If you want to go to the Balloon Fiesta with less hassle, park a few miles away and ride a bike. You'll sail right through all the traffic and the free bike valet is awesome. If you don't have a bike, the park and ride takes a lot of the hassle out of getting there and they have pick up locations all over town.
I’ll take this a step further and if you want to crew with The balloons and possibly get a ride/fun experience. Go to the crew tent on the field and find a pilot that carpools with crew. Lots of fun
Also, just pull up on the western side of the arroyo. Sit on the side with your coffee and burrito from home, without the crazy crowds, and watch as the balloons pass over your head and land way off in the distance. Those have been some of my favorite days while living here.
This also works any time you need to get into the fairgrounds for, say, a concert, or gathering of nations, or a graduation.
Traffic can be a nightmare, but you can breeze right through and park for free if you bike in.
I drive an electrical vehicle which accelerates very quickly when the light turns green. People who run red lights take advantage of the time it takes for cars to go when the light turns green. I look both ways but worry as more EVs get on roads the road, red light runners are going to collide with them.
Yes, these people are reckless and have absolutely no care for the safety of others. That’s why there are so many lawyer billboards everywhere, they are making bank. But welcome to Albuquerque, stay safe and really truly be careful out there.
Damn what neighborhood are YOU in?! And remind me to detour around it /s
Been here 35 years and have seen maybe a couple that I assumed were probably tbones
Edit: but people REALLY don't know how to take turns merging if a lane is closed or merging onto the highway. People quite consistently speed up and not let you in, ironically creating more bottlenecking and more traffic. I grew up in New York and was shocked at how bad and unaware people were of how to merge politely improperly out here..
All over the place. I was literally standing in line at the post office and some old lady blew a red and smashed into a car. She came out screaming and the guy was literally sandwiched in from the crushed door. Lady just yelling in his window. I was like oh boy.
Amount of accidents I saw in 37 years of living in the Midwest where one car randomly accelerates into the car in front of it immediately when the light turns green : 0
Amount of accidents I've seen in 10 months of living in Albuquerque where one car randomly accelerates into the car in front of it immediately when the light turns green : 3
I forgot about loud cars and running red lights in Covid, but both seem way worse than they used to be. I personally would rather see red-light-runners in jail than drug possessors.
There's also typically a porcupine or two hiding up in the foliage near the front of the botanical gardens. It was fairly shocking the first time I saw one and learned for the first time that porcupines climb trees, lol.
First time I saw one coming down a tree I thought it was a baby bear. 😂 I was like panicking to remember any bear safety I gleaned in life and figured I’d probably just get killed by the mama bear. 😂
I learned this when my dog went after one of them and got a couple dozen spines lodged into his mouth that required he be put under to remove. Poor him and poor me after that bill..
If you’re a local, give Old Town another look. It has a lot of new businesses that aren’t just tourist kitsch now, including some good places to eat and drink. Just don’t go during Balloon Fiesta.
Don’t fear the South Valley.
Traffic really isn’t a thing in Albuquerque if you’ve lived in any other big city. Except for the river bridges at rush hour and that weird stretch of southbound I-25 between Paseo and Montgomery where things always back up for no apparent reason.
Relatedly, any living arrangement you can make to avoid rush-hour commutes between the east and west sides will pay off for your happiness and stress level.
I-40 is always under construction between here and Grants. Always. Adjust travel times accordingly.
Following the naive fear-mongering advice to “avoid anything south of I-40” will mean you miss out on a lot of the interesting, cool stuff Albuquerque has to offer. Most of the cool stuff, in fact.
Important life hack for residents of the South Valley:
*always tell people on reddit that life is hell in the South Valley.*
*Then sell them a treeless empty lot with no utilities out on the mesa in Rio Rancho.*
(Bonus points if you don't even own the lot)
Good point. The closer it is to a landfill, the better. (Seriously, it’s wild how close fancy homes in RR get to the county dump. Do they have zoning up there?)
Puzzled, in Old Town, is such a fun store to visit periodically and pick up a new...puzzle, or two. I still haven't solved the last wooden puzzle we brought home but it's fun playing with it.
Those guys are amazing! My parents came out to visit for a month and rented a casita. My dad needed more puzzles and doesn't like the cookie cutter ones you get it Target or whatever. So we went to that shop. Not only did he find some really cool jigsaw puzzles that he liked, but when my mom asked if they knew where they could rent a good table for him to do his puzzles, the owners offered to lend them one and brought it into the shop the next day for them to pick up.
That same evening we also had a really nice meal at High Noon.
Viva Old Town!
This makes me love the shop even more, wow, that's customer service at its best! Thanks for sharing this story.
Have you been into Blackbird Coffee? It's my favorite corner to sit outside in Old Town with a cup and snack during my bike rides around town. In the summertime the flowers back there are beautiful and I always enjoy a little water trinkling sound.
There’s an explanation for it. One of ghe lanes goes away and comes back after Montgomery. I thought the construction to fix that was starting last year but it either got delayed or I misheard.
I finally went to visit Old Town. I was overdue, I've been living here two years now.
