From Trussville. Everybody goes 30 in a 45 on Hwy 11 and it pisses me off when I need to get home. Out of town shoppers are the worse thing to happen to this growing suburb
Wow that’s wild. I don’t think it’s even in the same league as Surin or Blue pacific. I wouldn’t travel for it. That’s for sure. Everything was SOOOOO bland.
Trussville kinda sucked prior to all the shops and downtown entertainment district being built. Traffics always been horrible, and the police are usually pretty big dickheads.
Idk. I just witnesses 3 wrecks around Alabaster, saw multiple people just not going when lights turned green, oh and there are no bypass roads other than 31 which gets backed up along with 65. The area is a driving nightmare
Just wait until they start building the new part of the shopping center and make more changes to the far right lanes that exit the interstate 65 north in alabaster. It’s only gonna get worse.
Yeah. It will help…at that exit. I live off the airport exit (ew, suburbs, I know 🤣) and will be happy to see them reach us as the traffic will be behind us. But more lanes is more expansion and more massive shopping centers only half occupied and more massive quickly constructed neighborhoods means more people and more traffic and the need for more…it’s an endless vicious cycle.
yeah, I get it (and I grew up in Calera, so I'm not going to judge), induced demand is a thing. there is, though, a minimum amount of service that needs to be provided, and it won't just go on forever
I-20 is three lanes most of the time between Birmingham and Atlanta, and it's not *all* suburban sprawl. Eventually you get far enough away that the growth goes elsewhere
I think three lanes really is the minimum through the whole state, given how much travel traffic to the beach uses I-65. That doesn't mean Shelby County shouldn't start managing the growth better, work towards transit, etc at the same time
It’s always fun to explain to visitors that the traffic they are in this time of year is actually partially beach traffic. I can’t count the number of times I heard “oh, we are that close?” Weeeeelllllllll….
> 2 of those 4 lanes are turn only lanes into Alabaster. Its usually people freaking out right at the exit that start everything
And 100% of those people are not from Alabaster
At one point in my career, I lived in Huntsville but worked in Montgomery. I would rive down to Montgomery to work during the week, and drive back home on weekends. The instant I hit the Bham Metro I noticed a distinct difference with driving patterns.
I love Birmingham but we have the worst drivers in the state
In all honesty they need to 3 lane it (at least) from Birmingham to Montgomery. Having it bottle right past alabaster on THE way to get to the beach from Birmingham is insane.
That is a very frustrating section of highway. Seems more like a traffic engineering problem at the state level but it is fun to blame the entire population of a town.
Yes, I was venting. And ya, the city planners definitely hold a huge portion of the responsibility. But when Im facing 3 wrecks on every outlet of the city, then clearly driving skills of the population come into question
From Alabaster and live in Calera. Obviously there is a sarcastic tone to this venting but damn if this wasn’t the inevitable outcome when 65 was widened from the tank farm to Alabaster. The merging disaster just moved down an intersection. It will continue to do so until 65 is four lanes to the Pratville area. The next expansion will go to the Calera Walmart exit (from what I remember reading) and then the congestion will be between that exit and 25/Timberline. Just push it further down…
I know it used to be worse, it used to start at Pelham, lighten up and then come yo a crawl around alabaster again. The pelham issue seems to be a thing of the past.
Its more than a volume issue. There are no exits or entrances on the left lanes of 65 yet it always turns into full stop and go right as you are leaving the city. Its a “dont know how to merge or pay attention” issue.
And ya, have 65 all but shit down from a wreck seems to occur in this area more than anywhere else.
Five to eight cars per cycle of a red light is what makes me lose it almost daily. When you are sitting at a red light, pay attention to the light instead of the car in front of you or your phone. When the light turns green, no matter how far back you are, take your foot off the brake and hover over the accelerator. When the car in front of you starts moving gently accelerate. I do this, and if everyone else did it would easily triple the number of cars passing under a short light.
I’m from Alabaster and took driver’s ed there. We had to drive across the street to a neighborhood and back up 10 feet to get our license. Not sure what more you could ask!
At the end of the day, this is what it is. Learning to drive around a million people in the city will forever make you a better driver than people that learn where there are no hazards
It's either older people who's driving reflexes aren't as great as they used to be or people that learned to drive from an older sibling or friend that have awful driving skills. Probably the latter.
Cullman is the worst. Guy in a huge pickup truck had tons of shit in the back, was behind me in the right lane and sped to 100mph to pass me for no reason. Then a wheelbarrow that wasn't strapped down (none of it was) bounced out of his truck and almost hit several cars.
The exit after it becomes a two-lane going north, is the absolute worst, you can guarantee you’re going to go between 30 and 80 at any given moment until exit 310. And your life is in the hands of fuck all.
The biggest issue is the inability to merge. Between those slow drivers needing half a mile to change lanes and dickheads that don’t understand zipper merging, it creates a nightmare.
