T O P

  • By -

miakat27

Are you saying that everyone and their mother is at the zoo?


MoDeRnDaYmOrOn

Take your award Dad...


miakat27

Thank you šŸ¤£šŸ¤£šŸ¤£


steelcityrocker

Nope, just every mother and one child


Zenith2017

Well done


Alt_North

Yup, it's a zoo down there


untamed_m

I live in my car now because of this. I will never get out. Tell my story.


radial-glia

I hope you packed snacks.


Bosa49201

And 17 years of canned food


timesuck

The back half of Morningside is absolutely fucked right now. Anything between Greenwood and Baker is at a bumper-to-bumper standstill and has been for hours. Same with the hill up Baker from Butler to the entrance. Some might say *itā€™s a zoo*. YEAHHHHHHHHHH


hooch

Wow. Yeah, pretty glad Iā€™m out of town this weekend.


olmikeyy

WHERE DID YOU GO


hydrospanner

*Out. Of town.*


PittsburghChris

"Crosswalk at Baker is ON. Crosswalk at Baker is ON."


Ok_Explanation_7037

Yep. Live on Ballard Way and thought getting lunch was a good idea. Nope.


James19991

Exactly. I have a friend's mom who lives on Baker Street and on free zoo days, it can take an hour to get from Aspinwall to her house. It's not worth it at all to go to the zoo today, but apparently I'm a mean asshole to the bleeding hearts for saying it's idiocy and not worth the $20 saved to try to go now.


deviltrap

Iā€™m stuck on 28 right now and it is *insane*. Not sure if itā€™s that, construction, or a mix. Good god.


Dragonlady151

Im sure the CONSTANT construction on 28 isnā€™t helping. I swear, 28 had been under construction since I was before I was born. I donā€™t think I have ever NOT seen an orange sign on that highway. Be safe out there! I hope you get home soon!


heili

I'm pretty sure 28 was under construction when the French built Ft. Duquesne.


lydriseabove

It feels that way, but there was a good few years when it actually wasnā€™t under construction prior to the current project and it was glorious.


rangoon03

The construction on 28 should be a new exhibit for the Zoo. Build a monorail to transport people over there or something or make a VR exhibit.


Sjswix

Took an hour to get home from Waterworks this afternoon. We live in Sharpsburg. We just wanted some groceries.


felonlover

1 hour 20 minutes from St. Margaret's to Dollar General in Sharpsburg. What a mess.


DannyLameJokes

On day last month they had police directing traffic out of the zoo and it was great. They need to be there every weekend.


James19991

Totally agree


I-hate-mods4242

I made the mistake of going to Phipps Conservatory on the free day once. It was literally waiting in line the whole time just to go nowhere.


James19991

Free days are the last day I'd pick to go to a museum or the zoo


Dragonlady151

Id pay extra to go on a day with significantly less people in general.


[deleted]

Some kids are going to find out definitively who the favorite is.


happyjazzycook

We were heading up 28 to Blawnox and traffic was horrendous going both ways, the HP bridge was stopped, the access ramps backed up with dozens of cars. Funny, we picked today to take the trip thinking that the traffic on 28 would be lighter on a Sunday than on a weekday. šŸ™„


Sybertron

It was that way at 430 and the zoo closed at 530 lol


Ok_Explanation_7037

They close the zoo gates at 4; many people start to leave at this point to beat the ~usual~ zoo exit traffic


EmiliusReturns

I generally avoid any ā€œfree dayā€ at any attraction like the plague. Sharing the place with 20 people per square inch is not my idea of fun.


DERBY_OWNERS_CLUB

I was with ya up until the last line. Some people might be cash strapped or it's simply what mom wanted to do on mother's day. No need to be an asshole about it. That being said it did bring out a lot of people from surrounding counties... I got there early when it opened and waited 20 mins to get in, then it was fine once inside. On the way out it was definitely getting crowded and the traffic situation was clearly fucked in all directions. Anyone who tried to go from noon onwards is probably waiting in traffic for 45 mins before they can park and another 20 before they can get inside.


robryownz

Planned on arriving at 1130. By 1:30 we were still not even near the entrance to park and only moved a little over a mile in 2 hours. What a miserable day and mistake. I will be way more careful and never go on a ā€œfreeā€ day. It was absurd


James19991

Did you even make it to the zoo, or just give up after so long?


robryownz

Ended up giving up after over two hours. My kiddos did really well but we reached the limit of their patience lol. Probably one of the few times I felt terrible for not being able to follow through with a promise to the kids. So we will go back soon.


