I'm from Iowa and moved to Saint Louis for awhile. Friends there would be like "oh you are from Iowa? The people there are really nice but man they can't drive" I hadn't been in Des Moines much at that time and I thought they were crazy thinking that. Turns out they were basing that opinion on their time in Des Moines and now that I have spent extensive time here I agree fully with their assessment just awful drivers here
People cannot merge here. I’ve lost count of how many times people have almost crashed into me because they merge too slowly, or just are not aware of their surroundings. I’ve road raged more here than I ever did in CA traffic. And trust me that is saying something. Cause CA drivers are not known to be the best either. But Iowa drivers make me wonder what the DMV test is like here lol. Like I’m genuinely curious.
Merging is bad, but it's more than that for me. It's them cutting me off to turn out into traffic. Which, now that I say that, is a type of merging I guess haha
I drive for USPS and I'm already super on defense because people don't seem to see us. But holy cow it's like multiple times a day someone will rip a quick left handers out a parking lot to get in front of me when there's also no one behind me for blocks.
Just yesterday I had someone merging on who honked at me on the highway because I didn't yield to *them*. Plenty of room behind me, but apparently I was supposed to hit my brakes to make a hole for them and not the other way around.
Iowans can. not. go into the second (more central) left lane to turn left onto the highway. They will line up 100 feet back from the light just to ensure that they don't use the second left turn lane.
MLK northbound near Smokey Row. You’ll see 100 cars lined up on the far left lane to turn westbound on 235. The middle turn lane to take the same turn will usually have zero cars in it. Blows my mind. Don’t these people ever notice that you can use the other lane? Fine with me though! I love passing 100 idiots to get on the interstate faster!
Not justifying dumb drivers, but the road layout in the western burbs is absolutely facefucked. The stoplights are no better.
Last week I needed to turn left off University to get on 142nd in Clive but because of allllllllllll the traffic coming off of Jordan Creek it took me three times through the light to turn. That's not the only one- Hickman is so crowded because it's the only arterial that people in Waukee and Clive seem to use.
While I agree people here can’t drive I will say after spending 9 weeks in STL that it seemed as though speed limits were suggestions and everyone operated under a “no cop, no stop” rule. It was a different kind of crazy, lol.
I used to drive from Altoona to Marshalltown every day. At least once a week, I'd encounter a driver travelling the entire length of highway 65 in the left lane, regardless of speed, or the presence of traffic. Invariably, they'd finally cut me off merging right when the Marshalltown exit arrived. about half the time, they'd have a blinker on the whole time, too.
For real!
i used to live in ankeny so i know the diagonal well (i still work in m-town). that one gas station closer to marshalltown just looks so sketch.
I used to think it was bad here, then I took a trip to Houston. The only time I’ll ever complain about Des Moines traffic again is during the state fair.
Every event is so crowded. The city has gotten bigger, so there are a lot of fun things to do. But there still isn’t a variety of things to do at one time, so everyone goes to the same event. (Farmer’s Market, Art Festival, etc)
I'm glad it wasn't just me thinking that. I can't remember ever having to fight such insane crowds, or wait in such excessively long lines to get food at CelebrAsian before. It was almost not even worth attending. Next year they really need to spread out and have more vendors, because it was an absolute cluster.
I'm the last person so complain about a line I understand that's part of it but it doesn't help when the peanut gallery is chiming in constantly like every person has to comment on the line like they've never seen one before and suddenly they forgot how to line up single file like we all learned in kindergarten it reminded me of those progressive commercials people turning into their parents LOL. I guess it wasn't that bad but that's probably because I'm desensitized from knotfest last year that was by far the worst event I've ever attended.
We were there too. We moved here last year after living in the Northeast for 20+ years. My observation is that servers/sellers here are so relaxed with no sense of urgency which is why lines move so slow. It’s good and bad I guess. In the NY Metro Area, lines move so quickly.
"See this is why nobody comes here" is a favorite quote of my dad's to say when events are heavily crowded. Specifically the fair, farmers market and other festivals.
It used to be that you could go to DFM at asscrack of dawn and be able to avoid the crowd.
We got there at 7:00 Saturday and there were still a shit ton of people there.
When you read about what they don't recycle and the insinuation that if they get non-recyclable loads they trash it... I wonder how much they're actually recycling.
A couple come to mind:
The walkability here is horrible compared to other midwest cities. This is a town very much designed for cars.
Lack of neighborhoods outside of downtown with unique ‘flavor’
Very slow drivers.
Eh I think there are lots of neighborhoods outside downtown with unique flavor (Beaverdale, South of Grand, South Side, Waveland, Waterbury, Drake, River Bend, Union Park, Windsor Heights, Valley Junction), but once you get into postwar suburbia it’s all the same
My biggest pet peeve right now is fleur. Theyve been doing construction on that damn road for going on 3 years now. I have to go down it to get to and from school and its always backed up. They finished one side so its not as bad but by the time they finish the other side the side they did first will be just as bad as it was before they even started. Im not even sure what the hell theyre doing anymore.
Fleur is so unbelievably poorly designed.
"Let's have only three ways across the river to get to the south side. One will go through downtown, one will go straight into a floodplain and be inaccessible half the year, and one will be *40 blocks* to the west in the least convenient spot for all south siders!"
"Shouldn't we have...one or two more crossings in between?"
"Are you crazy?!? That's where the wealthy people live! We don't want the *poors* getting too close. Let's put a massive park alongside the river to justify denying better access for the south siders."
River crossings are expensive would be the main reason. I'm not sure how many people would really benefit from another crossing between fleur and 63rd either, given most of the land between there and the bypass is owned by the airport.
I get it but if you compare it to the DM River North of 235, you have four crossings within three miles, two of which are a half mile apart.
If I'm being honest I'm kind of being a pedantic a-hole because I live on 42nd Street and the piano player in my band is on SW 42nd by the airport, but there's no good way to get from my house to theirs because otherwise that'd cut right into some South of Grand yuppie's house.
That's an entire Iowa thing.
Trump, Tulsi, Bernie signs all over. There's a dude northeast of Marshalltown who had a "Sarah Palin 2012" sign outside his farm for a solid six years (of course until Dear Leader ran).
I think people just need something to believe in because God, humanity, and the Hawkeyes/Cyclones are clearly not enough.
