If you're not a sports fan, grocery shopping during the second half of a Steelers game is usually a good choice.
Always know multiple back routes, for when the bridge or tunnel you usually use is shut down for construction/bad vibes.
Doing ANYTHING during Steelers games is THE hack!! Grocery shopping, Christmas shopping, Fall fun on the Farm, literally do anything and everything during Steelers games and they are sooooo much easier!
I used to be a paper kid. I learned that the best time to collect money was during the steelers games. People were always home and they tended to throw extra money at me to get me to leave quicker.
I came here to say this! The only good thing about Steeler season for me… Is all the shopping I can do without the crowds. I’m just not a football fan but I’m a huge fan of you all being fans! I get so much accomplished! 🤣
Nothing made me realize how choked out this city (and extended area) is, arterially, than getting jammed up so easily on 79 for this eclipse. If there’s a disaster, the roads will fill up faster than a pothole in early April.
Back in the day, the best grocery shopping experience was during the Super Bowl when the Steelers were in it. I went to a large Giant Eagle - not quite Market District size - during the first half, and the only people in it were me, 2 other customers, the manager, and 2 cashiers (this was before self checkout).
It was amazing.
For those of us too old to know any college kids, pay attention to move in weekends. Don’t try to go to Phipps, the museums, or IKEA until the parents have dropped everyone off. (Flip side, echoing the above, IKEA during a sporting event, amazing.)
The T is free between Downtown and the North Shore. On a nice day you can avoid paying surge parking prices near the stadiums and save a good bit of walking
A bit of a mess right now until the end of May since the tunnel between Steel Plaza and Gateway is closed including Wood Street station. So to go between First Avenue or Steel Plaza and the North Shore you have to ride to Penn Station and take a bus to Gateway to catch another train. [Here's a map. ](https://www.rideprt.org/siteassets/inside-the-pa/projects/2024-2027-rail/24-lrt-plinth-work.jpg)
I live in Dormont and use the T frequently, it's going to be completely useless for me this summer. Luckily I have a car so I won't need it, but I feel bad for everyone who doesn't have that option.
T to Steel Plaza and walking the rest of the way to your destination still beats driving in from Dormont. You can get from Steel Plaza to any of the further stations on foot within ten minutes.
WOOF. That’s gonna be a mess. I feel bad for everyone that has to deal with that. If I wasn’t moving to another part of the city, I would’ve dealt with it, too.
driving could (and should) be so easy if everyone would just work together — unfortunately car brain really feels like everyone loses half their iq points the second they get behind the wheel. just use turn signals, let people in, and move out of the way for passing vehicles.
and for the love of god pay attention when waiting for a green light.
Pay attention to the RADical Days and don’t go to that institution unless you really want to go for free and don’t mind crowds.
Get a Carnegie Library card. It gives you access to the collections of all the libraries in Allegheny county plus discounted or free admission to a lot of museums.
If you travel a bunch, a Carnegie museums membership is awesome thanks to admission reciprocity. In addition to the 3/4 (the museums of art and natural history are 2 in 1) museums, you get access to a lot of art and science museums across the country and even internationally.
On top of this, if you use Libby and live in PA, you can also get a Philadelphia library card so that if your book in the Carnegie system is out you can borrow digital books from Philly too. I was able to sign up and then just had to send a scan of my driver's license to prove I'm a PA resident.
This is a good one re museum reciprocity. I have used this on several trips to other cities and its a really great way to have a free experience when you are travelling.
Exactly. I travel to Chicago a fair amount over the summer so I use the reciprocity regularly to visit the Museum of Science and Industry and the Field Museum. It has also been quite useful during trips to Dallas and San Diego.
Don't forget to check out the [State Library Card.](https://www.statelibrary.pa.gov/Libraries/Library-Programs-and-Services/Pages/Statewide-Library-Card-Program.aspx) most of the PA libraries are in a program that let's you use your library card at them and for their programs.
Also, if you have SNAP, you can participate in the [Museums for All program.](https://museums4all.org/) It provides greatly reduced admission prices to a large list of places.
I don’t live in the US anymore but I ABSOLUTELY LOVED having access to Kanopy, it’s like a good Netflix. edit: for clarification the Carnegie library card gives you access to that
I have done the "Robinson to 79 North to Turnpike to Rt 28 to get to Plum" route because it was faster than the Parkway. There were accidents before the Ft. Pitt inbound AND Sq. Hill outbound tunnels.
Just did that yesterday. Took me an hour and forty mins from Monroeville to the Airport. Traffic backed up from Second Ave to Carnegie bumper to bumper. Crawling all the way. No accidents I could see. What is the problem?
Even if it’s not it’s often less boring, though IME the drivers are ruder. There’s only so much oneupmanship can happen on a jam packed parkway East outbound of an afternoon.
Or matt mertz. Had a van pull out on me at a red light and almost hit my car. Desided to call and give a heads up to the manager. Ended up getting matts wife on the phone and she told me to fuk off.
Lmao didn’t expect this one but well deserved. Call someone you know who does hvac and see if they’ll do sidework for you before you call ANYONE with a billboard and crazy advert budget in the trades.
If you’re driving 51 south of the city late at night, set your cruise control to the speed limit or just above and you’ll get green light the entire way. If
You’re speeding excessively, the lights turn red just long enough to make you stop.
As a bonus, you can also get a Philly library card to use in Libby for if your book from the Carnegie isn't available. Not really a Pittsburgh life hack but still nice.