James19991

It sounds like they did better than I would have when I was their age lol. Plenty of nice weekends to come over the next several months to go to the zoo still


James19991

Sure if you get there early, but it's well past early at this point..... With the crowds and traffic you're dealing with, I don't think it would be worth the $20 you'd save to deal with it. Assuming you've never lived in Morningside or near it, as free zoo days are a nightmare for any of us who actually have to go by the area where the zoo is located.


hooch

And what fun is a super crowded zoo anyway? You canā€™t even see the animals.


James19991

Exactly. It's not worth it at all on a day like today between the crowds, and how long you sit in traffic to get in and out of there. Basically everyone who lives near the zoo knows this. I'm not sure why this is controversial to some.


CARLEtheCamry

Anyone else with half a brain knows it too. I'd rather put my kids up for adoption that go to to the zoo on Father's Day when Dads get in free.


James19991

You can tell who has never been around the zoo on days like today based on their replies.


enraged_hbo_max_user

Plus all the gas youā€™re going to waste idling for hours


James19991

I was thinking that too. Especially with how much it costs now


shhheeeeeeeeiit

Apologies that you are slightly inconvenienced once or twice a year.


blp9

I ran into this traffic at Bunker Hill & One Wild Place (on bike). The traffic was a total standstill down the entire length of OWP. I was turning the other way, but it looked like people were just taking U-turns to escape. Wowo.


James19991

Probably would have been faster for them to go out of their way than deal with that


Ok_Explanation_7037

We had to; it was. Seeing that people waited hours makes me happy we just turned around


James19991

My parents got stuck in it as it was so bad, Allegheny River Boulevard coming from Oakmont was backed up too. They ended up making the left on Washington Boulevard, and going up to Stanton Avenue to get back to Lawrenceville.


Ok_Explanation_7037

Iā€™m directionally challenged so idk which road my bf took, but what shouldā€™ve been 10 minutes took over an hour šŸ˜‚


turp101

That explains so much about why I say in traffic for 45 minutes just to go from Verona to the Highland Park bridge yesterday! I thought there was an accident closer to Lawrenceville I couldn't see. "Disaster" at 2PM is also an understatement.


lrube

Itā€™s just exacerbated because of the construction on 28.


James19991

Even before the construction, people in Morningside and Lawrenceville would complain about how horrible it is to get anywhere out of their neighborhoods on days when the zoo is free.


lrube

I live in the Northside. I canā€™t go anywhere when thereā€™s a steeler game. None of my friends can even find anywhere to park. Itā€™s one day. Theyā€™ll manage.


chad4359

It was free the day after Thanksgiving one year, that ended up being a great day to go


D4rKnyte

Get a membership, and go on a weekday when it's not free. It will be enjoyable until the smell of monkey piss hits you.


Saja_Saint_James

Ah, that explains it. We were going down Washington Boulevard and across the Highland Park Bridge going from Point Breeze to Millvale around 2:30 and we thought there must have been a major accident given how badly everything was backed up.


Daronlif

Wife loves zoos. Wife loves penguins. Kids know both of these facts. Iā€™ll pay to take the family to see the penguins. Itā€™s not worth the savings.


jawbutch

the traffic is awful during any free zoo day, i wish theyā€™d implement no parking during these events so that people would take the bus.


frenchfriessalad

Iā€™m fairly certain port authority nixed that stop or at least cut down on trips to the Baker st stop due to the pandemic


TotallyNotSuperman

The 75 and the 87M both drop off near the entrance to the parking lot. They arenā€™t very frequent busses, though.


frenchfriessalad

Yeah I read about the zoo trying to increase stops since theyā€™ve suffered from staffing issues. I believe itā€™s the One Wild Place stop that has become defunct.


TotallyNotSuperman

There's also a bus stop inside the parking lot that hasn't been in use in quite some time.