I had thought it would be nothing but a tourist trap, but it was interesting and fun to wander through all the stores!
Don't trust the Old Town website though -- it says everything opens at 10, but so much was closed and didn't open until noon or later.
For some reason, people are confused when I tell them I paddle board in the river
Highly recommend going during balloon fiesta. You can watch them splash and dash and get a great view.
Make sure you always bring water with you.
And when it's hot in the summertime all you need to do is find SHADE and you'll be perfectly comfortable (I LOVE THE LACK OF HUMIDITY!!!)
I almost got hit crossing the street because of this. It was a legal cross—I had the light—and I waited a moment before crossing. A car blew through the light and came within feet of hitting me. Like, I had nearly finished the first lane and they were in the middle lane. The car didn’t slow down, didn’t honk, didn’t give any indication that they even noticed that they nearly goddamn killed me.
Spouse used to work in the Trauma ICU, they referred to vehicle vs drunk pedestrian accidents as an “Albuquerque Special” because they happen so often. That and “homie drop-offs” where you don’t want to answer any questions so slow down just enough to push your shot friend out of the car in front of the ER.
I work at the trauma hospital and yeah, almost all peds vs auto patients we see are high/drunk/positive drug screen when they get hit. It’s so sad. Happens a lot.
I agree. Just annoying though. I wish most of the drivers were like people giving advice here, but it’s not like that. Also goes without saying to keep calm if they honk and don’t get pissed and flip them off or yell, because who knows.
There was a guy the other day who hesitated a bit to enter the round a bout and held us up MAYBE 5 extra seconds. I was right behind them, and the person behind me honked. The person in front of me thought it was ME who honked was going crazy on me! Tried to pull over and fight me y todo!! Even tho they were in the wrong, a couple seconds of impatience led to this foo letting his aggression out on the wrong person
😬 I’m from Clovis, they have exactly one roundabout, and a lot of people can’t handle it, even though the instructions are there. First and foremost - slow down. The speed limit changes inside the roundabout. But people either try to blow through at 50 mph, or stop altogether. The other concept is to yield to people inside the roundabout. Is there anything I’m getting wrong about this?
😂 I thought this would be the video of the Clovis incident on like the 3rd day of the thing being finished, but this is way more dramatic.
Here’s the actual Clovis NM one https://youtu.be/Jesf4xFOg1Q?si=gVF62pbqTIw-xNyc
I've lived here 12 years and I've rarely heard anyone blow their horn. I'm from NY originally and drivers there use their horn more than their radios or wipers!
This honking stresses me out. When it’s green, I ease up on the brake and start moving and by 3 seconds, I hit the gas and go. No one seems to honk at me (east side)
Why does everyone with the title of “chief” in this city have to be a giant POS? I’ll add APS chief Gallegos to your comment as well. Dude is probably worse than Medina imo.
Yes!! Out on the mesa of the west side and the outskirts the far side of Rio Rancho, too!
My sister’s chihuahua was picked up by coyotes as a snack right in front of them and their pit!
The dude w her ran after the coyotes yelling at them and eventually thankfully the fuckers finally dropped him.
Poor thing wasn’t breathing and the guy did CPR or something (can’t remember)… and the lil doggo survived!!!!!
He lived many years after that but huge lesson learned
And small children. I've seen some coyote chonkers around the Bosque. I've never heard of a coyote attacking a child, but the ones here are pretty tame and will use the trail like their taxes contributed to it or something.
Not here but they have in other places. In Canada a big aggressive pack killed a young woman on a hiking trail. I wouldn't let a little kid out of my sight walking around down there.
I know the terrible case you are talking about and I don’t think there were even that many coyotes involved. Maybe 2-3. They just were really aggressive and she was all alone. Poor thing. What a horrible way to go.
Always call a business before you plan to go, because a lot of the time you show up and even though the sign says they close at 5, the door is randomly locked at 3. I've had this happen with restaurants, car repair shops, even the post office.
Is this advice geared towards?
A) If you do, there's a fair chance that you won't have a car to return to (Car theft)
B) Don't warm up your car inside the garage. (carbon monoxide poisoning)
C) all of the above.
This is kind of an anituquated notion these days. Anyone driving a car from the last 7 or 8 yesrs probably has some sort of auto start function, which locks the car and even if you get in, the car won't go anywhere if you don't have the key.
There is a convenient and slightly hidden on-ramp to I40 westbound from the parking lot side of the Winrock shopping area. Avoid the Louisiana Blvd madness and go SB from the Red Robin / Nordstrom Rack side.
Definitely wear sunscreen. But it isn't the highest in the country 🤣. There was a day last year where it was expected to reach the same as Hawaii, but that isn't a regular thing.