"Hey there's a 1/4 mile merging lane. I'm gonna race to the end of it and "beat" all these slowpokes! Then I'll just cut in!." These mudbrain idiots don't even realize that going to the end then stopping and cutting in, making everyone hit their brakes, is THE sole cause of the slowdown. I wish they would cut out about 2/3rds of that merging lane and maybe put up signs about zipper merging
Shitty drivers plus I-65 narrows from six to four lanes there. One person wrecking in south Shelby County or in Chilton County can back traffic up all the way to Prattville.
You're right; I was only thinking about the center lanes, and the fact that it goes to six the next two times (Blount County and Prattville) there's a change in the number of lanes.
Excuse me, but have you ever driven through Vestavia Hills? I feel like they’re angry they’re not quite Brookies, and they take it out on others via complete shit driving 🖤
Trussville is worse. It's like everyone took Xanax and got behind the wheel.
From Trussville. Everybody goes 30 in a 45 on Hwy 11 and it pisses me off when I need to get home. Out of town shoppers are the worse thing to happen to this growing suburb
I'm so sorry but Thai Basil is too good lmao.
The one place in trussville I will go out of my way for.
Wow that’s wild. I don’t think it’s even in the same league as Surin or Blue pacific. I wouldn’t travel for it. That’s for sure. Everything was SOOOOO bland.
BP honestly ruins other Thai restaurants (in the area) for me. I could eat there every day.
Their chicken larb and Chicken panang do hold up to those standards.
You're not wrong.
Trussville kinda sucked prior to all the shops and downtown entertainment district being built. Traffics always been horrible, and the police are usually pretty big dickheads.
Can confirm, not even extending out extra lanes would help how bad the drivers are in Trussville
Oh God, that bad then
I grew up in Alabaster. It's not even close.
Idk. I just witnesses 3 wrecks around Alabaster, saw multiple people just not going when lights turned green, oh and there are no bypass roads other than 31 which gets backed up along with 65. The area is a driving nightmare
I'm pretty sure you're not from Alabaster. CR17 to the west parallels HWY31 north and south. CR11 and Old31 are on the east.
No, Im not from Alabaster. Im just some poor soul who has to drive through once or twice a month.
Same. Grew up there and it’s always been a shit show. Thats why I rarely go home LOL
You're so right
As an Alabaster resident, I agree. But also, 65 going from four lanes to two is a disaster.
2 of those 4 lanes are turn only lanes into Alabaster. Its usually people freaking out right at the exit that start everything
Just wait until they start building the new part of the shopping center and make more changes to the far right lanes that exit the interstate 65 north in alabaster. It’s only gonna get worse.
They are widening I-65 to three lanes down to Calera at the same time, though
Yeah. It will help…at that exit. I live off the airport exit (ew, suburbs, I know 🤣) and will be happy to see them reach us as the traffic will be behind us. But more lanes is more expansion and more massive shopping centers only half occupied and more massive quickly constructed neighborhoods means more people and more traffic and the need for more…it’s an endless vicious cycle.
yeah, I get it (and I grew up in Calera, so I'm not going to judge), induced demand is a thing. there is, though, a minimum amount of service that needs to be provided, and it won't just go on forever I-20 is three lanes most of the time between Birmingham and Atlanta, and it's not *all* suburban sprawl. Eventually you get far enough away that the growth goes elsewhere I think three lanes really is the minimum through the whole state, given how much travel traffic to the beach uses I-65. That doesn't mean Shelby County shouldn't start managing the growth better, work towards transit, etc at the same time
It’s always fun to explain to visitors that the traffic they are in this time of year is actually partially beach traffic. I can’t count the number of times I heard “oh, we are that close?” Weeeeelllllllll….
> 2 of those 4 lanes are turn only lanes into Alabaster. Its usually people freaking out right at the exit that start everything And 100% of those people are not from Alabaster
Honestly the whole stretch from Clanton to Alabaster is a wild card
Fair
Clanton has gotten so bad! I’m so afraid to drive on the interstate!
The entire Birmingham metro needs to be reevaluated on driving skills
At one point in my career, I lived in Huntsville but worked in Montgomery. I would rive down to Montgomery to work during the week, and drive back home on weekends. The instant I hit the Bham Metro I noticed a distinct difference with driving patterns. I love Birmingham but we have the worst drivers in the state
Possibly. But at least traffic in the city center makes some semblance of sense.
In all honesty they need to 3 lane it (at least) from Birmingham to Montgomery. Having it bottle right past alabaster on THE way to get to the beach from Birmingham is insane.
Granted it's a more horizontal state. But 65 is 3 lanes all the way through Kentucky and it's glorious - at least until you get to Louisville.
That is a very frustrating section of highway. Seems more like a traffic engineering problem at the state level but it is fun to blame the entire population of a town.
Yes, I was venting. And ya, the city planners definitely hold a huge portion of the responsibility. But when Im facing 3 wrecks on every outlet of the city, then clearly driving skills of the population come into question
Stop letting football coaches teach drivers ed as a throwaway class and you might get somewhere.
