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21chucks t1_j5wx2y0 wrote

Roosevelt Blvd has to be the worst driving experience in the city

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ReturnedFromExile t1_j5x1pv6 wrote

yeah, when you drive it all the time you kind of get used to it but when you come back to it after being away, you recognize the true insanity of that road. That intersection at Adams Ave. has to be the most fucked up intersection in the country. I cannot imagine worse.

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YoungHeartOldSoul t1_j5yg5tj wrote

I had to use that intersection after only having been here like 3 months. As soon as i pulled up to that intersection I decided I'm going wherever the car in front of me was going

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Arwen823 t1_j5x51pz wrote

I just googled this intersection because I’ve never experienced it and WHAT?! What is going on here?!

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ReturnedFromExile t1_j5x5f26 wrote

it would be a bad intersection even if there were a bunch of good drivers around. proceed slowly and keep your head on a swivel.

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aicrooster t1_j5zy19w wrote

I drive through that intersection daily. It's by far the worst and most chaotic intersection I know of, but there is a rhythm to it. Still incredibly frustrating and scary because you can't predict what other drivers are going to do.

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KingOfAllThatFucks t1_j63kzvq wrote

Truth, dude. I lived right off the Blvd for my first 31 years of life, moved out to the burbs 2 years ago. It's terrifying whenever I go back to visit my family.

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Proper-Code7794 t1_j5y0xdp wrote

Oddly enough we played football in the median. I survived my entire childhood living directly on the boulevard and never got hit by anything.

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cielorossa t1_j5ywe8v wrote

True story - I didn't get my license til later in life and I was afraid of driving on 76 and 95. I needed to drive to the Northeast on a daily basis, and I hired an instructor to help me drive from Center City to Philmont Ave. After the first time on the Boulevard (because I wanted to avoid 95), I decided I'd rather brave the highway. LOL.

The middle lane situation on the Boulevard requires a separate driving course.

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BetweenThePosts t1_j60ch56 wrote

I plan my day around not having to take a left turn into Roosevelt

0

ReturnedFromExile t1_j60xhak wrote

I run out of gas one time in the turn lane at Red Lion and the Boulevard. I had to push…… and steer… by myself

1

[deleted] t1_j5xi36i wrote

[removed]

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BloodPrayer t1_j5ya26a wrote

I have a feeling most people downvoting this don’t drive the boulevard regularly.

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RoverTheMonster OP t1_j5yfqra wrote

Nah, downvoted for “speed-rape”

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SouthPhilly_215 t1_j66k5v5 wrote

If you go over 50mph… Even when theres zero traffic… you get fucked in the wallet. So you gotta drive super slow (for a 10 lane highway) as if there is traffic.. Even when there is no traffic. Don’t build a highway if you want it to drive like a main drag out in jersey…

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SouthPhilly_215 t1_j66kbys wrote

Yeah people downvote a true thing if you use too sharp of a tongue while doing it… They don’t deive the blvd, aren’t originally from Philly, or both… lmao

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PhillyAccount t1_j5wmkt7 wrote

South Philly, can't see shit when you're coming to an intersection because people park in the crosswalks. Gets worse the farther south you go, at least on the east side.

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cpndff93 t1_j5wrrlj wrote

Its lawless once you cross Washington

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AtBat3 t1_j5wym57 wrote

And if you get to an intersection with just stop signs people really don’t like to stop! It’s like they really don’t care if they’re about to get in an accident. Then they give you a weird look

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Gabagoo44 t1_j5x9nzw wrote

If I arrive the same time at a stop sign, I just let everyone go first. I don’t care anymore about who has right of way. I’d rather not get in accident or deal with road rage.

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TheBSQ t1_j5zdv37 wrote

Except when they wanna do the same and everyone’s just sitting there doing the “you go” hand/finger movement to each other.

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regcrusher t1_j5y7zk9 wrote

I’ve long ago given up being frustrated driving on Moyamensing below Snyder. Instead now I look forward to it to see how creative the parking spots get

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HotPoptartFleshlight t1_j638dey wrote

The trick I've learned down here is to use the reflection of the cars across the street. If there's no one there or they've got an old car without any shine, good luck.