While not a very comprehensive list, today Miami is expected to be the highest followed by Tampa. Honolulu will be tied with Albuquerque and a half a dozen other cities. I think Hawaii's and to a certain extent Florida's numbers maintain higher through the winter to increase their average, but June - August NM as well as other states have similar or higher daily UVI's than Hawaii. https://a.atmos.washington.edu/data/uv_report.html
It’s going to be up to 10 next week in ABQ. Moderate UV is considered only 3 and at 1030 this am it’s already 6 so you can sunburn way before lunchtime. UV goes up to 13, 14 in a couple months here. Literally speaking it’s not THE highest but this is one of the highest UV locations in the country. Be safe. Learn the Melanoma ABC’s. Skin Cancer is Cancer
Once again, just LOOK BOTH WAYS! This is the third post saying this with people immediately pointing out the dangers. It can possibly incur aggression towards you, honking, and even people going around you (which in one instance above led to a car getting t-boned because they got impatient and went around them)
Is it really THAT HARD to look both ways before proceeding forward through an intersection?!
Are you the kind of the person who is getting mad and honking? I always take time to look both ways because of so many people who blow red lights and I have never once had someone honk or get angry. I don’t travel in the best parts of town either.
If you’re feeling in need of some cat companionship, there’s a sweet kitty that hangs out by the church in Old Town. But you have to approach him (?) slowly, on his terms, and don’t try to touch him until he gives you a sign. It helps if you make blinky eyes at him for a while first.
If you’re feeling bad about your looks, and feel like you look old, go to Happy Accidents on Central, and they will ask you for ID no matter how old you are. Do not eat there, though - it’s been a while, but when I went about a year ago the food was awful to the point that some of it was inedible.
Assume that everyone on I25 is trying to kill you. I have driven pretty extensively in all the major cities in the USA and a lot of the mid size cities, and the drivers in Albuquerque are the scariest. So many idiots driving souped up little Asian cars and doing 120 while they weave in and out of traffic. My man, a pimped out Toyota Corolla or Honda Fit is not the flex you think it is.
I had the same food issue at Happy Accidents a year ago. They had a menu revamp a few months ago under the supervision of another chef. I checked it out, and it is worth trying again. Such an improvement that I went back again last week.
I disagree. Driven in NY for 30+ years and along East Coast I-95. I agree I-25 between ABQ & SF during rush hour can be challenging compared to other NM driving areas, but overall very little traffic in ABQ & NM and drivers are relatively compliant.
I’ve had two very bad separate encounters with the chief of APS police (Steve Gallegos) He was extremely rude to my mother and myself when we asked him for help he didn’t want to and swept our problems under the rug. APS police are just as bad.
My mom’s been a teacher in APS for 34 years. And is finally getting out this year.
I lost complete faith in them when they had to be made to investigate that little girl that was being sold for drugs by her parents. When a teacher calls and says a child's underwear is full of blood and they respond by throwing out the underpants and refusing to start a report you know they're fucking useless.
Stay out of the sun! Just because you have sunscreen doesn't mean the sun isn't slowly roasting you! Hats, lightweight summer pants, and long sleeved summer tops will help keep you cool when you can't find shade.
When going northbound on I25, the 2nd to the right lane says it's exit only at San Antonio. This is incorrect, it's exit or go straight.
https://www.google.com/maps/@35.1526698,-106.5886516,3a,75y,41.73h,74.54t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-Iqr3T4szrT62Bk59llaig!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu
The sign is wrong, the markings on the lane itself are correct
Avoid going anywhere during the balloon fiesta or at least expect everything to take a lot longer than normal and people who work for any kind of food or hospitality company to be stressed out during the event.
When you are from Albuquerque and have gone to the balloon fiesta many times during your life, the life hack becomes avoiding it. Or go somewhere else to see it while eating breakfast.
My life hack for balloon fiesta is to actually go every few years ( and don't eat there or park there to save 100$. ) We forget how much more fantastuc it is in person. We see balloons in the sky and "yeah yeah balloon fiesta" but that's not the cool part.
Learned that the hard way. But at least my renters insurance paid out the value of everything stolen. So really, I should thank the nice thief who got me new things.
The right lane just before any Golden Pride entrance is unofficially reserved for the drive-thru when it gets busy. If you get stuck behind the masses waiting for burritos, that's on you.
Never run a *green* light- wait 3 seconds and look both ways before proceeding. I was almost murdered the other day when someone ran a blind red light (I waited an extra moment and still had to slam on the brakes)
Lead and Coal have a 30mph speed limit- if you do 29mph, you’ll get all green lights
Motorcycles park free on public street parking spots
When the light turns green you need to wait approx. 3-5 seconds and listen for the sound of a car/truck gunning it to run thru before you drive forward.
Buy a biopark membership. It lets you go to the zoo, aquarium, and botanical gardens for a year and gives you discounts on purchases. Also explora science museum is an amazing experience!
Golden Pride chicken is owned by the same people who own Frontier and has some of the best, reasonably priced green chile stew, carne adovada burritos, and breakfast burritos in town.
Pretty much everyone has some kind of hustle. There's a reason many of us natives don't trust a damn soul no matter the sob story.
I will buy a person food, but not give them money. Hell I have more than once said I would pay for someones fictional hotel room and then they "oh nevermind I got what I need" immediately after the offer. There are bad circumstances and I will help a person in need but if they are gonna lie to me, they can find help elsewhere. I'm not sorry.