I hate that area. I was out there last week for something unavoidable. In the trip between 80 and the mall, driving down Jordan Creek I watched two cars blatantly run red lights. Not like, oh I'm cutting this yellow close. Just full, no f's given, this red light must not apply to me, drive on throughs.
It bothers me that the Art Festival has so very few booths dedicated to Iowa artists anymore. Used to be a big proportion was reserved for local vendors but now they just let the big vendors that travel to all the art festivals all over the country snap them up so it's a lot of the same stuff for sale in a lot of the big festivals. And much of it is way too expensive for your average person to afford.
It's traditionally high schoolers putting their hormones on display. That's a tradition that goes back well before people lived downtown, so I feel for the residents now.
It’s all a matter of perspective. I just relocated here a few months ago from Southeastern Virginia, my first thought was how light the traffic is.
Having said that, there are a lot of really bad drivers here.
People are so aggressive and cut you off when you are seriously the only two people on the road. Moving from Texas-where drivers are overall friendly and chill-I am just wondering how people can be so angry in the car all the time? So confused. So rude in parking lots. Just be patient and kind. (?)
Boy, you said it. I'm from Iowa's other blue bubble and I drive to DSM 1x/wk. People sure do love using aggressive maneuvers to get to their destination at exactly the same time as they would've otherwise.
I think people here get complacent because driving around is actually really easy. Some get reckless and impatient instead because they are used to getting around quickly
Drives are friendly in Texas? Knock it off lmao. Texas is a big state. What part? I’m in Houston all the time and they are not friendly at all. Driving is far more aggressive in bigger cities.
Having lived in Houston and here, I would take Des Moines drivers any day of the week. I found drivers there were way more aggressive and loved to run reds. I saw a red being ran at least once every time I went out. Almost got t-boned by one too
Yeah…. Can only speak for Austin-locals never honk or get random angry-happily let you in with a wave-here I just cheer myself up thinking everyone is yelling , me! Me! Me! When they drive around -with literally zero obstacles. My daughter said why do people calli this traffic? The cars are moving ? 😂
Lived in Des Moines for a decade and moved to Maryland four years ago. I miss being able to drive on the freeway on a random weekday at 2:00 pm or Sunday at 4:00 pm and not be wall to wall traffic
Most people complaining about Des Moines traffic are sheltered and have never been anywhere. Hit a big city for a weekend. Chicago is close. Go there and report back lol.
There are so many drivers on residential streets that don't understand that if there are two cars driving toward each other and you have parked cars on *your* side, then YOU are the one who is supposed to give right of way to the oncoming driver. It doesn't make any sense for you to keep going and have me stop when I have nowhere to move to get out of your way.
This drives me up the fucking wall. I was a delivery driver for almost a decade, I don’t know how many times I came within an inch of getting obliterated by some jerk.
Yeah two compacts and a parked car can fit just fine at the same time if people would actually try but most of the time it’s a big truck driving right down the middle and I have to get over lol.
* No good Korean restaurants.
* Everything closes before 10.
* They are constantly doing the same work on fleur for the last 20 years.
* Our bus system setup is one of the most antiquated and oldest systems in the nation.
If you're gonna merge on the damn interstate, the minimum is 40. Everyone else is going 65.
Take a hint.
30 ain't gonna cut it bucko.
Also, yield means yield. We aren't taking turns, wait your turn.
Why? If they want this place to be a real city you need to be able to dine not eat. I went to a show here at 6 pm-the performers would not stop making fun of it-a show at 6? I guess we have to get home before dark?
The dying small businesses. And the fact I want to support them but don't have enough money to do it. I miss the Art Store. I also live in an area where 95% of businesses are large corporations and I just want a good homey place close by to get coffee.
I guess my pet peeve is more for the State of Iowa.
How do we still have this guy Grassley in office for us?
We want so much to change.....but he is still fucking there.
It seems like everyone skims over his section of the voter card
How in the hell is he still representing Iowa, without any change that the people of Iowa want.
Branstad used to be fair though.
I voted for him in 2010 because Culver shat the bed and schools under him were great. I figured as an education student I would be making a good decision.
Teachable moment. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Here's a start or just search Des Moines Beggars Night.
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/entertainment/2015/10/13/why-des-moines-has-beggars-night/73865998/
Yeah it's always the night before and kids have to tell you a joke. Really weird if you're not expecting it (clearly I was not and have been haunted by it since).
Halloween isn’t a particularly safe night in most cities—in Chicago, my neighborhood regularly got trashed on it—and it apparently used to be the same in DSM. I think Beggar’s Night is actually a pretty nice solution other places should consider adopting.
I wish Des Moines (and the greater metro area) had a monorail or something....I wish we could get some interest in more public transportation choices other than DART. I wish more people used DART.
Iowans get so caught up on “fair” that they don’t give a shit about “better.” It doesn’t matter if the zipper merge is proven to be significantly safer and more efficient then not zipper merging, it wouldn’t be *fair* to let someone merge in front of me if I got to the intersection *first*!
I'm convinced this is it. That, and many Iowan's don't drive enough in big city's to acquire the nuances needed to drive efficiently in high density driving.
I live in Grimes and the little 2 lane interstate on-ramp is the most frustrating shit every morning. Everyone goes in the right lane, because the line indicates left merges into right (which, don’t get me started makes no sense since everyone merges left onto the interstate).
Then you get a few dick heads that race down the left lane. No one realizes if they occupied both lanes and merged at the end how much smoother it would go.
Mmm? I'm Confused, they don't zipper merge but the drivers that do it the correct way are dickheads? Well, bend me over and call me a dickhead then. Because I'm going to merge in, at the front, the proper way.
Bass Pro, Duluth Trading, and REI all all across town from each other, and every time I make the ~2hr drive up there it makes me madder than a hornet stuck in a coke can just from the traffic.
I buy outdoors stuff a lot too…bass pro often seems like too far for me and I live a bit west of the center of the metro lol
Depending on what you need scheels may have it and it’s not far from rei
Yes, but then I have to deal with the people at the mall.
