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Hitchhiker's Guide to PAX East - NEW JERSEY
SoCo_and_Lime
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
In an attempt to organize some ride sharing action, I'm going to try and organize some pick ups. Please check OP frequently. If people want to do this for other states that's fine, I'm not going any further than NJ though.
RULES:
- YOU MUST BE 18 OR OLDER. To avoid any legal problem (parents claiming you kidnapped their children) and so that you posses a regular license, not provisional, so that if need be you can take over driving. Drivers are encouraged to check ID before transporting anyone.
- Pick-ups will be made only at the 8 service areas along the Garden State Parkway North or the 4 on the New Jersey Turnpike North. It is recommended that hitchhikers be dropped off and not leave a car there for the weekend.
- Don't be a dick. This entire scheme will be running on the honor system.
- Pick up times are at the DRIVER's discretion (as is music). No bitching.
- I can not be held responsible if your driver/hitchhiker is mean, smelly, stupid. I'm paring you up completely randomly. Unless otherwise requested, I'm not taking gender into account when paring you.
- Splitting gas money, tolls, pit stops, parking, etc is highly recommended but is by no means implied here. Please be sure to work that out first.
- This ride share is only GOING TO PAX. Getting home is all on you.
- All communication past the point of pairing you up is up to you. I suggest getting to know each other, exchanging cell phone numbers, etc.
- Advise me of any and all cancellations/changes
All pick ups will be on a first come first serve basis. Submit in thread.
HITCHHIKERS: Submit the form below
Name (or just your handle):
Age/Race/Gender:
Date of requested pick-up:
Service Area (#):
Bags:
Willingness to split travel costs:
Special Requests/Needs*:
DRIVERS: Submit the form below
Name (or just your handle):
Age/Race/Gender:
Date of travel:
Spaces available:
Service Area's willing/able to stop at (#s):
Make/Model/Color of car:
Special Requests/Needs*:
*Examples: Allergy to dog/cat hair, no smokers, etc.
SERVICE AREAS: Used assigned numbers # to identify
Garden State Parkway:
8) Montvale (Mile Post 171)
7) Brookdale (Mile Post 153.3)
6) Vaux Hall (Mile Post 142)
5) Cheesequake (Mile Post 123)
4) Monmouth (Mile Post 100)
3) Forked River (Mile Post 76)
2) Atlantic City (Mile Post 41.4)
1) Ocean View (Mile Post 18.3)
New Jersey Turnpike:
13) Grover Cleveland (between 11 and 12)
12) Joyce Kilmer (between 8A and 9)
11) Woodrow Wilson (between 7 and 7A)
10) James Fenimore Cooper (between 4 and 5)
9) John Fenwick (between 1 and 2)
Hitchhikers/Drivers: (Red needs pick-up. Green is being picked up)
Garden State Parkway
8) Montvale
(N/A)
7) Brookdale
(N/A)
6) Vaux Hall
(N/A)
5) Cheesequake
(N/A)
4) Monmouth
(N/A)
3) Forked River
(N/A)
2) Atlantic City
(N/A)
1) Ocean View
(N/A)
New Jersey Turnpike
13) Grover Cleveland
(N/A)
12) Joyce Kilmer
(N/A)
11) Woodrow Wilson
(N/A)
10) James Fenimore Cooper
(N/A)
9) John Fenwick
(N/A)
CARS
Driver: (N/A)
Passengers: (N/A)
Date: (N/A)
[x] Bolt Bus
[x] Radisson Hotel Boston
[x] Pre-Pax Dinner
[x] BYOC and 3 Day Pass
[x] Radisson Hotel Boston
[x] Pre-Pax Dinner
[x] BYOC and 3 Day Pass
SoCo_and_Lime on
0
Posts
Done.
I'm guessing this thread is going to be a bit slow for now but once people start working out their travel plans, around February / early March , I hope it'll help
[x] Radisson Hotel Boston
[x] Pre-Pax Dinner
[x] BYOC and 3 Day Pass
[x] Radisson Hotel Boston
[x] Pre-Pax Dinner
[x] BYOC and 3 Day Pass
They don't have schedules up for late March yet but using costs from early March, and adding in a NJTransit train or bus ticket to get to NYC, I would estimate $65 per person round trip.
Add this in to some rough estimates a while back comparing car vs train which I'll re-post here:
>TRAIN: The Amtrak tickets from Trenton, NJ are $73 each way. 4 people round trip would be $584!
>
>CAR: Lets assume a mid-size sedan w/ decent gas mileage, price of gas being about what it is today, plus 10 >cents per mile towards wear & tear on the car. That works out to be about 25 cents for every mile you drive, >meaning it's safe to assume the car will cost about $150. Parking in downtown Boston for 3-4 days will cost >about $150 as well. Versus taking the train, that's gonna save the group $300 for a 4-person trip.
So my recommendations are as follows:
Going Solo: take the train and meet people (or find a carpool in this thread!)
Two Person Group: Bus $130, Train $292, Car $300. Bus wins
Three Person Group: Bus: $195, Train $438, Car $300. This is kind of a toss-up. For the money-conscious this proves these cheap buses are a great deal, but for reasons below I might still be tempted to take a car.
Four Person Group: Bus $260, Train $584, Car $300. Even though it's an extra $10/head, I would recommend Car here. On the plus side, you will get there faster and have the flexibility to stop where you want, be as obnoxious as you want, etc. On the downside it is $40 more and someone has to spend there time driving.
Obviously these are not super-scientific calculations. The bus rates can range anywhere from $1 to $20 each way. This was done of off cost for two weeks earlier as the PAX East weekend is not up yet. They also don't account for you sticking two heavies in the back of your car and pulling down your gas mileage, or finding a good deal on downtown parking, etc.
If you've got cash to spend I still think the PAX East Train Alliance looks like a blast and would love to travel that route.
-Someone needing to drive. I like the bus since all the people on the trip can chill and have fun without some poor schlub getting stuck driving. It's just a nice worry not to have. Plus leg-room.
-Boston driving. Boston is a drivers worst nightmare. The roads are a tangled hellish skein woven by spiders of the underworld. It tacks an extra half hour on to any trip just to navigate and get parking, made my friend miss the Kalefina concert at Anime boston.
The bus could also be a great way to get PAXers travelling together - get 10-20 forumers to book the same bus and you've got a recipe for a party.
Something else to consider is flying. Last I checked, a flight from Newark to Boston was ~79 round trip.
Also, Boston driving isn't hard. Unless you have never driven on anything but a two lane road in Podunk all you have to do is be alert and not be a god damn idiot. Most people who have problems every time they drive in the city have those problems because they're the idiot causing them. Print out a set of google maps directions and you'll be fine. Really.