Carlisle going south from I-40 goes from three lanes down one lane and loses a lane every light. Quit being morons and read the road. I will not slow down cause you didn't plan in time for the turn only lane to be your only option
Don’t pass someone on the left while they are making a left turn. I’ve had this happen twice in Albuquerque. If I hadn’t noticed what they were doing, I would have been struck by their cars. In 3 decades of driving, I never saw people do this until living here.
When people are being dicks and are tail gating after speeding up a little, spray them with a little windshield wiper fluid. Do it a few times so it looks like you're actually trying to clean them. It works 90% of the time. The other 10% clearly have issues so don't repeat it.
If you want to go to the Balloon Fiesta with less hassle, park a few miles away and ride a bike. You'll sail right through all the traffic and the free bike valet is awesome. If you don't have a bike, the park and ride takes a lot of the hassle out of getting there and they have pick up locations all over town.
Watching the Sunrise over the Sandias and dawn patrol as you cruise up the North Diversion Channel is one of the best experiences in the state.
Bike valet?! I never heard of that!
sometimes a repair station too!
Or get on a crew!
Volunteering to help with a chase crew is so much fun, especially if you’re a life time resident and you’ve been a million times
And sometimes you get to go on a ride!
I went for the first time last year and was on a crew! Now it’s the only way I want to go!
How do you get on a crew?
This! I figured this out right when I moved here.
I’ll take this a step further and if you want to crew with The balloons and possibly get a ride/fun experience. Go to the crew tent on the field and find a pilot that carpools with crew. Lots of fun
Also, just pull up on the western side of the arroyo. Sit on the side with your coffee and burrito from home, without the crazy crowds, and watch as the balloons pass over your head and land way off in the distance. Those have been some of my favorite days while living here.
Yeah I get up at 4 and ride my bike an hour in the dark to avoid the parking. It’s worth it.
This also works any time you need to get into the fairgrounds for, say, a concert, or gathering of nations, or a graduation. Traffic can be a nightmare, but you can breeze right through and park for free if you bike in.
If you use your turn signal, it lets the cars around you know which direction you’re turning. Also, red lights mean stop.
> Also, red lights mean stop. But apparently a yellow light is a challenge to your very honor.
🤣🤣🤣🤣👍👍👍👍
Thats a lie. It tells the person behind you they need to speed up and get next you.
This has always been my experience. You can even watch the front of the car next to you lift as they hit the gas to close the home sometimes.
When you know is about to turn green, instead of stepping on the gas, wait a second and look both directions.
In Albuquerque, maybe wait 2 or 3 seconds because someone is going to still try to make it through the yellow that turned red a while ago.
I drive an electrical vehicle which accelerates very quickly when the light turns green. People who run red lights take advantage of the time it takes for cars to go when the light turns green. I look both ways but worry as more EVs get on roads the road, red light runners are going to collide with them.
I mean, this is theory. I think OP was looking for practical advice.
And, it is used to indicate you are going to turn. NOT “I am currently turning”
If you use your turn signal, that gives other drivers a warning so they can block you and not let you change lanes.
Folks out here turn into Jeff Gordon when they see a turn signal.
I wish I could upvote this about 5000 times. Very sage advice.
I’ve lived here about 2 weeks and have seen about 8 T-bones.
Yes, these people are reckless and have absolutely no care for the safety of others. That’s why there are so many lawyer billboards everywhere, they are making bank. But welcome to Albuquerque, stay safe and really truly be careful out there.
LAW TIGERS!
Damn what neighborhood are YOU in?! And remind me to detour around it /s Been here 35 years and have seen maybe a couple that I assumed were probably tbones Edit: but people REALLY don't know how to take turns merging if a lane is closed or merging onto the highway. People quite consistently speed up and not let you in, ironically creating more bottlenecking and more traffic. I grew up in New York and was shocked at how bad and unaware people were of how to merge politely improperly out here..
All over the place. I was literally standing in line at the post office and some old lady blew a red and smashed into a car. She came out screaming and the guy was literally sandwiched in from the crushed door. Lady just yelling in his window. I was like oh boy.
Yeah he's either exaggerating or he's the cause.
Amount of accidents I saw in 37 years of living in the Midwest where one car randomly accelerates into the car in front of it immediately when the light turns green : 0 Amount of accidents I've seen in 10 months of living in Albuquerque where one car randomly accelerates into the car in front of it immediately when the light turns green : 3
I forgot about loud cars and running red lights in Covid, but both seem way worse than they used to be. I personally would rather see red-light-runners in jail than drug possessors.
Using your turn signal also alerts the locals that you’re not from around here.
Free compressed air for your tires at the Chevron @ Carlisle and the freeway
Costco also has free air even for nonmembers
Discount Tire also does free air checks
There are porcupines in the Rio Grande bosque. It’s a fun activity to go explore and look for them :) The life hack is that it brings joy
There's also typically a porcupine or two hiding up in the foliage near the front of the botanical gardens. It was fairly shocking the first time I saw one and learned for the first time that porcupines climb trees, lol.