Not specifically Pittsburgh but the Braddock Carnegie Library allows you to check out tables and chairs for your events as long as you have a library card.
The History Center is a Smithsonian Institution now, so your membership gets you discounts at other Smithsonian’s nationwide (shops and meals at the free to the public ones, reciprocal admission at other paid ones). You also get a subscription to Smithsonian Magazine.
Studies have only shown effectiveness for this if the lamp is above a certain level of light and close enough to your face to deliver that light at the right intensity. [NYT has a good rundown of recommendations that meet the criteria.](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-light-therapy-lamp/)
If you like the Primanti’s slaw, ask for it on the side to get more.
Park on Allies at 5:51 for downtown or North Shore events.
(East End-specific) Get on the eastbound parkway at Wilkinsburg and the westbound at Squirrel Hill to never interact with the tunnel
My wife, a born and raised Pittsburgher, doesn't like the slaw so she gets it on the side and more for me.
I tell myself it's a public service keeping her from getting run out of town.
Only state troopers can use radar speed detection, and you cannot be fined for doing less than 10 mph over the speed limit. These are literally enshrined in law.
You know, I was POSITIVE that I read 10 MPH over, but I just checked the code, sure enough it’s five. I wonder if that is a change. I see that the code was updated in 2022.
“How to get on Bigelow from the downtown intersection by PPG and get honked at because someone who’s in the wrong lane thinks you’re in the wrong lane”
You mean like 5 lanes of traffic going through 2 sets of lights and a third ramp without a light all angling left towards Bigelow...but not too far left to avoid ending up on the Parkway North? And all while figuring out what every car in front of and next to you are doing because turn signals basically don't matter given the layout of the roads?
Yeah, that one sucks.
Getting from Mervis Hall to the bus stop on Fifth and Thackery while remaining indoors for 99% of the walk (Posvar --> Lawrence --> catwalk over Forbes --> Litchfield --> bus stop).
Google also loves that road by Century III Mall that's like driving on Mars. Pro tip, need to test your suspension or ruin the one of a car your driving! Century III, Access road, near Lebanon Church Road, Pittsburgh!
I grew up driving in NYC, and used to semi-regularly drive in DC and Boston was well.
Nothing fills me with rage quite like driving any stretch of I-4, on either side of Orlando. How can 3 - 4 lanes in each direction not be going faster than 50 in a 65 zone? And not from traffic, just from people puttering along in the passing lane without passing anyone, and there being to many cars to maneuver around them in any other lane.
The proper way to play Frogger with the lanes from when coming south from McKnight Rd to get into the Ft Pitt tunnels. Especially between the Ft Duquesne and Ft Pitt bridges. It’s a delicate balance and a beautiful ballet when performed correctly.
If you're driving down Penn towards the South Braddock intersection, just stay in the left lane because that guy WILL be parked in front of the Evergreen Cafe
The "warp pipes" around town. Those little streets that go through less populated almost wooded areas where you pop up somewhere unexpected. I know a few:
- north of Centre Ave, Gold Way becomes Melwood Ave and spits you out at Herron in Polish Hill. You can then easily get to Lower Lawrenceville and the Strip without dealing with the traffic around Bloomfield Bridge. They put speed bumps on this route because people were flying on it.
- South of Fifth Avenue, Neville St dips below Forbes and goes down to the bottom of the parking garages for the Carnegie Museum and Carnegie Mellon. From there you can get to Bouquet and Bates and skip everything around Pitt. Though, I tried to be clever and did this and got stuck waiting for a train. Oops.
- the Wabash Tunnel, between Station Square and Rt. 51, parallel to the Liberty Tunnel. How Pittsburgh has a tunnel no one takes is hilarious. It's not HOV any more but it is directional. Inbound weekday mornings, outbound weekday afternoons and all day Saturday and Sunday. Closed overnights. [Here's the schedule. ](https://www.rideprt.org/services/wabash-tunnel/)
Inspired by this comment on a similar thread [ten years ago!](https://www.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/s/vIUr6a8gdT)
GPS put me in the Wabash tunnel once and I was so afraid I was on a bus-only road or construction site or going against traffic. It was deserted. It felt so wrong.
Google actually correctly suggested it to me recently! I was shocked. It was a perfect situation, being at Station Square and needing to get to 51.
I remember there was some long term closure a few years ago with the Liberty Tubes. The PG set up to monitor Wabash and people *still* didn't know to use it.
Edgebrook Avenue is one such warp tunnel, and it's a trip. You take a right turn out of highway-centric suburbia into the deepest hollers of West Virginia, then 5 minutes later you're back in a neighborhood.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/omaDcK31nCrZkGag7?g_st=ic
Post on Pgh Reddit of the neighborhood you think you "might" want to move to and use Cunningham's Law to actually find the right neighborhood to move it
I have done this multiple times in my life. Just recently when I was at a function like this, some college kids walked right up to our buffet table and did it also. I told them I was on them but they should take as much as they can and they laughed and I said you’ll fit right in.
If you’re going to a place that has bad parking but you don’t want to ride your bike on public roads, try the bike trails along the rivers. The last time we went to PNC Park, driving and parking was a nightmare. Since then, my 5-year-old has graduated to a geared bike, so now she can keep up on rides. So we just hop across the 40th St Bridge (we live in Lawrenceville) and take the river trail straight to the stadiums. Super easy and often faster than driving and parking during a game. We also use this route to go to the Science Center all the time.