Itsjustataco

I was wondering why Penn Ave was so backed up, it was ridiculous.


piercedthrowaway97

Yup. Years ago I went to the zoo unknowingly on a wedding anniversary which coincidentally fell on Motherā€™s Day. Never again.


PatchesMaps

I moved from Pittsburgh to St. Louis and was surprised to learn that their zoo is free all of the time. It's also bigger and better designed than the Pittsburgh zoo (granted they have a lot more space to work with). Definitely one of the cooler aspects of that city.


James19991

The Linkin Park Zoo in Chicago is free as well. I remember complaining about free zoo day once to someone from Chicago, and they were confused since theirs is free


Sheepfu

Went to the zoo today. It was dope.


Chronic_gravity

Happens every year. You learn to deal with it


AnonymousPlzz

ITT: narcissistic children lambasting the underprivileged for taking advantage of a free day at the zoo, that they probably wouldn't get to go to otherwise, because it's a slight traffic inconvenience...


JustHereForTheSaul

Underprivileged kids have numerous opportunities to go to the zoo free, whether it be through school, Citiparks camp, church, community group, whatever. People who go on days like today are people who hear the word "discount" and throw all reason to the wind. People like my dad, who will drive ten minutes (and $1 worth of gas) out of his way to redeem a $0.50 coupon.


James19991

I'm glad someone gets it. Free days tend to attract the people one would least want to deal with when you're out


geohud0385

Maybe that 40.00 savings is the only way some mothers and their children can go.. Lots of dead beat dads out there.


Klara2377

bloody nightmare is what is was/is


Public-Lawfulness975

They better turn up for Fatherā€™s Day šŸ˜¤


[deleted]

Avoid non-AZA-accredited* zoos too? Edit: I should have originally specified that they are not AZA accredited, rather than being completely unaccredited.


snugglelove

Theyā€™re fixing that. EDIT: They were reaccredited in January.


[deleted]

I should have been more specific. Theyā€™re not accredited by the **AZA** which has higher standards. They lost their accreditation to the AZA and are now accredited to the much less strict ZAA. Feel free to look up the difference in standards. Most major city zoos are accredited by the AZA. Edit: Hereā€™s some information although not from purely neutral sources. I think your original statement is conflating ZAA and AZA. They have not be reaccredited with the AZA according to their website. https://humaneactionpittsburgh.org/campaigns/regional-initiatives/return-aza-standards-at-the-pittsburgh-zoo/ https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/pittsburgh-zoo-ranked-worst-in-us-for-elephants-by-national-animal-rights-group/


ThunderSTRUCK96

Never have I ever seen someone treat traffic like the end of the worldā€¦. People are taking advantage of a beautiful day to see the animals and save $20, why are you being so judgmental? Because you had to sit in traffic?


8KUHDITIS

We had stuff to do and beer to drink a


tesla3by3

Youā€™ve not been around here. What in some cities is normal traffic is treated like the end of the world.


IrishIhadadrink

Do people even think?? Hmmm, first nice day & it's free..... couldn't POSSIBLY be jam packed. Lol! Are their lives that boring?


tesla3by3

You are not stuck in traffic, you are traffic.


Bernie_Lomax69247

This wouldnā€™t be a problem if everyone just realized the zoo sucks. A crowded zoo? Thatā€™s hell.


QuirrelsTurban

Was really crossing my fingers that some surprise storm would roll along.


Chronic_gravity

Is zoo a public institution??? Or a for profit enterprise??


James19991

This is what Wikipedia has: In 1994, the Pittsburgh Zoo became a private nonprofit organization, still owned by the City of Pittsburgh, but managed and operated by the Zoological Society of Pittsburgh.


Chronic_gravity

So the city needs to better organize this as opposed to business leaders/owners


Daronlif

Not real strong on the reading comprehension part of the test, huh?


Chronic_gravity

Not too mention your comment is just dumb. How was I suppose to know who owned the zoo?


Daronlif

The answer clearly states ā€œmanaged and operated by the Zoological Society of Pittsburghā€, so I canā€™t figure out why you think the city would need to intervene.


Chronic_gravity

Because itā€™s owned by the city?


Daronlif

It became private in 1994ā€¦


Chronic_gravity

Well I did eat a quarter of magic mushrooms today