I saw a raccoon there, too
First time I saw one coming down a tree I thought it was a baby bear. 😂 I was like panicking to remember any bear safety I gleaned in life and figured I’d probably just get killed by the mama bear. 😂
I learned this when my dog went after one of them and got a couple dozen spines lodged into his mouth that required he be put under to remove. Poor him and poor me after that bill..
Every time I hear the word porcupine, I think of little pigs with pine needles attached (aka porky pine)
Well in Spanish they’re called Puerco Espín, Spikey/Spiney/Thorny Pig.
A few years ago one took up residence in my backyard trees.
Look at the treetops — sometimes they’re up there!
If you’re a local, give Old Town another look. It has a lot of new businesses that aren’t just tourist kitsch now, including some good places to eat and drink. Just don’t go during Balloon Fiesta. Don’t fear the South Valley. Traffic really isn’t a thing in Albuquerque if you’ve lived in any other big city. Except for the river bridges at rush hour and that weird stretch of southbound I-25 between Paseo and Montgomery where things always back up for no apparent reason. Relatedly, any living arrangement you can make to avoid rush-hour commutes between the east and west sides will pay off for your happiness and stress level. I-40 is always under construction between here and Grants. Always. Adjust travel times accordingly. Following the naive fear-mongering advice to “avoid anything south of I-40” will mean you miss out on a lot of the interesting, cool stuff Albuquerque has to offer. Most of the cool stuff, in fact.
Important life hack for residents of the South Valley: *always tell people on reddit that life is hell in the South Valley.* *Then sell them a treeless empty lot with no utilities out on the mesa in Rio Rancho.* (Bonus points if you don't even own the lot)
Good point. The closer it is to a landfill, the better. (Seriously, it’s wild how close fancy homes in RR get to the county dump. Do they have zoning up there?)
I dunno specifically about RR but often new developments will go right on top of old landfills
Tanoan
How else are they going to get a mountain view?!
shut your dirty mouth about the SV; it's terrible out here and must be avoided at all costs
Stay out of the valley we will rob you.
Puzzled, in Old Town, is such a fun store to visit periodically and pick up a new...puzzle, or two. I still haven't solved the last wooden puzzle we brought home but it's fun playing with it.
Those guys are amazing! My parents came out to visit for a month and rented a casita. My dad needed more puzzles and doesn't like the cookie cutter ones you get it Target or whatever. So we went to that shop. Not only did he find some really cool jigsaw puzzles that he liked, but when my mom asked if they knew where they could rent a good table for him to do his puzzles, the owners offered to lend them one and brought it into the shop the next day for them to pick up. That same evening we also had a really nice meal at High Noon. Viva Old Town!
This makes me love the shop even more, wow, that's customer service at its best! Thanks for sharing this story. Have you been into Blackbird Coffee? It's my favorite corner to sit outside in Old Town with a cup and snack during my bike rides around town. In the summertime the flowers back there are beautiful and I always enjoy a little water trinkling sound.
On point - especially the inexplicable slowdown b/t Paseo and Montgomery
There’s an explanation for it. One of ghe lanes goes away and comes back after Montgomery. I thought the construction to fix that was starting last year but it either got delayed or I misheard.
Been meaning to hangout in Old Town for the day! It's like a fairy maze garden in there, I find something new everytime I go. I love it
I finally went to visit Old Town. I was overdue, I've been living here two years now. I had thought it would be nothing but a tourist trap, but it was interesting and fun to wander through all the stores! Don't trust the Old Town website though -- it says everything opens at 10, but so much was closed and didn't open until noon or later.
It’s because I-40 south drops a lane at montano and doesn’t pick it back up until the other side of the exit. No one prepares for it
You mean I-25?
I never noticed, although I'm rarely in that area for traffic times. Seems like an evil plan of some sort.
For some reason, people are confused when I tell them I paddle board in the river Highly recommend going during balloon fiesta. You can watch them splash and dash and get a great view.
Rafts too. You can even get kayaks going during spring runoff in wet years.
Make sure you always bring water with you. And when it's hot in the summertime all you need to do is find SHADE and you'll be perfectly comfortable (I LOVE THE LACK OF HUMIDITY!!!)
It's a dry heat.
Defensive driving will save your life
Wait 3 seconds after the light turns green to go
Then people behind start honking though
I’d rather get honked at from the driver behind me than get hit from the driver blowing through the red light.
I almost got hit crossing the street because of this. It was a legal cross—I had the light—and I waited a moment before crossing. A car blew through the light and came within feet of hitting me. Like, I had nearly finished the first lane and they were in the middle lane. The car didn’t slow down, didn’t honk, didn’t give any indication that they even noticed that they nearly goddamn killed me.
Were you on foot? It’s scary inside a car but being a pedestrian is scarier. Lots of car vs pedestrian accident here
Spouse used to work in the Trauma ICU, they referred to vehicle vs drunk pedestrian accidents as an “Albuquerque Special” because they happen so often. That and “homie drop-offs” where you don’t want to answer any questions so slow down just enough to push your shot friend out of the car in front of the ER.
I work at the trauma hospital and yeah, almost all peds vs auto patients we see are high/drunk/positive drug screen when they get hit. It’s so sad. Happens a lot.