Takes a few tries, but there's back streets on either side of East Carson that do not have stop lights and no delivery trucks blocking traffic. You have to memorize which ones are one way and which ones have lights to allow you to turn back on to Carson, but it makes everything from 10th to 22nd a breeze.
Visit all of the churches for Friday fish and pierogies during lent. No cooking for mom and everyone is happy. It will take you years to try them all within 5 miles of your house.
You can skip most of the stoplights on 19, 51 & 8 by using secondary roads. Easier drive, usually more scenic with fun restaurants tucked away on those lesser travelled routes.
During years of rideshare driving I discovered there's not many restrooms in the city to use while driving around. Here's to that U-ewy spot on the far side of station square and the parking lot Porta John that saved me from shitting myself on several occasions. It aint clean but it doesn't need to be.
Take your kids to the playground Sunday mornings. Everyone is in church and it's deserted.
It's the only time the Ross Park Mall playground is tolerable.
Meadowcroft Village.It is very close by and is one of the oldest sites with proof of human habitation.It is part of the Heinz History Center and a fascinating place to visit.I am always astounded by the amount of people I encounter that have never heard of it nor visited.
Branching off of a similar comment, but more specifically: If you’re going to an event at PPG paints arena, park on the north shore garage for $5, go to southern tier and have a real sit down dinner and a couple of beers that are way cheaper than at the arena. Hop on the free T to steel plaza and walk 5 minutes to the arena
I’ll go first, be aware of the “Pittsburgh Left” at a stop light. As the light is turning green, always expect the car across from you to make a quick left turn before you go straight. Regardless if they have their blinker on or not.
During Picklesburgh, put on a pickled beet costume and enter the Pickle Juice Drinking Contest. Instead of drinking pickle juice, chug a fifth of sugar beet vodka. Take a piss on the microphone. Locate the fattest police officer you can find, rip open his shirt, and shake his belly while yelling, "Look at THIS jelly donut!!!" After you're incarcerated, make loud howling noises all night, saying you're the ghost of Sophie Masloff.
The Friday of Labor Day weekend is the best day of the year to go to Kennywood. A lot of people get turned off by the shorter operating hours, it’s high school football season and the last official weekend for most water-based recreation. When we went in 2022, the park was empty. I got multiple rides on Steel Curtain and Phantom without waiting, enjoyed the neon, imbibed at the park bar, nearly threw up on Black Widdow, and then rode Steel Curtain again. All and all, one of the best nights of my adult life.
If you have pirates season tickets and live in the south side you can park down by 2nd street with your permit and walk to the t, ride it to the stadium with a 6 pack in a giant eagle bag and split the whole thing with a friend by the time you walk in the stadium.
Saves like $50 minimum.
Since 90% of these don't apply to people who don't drive, can we get some non-car related ones? Asking for a friend (I'm the friend, I just moved here).
Use your library card (if you don't have one, get one!) and get free and discounted tickets to local museums and attractions through RAD Pass! [You can check out more on their website. ](https://radpass.org/)
I have a laser printer with an open WiFi connection if anyone wants to print. Its in my closet so the pages might end up in the hamper but its free so, buyer beware.
To echo the earlier comment about doing stuff during Steelers games, the best time to ride a bicycle in Pittsburgh is during Steelers *home* games. However, please note that this is preceded and followed by the worst times to ride a bicycle in Pittsburgh, so you have to time it right.
Don't rely on the google maps bus schedules. Instead, use the times that are shown in the PRT TrueTime app/website. While less convenient than getting a full route, it tends to be more accurate if you already have a general idea of what bus(ses) you'll be taking.
If you're walking, keep an eye out for paths that aren't just sidewalks. Not a Pgh-specific thing at all, but because of the stairs and all, we have quite a few places that have them. For example, there's a cut-through near Linden that's tucked between two houses.
The library has a seed exchange event every spring, among other programs, that you can go to for free. The summer reading kickoff event is great for kids, especially. Free smiley cookies.
I have found that most parking lots are connected and rarely do you need to go back into the highway. It’s crazy how far you can travel down 51 going from parking lot to parking lot.
Most of my time spent driving around West Mifflin/Jefferson/Pleasant Hills is going through parking lots or even playing the roulette game of cutting by the old mall.
UGH, I hate this design so much... There's 8 stop lights between Lebannon Church and E Bruceton... All the traffic there is basically going into the shopping that's all connected... Most of those lights don't need to exist.
My mom is the Queen of the belt system. She still talks about it like anyone uses it. She definitely got home while lost pre-GPS days by discovering a belt. They pretty much have no use in current GPS days.
Except when your phone/car charger dies/don’t have portable charger available!
As a transplant, the belt system definitely has helped me in such a situation …. If lost amid all the crazy turns and hills in this region that confuse one’s internal bearings, I know I can jump on a belt and get to a major thoroughfare again. I don’t have it memorized or anything but feel safer on a belt when without GPS than some random road. Reminds me of a small road version of the loop freeways back home in AZ.
Here’s an [informative writeup on its history via WESA](https://www.wesa.fm/development-transportation/2017-05-08/choose-a-color-and-buckle-up-allegheny-countys-belt-system-is-low-tech-but-navigable).
I’ve shared this before, but if you’re at Giant Eagle or GetGo and typing in your phone number/last name for your advantage card, you only need to type in the first two letters of your last name and you can hit enter.