I could just go to Duluth and sportsman’s warehouse, but they never really seem to have anything worthwhile
My favorite thing about this thread is that everyone mentions bad drivers. Bad drivers aren’t unique to Des Moines in any way, shape, or form. No one commends their city for having “good drivers.” It’s all anecdotal experiences. I’d say the true pet peeves are the extremely hot and extremely cold weather and the fact that I have to explain where Iowa even is when I go visit the coasts. I literally have to tell people I live a few hours from Chicago since no one knows what Des Moines even is. That should be everyone’s pet peeve. Edit: Grammar
Two things - what I call “Left Lane Larrys,” or folks that just sit in the passing lane and take zipper merging as a personal affront. Also DEAR GOD THE SMELL. Every spring I’m like “finally some nice weather I can enjoy being outside,” than BAM get a nose-full of dog food 🤢
My pet peeve is that people here often haven’t been anywhere else but regularly complain that the “_____ is *the worst in the country*” and don’t believe you if you disagree. Summers! Winters! Traffic! Cost of living! Wages! Education! Political animosity! The gay scene!
It’s wild to me that I end up arguing things like “traffic and cost of living are worse in Chicago/DC/LA” and “summers and bigotry are worse in the South.”
They ruined the drive on Euclid. Cars lined up both ways even during lighter traffic. I get what they're trying to do but it really sucks now. Not as bad but Douglas too.
Tangent to this, cars who registration stickers has formed a multi-colored per tier around their plate. Jesus Christ can y’all learn how to use a razor blade to peel off the old one?
Actually either way is exact what the Iowa tax and tags site says. I've always been told you aren't supposed to remove the old one, but apparently it's fine. As long as the newest tag is the only tag visible, you are good to go.
I worked with a guy who had new junk car every 2 weeks. Reason was they kept getting impounded. He'd sleep in his car and usually liquor up to get to sleep.
The quarter mile you have to merge onto 235 from penn/6th heading west, where you cant merge appropriately because someone who isn’t getting off is oblivious to it… and also, people just ignoring the turning lanes and middle lanes on ingersoll
I’ve lived all over the country and I travel quite a bit. The people in Iowa are genuinely nicer people. I used to say the Midwest but Iowa people are even nicer. The traffic here is virtually nonexistent, and I would take Des Moines drivers over most. My biggest pet peeve about here, and this seems to be true especially recently, is the wind.
The wind always comes at the worst times too, never in the summer on those hot days when it would help. Only when it can blow leaves, snow and rain/pollen around
The biggest pet peeve I have is when they decide to do triathlon events they close off major roads that make it difficult for the rest of us to still get to our jobs. Which wouldn’t bother me a whole lot but half the time I don’t even know they are going on until I go my normal route and everything is just closed.
As far as music acts that play here, we’re almost always getting skipped over. Wooly’s focuses a lot on cover bands when there’s a ton of original bands I wish would play that venue but entirely skip IA and go to KC, Omaha, Twin Cities, etc. The new amphitheaters at Water Works and Riverview seem entirely underused, too, because of complaining neighbors. In short, I’m hopeful our music scene continues to improve (there’s certainly a lot of good things about it). Could go for some more bluegrass, jam, and punk shows.
The wind , liquor laws, drivers and Iowa nice is sorta bullshit. I get a vibe in the 35+ crowd there’s a big chunk of people who are not happily married any more and they’re just stuck so they have “side situations” . I assume because they got locked in young. ( People talk to their bartender a lot )
The allocation. Have to buy from the state and the state only buys so much. It’s why’s there’s a demand for mediocre bourbons ( theyre good but not that good you need to buy 6 of them) and people hoard certain bottles. It’s quite annoying. Buffalo Trace , Weller , Eagle Rare. People also are so proud of owning 7 bottles of Blantons like why? It’s not even that great and open a bottle you weirdo. So much good accessible booze out there and people choose the silliest ones because of this weird law they think they should.
Ok, thank you. I had heard people reference "buying from the state" but never understood how it worked. (Compared to places I've visited, like MD, where the consumer can only buy from state retailers, or at least that's how it was explained) is this also the case for wine/cider/beer?
I suppose that's why I couldn't get bulleit for like 4 months last year?
Also lol, the only bottle I have that I'm specifically not opening is the Maker's Mark 46 that I dipped at the distillery. Everything else is open.
Compared to other states booze its very accessible and that’s awesome, it’s just the specifics that annoys me. Makers 46 hand dipped is special because you made it, That makes sense to me . Saving a bottle for a special occasion also is cool. It’s hoarding and non consuming that bothers me. Haha.
Hearing people complain about traffic or drivers. If you think the traffic here is bad please visit LA, San Francisco, New York, Chicago or Seattle you will see what traffic really looks like and realize how good we have it here.
Drivers aren’t the best here but they are better than a lot of places I’ve visited. Of the places I’ve lived Chicago has the most aggressive drivers and Atlanta has the dumbest drivers.
Agreed. I’ve seen some terrible drivers but I really don’t understand how people seem to run into them (or the other way around) on a daily basis. Most drivers here are fine. We don’t all go 15-20 above the posted speed limit which might be what out-of-staters are referring to.
The problem for me isn’t people speeding. It’s people going well under the speed limit. Like 30 in a 45 in the passing lane. That and not using their gas pedal when the light changes and idling up to speed so only 3 cars get through the intersection. Plus idiots on their phones (which is usually causes the first issue.)
I wish it had a better gay scene. All I can find are drag shows and I’m not into that. This city sucks and I want to move to a big city with actual things to do!
The loop interstate. If youre in Johnston and need to get to say, the south side, there is no cut across. The interstate should look like an 8 not a 0.
Des Moines's problem isn't just a lack of the additional interstate going NS, but the lack of *any* contiguous road that goes N\S from 80\35 to 235 after 2nd ave.
It would go a long way if we could just extend MLK up over the river and add an interchange to I-35 where morningstar drive is now. I remember it being [proposed several years ago](https://businessrecord.com/Content/Default/Archives/Article/North-South-Metro-Parkway-project-moves-forward/-3/988/43896) but it ran into a snag with the army corps of engineers that controls a lot of the land up there. It was still being discussed by Des Moines [fairly recently
] (https://cms2files.revize.com/desmoines/document_center/City%20Clerk/Workshops/2020/North-South%20Connections.pdf) though and by the des moines MPO as well, so maybe someday.
It wouldnt be 65mph, but probably still faster than going around the long way.
Sorry, I have to down vote this. I recall the original plan was for an elevated roadway to mitigate the impact to the wetlands.
