room
for his shower."****

Yes, Patrick, I am glad you are not in charge of my care. No...after writing what I did, I re-read the thread and did see that the information came out piecemeal, and those were early comments. She sounds sharp "on paper" and although I've never driven in Ireland, we have driven in the Lake District, which I would think would be similar, and any 70 year old lady who willingly negotiates those roads either really should be put away, or is pretty darned self-sufficient and keen--and I'm not sure which.

Artlover, there's nothing offensive in hunterblu's post---it is exactly as OO says, the sort of "with all that goes on in America, etc., etc., etc." that you occasionally hear from someone on this board (occasionally an American). Of course, hunterblu's point was fallacious---and to boot, I thought he was a she! Sorry, Hunter!

Sorry, Artlover, forgot to add that, IMO a well-written letter of complaint is ALWAYS more effective than a phone call, which can more easily be dismissed if the "wrong" person takes it. She should make sure her letter is addressed to the right person and not a mail-opener who is friends with the Showering Driver.

I agree that a letter is always more effective than a phone call. I was told once that you should always address such letters to the top person at the company; C.E.O., owner, whatever. Obviously, that person is not going to personally open it. But it's still more likely to get attention.

i think he just took a dump and the comment about showering was a joke.

At least you know he washed his hands.

tlf18 - I agree. I think he might have taken a good amount of time on that dump and that was why the shower joke was needed.

¿Falaz? A ésos de usted que piensa que mi comentario era negativo -- -usted es los ejemplos perfecto de personas que juzgan sin instruido lo que ellos hablan acerca de. Típico y no inesperado.

Lustig, wie in Amerika Leuten denkt, dass Sie irreführend sind, wenn Sie in einer Fremdsprache schreiben.

No, we just think you've been playing around on the translator again.

I use shuttles all the time, everywhere, including San Francisco where I live.

No shuttle driver should be able to reach a hotel room. He was supposed to talk to the front desk clerk, and make him call the room, so the lady could go to the lobby.

A shuttle driver is not supposed to carry luggage from a hotel room to the lobby.

How was she able to check out, if she was sitting in the shuttle? Which person in her right mind would leave somebody in a hotel room alone?

Which person in her right mind would let anybody enter her hotel room, this is so unsafe!!

I would raise hell with both the hotel and the shuttle company! And anything in writing in theory produces more results/answers then a phone call.

What would I do? I would not let a shuttle driver into my room!

Another thing, in your 2nd post it seems she flew into OAK, if this shuttle company is listed on their website, I'd complain to the airport authorities too.

Once I had a problem with a taxidriver in Vegas, sent an e-mail to the City Hall, and got a reply that his taxi was taken out till he fixes it. So even e-mails can work and help the next traveler.

Faina, it was a motel so the driver pulled up outside the door and, I guess offered to get the bags from the room. She explained that she had checked out earlier and kept the key which was a plastic card. None of that excuses the driver's actions or remarks, but does clear up some of your confusion, I hope.

So, the whole enchilada wouldn't happen if the person who'd checked her out at the front desk would offer her help with the luggage?

Nessuno hanno detto che erano ingannevoli o negativi. Dovete provare a leggere più con attenzione, Hunterblu.

WOW am I impressed with the language skills on this board! Wish I knew what was being said, but estudio mucha pero aprendo muy despacio!

Yes, I agree it would have helped if the person working the desk (or porter) had simply taken the bags to the shuttle. Don't know why they didn't.
Will e-mail her and ask. And I also agree that the shuttle company should be notified as well as the motel. Don't know if they have been yet. I think she's afraid of getting the driver in trouble, but he needs to know this kind of behavior is not appropriate. If his work has been acceptable in other aspects, it shouldn't hurt him for one mistake. I'll ask her if there has been any follow-up on this.

I figured this one was easy.

When he came out was he wearing a shower cap? How about toilet paper hanging out the back of his pants? Did he smell anything like Puff Daddy?

Sorry ‘bout the language skills. :-\