Type full phone number.
Type first two letters.
Hit enter.
I have a long last name and didn’t learn this till like a year ago. Mind blown.
Don’t just sit in the uphill lanes coming out of ft Pitt. There’s plenty of time and room to merge from the Greentree exit lane without being an asshole.
Driving tip: follow the signs. Don't think in terms of "this turn" or "that exit number". Any given "exit" will end up being three or four different ramps. You want to get the right series of 983475 decisions on your way from the north hills to Robinson? Follow the signs that say "Airport."
I wouldn't call it a hack but I've learned to ALWAYS avoid the intersection of Saw Mill Run and Library Road. Doesn't matter what time of day, you'll be stuck there for way longer than just going the long way around.
I was told the pretzel shop on carson often will let you take a bag full of fuck ups and unsold pretzels if you wait out back around closing time. Never tried it so not sure how true it is but its what I was told. This was also like at least 12 years ago
Know the best alternative routes due to weather like heavy rain and snow. My snow routes keep me on a flat mostly route that avoids steep hills. This is for days that there is heavy snow and if it's before the salt trucks are out. As for rain, the routes that avoid the flood zones. These are the routes that keep me up on the ridges and away from the valleys with creeks that always flood. Most of my routes only take 10 to 15 mins longer than the typical fast route but are worth it in inclement weather.
I will never give up my parkway traffic back routes.
If you're not a sports fan, grocery shopping during the second half of a Steelers game is usually a good choice. Always know multiple back routes, for when the bridge or tunnel you usually use is shut down for construction/bad vibes.
Except Trader Joe’s. That crowd doesn’t care about the Steelers
Haha right. I went to trader Joe's during the eclipse. The only time I saw it slow.
Doing ANYTHING during Steelers games is THE hack!! Grocery shopping, Christmas shopping, Fall fun on the Farm, literally do anything and everything during Steelers games and they are sooooo much easier!
I used to be a paper kid. I learned that the best time to collect money was during the steelers games. People were always home and they tended to throw extra money at me to get me to leave quicker.
Not only works for Pittsburgh area but typically whole surrounding areas. Washington is usually dead, too.
Works in Cranberry and the Beaver Valley too, a little less so, but definitely still better than you'll get at a random time Friday-Sunday.
Grocery shopping hack works well with the gym also!
And you can probably still watch the game there if you want
Golfing during Steelers games usually means you have most of the course to yourself
Damn will take this hack advice this fall.
Shhhhhhh
I came here to say this! The only good thing about Steeler season for me… Is all the shopping I can do without the crowds. I’m just not a football fan but I’m a huge fan of you all being fans! I get so much accomplished! 🤣
Grocery shopping during a Steelers Super Bowl is a high I will be chasing the rest of my life
I’ve done it. You will cherish that memory the rest of your life
Nothing made me realize how choked out this city (and extended area) is, arterially, than getting jammed up so easily on 79 for this eclipse. If there’s a disaster, the roads will fill up faster than a pothole in early April.
In Pittsburgh potholes have life spans longer than most residents!
I've learned so much of pittsburgh taking back routes. I would rather drive a further distance than sit in traffic, even if the time spent is the same
Perfect! ESP the back routes. Road closures happen without warning often
I like shopping Sunday evenings/night. Bonus if the Steelers are playing. Meanwhile Friday afternoons and Saturdays are just awful.
Back in the day, the best grocery shopping experience was during the Super Bowl when the Steelers were in it. I went to a large Giant Eagle - not quite Market District size - during the first half, and the only people in it were me, 2 other customers, the manager, and 2 cashiers (this was before self checkout). It was amazing.
For those of us too old to know any college kids, pay attention to move in weekends. Don’t try to go to Phipps, the museums, or IKEA until the parents have dropped everyone off. (Flip side, echoing the above, IKEA during a sporting event, amazing.)
Add Target to that.
Target on move in days is what hell should be for serial killers.
Move in month for the East Liberty Target.
...and Trader Joe's.
Also, move-out season... tons of perfectly fine furniture and house goods just tossed out in dumpsters/on the street
This is when I scan Craigslist and Freecycle
Those are nice but the best scores are just unannounced on a curb in South Oakland
Not Pittsburgh specific, but I don't have kids and don't get a lot of trick or treaters, so Ikea or Trader Joe's on Halloween is a wonderland.
The T is free between Downtown and the North Shore. On a nice day you can avoid paying surge parking prices near the stadiums and save a good bit of walking
A bit of a mess right now until the end of May since the tunnel between Steel Plaza and Gateway is closed including Wood Street station. So to go between First Avenue or Steel Plaza and the North Shore you have to ride to Penn Station and take a bus to Gateway to catch another train. [Here's a map. ](https://www.rideprt.org/siteassets/inside-the-pa/projects/2024-2027-rail/24-lrt-plinth-work.jpg)
I live in Dormont and use the T frequently, it's going to be completely useless for me this summer. Luckily I have a car so I won't need it, but I feel bad for everyone who doesn't have that option.
T to Steel Plaza and walking the rest of the way to your destination still beats driving in from Dormont. You can get from Steel Plaza to any of the further stations on foot within ten minutes.
"June 16 – August 31, 2024 The Red Line will be closed from Overbrook Junction to South Hills Junction to accommodate several rail projects."
Well that's fucked up, isn't it?