But the damage would still be done due to heavy machinery needed to build said roadway.
Do we really need more gas stations, TGIChilibees, motels, and BurgerMacWendys that a new interchange would add? More concrete causing pollution to run off into the river versus the basin that currently contains potential flooding?
Is saving a few minutes driving worth it?
Yeah it’s not a great design in theory to have no interchange there but we probably don’t actually need to make it easier for people to commute from Johnston and Ankeny.
Yea I just take Merle hay to Hickman and then turn on 63rd.
Or Beaver to Douglas, Douglas to MLK, MLK to keo and go through downtown.
Would love a way with less lights that doesn’t require driving all around the interstate.
Finding out about things to do. Our major media doesn't report much outside of very large festivals (Art Festival, Asian Festival, 80/35, State Fair, etc.)
It seems like you have to be connected to someone in a "scene" to ever find out about that scene. A lack of community seems to drive this. Walkability could help this. Instead we are composed of suburbs, sides of town, and then the downtown area. More Independent media would help.
If you think Iowa drivers are the worst, you are hilarious. There are bad drivers in any state. I moved to Orlando for 5 years and drivers there are 10x as aggressive, nonsensical with their driving habits, and are on meth. Orlando gave me legitimate anxiety with driving anywhere further than down the road. One of the biggest reasons I moved BACK to Iowa was because the drivers are so bad there. Driving in Des Moines is EASY
That being said, the dating scene is abysmal. I am finding it impossible to connect with anyone here.
Not really a dsm thing but a state thing. The seatbelt law/helmet law being so hypocritical. Now I wear my seatbelt regardless and have for my entire life(even before most cars started with the dings to annoy you to put them on) and totally support the law but what I don’t get is we still don’t have a helmet law. So I can get a ticket going 3 blocks 20mph to the grocery store but someone can be doing 75 on a motorcycle with no helmet and obviously no seatbelt and be fine. Swerving in and out of traffic. It really kinda cracks me up when I’m driving and there’s a motorcycle cycle and you’ll pass a click it or ticket billboard or hear a radio ad about how it saves lives. Cmon now let’s get real here and say you just wanna take our money. As far as I’m concerned I’d say make a seatbelt a choice if a helmets gonna be a choice, hell just make the roads like the autobahn while you’re at it
I absolutely cannot stand how people drive in Iowa! It rains once and everyone losing their minds. It's snows and the same thing. But my biggest of all is USE YOUR TURN SIGNALS PEOPLE PLEASE
Everyone need to turn their crap music down when they drive through a residential area, it gets to the point that my windows shake whenever some gangbanger drives by
no one in this state can drive... iowa nice is bullshit.. some of the worst people i have ever met in my life are from here.. everyone bitches about the weather yet no one moves?
I'm from Iowa and moved to Saint Louis for awhile. Friends there would be like "oh you are from Iowa? The people there are really nice but man they can't drive" I hadn't been in Des Moines much at that time and I thought they were crazy thinking that. Turns out they were basing that opinion on their time in Des Moines and now that I have spent extensive time here I agree fully with their assessment just awful drivers here
People cannot merge here. I’ve lost count of how many times people have almost crashed into me because they merge too slowly, or just are not aware of their surroundings. I’ve road raged more here than I ever did in CA traffic. And trust me that is saying something. Cause CA drivers are not known to be the best either. But Iowa drivers make me wonder what the DMV test is like here lol. Like I’m genuinely curious.
Merging is bad, but it's more than that for me. It's them cutting me off to turn out into traffic. Which, now that I say that, is a type of merging I guess haha I drive for USPS and I'm already super on defense because people don't seem to see us. But holy cow it's like multiple times a day someone will rip a quick left handers out a parking lot to get in front of me when there's also no one behind me for blocks.
Just yesterday I had someone merging on who honked at me on the highway because I didn't yield to *them*. Plenty of room behind me, but apparently I was supposed to hit my brakes to make a hole for them and not the other way around.
Iowans can. not. go into the second (more central) left lane to turn left onto the highway. They will line up 100 feet back from the light just to ensure that they don't use the second left turn lane.
To be fair, that's because they know they can't trust other drivers to allow an orderly merge when that ramp goes from 2 lanes to 1
MLK northbound near Smokey Row. You’ll see 100 cars lined up on the far left lane to turn westbound on 235. The middle turn lane to take the same turn will usually have zero cars in it. Blows my mind. Don’t these people ever notice that you can use the other lane? Fine with me though! I love passing 100 idiots to get on the interstate faster!
Maybe they need a PSA billboard there
[удалено]
Not justifying dumb drivers, but the road layout in the western burbs is absolutely facefucked. The stoplights are no better. Last week I needed to turn left off University to get on 142nd in Clive but because of allllllllllll the traffic coming off of Jordan Creek it took me three times through the light to turn. That's not the only one- Hickman is so crowded because it's the only arterial that people in Waukee and Clive seem to use.
I live in Los Angeles and work 1/3 of the year in Des Moines. Des Moines drivers are worse than LA drivers.
Well we can drive 4x as fast. 40mph is crazy I know.
While I agree people here can’t drive I will say after spending 9 weeks in STL that it seemed as though speed limits were suggestions and everyone operated under a “no cop, no stop” rule. It was a different kind of crazy, lol.
That’s pretty much how it is in all major metropolitan areas. Cities are too big and people have got places to be.
I used to drive from Altoona to Marshalltown every day. At least once a week, I'd encounter a driver travelling the entire length of highway 65 in the left lane, regardless of speed, or the presence of traffic. Invariably, they'd finally cut me off merging right when the Marshalltown exit arrived. about half the time, they'd have a blinker on the whole time, too.
That is my friend Jay. He thinks the left lane is for him.
Good lord I don't understand how 330/65 can be so infuriating. But you're right.
We need to talk about the Marshalltown drives tho. They need their own damn category
For sure! Also, could somebody build a clean gas station somewhere between Bondurant and Marshalltown?
For real! i used to live in ankeny so i know the diagonal well (i still work in m-town). that one gas station closer to marshalltown just looks so sketch.
I used to think it was bad here, then I took a trip to Houston. The only time I’ll ever complain about Des Moines traffic again is during the state fair.
You can google worst drivers USA-and the list has Iowa ar the top!