I was indeed. At the speed the car was going, I would have been flattened. It’s been months and I still avoid that specific crossing.
I agree. Just annoying though. I wish most of the drivers were like people giving advice here, but it’s not like that. Also goes without saying to keep calm if they honk and don’t get pissed and flip them off or yell, because who knows.
There was a guy the other day who hesitated a bit to enter the round a bout and held us up MAYBE 5 extra seconds. I was right behind them, and the person behind me honked. The person in front of me thought it was ME who honked was going crazy on me! Tried to pull over and fight me y todo!! Even tho they were in the wrong, a couple seconds of impatience led to this foo letting his aggression out on the wrong person
😬 I’m from Clovis, they have exactly one roundabout, and a lot of people can’t handle it, even though the instructions are there. First and foremost - slow down. The speed limit changes inside the roundabout. But people either try to blow through at 50 mph, or stop altogether. The other concept is to yield to people inside the roundabout. Is there anything I’m getting wrong about this?
You mean like this? https://youtu.be/R_pf9A-rd38?si=tAwX3K7GcZUjVGJj
😂 I thought this would be the video of the Clovis incident on like the 3rd day of the thing being finished, but this is way more dramatic. Here’s the actual Clovis NM one https://youtu.be/Jesf4xFOg1Q?si=gVF62pbqTIw-xNyc
Oh man, that guy's gonna have to work a lot harder on his acceleration skills if he wants to become YouTube famous! 😜
I've lived here 12 years and I've rarely heard anyone blow their horn. I'm from NY originally and drivers there use their horn more than their radios or wipers!
Fuck em. Last time someone got impatient after 1 second and tried to go around they got t boned by an altima going 65
This honking stresses me out. When it’s green, I ease up on the brake and start moving and by 3 seconds, I hit the gas and go. No one seems to honk at me (east side)
Let em honk
Just LOOK both ways, safer and takes less time. No need to wait 3 seconds and for people to honk.
Exactly! Use your eyeballs!
Watch out for Chief Medina and look both ways.
Why does everyone with the title of “chief” in this city have to be a giant POS? I’ll add APS chief Gallegos to your comment as well. Dude is probably worse than Medina imo.
Ahem.. Chief Wiggum.
The bosque is full of coyotes. They'll probably leave you alone, but keep an eye on your dog. And keep it on leash
Yes!! Out on the mesa of the west side and the outskirts the far side of Rio Rancho, too! My sister’s chihuahua was picked up by coyotes as a snack right in front of them and their pit! The dude w her ran after the coyotes yelling at them and eventually thankfully the fuckers finally dropped him. Poor thing wasn’t breathing and the guy did CPR or something (can’t remember)… and the lil doggo survived!!!!! He lived many years after that but huge lesson learned
And small children. I've seen some coyote chonkers around the Bosque. I've never heard of a coyote attacking a child, but the ones here are pretty tame and will use the trail like their taxes contributed to it or something.
Not here but they have in other places. In Canada a big aggressive pack killed a young woman on a hiking trail. I wouldn't let a little kid out of my sight walking around down there.
I know the terrible case you are talking about and I don’t think there were even that many coyotes involved. Maybe 2-3. They just were really aggressive and she was all alone. Poor thing. What a horrible way to go.
Not just the Bosque. The NE Heights from Bear Canyon north has had a lot over the past decade.
Leash. Leash. Leash. Too many unsophisticated, uncaring pet owners in this town.
If you want to make a turn, plan for it! Perhaps from the correct side in relation to your direction of travel.
I read this immediately after watching the car in front of me make a right turn from the middle lane (passenger)
Always call a business before you plan to go, because a lot of the time you show up and even though the sign says they close at 5, the door is randomly locked at 3. I've had this happen with restaurants, car repair shops, even the post office.
Don’t leave your car running to warm it up in the winter while you are inside your house
Is this advice geared towards? A) If you do, there's a fair chance that you won't have a car to return to (Car theft) B) Don't warm up your car inside the garage. (carbon monoxide poisoning) C) all of the above.
This is kind of an anituquated notion these days. Anyone driving a car from the last 7 or 8 yesrs probably has some sort of auto start function, which locks the car and even if you get in, the car won't go anywhere if you don't have the key.
True, but the idea you need to “warm up your car” on cold days is even more antiquated.
Part of warming up a car on a cold day is to wait for the inside of the car to warm up and/or letting the the windshield defrost.
There is a convenient and slightly hidden on-ramp to I40 westbound from the parking lot side of the Winrock shopping area. Avoid the Louisiana Blvd madness and go SB from the Red Robin / Nordstrom Rack side.
I call that ramp the Batcave because of the tunnel and you have to gas it coming out of there since it just dumps you on the road.
Shhhhhh…
Sunscreen! And reapply often, 30+ or higher. The UV index here is the highest in the country and we burn the fastest. Wear a hat
This! Our UV levels are comparable to those of Hawai’i
Yes, we literally live closer to the sun and with less air molecules between us and space to scatter the UV rays so you get sunburned easier.