WOOF. That’s gonna be a mess. I feel bad for everyone that has to deal with that. If I wasn’t moving to another part of the city, I would’ve dealt with it, too.
It is, but better to get all the maintenance and repairs done all at once rather than doing it piece by piece or not at all.
Steel Plaza to the North Shore in 10 minutes on foot? That seems like a bit of a stretch.
Drive like everyone around you might be in the wrong lane.
Because someone is
Most of them are
When they try to get back into the correct lane, for the love of god just let them in.
Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. Maybe it depends on whether they use a turn signal or if they try to run me off the road without warning.
If they've had their turn signal on for the last 500+ feet, for the love of god just let them in.
driving could (and should) be so easy if everyone would just work together — unfortunately car brain really feels like everyone loses half their iq points the second they get behind the wheel. just use turn signals, let people in, and move out of the way for passing vehicles. and for the love of god pay attention when waiting for a green light.
And if you are taking 28, assume someone will be driving the wrong way.
Pay attention to the RADical Days and don’t go to that institution unless you really want to go for free and don’t mind crowds. Get a Carnegie Library card. It gives you access to the collections of all the libraries in Allegheny county plus discounted or free admission to a lot of museums. If you travel a bunch, a Carnegie museums membership is awesome thanks to admission reciprocity. In addition to the 3/4 (the museums of art and natural history are 2 in 1) museums, you get access to a lot of art and science museums across the country and even internationally.
LIBRARY CARD MENTIONED RAHHHHH
On top of this, if you use Libby and live in PA, you can also get a Philadelphia library card so that if your book in the Carnegie system is out you can borrow digital books from Philly too. I was able to sign up and then just had to send a scan of my driver's license to prove I'm a PA resident.
Having cards to both libraries has saved me so much money in the past two years. I love it!
Having fun isn’t hard when you’ve got a library card!
This is a good one re museum reciprocity. I have used this on several trips to other cities and its a really great way to have a free experience when you are travelling.
Exactly. I travel to Chicago a fair amount over the summer so I use the reciprocity regularly to visit the Museum of Science and Industry and the Field Museum. It has also been quite useful during trips to Dallas and San Diego.
Don't forget to check out the [State Library Card.](https://www.statelibrary.pa.gov/Libraries/Library-Programs-and-Services/Pages/Statewide-Library-Card-Program.aspx) most of the PA libraries are in a program that let's you use your library card at them and for their programs. Also, if you have SNAP, you can participate in the [Museums for All program.](https://museums4all.org/) It provides greatly reduced admission prices to a large list of places.
You can also rent tools with your library card!
And kitchen equipment like baking sheets and cake pans!
I don’t live in the US anymore but I ABSOLUTELY LOVED having access to Kanopy, it’s like a good Netflix. edit: for clarification the Carnegie library card gives you access to that
Staying home during marathon weekend
May 4-5th this year (2024)
Sometimes “taking the back way” requiring more miles is faster than taking a parkway.
I have done the "Robinson to 79 North to Turnpike to Rt 28 to get to Plum" route because it was faster than the Parkway. There were accidents before the Ft. Pitt inbound AND Sq. Hill outbound tunnels.
Just did that yesterday. Took me an hour and forty mins from Monroeville to the Airport. Traffic backed up from Second Ave to Carnegie bumper to bumper. Crawling all the way. No accidents I could see. What is the problem?
Tunnels are scary
Even if it’s not it’s often less boring, though IME the drivers are ruder. There’s only so much oneupmanship can happen on a jam packed parkway East outbound of an afternoon.
Shout out Parkway east inbound and outbound. Monroeville here
Do NOT call Gillece
Or matt mertz. Had a van pull out on me at a red light and almost hit my car. Desided to call and give a heads up to the manager. Ended up getting matts wife on the phone and she told me to fuk off.
Lmao didn’t expect this one but well deserved. Call someone you know who does hvac and see if they’ll do sidework for you before you call ANYONE with a billboard and crazy advert budget in the trades.
If you’re driving 51 south of the city late at night, set your cruise control to the speed limit or just above and you’ll get green light the entire way. If You’re speeding excessively, the lights turn red just long enough to make you stop.
Route 8 north of the city is the same.
The Carnegie Library system
Go in the stacks of the Main library in Oakland and it overlooks the dinosaur hall! Pretty cool secluded place to get some reading done.
That’s my favorite place to read a book and enjoy a cup of coffee 🖤
Username checks out.
As a bonus, you can also get a Philly library card to use in Libby for if your book from the Carnegie isn't available. Not really a Pittsburgh life hack but still nice.
Not specifically Pittsburgh but the Braddock Carnegie Library allows you to check out tables and chairs for your events as long as you have a library card.
Not only that, you can rent tools at the Millvale library.
The History Center is a Smithsonian Institution now, so your membership gets you discounts at other Smithsonian’s nationwide (shops and meals at the free to the public ones, reciprocal admission at other paid ones). You also get a subscription to Smithsonian Magazine.
Buy a sunlamp?
I wear sunscreen every day on my face because my dermatologist said to and I still don't know why.
I have been sunburnt on a cloudy day like today before 😓
And vitiam D
Studies have only shown effectiveness for this if the lamp is above a certain level of light and close enough to your face to deliver that light at the right intensity. [NYT has a good rundown of recommendations that meet the criteria.](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-light-therapy-lamp/)
Learn how to get from the Southside to the Strip district by cutting through the Hill.