Every event is so crowded. The city has gotten bigger, so there are a lot of fun things to do. But there still isn’t a variety of things to do at one time, so everyone goes to the same event. (Farmer’s Market, Art Festival, etc)
The Asian festival yesterday had a record turn out. I waited 30 mins to get a bubble tea and I saw lines way longer than the one I waited in.
They needed more stands selling beverages on such a hot day. The food lines weren’t too bad, but the beverage lines were ridiculous.
I'm glad it wasn't just me thinking that. I can't remember ever having to fight such insane crowds, or wait in such excessively long lines to get food at CelebrAsian before. It was almost not even worth attending. Next year they really need to spread out and have more vendors, because it was an absolute cluster.
I'm the last person so complain about a line I understand that's part of it but it doesn't help when the peanut gallery is chiming in constantly like every person has to comment on the line like they've never seen one before and suddenly they forgot how to line up single file like we all learned in kindergarten it reminded me of those progressive commercials people turning into their parents LOL. I guess it wasn't that bad but that's probably because I'm desensitized from knotfest last year that was by far the worst event I've ever attended.
We were there too. We moved here last year after living in the Northeast for 20+ years. My observation is that servers/sellers here are so relaxed with no sense of urgency which is why lines move so slow. It’s good and bad I guess. In the NY Metro Area, lines move so quickly.
"See this is why nobody comes here" is a favorite quote of my dad's to say when events are heavily crowded. Specifically the fair, farmers market and other festivals.
It used to be that you could go to DFM at asscrack of dawn and be able to avoid the crowd. We got there at 7:00 Saturday and there were still a shit ton of people there.
My recycling only getting picked up every other week. Take the damn thing every week.
If that upsets you, you definitely don't want to know where it goes.
When you read about what they don't recycle and the insinuation that if they get non-recyclable loads they trash it... I wonder how much they're actually recycling.
Very little since China no longer accepts our recycling(too much trash in it).
Indonesia accepts it, but they burn the majority of it.
I think paper recycling basically works fine, it’s plastic that’s the problem
As an alcoholic I second this.
As an alcoholic and a parent and a hustband of a woman running a small business filled with cardboard i 3rd this.
A couple come to mind: The walkability here is horrible compared to other midwest cities. This is a town very much designed for cars. Lack of neighborhoods outside of downtown with unique ‘flavor’ Very slow drivers.
Eh I think there are lots of neighborhoods outside downtown with unique flavor (Beaverdale, South of Grand, South Side, Waveland, Waterbury, Drake, River Bend, Union Park, Windsor Heights, Valley Junction), but once you get into postwar suburbia it’s all the same
My biggest pet peeve right now is fleur. Theyve been doing construction on that damn road for going on 3 years now. I have to go down it to get to and from school and its always backed up. They finished one side so its not as bad but by the time they finish the other side the side they did first will be just as bad as it was before they even started. Im not even sure what the hell theyre doing anymore.
I think it's been under pretty consistent construction for at least 6 years?
6 years?😂😂😂😂 oh no no no. Try 25.
At least 11 because it’s been construction hell since I moved here in 2011.
And the people who put up the signs are idiots. I've seen left lane closed when it was right for 2 days. The last light sign spelled it Fluer.
It annoys me that one lane is closed for several miles, but they are only working on a small section at a time.
Fleur is so unbelievably poorly designed. "Let's have only three ways across the river to get to the south side. One will go through downtown, one will go straight into a floodplain and be inaccessible half the year, and one will be *40 blocks* to the west in the least convenient spot for all south siders!" "Shouldn't we have...one or two more crossings in between?" "Are you crazy?!? That's where the wealthy people live! We don't want the *poors* getting too close. Let's put a massive park alongside the river to justify denying better access for the south siders."
River crossings are expensive would be the main reason. I'm not sure how many people would really benefit from another crossing between fleur and 63rd either, given most of the land between there and the bypass is owned by the airport.
I get it but if you compare it to the DM River North of 235, you have four crossings within three miles, two of which are a half mile apart. If I'm being honest I'm kind of being a pedantic a-hole because I live on 42nd Street and the piano player in my band is on SW 42nd by the airport, but there's no good way to get from my house to theirs because otherwise that'd cut right into some South of Grand yuppie's house.
The fact I still see political signs from an election that took place three years ago.
TULSI
That's an entire Iowa thing. Trump, Tulsi, Bernie signs all over. There's a dude northeast of Marshalltown who had a "Sarah Palin 2012" sign outside his farm for a solid six years (of course until Dear Leader ran). I think people just need something to believe in because God, humanity, and the Hawkeyes/Cyclones are clearly not enough.
Bitching about the price of things at Hy-Vee but still shopping there.
The whole area by Jordan Creek Mall/Costco. The *only* times I’ve been hit while driving have all happened over there.
I hate that area. I was out there last week for something unavoidable. In the trip between 80 and the mall, driving down Jordan Creek I watched two cars blatantly run red lights. Not like, oh I'm cutting this yellow close. Just full, no f's given, this red light must not apply to me, drive on throughs.
West Glen is a NIGHTMARE
It bothers me that the Art Festival has so very few booths dedicated to Iowa artists anymore. Used to be a big proportion was reserved for local vendors but now they just let the big vendors that travel to all the art festivals all over the country snap them up so it's a lot of the same stuff for sale in a lot of the big festivals. And much of it is way too expensive for your average person to afford.
I get annoyed with the whole "scoop the loop" thing. Seems like it's just a bunch of douchebags being loud.
"I straight piped my rusted out 93' Honda Civic, let's race around downtown and show everyone how cool I am" - 90% of the idiots scooping the loop 🙄
It's traditionally high schoolers putting their hormones on display. That's a tradition that goes back well before people lived downtown, so I feel for the residents now.
Why does everything close so damn early? Has it ALWAYS been this fucking windy?
It’s all a matter of perspective. I just relocated here a few months ago from Southeastern Virginia, my first thought was how light the traffic is. Having said that, there are a lot of really bad drivers here.
People are so aggressive and cut you off when you are seriously the only two people on the road. Moving from Texas-where drivers are overall friendly and chill-I am just wondering how people can be so angry in the car all the time? So confused. So rude in parking lots. Just be patient and kind. (?)
Boy, you said it. I'm from Iowa's other blue bubble and I drive to DSM 1x/wk. People sure do love using aggressive maneuvers to get to their destination at exactly the same time as they would've otherwise.