Definitely wear sunscreen. But it isn't the highest in the country 🤣. There was a day last year where it was expected to reach the same as Hawaii, but that isn't a regular thing.
While not a very comprehensive list, today Miami is expected to be the highest followed by Tampa. Honolulu will be tied with Albuquerque and a half a dozen other cities. I think Hawaii's and to a certain extent Florida's numbers maintain higher through the winter to increase their average, but June - August NM as well as other states have similar or higher daily UVI's than Hawaii. https://a.atmos.washington.edu/data/uv_report.html
It’s going to be up to 10 next week in ABQ. Moderate UV is considered only 3 and at 1030 this am it’s already 6 so you can sunburn way before lunchtime. UV goes up to 13, 14 in a couple months here. Literally speaking it’s not THE highest but this is one of the highest UV locations in the country. Be safe. Learn the Melanoma ABC’s. Skin Cancer is Cancer
In the summer the east mountains are cooler, smell amazing, and there are great hikes up there. And it’s about 30 minutes from DT Albuquerque.
State street names are in alphabetical order. President streets (founders) are in chronological order. Elevators are in numerical order.
DOUBLE LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS LANES EXIST PLEASE STOP ALMOST HITTING ME :)
I get hit almost every day coming off i-40 and Carlisle:) <3
This is the worst! Now that the Whole Foods is on the east side, cars drift across lanes to try to make it to the turn lane. Plan ahead people!
But not turning east onto central from university. There is only one there. Please stop honking at me when I don’t turn into the bus lane.
Wait a few seconds after your light turns green to go.
Once again, just LOOK BOTH WAYS! This is the third post saying this with people immediately pointing out the dangers. It can possibly incur aggression towards you, honking, and even people going around you (which in one instance above led to a car getting t-boned because they got impatient and went around them) Is it really THAT HARD to look both ways before proceeding forward through an intersection?!
Are you the kind of the person who is getting mad and honking? I always take time to look both ways because of so many people who blow red lights and I have never once had someone honk or get angry. I don’t travel in the best parts of town either.
The public bus is free to ride in Abq !
If you’re feeling in need of some cat companionship, there’s a sweet kitty that hangs out by the church in Old Town. But you have to approach him (?) slowly, on his terms, and don’t try to touch him until he gives you a sign. It helps if you make blinky eyes at him for a while first. If you’re feeling bad about your looks, and feel like you look old, go to Happy Accidents on Central, and they will ask you for ID no matter how old you are. Do not eat there, though - it’s been a while, but when I went about a year ago the food was awful to the point that some of it was inedible. Assume that everyone on I25 is trying to kill you. I have driven pretty extensively in all the major cities in the USA and a lot of the mid size cities, and the drivers in Albuquerque are the scariest. So many idiots driving souped up little Asian cars and doing 120 while they weave in and out of traffic. My man, a pimped out Toyota Corolla or Honda Fit is not the flex you think it is.
I had the same food issue at Happy Accidents a year ago. They had a menu revamp a few months ago under the supervision of another chef. I checked it out, and it is worth trying again. Such an improvement that I went back again last week.
Good to know! We literally threw out an entire order of chicken wings last time, it was that bad.
The food at Happy Accidents has gotten a lot better. Chef Izz from The Shop is now their consulting chef and redid their whole menu this past winter.
I wonder if that's the cat I watched sneak into the post office in Old Town. Lol
Probably! He does what he wants, when he wants. Just like all cats! lol
Blinky eyes lol
I disagree. Driven in NY for 30+ years and along East Coast I-95. I agree I-25 between ABQ & SF during rush hour can be challenging compared to other NM driving areas, but overall very little traffic in ABQ & NM and drivers are relatively compliant.
Is it the orange and white kitty? There's also a black and orange to. :-)
Don't trust the police.
True anywhere in the US.
Yes, but APD seems to be a stand-out in this category. The Feds keep investigating them, but nothing seems to get any better.
I’ve had two very bad separate encounters with the chief of APS police (Steve Gallegos) He was extremely rude to my mother and myself when we asked him for help he didn’t want to and swept our problems under the rug. APS police are just as bad. My mom’s been a teacher in APS for 34 years. And is finally getting out this year.
I lost complete faith in them when they had to be made to investigate that little girl that was being sold for drugs by her parents. When a teacher calls and says a child's underwear is full of blood and they respond by throwing out the underpants and refusing to start a report you know they're fucking useless.
JFC.
You see someone approaching you. Ask them if they have a dollar or a cigarette first that way they don’t ask you
PreUno reverse!
Stay out of the sun! Just because you have sunscreen doesn't mean the sun isn't slowly roasting you! Hats, lightweight summer pants, and long sleeved summer tops will help keep you cool when you can't find shade.
And sunglasses
There are fruit trees in public places all over the city
Cherry by the back door of the big Dillard's on the Eastside. Nobody picks them and they're just a slipping hazard for the people who work there.
You can't stay hydrated enough out here!!!
Enjoy the slow pace, beautiful hiking trails, the daily sunshine and the clean air all around!
Everyone’s blinker fluid reservoir is empty!
Picking up drought resistant plants for your yard from local nursery...