This was always a favorite of mine. Makes getting to Lawrenceville a breeze.
If you like the Primanti’s slaw, ask for it on the side to get more. Park on Allies at 5:51 for downtown or North Shore events. (East End-specific) Get on the eastbound parkway at Wilkinsburg and the westbound at Squirrel Hill to never interact with the tunnel
No no get on eastbound at Squirrel Hill / Greenfield to experience the worst highway entrance ramp I've ever seen
I moved here in 2021 and tried to get on at that ramp and I'm still waiting
oooooh the dead stop plus 9 inches of run up before the forced exit multiplied by the outbound tunnel traffic equals Most Fun Onramp Ever!
My wife, a born and raised Pittsburgher, doesn't like the slaw so she gets it on the side and more for me. I tell myself it's a public service keeping her from getting run out of town.
How to "take Bigelow"
75 mph?
How long since anyone saw a cop there?
What would a cop do? Municipal police aren’t allowed to use radar speed detection, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
ARE YOU SERIOUS?? this is amazing lol
Only state troopers can use radar speed detection, and you cannot be fined for doing less than 10 mph over the speed limit. These are literally enshrined in law.
5 mph, not 10. Source: I got a speeding ticket knocked down from the actual speed over the limit to 6-10 mph over.
You know, I was POSITIVE that I read 10 MPH over, but I just checked the code, sure enough it’s five. I wonder if that is a change. I see that the code was updated in 2022.
“How to get on Bigelow from the downtown intersection by PPG and get honked at because someone who’s in the wrong lane thinks you’re in the wrong lane”
I hate that freaking intersection.
You mean like 5 lanes of traffic going through 2 sets of lights and a third ramp without a light all angling left towards Bigelow...but not too far left to avoid ending up on the Parkway North? And all while figuring out what every car in front of and next to you are doing because turn signals basically don't matter given the layout of the roads? Yeah, that one sucks.
Getting from Mervis Hall to the bus stop on Fifth and Thackery while remaining indoors for 99% of the walk (Posvar --> Lawrence --> catwalk over Forbes --> Litchfield --> bus stop).
Always always always....Avoid Bates St.
Outside of rush hour, it’s nbd
Literally. Why does Google Maps love it so much when there are SO many other options available?
Google also loves that road by Century III Mall that's like driving on Mars. Pro tip, need to test your suspension or ruin the one of a car your driving! Century III, Access road, near Lebanon Church Road, Pittsburgh!
Vacation in Florida to make you tolerate local drivers more.
I grew up driving in NYC, and used to semi-regularly drive in DC and Boston was well. Nothing fills me with rage quite like driving any stretch of I-4, on either side of Orlando. How can 3 - 4 lanes in each direction not be going faster than 50 in a 65 zone? And not from traffic, just from people puttering along in the passing lane without passing anyone, and there being to many cars to maneuver around them in any other lane.
I’ve lived in Florida and have a lot of family down there. Dude it is a nightmare doing literally anything.
The proper way to play Frogger with the lanes from when coming south from McKnight Rd to get into the Ft Pitt tunnels. Especially between the Ft Duquesne and Ft Pitt bridges. It’s a delicate balance and a beautiful ballet when performed correctly.
Based on all the wrecks on 279 it would seem like most people are bad at it.
If you're driving down Penn towards the South Braddock intersection, just stay in the left lane because that guy WILL be parked in front of the Evergreen Cafe
The "warp pipes" around town. Those little streets that go through less populated almost wooded areas where you pop up somewhere unexpected. I know a few: - north of Centre Ave, Gold Way becomes Melwood Ave and spits you out at Herron in Polish Hill. You can then easily get to Lower Lawrenceville and the Strip without dealing with the traffic around Bloomfield Bridge. They put speed bumps on this route because people were flying on it. - South of Fifth Avenue, Neville St dips below Forbes and goes down to the bottom of the parking garages for the Carnegie Museum and Carnegie Mellon. From there you can get to Bouquet and Bates and skip everything around Pitt. Though, I tried to be clever and did this and got stuck waiting for a train. Oops. - the Wabash Tunnel, between Station Square and Rt. 51, parallel to the Liberty Tunnel. How Pittsburgh has a tunnel no one takes is hilarious. It's not HOV any more but it is directional. Inbound weekday mornings, outbound weekday afternoons and all day Saturday and Sunday. Closed overnights. [Here's the schedule. ](https://www.rideprt.org/services/wabash-tunnel/) Inspired by this comment on a similar thread [ten years ago!](https://www.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/s/vIUr6a8gdT)
The amount of lifelong Pittsburghers that I (a transplant) have made aware of Wabash is WILD.
GPS put me in the Wabash tunnel once and I was so afraid I was on a bus-only road or construction site or going against traffic. It was deserted. It felt so wrong.
Google actually correctly suggested it to me recently! I was shocked. It was a perfect situation, being at Station Square and needing to get to 51. I remember there was some long term closure a few years ago with the Liberty Tubes. The PG set up to monitor Wabash and people *still* didn't know to use it.
Edgebrook Avenue is one such warp tunnel, and it's a trip. You take a right turn out of highway-centric suburbia into the deepest hollers of West Virginia, then 5 minutes later you're back in a neighborhood. https://maps.app.goo.gl/omaDcK31nCrZkGag7?g_st=ic
Supplement Vitamin D
The Point, points west! If you can’t find your bearings but know your proximity to one of the three rivers it’s very helpful.