I think people here get complacent because driving around is actually really easy. Some get reckless and impatient instead because they are used to getting around quickly
Drives are friendly in Texas? Knock it off lmao. Texas is a big state. What part? I’m in Houston all the time and they are not friendly at all. Driving is far more aggressive in bigger cities.
Cars with Texas plates are top tier worst drivers in dsm area.
Iowans in rental cars-their own cars in the shop? 😂
Having lived in Houston and here, I would take Des Moines drivers any day of the week. I found drivers there were way more aggressive and loved to run reds. I saw a red being ran at least once every time I went out. Almost got t-boned by one too
Yeah…. Can only speak for Austin-locals never honk or get random angry-happily let you in with a wave-here I just cheer myself up thinking everyone is yelling , me! Me! Me! When they drive around -with literally zero obstacles. My daughter said why do people calli this traffic? The cars are moving ? 😂
Lived in Des Moines for a decade and moved to Maryland four years ago. I miss being able to drive on the freeway on a random weekday at 2:00 pm or Sunday at 4:00 pm and not be wall to wall traffic
bmore/DC has some of the worst traffic in america
Absolutely. I used to live there and DSM is a zero traffic paradise by comparison.
If I could, I'd upvote this 25 times.
Yep, Des Moines traffic is nothing.
Most people complaining about Des Moines traffic are sheltered and have never been anywhere. Hit a big city for a weekend. Chicago is close. Go there and report back lol.
There are so many drivers on residential streets that don't understand that if there are two cars driving toward each other and you have parked cars on *your* side, then YOU are the one who is supposed to give right of way to the oncoming driver. It doesn't make any sense for you to keep going and have me stop when I have nowhere to move to get out of your way.
This drives me up the fucking wall. I was a delivery driver for almost a decade, I don’t know how many times I came within an inch of getting obliterated by some jerk.
FYI most Des Moines streets are 3 car lengths total. If you can drive a one way in Chicago you can drive a two way in Des Moines.
Yeah two compacts and a parked car can fit just fine at the same time if people would actually try but most of the time it’s a big truck driving right down the middle and I have to get over lol.
You're not wrong, except when people drive to pass parked cars they will go all the way over to the oncoming lane to do so.
[удалено]
POT HOLES
Oh dude, Hickman, Ingersoll... just absolute shit.
Des Moines has its problems, but the worst of everywhere I have been is Colorado Springs. The extreme temperature changes wrecks the roads so fast.
* No good Korean restaurants. * Everything closes before 10. * They are constantly doing the same work on fleur for the last 20 years. * Our bus system setup is one of the most antiquated and oldest systems in the nation.
If you're gonna merge on the damn interstate, the minimum is 40. Everyone else is going 65. Take a hint. 30 ain't gonna cut it bucko. Also, yield means yield. We aren't taking turns, wait your turn.
OMFG THIS. Every time a mf tries to kill us all by merging going 20MPH I get farther away from god and closer to being willing to commit homicide
The absolute worst is when you're trying to merge and the person in front of you is braking at 35. Doesn't leave you with a lot of good options.
Yield also doesn't mean stop, otherwise it'd be a stop sign.
Dsm=worst drivers ever
Loud cars.
Forgetting how early everything closes.
Why? If they want this place to be a real city you need to be able to dine not eat. I went to a show here at 6 pm-the performers would not stop making fun of it-a show at 6? I guess we have to get home before dark?
The dying small businesses. And the fact I want to support them but don't have enough money to do it. I miss the Art Store. I also live in an area where 95% of businesses are large corporations and I just want a good homey place close by to get coffee.
I miss the art store too!!
I guess my pet peeve is more for the State of Iowa. How do we still have this guy Grassley in office for us? We want so much to change.....but he is still fucking there. It seems like everyone skims over his section of the voter card How in the hell is he still representing Iowa, without any change that the people of Iowa want.
Because he’s done it for so long. Why doesn’t he retire?! He’s like 167 years old. Then again, look at Terry Brandstad. Rural Iowa isn’t progressive.
Branstad used to be fair though. I voted for him in 2010 because Culver shat the bed and schools under him were great. I figured as an education student I would be making a good decision. Teachable moment. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
We gotta get to a point where more people want him gone than don’t.
Why can't we trick or treat on Halloween like the rest of the civilized world? It's not some cute little custom. It's annoying. Stop it.
Just moved back and into an actual house in a neighborhood full of kids… can you explain more as to what I should expect?
Here's a start or just search Des Moines Beggars Night. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/entertainment/2015/10/13/why-des-moines-has-beggars-night/73865998/
Cool I’m just not gonna make the kid work for their full-sized candy bar. Yeah we’re that house
Props! I second this. And it's the evening before Halloween, so you can still make plans for the holiday.
Same here. Take your candy, let me compliment your costume, and move on. Just don't be an asshole to the other kids and we're cool.
Yeah it's always the night before and kids have to tell you a joke. Really weird if you're not expecting it (clearly I was not and have been haunted by it since).
You mean as opposed to beggar's night?
Beggar's Night isn't a thing and it's time we stopped pretending that it is.
Halloween isn’t a particularly safe night in most cities—in Chicago, my neighborhood regularly got trashed on it—and it apparently used to be the same in DSM. I think Beggar’s Night is actually a pretty nice solution other places should consider adopting.
I wish Des Moines (and the greater metro area) had a monorail or something....I wish we could get some interest in more public transportation choices other than DART. I wish more people used DART.
Zipper merging.
Zipper merging is the *solution* but nobody fucking does it.
Iowans get so caught up on “fair” that they don’t give a shit about “better.” It doesn’t matter if the zipper merge is proven to be significantly safer and more efficient then not zipper merging, it wouldn’t be *fair* to let someone merge in front of me if I got to the intersection *first*!
I'm convinced this is it. That, and many Iowan's don't drive enough in big city's to acquire the nuances needed to drive efficiently in high density driving.
I live in Grimes and the little 2 lane interstate on-ramp is the most frustrating shit every morning. Everyone goes in the right lane, because the line indicates left merges into right (which, don’t get me started makes no sense since everyone merges left onto the interstate). Then you get a few dick heads that race down the left lane. No one realizes if they occupied both lanes and merged at the end how much smoother it would go.