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Electronic-Lobster13 t1_j5x272s wrote

Can’t stand driving in northern liberties/fishtown. Tiny streets that aren’t on grid pattern with construction everywhere and potholes the size of my tires. I’ll stay south with the car.

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TwoWilburs t1_j5x9ump wrote

One of my favorite recent very-Philly observations is that there’s a spot where taking a left onto 2nd was previously pretty dangerous but now an enormous pothole on 2nd functions as a yield sign slowing oncoming traffic considerably & improved the safety of the intersection

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NotSureNotRobot t1_j5y5exg wrote

I’ve seen the lights go out in busy intersections which then become very efficient 4-way stops

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CommunicationTime265 t1_j5yb36h wrote

Yea I hate driving around there because of the layout and cramped feeling. Potholes are everywhere in the city though.

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Raecino t1_j6ax5ym wrote

It was not always cramped. After gentrification started is when the neighborhood started to become overly crowded as they jammed hundred plus apartment buildings on tiny residential streets with no parking included.

0

wild_lettuce_ t1_j5yjljy wrote

My nail salon is in northern liberties and when Girard avenue was shut down in spots, it was a nightmare getting to the salon. You can’t just cut over 1/2 streets as a detour. No streets intersect normally down there. They either weirdly end, turn into one way, etc. I despise circling the block for parking down there because it’s never a circle 🤣

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wolfman2scary t1_j5x7juu wrote

I was gonna say. I don’t have much driving experience but the potholes are terrible as well. Thats not specific but you can go around them.

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axiomSD t1_j60whar wrote

i cannot STAND driving on Girard and dealing with the double parkers and potholes

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Lazy-Clock7316 t1_j5yrxu2 wrote

Occasionally I’m forced to play a game I call “escape from south Philly” where you’re blocked in every turn by a bus, trash truck, Amazon truck, crackheads, etc and it takes a full 45 minute to get to I95

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William_d7 t1_j5zhpne wrote

I’ve nearly had my groceries spoil on what should be a 10 minute drive back from Acme. I end up laughing/crying like a disturbed person by the time I’ve had to double back to where I started.

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TheBSQ t1_j5ze7ap wrote

Not there, but I’ve gotten stuck where due to trash trucks, moving vans, and utility work there was literally no way out of the maze.

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Rahawk02 t1_j5zkivs wrote

Sounds fun try it while playing the Judgement Night soundtrack

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Expensive_Forever_56 t1_j61kjmd wrote

I go from Oregon to Washington everyday for work and I get caught in the labyrinth all the time

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Hollow_Rant t1_j5x7jz9 wrote

Olney, particularly 5th St.

So you pay for parking and what does that get you? So limber dicked jabroni who decides that he's going to double park right next to your legally parked car while he's either getting a haircut or eating at a greasy spoon.

Oh shit, he's actually double parked while going to the neighborhood dive bar and will now be doing donuts in the middle of the street while 4 busses are now stuck because of this.

And because you're stuck ,you pass the meter time and the PPA appeared from nowhere and wrote you a ticket.

Why did you even come up to Olney?

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The_Bobby_ t1_j5ynu5f wrote

Sounds like a personal experience, the solution is a bazooka

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tastycakebiker t1_j5x68wm wrote

Does center city count as a neighborhood?

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PurpleWhiteOut t1_j5yvznj wrote

Manayunk, especially in the winter. I hate the two-way roads that are the size of a one-way

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bryverde t1_j60ycax wrote

This is the only right answer And you can forget about parking

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Chimpskibot t1_j5wtro4 wrote

The Northeast!!! Runner up anywhere on Aramingo. it's like death race especially near 95 lol.

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animesekaielric t1_j5x090x wrote

I’d rather attempt to parallel park with 3 cars behind me in a tight South Philly street than attempt to merge onto the Roosevelt Blvd

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Kenz0Cree t1_j5x8z5s wrote

Work for the city and can tell you its the whole city thats horrible. It was always a pain in the ass but since the pandemic its turned into Mad Max. Too much crazy shit to describe what I see day to day.

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Skigamajig t1_j6cnu0v wrote

Also work for the city, totally agree. Every neighborhood is terrible to drive in. Especially after the pandemic, it’s like people forgot how to drive.

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Bethjana1 t1_j5wpot5 wrote

South West.