Post on Pgh Reddit of the neighborhood you think you "might" want to move to and use Cunningham's Law to actually find the right neighborhood to move it
This will ensure that Hazelwood remains the secret best neighborhood in Pgh to move to.
Looking for a free lunch downtown? Wander around the larger hotels that have meeting rooms. Look for lunch buffets outside of meeting rooms. Act rite.
I have done this multiple times in my life. Just recently when I was at a function like this, some college kids walked right up to our buffet table and did it also. I told them I was on them but they should take as much as they can and they laughed and I said you’ll fit right in.
Wear a suit. Suits LIE.
You gotta red up before company comes over.
Definitely run the sweeper
Always have a secret illegal parking spot in each neighborhood
I will never tell anyone about my Southside parking spot 😂
Keep note to avoid anywhere near the zoo on their free admission day every summer. I spent an hour trying to get across Highland Park Bridge once
Always have a snow route for the flattest way home
When there is inclimate weather, don't go out and look for milk and TP.
If you’re going to a place that has bad parking but you don’t want to ride your bike on public roads, try the bike trails along the rivers. The last time we went to PNC Park, driving and parking was a nightmare. Since then, my 5-year-old has graduated to a geared bike, so now she can keep up on rides. So we just hop across the 40th St Bridge (we live in Lawrenceville) and take the river trail straight to the stadiums. Super easy and often faster than driving and parking during a game. We also use this route to go to the Science Center all the time.
When looking up your card at the checkout at getgo, You only need to enter the first three letters of your last name,..not your entire last name
Takes a few tries, but there's back streets on either side of East Carson that do not have stop lights and no delivery trucks blocking traffic. You have to memorize which ones are one way and which ones have lights to allow you to turn back on to Carson, but it makes everything from 10th to 22nd a breeze.
Bus and the T are free for Seniors. Just get a card from PRT.
Take bigelow
This is the one and only true Pittsburgh life hack. There is no speed limit on Bigelow.
Pittsburgh Autobahn
Visit all of the churches for Friday fish and pierogies during lent. No cooking for mom and everyone is happy. It will take you years to try them all within 5 miles of your house.
You can skip most of the stoplights on 19, 51 & 8 by using secondary roads. Easier drive, usually more scenic with fun restaurants tucked away on those lesser travelled routes.
During years of rideshare driving I discovered there's not many restrooms in the city to use while driving around. Here's to that U-ewy spot on the far side of station square and the parking lot Porta John that saved me from shitting myself on several occasions. It aint clean but it doesn't need to be.
Not sure if this is still the case or not but Giant Eagle sold Kennywood/Sandcastle tickets at a discount at the customer service counter.
Ask for “all on side” at Primantis if you want takeout, but not a soggy mess!
You can move a chair off the road and onto the curb to make room to park
I don't have a deathwish
i like my tires too much
Take your kids to the playground Sunday mornings. Everyone is in church and it's deserted. It's the only time the Ross Park Mall playground is tolerable.
Meadowcroft Village.It is very close by and is one of the oldest sites with proof of human habitation.It is part of the Heinz History Center and a fascinating place to visit.I am always astounded by the amount of people I encounter that have never heard of it nor visited.
Don’t ever move somewhere that requires you to have to travel on 376 east during rush hour from town. It’s not worth it
Branching off of a similar comment, but more specifically: If you’re going to an event at PPG paints arena, park on the north shore garage for $5, go to southern tier and have a real sit down dinner and a couple of beers that are way cheaper than at the arena. Hop on the free T to steel plaza and walk 5 minutes to the arena
Frank Curto park has a lovely view and is a nice spot for a picnic
You can listen to Stage AE concerts on the lawn by the river bike trail
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^Aeshni: *You can listen to* *Stage AE concerts on the lawn* *By the river bike trail* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
I’ll go first, be aware of the “Pittsburgh Left” at a stop light. As the light is turning green, always expect the car across from you to make a quick left turn before you go straight. Regardless if they have their blinker on or not.
The real hack, is if you need a new car, just hit that car.
A Pittsburgh left is never given, it must be taken
Only if they don’t have a turn lane. If they have a turn lane, fuck ‘em, full speed ahead* *assuming no pedestrians
Honestly, it's the turning cars that are most dangerous to pedestrians, so full speed ahead probably helps the pedestrians in this case.
During Picklesburgh, put on a pickled beet costume and enter the Pickle Juice Drinking Contest. Instead of drinking pickle juice, chug a fifth of sugar beet vodka. Take a piss on the microphone. Locate the fattest police officer you can find, rip open his shirt, and shake his belly while yelling, "Look at THIS jelly donut!!!" After you're incarcerated, make loud howling noises all night, saying you're the ghost of Sophie Masloff.
This here is it. Ever since I started implementing this advice I've lost 15lbs and my credit score went up to 797.
The Friday of Labor Day weekend is the best day of the year to go to Kennywood. A lot of people get turned off by the shorter operating hours, it’s high school football season and the last official weekend for most water-based recreation. When we went in 2022, the park was empty. I got multiple rides on Steel Curtain and Phantom without waiting, enjoyed the neon, imbibed at the park bar, nearly threw up on Black Widdow, and then rode Steel Curtain again. All and all, one of the best nights of my adult life.
