usainboltyarocket Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Used Helen in Italy before no complaints from me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Donegan Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Rome to Bari , the bitch promised superb coaches with toilets , we got crap , drivers working over 24 hours with no sleep , returning from Bari on my coach the driver was driving on motorway studs for the rumble to keep himself awake , a scheming opportunist . a leech I have never heard anything like this before - I must say that if I had a complaint of this nature I would have brought it up immediately. 24 hours driving? Impossible. It is the drivers who are responsible for the toilets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McTeeko Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 Used Helen in Italy before no complaints from me. Same here. Twice I've used Helen (Bari and Slovenia). No probs whatsoever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzoal Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 (edited) She was a total chancer re buses back into town after the game. Booze ban? total disaster only cos it never happened and those of us planning for it ended up totally jaked. Come 2.30 - only coke in cardboard coke cups available - American coke, Irish Coke, Russian Coke, Scottish coke, Cuban coke........ The only time I've ever cuddled a carabinieri! Edited October 26, 2014 by gonzoal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave the bankie Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 I have never heard anything like this before - I must say that if I had a complaint of this nature I would have brought it up immediately. 24 hours driving? Impossible. It is the drivers who are responsible for the toilets. I have never heard anything like this before - I must say that if I had a complaint of this nature I would have brought it up immediately. 24 hours driving? Impossible. It is the drivers who are responsible for the toilets. Helen , we had this discussion after the Bari debacle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Donegan Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Helen , we had this discussion after the Bari debacle I don't remember it - all the people who contacted me where happy with the bus service they received. Maybe you should have written me an email. However it is a serious allegation that a driver was driving for 24 hours. Buses left Rome at about 7 and were back about 1 ish. This is why I would never work with football supporters again. It was a lot of fun but a terrible stress. I offered a service, people obviously wanted that service and paid for it. For the large numbers using the buses and the large amount of alcohol consumed it was a miracle no one was ever left behind anywhere! I remember when I came on this board at first everyone said I would only be here to take their money but I stayed friends with many and sometimes enjoyed the banter. It was stupid of me to make it so personal. Whatever... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Donegan Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 She was a total chancer re buses back into town after the game. Booze ban? total disaster only cos it never happened and those of us planning for it ended up totally jaked. Come 2.30 - only coke in cardboard coke cups available - American coke, Irish Coke, Russian Coke, Scottish coke, Cuban coke........ The only time I've ever cuddled a carabinieri! what exactly do you mean by that???? I stood for nearly 2 hours in the car park at the stadium making sure that everyone there got a lift back to Bari - I don't think any of them had paid for the service but they had been abandoned by everyone else. Bari doesn't have that many buses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Donegan Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Helen , we had this discussion after the Bari debacle how many others on your bus complained? who was the person who was employed to help on the bus? did you complain to him/her? If you have a genuine complaint a message board isn't always the best place to air it. There were 500+ people transported from Rome to Bari and back that day. Very few bus companies will even consider transporting football supporters and even fewer Italian drivers want toilets on their buses. We plan regular stops and emergency stops to compensate for this. I would NEVER have promised toilets on a bus because I know this rarely happens and I would be lynched. I may have said I would try to get them or something - don't remember specifics. This all happened so long ago and I must tell you I got a lot of thank yous and praise for the service. When I look back now I think I must have been crazy to consider the whole thing. At the time I didn't think I would even fill 1 bus - it just kept snowballing. The last bus was put on because some group organizer couldn't find his own bus so they joined our convoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thplinth Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 I would not waste your time Helen. You have done nothing wrong and this is a nasty place these days. Just forget about it and forget about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thplinth Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Rome to Bari , the bitch promised superb coaches with toilets , we got crap , drivers working over 24 hours with no sleep , returning from Bari on my coach the driver was driving on motorway studs for the rumble to keep himself awake , a scheming opportunist . a leech Your bus never had a toilet (which you would have left in a shocking state no doubt) and that justifies your post above? Jeezo... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Donegan Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 I would not waste your time Helen. You have done nothing wrong and this is a nasty place these days. Just forget about it and forget about kkjthem. Thank you. You are a lovely person. I get myself into this type of shit and can't get out of it - I am so hard headed I won't ignore the attacks. I have to get a life!!! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thplinth Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Thank you. You are a lovely person. I get myself into this type of shit and can't get out of it - I am so hard headed I won't ignore the attacks. I have to get a life!!! LOL They'll run you ragged if you let them. Just forget about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Donegan Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 They'll run you ragged if you let them. Just forget about it. Oh I will. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishandproud Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Ireland v Italy Bari 09, buses to and from stadium were free of charge, I seem to recall someone trying go charge us for a service which was free when we got there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Donegan Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 (edited) Ireland v Italy Bari 09, buses to and from stadium were free of charge, I seem to recall someone trying go charge us for a service which was free when we got there. No, no, no - I told everyone that there would be free buses from the town council - some asked me to put on a bus as they didn't want the hassle of being with a mob trying to get on a bus. Bari only has a relatively small number of buses. As it was I showed people where the free buses in the car park were were waiting - some pleaded to pay and get on my bus but we had limited seats. When Scotland was in Bari no one could find the free buses on the way back - I have still to hear from someone who used that service. Before the Ireland game I asked the head of the bus company to tell me exactly where they would be situated. Edited October 27, 2014 by Helen Donegan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelhumper Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 (edited) The boy in the wee shop at the harbour was making a fortune, 1 euro a bottle of beer handed oot the back window until the pubs said feck it and opened anyway. Aye, I was down there. A few Bari Ultras were drinking with us. Good trip. Edited October 27, 2014 by Squirrelhumper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelbo009 Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 I have absolutely no complaints about Helen We used her buses to get to Bari from Rome and back and a potential disaster turned out to be one of the best days out ever. Got to the arranged bus departure point and had an absolutely cracking wee bus hostess The script was that of the approximate 10 buses or so organised, 2 buses would be paired and stick together on the journey. Was still a bit hungover from the night before so had not planned on boozing, plus the driver had made it known that the bus toilet would not be getting opened. Anyway we made it south down the west coast past Montecassino and started the road east towards Bari but our bus was starting to have engine issues. We eventually broke down miles from anywhere apart from a small truck stop and the other bus we were paired with joined us. It was early afternoon and it was scorching The wee truck stop had a bar and bottles of ice cold Peroni were 1 Euro Everyone on both buses was able to freshen up, use the truck stop amenities, have some scran and get absolutely blootered in the 3-4 hours it took to get our bus repaired. We were poured back on the buses with a cargo and the drivers had no option but to then make the bus toilets available to us A great party ensued and further along about an hour from Bari we stopped at a big hypermarket to stock up on more booze for the rest of the journey and the beach party We only got about an hour and a half of the beach party then our bus took us up to the ground Met the bus in the car park after the game and were taken back to Rome and dropped off at the Airport 3 hours before our flight Legendary trip "15 minutes!" Quality trip, still one of the best I've had. I've never had an issue with Helen at all. In 2005 in Milan, two of our group didn't have match tickets, and Helen sorted out home end tickets for them. We also used her buses to/from the San Siro, and had booked the Lake Como trip, but were too pished to get out of our scratcher that morning to actually go - our fault entirely! In 2007, I was on the Rome-Bari bus mentioned above, and bar the engine trouble (which could've happened to anyone), we had no problems at all. Helen has provided a service in the past to plenty of footsoldiers, and I'd wager the majority had no issues. Some people will always have problems/complaints - that's the nature of business. To turn it into a personal attack is out of order IMO. Having met Helen, she's a lovely woman who was simply providing an optional service, and trying to make a wee bit of money off the back of it. Nothing wrong with that at all, she made that clear, and at the end of the day was/is running a business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Laud Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 No, no, no - I told everyone that there would be free buses from the town council - some asked me to put on a bus as they didn't want the hassle of being with a mob trying to get on a bus. Bari only has a relatively small number of buses. As it was I showed people where the free buses in the car park were were waiting - some pleaded to pay and get on my bus but we had limited seats. When Scotland was in Bari no one could find the free buses on the way back - I have still to hear from someone who used that service. Before the Ireland game I asked the head of the bus company to tell me exactly where they would be situated. We were on the council buses to and from the ground.jam packed but we got there eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newryrep Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 No, no, no - I told everyone that there would be free buses from the town council - some asked me to put on a bus as they didn't want the hassle of being with a mob trying to get on a bus. Bari only has a relatively small number of buses. As it was I showed people where the free buses in the car park were were waiting - some pleaded to pay and get on my bus but we had limited seats. When Scotland was in Bari no one could find the free buses on the way back - I have still to hear from someone who used that service. Before the Ireland game I asked the head of the bus company to tell me exactly where they would be situated. Who exactly first asked you to provide buses ? because there were 'rumours' that the local council didn't want to provide transport despite 3k of Irish landing in their not very touristy spot spending a considerable amount if money ! Which as I am sure you can guess was bull Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelhumper Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Ireland only take 3k? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoonTheSlope Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 What's this all about?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phart Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Hey Helen. Can you put all your irritating comments in this one thread please to give the rest of us peace ? Many Thanks We could maybe get her a separate drinking fountain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newryrep Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Ireland only take 3k? It wouldn't have been much more , march game midweek I think in a not very well known location with not the greatest of transport links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1ANDYP Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 3k is still a good support compared to the rest of europe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelhumper Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 It wouldn't have been much more , march game midweek I think in a not very well known location with not the greatest of transport links We played in March midweek in Bari too. Whilst we had nowhere near the support we had in Milan two years previously, I'm sure we still took 6-7,000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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