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southwest40x4 t1_j5yd048 wrote

Proud home of the 5 point u turn in the middle of woodland Ave to double park in front of an open space.

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cibrochill t1_j609bzf wrote

Oh my god. Why, WHY do people double park next to an open spot. Came across that this morning and almost lost my shit.

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BlondeOnBicycle t1_j60r6vh wrote

I have started taking pictures of people doing this. It makes my blood boil

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TheBSQ t1_j5zdlgo wrote

For real, what’s with the double-parking in front of an open space? I don’t think I’ve ever not see someone do that in that part of town.

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southwest40x4 t1_j601i51 wrote

I know, right? Can you even call it double parking if there is no car parked that you’re doubling?

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BearFromPhilly t1_j602oxb wrote

Gotta be able to make a quick getaway if someone runs up on you over Instagram beef.

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arslashjason t1_j5wkk2q wrote

Southwest

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BearFromPhilly t1_j5x6dx2 wrote

This is the real answer, motherfuckers are HOMICIDAL.

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Rotaryknight t1_j5xthjr wrote

thats because its all shit cars there and probably no insurance, you cant drive a nice car there. I saw a guy crash into a car from behind at the lights because it turned red, dude that crashed into the person reversed, gave a peace sign and bounced lol

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CommunicationTime265 t1_j5ybhu3 wrote

I've been hit before at intersections over here. Nothing major but yea people just bump you and keep going like nothing happened.

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oatmilkproletariat t1_j5xsnwr wrote

besides the obvious ones already mentioned like roosevelt blvd and fishtown, chinatown and temple’s campus for the same reason - the driving situation sucks for both the drivers and the pedestrians. i’ve seen ppl almost get run over in both neighborhoods due to extremely angsty and impatient drivers. tight streets & constant foot traffic do not mix well.

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throwawaythedo t1_j5xy8dk wrote

Ugh. Temple for sure. It doesn’t matter the time of day, between congestion and road work I’ve never made it around a full block without being detoured.

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Full_Artichoke_8583 t1_j5yfart wrote

Don’t believe it’s “the worst”, but honorable mention should go to Roxborough/Manayunk. I’ve never seen streets only wide enough for one car with two-way traffic allowed anywhere else.

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okjkay t1_j5ykefn wrote

Totally agree! So many of those streets should be one-way and it can be scary when you're on a hill in the snow and then you see someone coming the other way!

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ell0bo t1_j5x1jeo wrote

I just wanna say brewerytown right now, because you never know which street is shut down day by day, and the detours have people driving like maniacs (even when compared to the usual philly style).

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BlackhawkinPA t1_j5yw5rd wrote

They were driving like maniacs before the detours. Also parking in the middle of narrow streets like Dover and Newkirk and taking 15 minutes to unload their groceries and or progeny.

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Phl_worldwide t1_j5ybkv4 wrote

Just going to throw it out there that a large part of Philly was built before highways and cars so yeah it can be hard to drive a lot of the time lol

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JuniperGhosts t1_j5wvhec wrote

As someone who regularly works there…South Philly. I have to always arrive 20 min early just so I can find a parking spot and arrive on time.

Why people are so obsessed with a location that’s overcrowded, has no parking and is overly prideful about houses and neighborhoods that are almost identical is mystifying to me…

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throwawaythedo t1_j5xy29l wrote

Well, we keep you employed so be grateful for that :)

I’m equally mystified by folks who are obsessed with the boring suburbs. I mean, they have parking, but literally nothing else. And who are these overly prideful people? I lived S Philly my whole life (with the exception of a 3 year attempt in the burbs) and I’ve never heard anyone talk more pridefully about their house or neighborhood, like they do in the burbs. Keepin up with the Jones’ is a suburban saying, after all.

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Raecino t1_j6axq6m wrote

I wish a lot of gentrifiers would move back to the suburbs personally

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pianoprofiteer t1_j5yejak wrote

Cleanliness, peace of mind not living with a constant state of noise and chaos around you, school systems that aren’t a complete dumpster fire, way less violent crime, just to name a few.

If you can’t see why people would prefer living in suburbs then idk what to tell you. And it’s really the people that live in cities that are “obsessed with where they live” in my experience. Probably because they’re trying to justify it to themselves.