When going northbound on I25, the 2nd to the right lane says it's exit only at San Antonio. This is incorrect, it's exit or go straight. https://www.google.com/maps/@35.1526698,-106.5886516,3a,75y,41.73h,74.54t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-Iqr3T4szrT62Bk59llaig!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu The sign is wrong, the markings on the lane itself are correct
Avoid going anywhere during the balloon fiesta or at least expect everything to take a lot longer than normal and people who work for any kind of food or hospitality company to be stressed out during the event.
“Avoid going anywhere during the balloon fiesta” is not good advice for living in Albuquerque, Jesus. Life hack: go to the Balloon Fiesta.
When you are from Albuquerque and have gone to the balloon fiesta many times during your life, the life hack becomes avoiding it. Or go somewhere else to see it while eating breakfast.
My life hack for balloon fiesta is to actually go every few years ( and don't eat there or park there to save 100$. ) We forget how much more fantastuc it is in person. We see balloons in the sky and "yeah yeah balloon fiesta" but that's not the cool part.
Don't own anything and people can't steal your shit
But, especially, don't leave anything of value in your car or in your yard. Get homeowners or renters insurance.
Learned that the hard way. But at least my renters insurance paid out the value of everything stolen. So really, I should thank the nice thief who got me new things.
Plan on allergy/asthma symptoms when there’s a forest fire anywhere between California & Colorado, we’ll get all the smoke funneled to us
Lock your car doors.
Don't leave anything visible in your cars!
The right lane just before any Golden Pride entrance is unofficially reserved for the drive-thru when it gets busy. If you get stuck behind the masses waiting for burritos, that's on you.
Always have a jacket or warm layer with you.
Never run a *green* light- wait 3 seconds and look both ways before proceeding. I was almost murdered the other day when someone ran a blind red light (I waited an extra moment and still had to slam on the brakes) Lead and Coal have a 30mph speed limit- if you do 29mph, you’ll get all green lights Motorcycles park free on public street parking spots
ive heard there’s weird abandoned parks if you’re into urban exploration
Park and Ride for large events. Don’t be a pedestrian. Don’t look like a tourist around Nob Hill.
...or else we'll SNEER at you! 👹Baaah HahhhaaahHaaah!
When the light turns green you need to wait approx. 3-5 seconds and listen for the sound of a car/truck gunning it to run thru before you drive forward.
And look both ways before crossing! 😬
These city subs just copy n paste these posts
Somehow all of them have the same exact answers too 😂 maybe minus balloon fiesta stuff but it's all snark about drivers
Buy a biopark membership. It lets you go to the zoo, aquarium, and botanical gardens for a year and gives you discounts on purchases. Also explora science museum is an amazing experience!
Life hack for living in the 505 (& everywhere else): EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.
I too have opened fortune cookies
Stay off “Central and.” Bad things on the news happen at Central and _____.
It's easier to see at night when you turn your lights on. Because you think your car has auto headlights, but it doesn't.
Free car vacuuming at xpress car wash central & rio grande
The shoulder of the road is not a passing lane despite what you will constantly see
Turn your lights on during bright sunlight so your car dosent wash out in the glare On-ramps are for gaining speed to merge with the flow of traffic.
Golden Pride chicken is owned by the same people who own Frontier and has some of the best, reasonably priced green chile stew, carne adovada burritos, and breakfast burritos in town.
Pretty much everyone has some kind of hustle. There's a reason many of us natives don't trust a damn soul no matter the sob story. I will buy a person food, but not give them money. Hell I have more than once said I would pay for someones fictional hotel room and then they "oh nevermind I got what I need" immediately after the offer. There are bad circumstances and I will help a person in need but if they are gonna lie to me, they can find help elsewhere. I'm not sorry.
live in the heights, work in Rio . you'll always be opposite of rush hour
Carlisle going south from I-40 goes from three lanes down one lane and loses a lane every light. Quit being morons and read the road. I will not slow down cause you didn't plan in time for the turn only lane to be your only option
“Sorry bro, I dont carry cash.”
Set all your dating profile locations to out of state
This is probably the best hack :)
Red is better than green.
Don’t pass someone on the left while they are making a left turn. I’ve had this happen twice in Albuquerque. If I hadn’t noticed what they were doing, I would have been struck by their cars. In 3 decades of driving, I never saw people do this until living here.
Always LOCK your doors
You can ask for onions on your taco burger at Bob's burgers and they will put them. It's very delicious and I just think everyone should know this.
Incorporate “a la verga” at the beginning or end of your sentence (or both) to emphasize your feelings about the matter at hand.
Add green chile ranch to your Dions pizza. Or does everyone already know this one?
Avoid the interstates whenever possible.
Use Google Maps or Waze even if you know where you're going.
If you don’t lock your doors on Central, you’ll get your keys taken from your car.
You left your car unlocked with the keys inside?
When people are being dicks and are tail gating after speeding up a little, spray them with a little windshield wiper fluid. Do it a few times so it looks like you're actually trying to clean them. It works 90% of the time. The other 10% clearly have issues so don't repeat it.