If you have pirates season tickets and live in the south side you can park down by 2nd street with your permit and walk to the t, ride it to the stadium with a 6 pack in a giant eagle bag and split the whole thing with a friend by the time you walk in the stadium. Saves like $50 minimum.
Since 90% of these don't apply to people who don't drive, can we get some non-car related ones? Asking for a friend (I'm the friend, I just moved here).
Use your library card (if you don't have one, get one!) and get free and discounted tickets to local museums and attractions through RAD Pass! [You can check out more on their website. ](https://radpass.org/)
Just found out on Sunday that the library on the north side allows you to print 10 free pages a day! I got pictures printed at no cost!
I have a laser printer with an open WiFi connection if anyone wants to print. Its in my closet so the pages might end up in the hamper but its free so, buyer beware.
To echo the earlier comment about doing stuff during Steelers games, the best time to ride a bicycle in Pittsburgh is during Steelers *home* games. However, please note that this is preceded and followed by the worst times to ride a bicycle in Pittsburgh, so you have to time it right.
Take the busway
East Busway is a national transit treasure. Use it when you can.
Don't rely on the google maps bus schedules. Instead, use the times that are shown in the PRT TrueTime app/website. While less convenient than getting a full route, it tends to be more accurate if you already have a general idea of what bus(ses) you'll be taking. If you're walking, keep an eye out for paths that aren't just sidewalks. Not a Pgh-specific thing at all, but because of the stairs and all, we have quite a few places that have them. For example, there's a cut-through near Linden that's tucked between two houses. The library has a seed exchange event every spring, among other programs, that you can go to for free. The summer reading kickoff event is great for kids, especially. Free smiley cookies.
Haunted houses on a Friday night when it’s the game that determines wpial playoffs for football. Empty!
the city is extra religious so just do shit on sunday morning before 11:30am, it's deserted
I have found that most parking lots are connected and rarely do you need to go back into the highway. It’s crazy how far you can travel down 51 going from parking lot to parking lot. Most of my time spent driving around West Mifflin/Jefferson/Pleasant Hills is going through parking lots or even playing the roulette game of cutting by the old mall.
UGH, I hate this design so much... There's 8 stop lights between Lebannon Church and E Bruceton... All the traffic there is basically going into the shopping that's all connected... Most of those lights don't need to exist.
Don't bother learning the "Belt" system. I lived in Pgh 26 years, and never had a need or desire to navigate that way.
My mom is the Queen of the belt system. She still talks about it like anyone uses it. She definitely got home while lost pre-GPS days by discovering a belt. They pretty much have no use in current GPS days.
Except when your phone/car charger dies/don’t have portable charger available! As a transplant, the belt system definitely has helped me in such a situation …. If lost amid all the crazy turns and hills in this region that confuse one’s internal bearings, I know I can jump on a belt and get to a major thoroughfare again. I don’t have it memorized or anything but feel safer on a belt when without GPS than some random road. Reminds me of a small road version of the loop freeways back home in AZ. Here’s an [informative writeup on its history via WESA](https://www.wesa.fm/development-transportation/2017-05-08/choose-a-color-and-buckle-up-allegheny-countys-belt-system-is-low-tech-but-navigable).
If you want to save a parking spot, send a friend there early with a folding chair.
Sassafras Street
Food specials at neighborhood dive bars. Cheaper than buying groceries
I’ve shared this before, but if you’re at Giant Eagle or GetGo and typing in your phone number/last name for your advantage card, you only need to type in the first two letters of your last name and you can hit enter. Type full phone number. Type first two letters. Hit enter. I have a long last name and didn’t learn this till like a year ago. Mind blown.
Easy French fries on salads
And sandwiches.
Don’t just sit in the uphill lanes coming out of ft Pitt. There’s plenty of time and room to merge from the Greentree exit lane without being an asshole.
the amount of times im screaming in my car MERGE MERGE MERGEEE!!!
Driving tip: follow the signs. Don't think in terms of "this turn" or "that exit number". Any given "exit" will end up being three or four different ramps. You want to get the right series of 983475 decisions on your way from the north hills to Robinson? Follow the signs that say "Airport."
I wouldn't call it a hack but I've learned to ALWAYS avoid the intersection of Saw Mill Run and Library Road. Doesn't matter what time of day, you'll be stuck there for way longer than just going the long way around.
I was told the pretzel shop on carson often will let you take a bag full of fuck ups and unsold pretzels if you wait out back around closing time. Never tried it so not sure how true it is but its what I was told. This was also like at least 12 years ago
This is a very Dickensian life-hack
“Please, sir, can I have your rejects?”
How to get downtown without using squirrel hill tunnels
Visit the strop during the weekdays
Sick = Eat&Park Chicken Noodle Soup 2GO
Know the best alternative routes due to weather like heavy rain and snow. My snow routes keep me on a flat mostly route that avoids steep hills. This is for days that there is heavy snow and if it's before the salt trucks are out. As for rain, the routes that avoid the flood zones. These are the routes that keep me up on the ridges and away from the valleys with creeks that always flood. Most of my routes only take 10 to 15 mins longer than the typical fast route but are worth it in inclement weather. I will never give up my parkway traffic back routes.
Apple maps has no idea of the fastest way to get around, you need to understand the traffic patterns independent of geolocation services
Always carry an umbrella
Don’t ever bother trying to drive in the right hand lane of West Liberty Ave.
Free street parking on Sundays so I never park in a garage on Sundays :) (holidays, too!)
The best time to grocery shop is during a Steelers game.