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throwawaythedo t1_j5ze32j wrote

You’re literally on a sub for a city you don’t live in, telling us we’re obsessed with the city we live in, while you rely on the city for income.

Maybe instead of being obsessed, we’re simply responding to your obsession with not understanding city folk and insulting us for liking where we live. You love the burbs? Stay there, work there and leave the city you don’t understand to those of us who do.

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pianoprofiteer t1_j5zkecd wrote

Already happily doing all of that after living in Philly for a number of years sans relying on the city for income, thanks for the comedy though. Was just offering an alternative perspective to the echochamber hivemind y'all have going on in here. Maybe you wouldn't be so angry if you didn't live in philly..

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throwawaythedo t1_j60ydpo wrote

Why are YOU on a sub for a city you don’t live in, insulting us as hive-minds, and obsessed people trying to convince us that we need an alternative view, while accusing us of being angry. You literally started this.

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pianoprofiteer t1_j6145ki wrote

You seem to be incapable of comprehending why someone that previously lived within a city and still lives within a stone’s throw of it would be on a city’s subreddit, so I won’t bother. Cheers.

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throwawaythedo t1_j62v5jh wrote

No no no, You’re not going to FTW it’s this to make it seem like this sub is unwelcoming. It makes complete sense that anyone with a connection to Philly would come to this sub. Philadelphia is an amazing city! With amazing people and amazing culture. What is annoying is when outsiders come in to complain about an angry hive-mind obsession (insulting us/rallying troops) when it’s not your hive to mind. You’re welcome in my home, just don’t come and trash it.

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throwawaythedo t1_j60y8lt wrote

Why are YOU on a sub for a city you don’t live in, insulting us as hive-minds, and obsessed people trying to convince us that we need an alternative view, while accusing us of being angry. You literally started this.

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I_DESTROY_HUMMUS t1_j5zgnc7 wrote

Walkability, bomb food, cool mix of cultures. I can hear three different languages being spoken in a one block walk. I find the rowhomes have a ton of character, and I love seeing people get creative decorating them for the holidays.

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Raecino t1_j6axnf8 wrote

That’s not fair to people who were born and raised in those neighborhoods, of course they should be proud. Can you blame them for being annoyed when scores of new people move into their neighborhoods and cause traffic and parking to get worse?

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StoutMustard t1_j5xefxs wrote

Travel down the backstreets of the river wards and see how quickly you find yourself needing to back up and turn around. Take Richmond St north to Bridesburg and just randomly make a left or right. Dead ends, tight streets, cars with flashers in the street for 10-15 minutes… FML

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Raecino t1_j5wu384 wrote

South Philly easily. For my job I drive in every hood in the city except for the Northeast, daily. I hate it every single time I drive in South Philly. The driver IQ seems to be lower than anywhere else in the city for some reason and pedestrians give even less of a shit, often walking into traffic without even looking.

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TPPH_1215 t1_j5wwcay wrote

My only experience with that so far is people on drugs doing the ministry of silly walks. I live kind of close to Kensington Ave, so that's probably why. People often just stumble out into the street and just stand there.

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Seesthroughnonsense t1_j5yj200 wrote

Yes. Almost hit someone once who stumbled out in front of me while I was driving. Scared the shit out of me.

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afdc92 t1_j5ym93a wrote

I fortunately don’t have to drive throughout the city often anymore, but I’d say that Chinatown is the most frustrating (trying to weave through parked trucks, drivers of said trucks unloading stuff and moving it across the street, double parked cars, people running out in front of you), the craziest is the Boulevard (particularly as you get up into the Northeast), and the worst is Lincoln Drive. granted I haven’t had to take Lincoln since before COVID but when I had to take it often, people treated it like their own personal F1 course and the potholes were atrocious

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audioragegarden t1_j5znbmr wrote

Believe me, the F1 roleplay has only increased since they repaved it a while ago.

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Low_Watercress_1675 t1_j5zaabn wrote

Parking? South Philly. Other drivers? GTOWN. Germantown drivers DO NOT GIVE A FUCK.

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canadacentennialbaby t1_j60qh9a wrote

Agree! Sure, you can find parking in Germantown but if you die driving to the parking spot, who cares?! I have never been passed on the right by someone making a left on red except in Germantown. Those streets are too wide!