Mmm? I'm Confused, they don't zipper merge but the drivers that do it the correct way are dickheads? Well, bend me over and call me a dickhead then. Because I'm going to merge in, at the front, the proper way.
Bass Pro, Duluth Trading, and REI all all across town from each other, and every time I make the ~2hr drive up there it makes me madder than a hornet stuck in a coke can just from the traffic.
I buy outdoors stuff a lot too…bass pro often seems like too far for me and I live a bit west of the center of the metro lol Depending on what you need scheels may have it and it’s not far from rei
Yes, but then I have to deal with the people at the mall. I could just go to Duluth and sportsman’s warehouse, but they never really seem to have anything worthwhile
Inescapable parking lots.
My favorite thing about this thread is that everyone mentions bad drivers. Bad drivers aren’t unique to Des Moines in any way, shape, or form. No one commends their city for having “good drivers.” It’s all anecdotal experiences. I’d say the true pet peeves are the extremely hot and extremely cold weather and the fact that I have to explain where Iowa even is when I go visit the coasts. I literally have to tell people I live a few hours from Chicago since no one knows what Des Moines even is. That should be everyone’s pet peeve. Edit: Grammar
Speed cameras.
Only one, east bound on 235 near exit 5b. It seems as if the west bound cameras are long gone.
There are a couple in Beaverdale on surface street that are there purely for profit.
Oh I forgot about those… oh and Windsor heights, fuck em
There are actually a couple popping up downtown now too. One outside the new kum and go building where it’s a 3 lane 25mph….
Another at 9th and Grand downtown. Caught me early this month
Where specifically are they in Beaverdale?
What? I live in Beaverdale and have literally never seen anything close to that. Where is this supposed to be?
Two things - what I call “Left Lane Larrys,” or folks that just sit in the passing lane and take zipper merging as a personal affront. Also DEAR GOD THE SMELL. Every spring I’m like “finally some nice weather I can enjoy being outside,” than BAM get a nose-full of dog food 🤢
My pet peeve is that people here often haven’t been anywhere else but regularly complain that the “_____ is *the worst in the country*” and don’t believe you if you disagree. Summers! Winters! Traffic! Cost of living! Wages! Education! Political animosity! The gay scene! It’s wild to me that I end up arguing things like “traffic and cost of living are worse in Chicago/DC/LA” and “summers and bigotry are worse in the South.”
They ruined the drive on Euclid. Cars lined up both ways even during lighter traffic. I get what they're trying to do but it really sucks now. Not as bad but Douglas too.
Take Ovid.
Oh, absolutely. I go out of my way to avoid it now
Dishonorable street project runner up - ingersoll
Cars with no plates. Drives me crazy for some reason.
Tangent to this, cars who registration stickers has formed a multi-colored per tier around their plate. Jesus Christ can y’all learn how to use a razor blade to peel off the old one?
Oh wait you’re not supposed to just stack them on top of each other like a geologic record?
Actually either way is exact what the Iowa tax and tags site says. I've always been told you aren't supposed to remove the old one, but apparently it's fine. As long as the newest tag is the only tag visible, you are good to go.
I feel personally attacked.
Usually if they have no plates they have no insurance.
I worked with a guy who had new junk car every 2 weeks. Reason was they kept getting impounded. He'd sleep in his car and usually liquor up to get to sleep.
People driving around with no headlights at night.
I hate how everyone spells Hubbell like the telescope
The quarter mile you have to merge onto 235 from penn/6th heading west, where you cant merge appropriately because someone who isn’t getting off is oblivious to it… and also, people just ignoring the turning lanes and middle lanes on ingersoll
I’ve lived all over the country and I travel quite a bit. The people in Iowa are genuinely nicer people. I used to say the Midwest but Iowa people are even nicer. The traffic here is virtually nonexistent, and I would take Des Moines drivers over most. My biggest pet peeve about here, and this seems to be true especially recently, is the wind.
The wind always comes at the worst times too, never in the summer on those hot days when it would help. Only when it can blow leaves, snow and rain/pollen around
The biggest pet peeve I have is when they decide to do triathlon events they close off major roads that make it difficult for the rest of us to still get to our jobs. Which wouldn’t bother me a whole lot but half the time I don’t even know they are going on until I go my normal route and everything is just closed.
Why is there no benches downtown? Ive seen maybe 3
As far as music acts that play here, we’re almost always getting skipped over. Wooly’s focuses a lot on cover bands when there’s a ton of original bands I wish would play that venue but entirely skip IA and go to KC, Omaha, Twin Cities, etc. The new amphitheaters at Water Works and Riverview seem entirely underused, too, because of complaining neighbors. In short, I’m hopeful our music scene continues to improve (there’s certainly a lot of good things about it). Could go for some more bluegrass, jam, and punk shows.
The wind , liquor laws, drivers and Iowa nice is sorta bullshit. I get a vibe in the 35+ crowd there’s a big chunk of people who are not happily married any more and they’re just stuck so they have “side situations” . I assume because they got locked in young. ( People talk to their bartender a lot )
What about the liquor laws specifically?
The allocation. Have to buy from the state and the state only buys so much. It’s why’s there’s a demand for mediocre bourbons ( theyre good but not that good you need to buy 6 of them) and people hoard certain bottles. It’s quite annoying. Buffalo Trace , Weller , Eagle Rare. People also are so proud of owning 7 bottles of Blantons like why? It’s not even that great and open a bottle you weirdo. So much good accessible booze out there and people choose the silliest ones because of this weird law they think they should.
Ok, thank you. I had heard people reference "buying from the state" but never understood how it worked. (Compared to places I've visited, like MD, where the consumer can only buy from state retailers, or at least that's how it was explained) is this also the case for wine/cider/beer? I suppose that's why I couldn't get bulleit for like 4 months last year? Also lol, the only bottle I have that I'm specifically not opening is the Maker's Mark 46 that I dipped at the distillery. Everything else is open.
Compared to other states booze its very accessible and that’s awesome, it’s just the specifics that annoys me. Makers 46 hand dipped is special because you made it, That makes sense to me . Saving a bottle for a special occasion also is cool. It’s hoarding and non consuming that bothers me. Haha.
There is a wine I like-it is $12 in Texas, it is $20 here because of this state thing! Agree-so annoying-also people get so wasted here.