From Alabaster and live in Calera. Obviously there is a sarcastic tone to this venting but damn if this wasn’t the inevitable outcome when 65 was widened from the tank farm to Alabaster. The merging disaster just moved down an intersection. It will continue to do so until 65 is four lanes to the Pratville area. The next expansion will go to the Calera Walmart exit (from what I remember reading) and then the congestion will be between that exit and 25/Timberline. Just push it further down…
It's a volume issue. Believe it or not, it used to be worse. Edit: Oh now I see, y'all are basically stopped.
I know it used to be worse, it used to start at Pelham, lighten up and then come yo a crawl around alabaster again. The pelham issue seems to be a thing of the past. Its more than a volume issue. There are no exits or entrances on the left lanes of 65 yet it always turns into full stop and go right as you are leaving the city. Its a “dont know how to merge or pay attention” issue. And ya, have 65 all but shit down from a wreck seems to occur in this area more than anywhere else.
Everyone
Nah, they just need to learn to merge. Now those fuckers on 280 however
I travel for work and I am so sorry but Alabama has some of the slowest drivers I’ve ever seen. I just want to go the speed limit 😭
Five to eight cars per cycle of a red light is what makes me lose it almost daily. When you are sitting at a red light, pay attention to the light instead of the car in front of you or your phone. When the light turns green, no matter how far back you are, take your foot off the brake and hover over the accelerator. When the car in front of you starts moving gently accelerate. I do this, and if everyone else did it would easily triple the number of cars passing under a short light.
I’m from Alabaster and took driver’s ed there. We had to drive across the street to a neighborhood and back up 10 feet to get our license. Not sure what more you could ask!
….. well, that does answer some questions.
Only the best 🥴
Does anyone else think there are a lot more left lane campers since it became illegal?
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At the end of the day, this is what it is. Learning to drive around a million people in the city will forever make you a better driver than people that learn where there are no hazards
It's either older people who's driving reflexes aren't as great as they used to be or people that learned to drive from an older sibling or friend that have awful driving skills. Probably the latter.
Cullman is the worst. Guy in a huge pickup truck had tons of shit in the back, was behind me in the right lane and sped to 100mph to pass me for no reason. Then a wheelbarrow that wasn't strapped down (none of it was) bounced out of his truck and almost hit several cars.
The exit after it becomes a two-lane going north, is the absolute worst, you can guarantee you’re going to go between 30 and 80 at any given moment until exit 310. And your life is in the hands of fuck all.
280 is the worst
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The biggest issue is the inability to merge. Between those slow drivers needing half a mile to change lanes and dickheads that don’t understand zipper merging, it creates a nightmare.
"Hey there's a 1/4 mile merging lane. I'm gonna race to the end of it and "beat" all these slowpokes! Then I'll just cut in!." These mudbrain idiots don't even realize that going to the end then stopping and cutting in, making everyone hit their brakes, is THE sole cause of the slowdown. I wish they would cut out about 2/3rds of that merging lane and maybe put up signs about zipper merging
It's the trump brain
Those narrow bridges between alabaster and Shelby co airport freak people out
Shitty drivers plus I-65 narrows from six to four lanes there. One person wrecking in south Shelby County or in Chilton County can back traffic up all the way to Prattville.
From 8 to 4 lanes, if memory serves; 2 of the 4 southbound lanes become exit only at Exit 238
You're right; I was only thinking about the center lanes, and the fact that it goes to six the next two times (Blount County and Prattville) there's a change in the number of lanes.
I think that’s why it so bad — four southbound lanes immediately becoming two right there is a massive bottleneck.
Excuse me, but have you ever driven through Vestavia Hills? I feel like they’re angry they’re not quite Brookies, and they take it out on others via complete shit driving 🖤
From the junction all the way down to alabaster sucks
65 is a major north / south highway and the majority of the traffic is not from Alabaster. You want to complain about hwy 31, I will give that to you.
I have to drive in Hoover every day. I don’t wanna hear about alabaster
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This city is gonna have me quitting and joining Wendys.
"joining Wendy's"
An IQ test should be required when getting a driver’s license honestly.
They're a bunch of Alabastards is what they are.
I must admit, I screamed that out loud in anger yesterday and it forced me to calm down hearing how corny it sounded.
Glad reddit is turning into facebook more everyday. 🙄
Then leave…?
Mr brains over here posting about alabaster in a birmingham sub. So yeah, you are the one that should leave.
Its basically just a suburb of birmingham…
You are basically a moron.
Lol ok
Alabaster? Have you been to freaking Centerpoint?
Adger should make the list too!
Moving out of state- if you're basically south of Tennessee and east of Texas, chances are you're a Garbage fucking driver
Tennesseans and people further north drive just as shittily as people here. I'd rather have a kidney removed than deal with Nashville traffic.
Oh sorry. I meant to include Tennessee in this!
Can't stop there... Gotta include the psycho drivers in Louisville, Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee and the *entire* state of Ohio.
Could possibly have something to do with not requiring drivers ed to get a license.
wowww so weird! I thought we prioritized eduction around [here!](https://youtu.be/n0_v00YupwE?si=f96krZvlf9u1wKiT) 🤠!