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Raecino t1_j6axa24 wrote

The random two way streets with one lane just adds to the chaos in Gtown

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robramzjr t1_j5y9svh wrote

Northern libs...parking is impossible

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Raecino t1_j6axbon wrote

Because of all the new construction, it wasn’t like that before.

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owenhinton98 t1_j604vlt wrote

Kensington avenue after dark hands down…yes the blvd is the most dangerous road in America, but at least you can stop at the lights (though many don’t lol…), on kenzo Ave you gotta treat every red light or stop sign as a yield, which says so much alone

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RoverTheMonster OP t1_j6064oh wrote

This Q came from my experience driving down Kensington Ave last night

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RexxAppeal t1_j60bt34 wrote

Manayunk/Roxborough. Tons of weird intersections and all the traffic gets concentrated onto a handful of streets that go more tgan a couple blocks. And in the morning rush the backup for the Green lane bridge completely paralyzes the area.

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rmh2188 t1_j61kji1 wrote

We fr need another bridge

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syndicatecomplex t1_j628y33 wrote

We need less people driving through Manayunk. Another bridge would encourage more people to come and create more traffic.

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hjeff51 t1_j5yhfoc wrote

any that involve Girard or City Line

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backpackfullofniall t1_j5zrprg wrote

I swear people instantly lose their brain cells the second they start driving on City Line

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Chestopher83 t1_j5yqs19 wrote

Not the worst, but Bustleton ave between Byberry and Welsh rd is infuriating. It could move so much faster if not for all the old people driving 15mph.

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tomyownrhythm t1_j5zcmr4 wrote

Center city for me. The random congestion, the aggression, and the (appropriate) pedestrian focus mean is far rather be on foot.

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pimpydimpy t1_j607axt wrote

lehigh ave is a death trap because there are zero visible lines on the road it really feels like mario kart up there between front and broad

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pasnow t1_j5y90h6 wrote

South.

I'll take the Boulevard over endless stop signs & intersections any day. Can't see crossing cars coming who are likely to roll thru the sign, and creeping up to peek feels dangerous.

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Zhuul t1_j5z55t7 wrote

Those brick roads in old city because my car’s suspension sucks

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Raecino t1_j6axsj5 wrote

You mean cobblestones? Yeah they suck to drive over

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Radack1 t1_j5z5zxs wrote

Whichever one i happen to currently be driving in is in that moment the worst.

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markskull t1_j5yqh01 wrote

Lawncrest.

I was in the area last summer to see someone, and my friend drove us up there. We drove around and literally everyone was parked on the street. There isn't a lot of off-street parking, so that was bad. To make it worse, every street was two-way, but because of all the cars, they were effectively one-way streets. Every non-major street was like that!

It was frustrating getting around, and even as someone who doesn't drive, I wouldn't want to live there since walking around seems like it would be tough because of all the cars illegally parked everywhere.

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Cobey1 t1_j5z10rz wrote

North (hunting park area) and South Philly. The tiny one way streets, nobody stops at stop signs, people park wherever they want making each intersection a 50/50 chance of getting hit

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BlondeOnBicycle t1_j60qvsf wrote

All of them. It's why I ride a bike.

I would also like to add The Francisville Triangle. I swear there are 1000 ways in and 0 ways out.

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pretzel_enjoyer t1_j5zbrgt wrote

It feels like Lancaster Ave gets worse and worse as you get closer to the city line. I've white-knuckled it through a few intersections there.

1

12kdaysinthefire t1_j60l5hf wrote

South Philly is the worst all around. All the foot traffic ignoring car traffic, cyclists ignoring traffic signs, double parking, triple parking, narrow ass streets, endless potholes.

1

Zariman-10-0 t1_j5z1noq wrote

I drove to the Franklin Insitute for the first time over the summer, and hated the stretch from the Art Museum circle all along Ben Franklin Blvd. I had to pull down a side street and park just to chill

0

crispydukes t1_j5y80l2 wrote

The Northeast in general, but probably Mayfair.

−1

SouthPhilly_215 t1_j5xhsdo wrote

Any place that has crazy extensive bike lanes but no bike riders for most days except the rare day when its not too hot or not too cold in the spring and fall.. Where is the bike rider traffic jam all these bike lanes are supposed to be addressing?

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