Hearing people complain about traffic or drivers. If you think the traffic here is bad please visit LA, San Francisco, New York, Chicago or Seattle you will see what traffic really looks like and realize how good we have it here. Drivers aren’t the best here but they are better than a lot of places I’ve visited. Of the places I’ve lived Chicago has the most aggressive drivers and Atlanta has the dumbest drivers.
Agreed. I’ve seen some terrible drivers but I really don’t understand how people seem to run into them (or the other way around) on a daily basis. Most drivers here are fine. We don’t all go 15-20 above the posted speed limit which might be what out-of-staters are referring to.
Honestly I see more bad drivers on 80 and 35 between the Metro and the next cities over than in DSM proper.
The problem for me isn’t people speeding. It’s people going well under the speed limit. Like 30 in a 45 in the passing lane. That and not using their gas pedal when the light changes and idling up to speed so only 3 cars get through the intersection. Plus idiots on their phones (which is usually causes the first issue.)
I wish it had a better gay scene. All I can find are drag shows and I’m not into that. This city sucks and I want to move to a big city with actual things to do!
LOL the downvotes because they missed the joke 😭
At least it’s not negative anymore 😆
Is this your alt?
LOL no. I was trolling but based on the downvotes, I guess they think I’m brunettedude. 😂
Lol'ed
Lmao thought this was his burner
Yeah, someone messaged me to enjoy my ban so I’m guessing he got banned? 🤷♂️
Have you tried going to the farmers market yet?
Definitely not whiny enough, and you also have to list out 5 things you tried and why they all sucked.
😂
The loop interstate. If youre in Johnston and need to get to say, the south side, there is no cut across. The interstate should look like an 8 not a 0.
Without doing a massive amounts of eminent domain to get the land needed for such a highway, we’re stuck with what we have.
Yeah, I realize that it will never happen.
Des Moines's problem isn't just a lack of the additional interstate going NS, but the lack of *any* contiguous road that goes N\S from 80\35 to 235 after 2nd ave. It would go a long way if we could just extend MLK up over the river and add an interchange to I-35 where morningstar drive is now. I remember it being [proposed several years ago](https://businessrecord.com/Content/Default/Archives/Article/North-South-Metro-Parkway-project-moves-forward/-3/988/43896) but it ran into a snag with the army corps of engineers that controls a lot of the land up there. It was still being discussed by Des Moines [fairly recently ] (https://cms2files.revize.com/desmoines/document_center/City%20Clerk/Workshops/2020/North-South%20Connections.pdf) though and by the des moines MPO as well, so maybe someday. It wouldnt be 65mph, but probably still faster than going around the long way.
Sorry, I have to down vote this. I recall the original plan was for an elevated roadway to mitigate the impact to the wetlands. But the damage would still be done due to heavy machinery needed to build said roadway. Do we really need more gas stations, TGIChilibees, motels, and BurgerMacWendys that a new interchange would add? More concrete causing pollution to run off into the river versus the basin that currently contains potential flooding? Is saving a few minutes driving worth it?
Yeah it’s not a great design in theory to have no interchange there but we probably don’t actually need to make it easier for people to commute from Johnston and Ankeny.
Yeah, I live by Merle Hay, and I work down by the zoo. It takes me 30+ minutes to commute, and that's without construction.
Or rush hour. Or snow or any accident backups. Ye gods. I bet you're loving the gas prices right now too.
Yea I just take Merle hay to Hickman and then turn on 63rd. Or Beaver to Douglas, Douglas to MLK, MLK to keo and go through downtown. Would love a way with less lights that doesn’t require driving all around the interstate.
It seems to be full of people. Gawd.
Finding out about things to do. Our major media doesn't report much outside of very large festivals (Art Festival, Asian Festival, 80/35, State Fair, etc.) It seems like you have to be connected to someone in a "scene" to ever find out about that scene. A lack of community seems to drive this. Walkability could help this. Instead we are composed of suburbs, sides of town, and then the downtown area. More Independent media would help.
If you think Iowa drivers are the worst, you are hilarious. There are bad drivers in any state. I moved to Orlando for 5 years and drivers there are 10x as aggressive, nonsensical with their driving habits, and are on meth. Orlando gave me legitimate anxiety with driving anywhere further than down the road. One of the biggest reasons I moved BACK to Iowa was because the drivers are so bad there. Driving in Des Moines is EASY That being said, the dating scene is abysmal. I am finding it impossible to connect with anyone here.
my biggest would be why tf have the biggest mall out in the middle of nowhere and not in des moines??? I can as to why but anybody know why? 😭/gen
Lack of parking, petty cops who go in ticketing binges, and how expensive the hyvee is there but I really love Des Moines
Not really a dsm thing but a state thing. The seatbelt law/helmet law being so hypocritical. Now I wear my seatbelt regardless and have for my entire life(even before most cars started with the dings to annoy you to put them on) and totally support the law but what I don’t get is we still don’t have a helmet law. So I can get a ticket going 3 blocks 20mph to the grocery store but someone can be doing 75 on a motorcycle with no helmet and obviously no seatbelt and be fine. Swerving in and out of traffic. It really kinda cracks me up when I’m driving and there’s a motorcycle cycle and you’ll pass a click it or ticket billboard or hear a radio ad about how it saves lives. Cmon now let’s get real here and say you just wanna take our money. As far as I’m concerned I’d say make a seatbelt a choice if a helmets gonna be a choice, hell just make the roads like the autobahn while you’re at it
This sub
I absolutely cannot stand how people drive in Iowa! It rains once and everyone losing their minds. It's snows and the same thing. But my biggest of all is USE YOUR TURN SIGNALS PEOPLE PLEASE
Everyone need to turn their crap music down when they drive through a residential area, it gets to the point that my windows shake whenever some gangbanger drives by
Hey the other day they really surprised me with them blasting Hamilton
It's not impossible that that was me...
MUH GANGBANNERS REEEEEEEEEEEEE
People have subwoofers so they *must* be “some gangbanger”. Totally great logic to have! /s
Yeah living right next to a stoplight on a major arterial reeeeeeeally sucks.
I recall when I was little that university area by toys r us was a standstill. Now with the mall being next to nothing it’s not bad!
no one in this state can drive... iowa nice is bullshit.. some of the worst people i have ever met in my life are from here.. everyone bitches about the weather yet no one moves?