Traffic in Birmingham

[DumbRadioGuy]

Who does it? It is horrible. Accurate about 20% of the time.

 

[BlueRaja]

> Who does it? It is horrible. Accurate about 20% of the time.
>

What stations are you listening to? I know Clear Channel does their local B'ham traffic out of Atlanta.

 

[DumbRadioGuy]

Typically I listen to the Citadel group, but occasionally CC. It's almost as if it is an hour behind. E.g. they will say there is a wreck on I-20 right where you are sitting and there is no sign of a wreck. I guess the weasels need to have something to sell, but c'mon.

> > Who does it? It is horrible. Accurate about 20% of the
> time.
> >
>
> What stations are you listening to? I know Clear Channel
> does their local B'ham traffic out of Atlanta.
>

 

[BlueRaja]

> Typically I listen to the Citadel group, but occasionally
> CC. It's almost as if it is an hour behind. E.g. they will
> say there is a wreck on I-20 right where you are sitting and
> there is no sign of a wreck. I guess the weasels need to
> have something to sell, but c'mon.
>
> > > Who does it? It is horrible. Accurate about 20% of the
> > time.
> > >
> >
> > What stations are you listening to? I know Clear Channel
> > does their local B'ham traffic out of Atlanta.
> >
>

Curious because I'm a traffic guy and we check with law enforcement, ALDOT cameras and rely on people calling in problems. We do the best we can really. At least it's local and not out of Atlanta ;-)

Seriously though, is there anything you can think of that might help us do our jobs better? I know that Birmingham PD are not the easiest to work with. I had one dispatcher give me an accident on US 78 Southbound. We should all know that 78 SB does not exist, and when I tried to get more information out of the dispatcher, she was like 'Well I-59 goes north-south...so does 78...). We really do what we can with what we have to work with, and I know that we would gladly take any suggestions on how to do it better.

 

[DumbRadioGuy]

I guess I have two comments generally...

1) If there are no problems leave it at that. No one needs to hear "the secondary highways and surface streets are all clear". That is understood from there are no problems. If you have to fill the time, then I understand, but as a programmer it would make me nuts.

2) If there is a problem at I-65 and Hwy. 31, tell us where. They intersect the length of the state. Calera? Alabaster? Hoover? and so on... I hear it all the time... "there's a problem at I-65 and 31." Great. Where?

BUT the biggest problem is the aforementioned one. It is wrong. Often. Problems going North, and you guys say South. Or nothing there at all. I'm in it for two hours a day usually, so I pay attention to all of it.

DRG


> > Typically I listen to the Citadel group, but occasionally
> > CC. It's almost as if it is an hour behind. E.g. they will
>
> > say there is a wreck on I-20 right where you are sitting
> and
> > there is no sign of a wreck. I guess the weasels need to
> > have something to sell, but c'mon.
> >
> > > > Who does it? It is horrible. Accurate about 20% of the
>
> > > time.
> > > >
> > >
> > > What stations are you listening to? I know Clear Channel
>
> > > does their local B'ham traffic out of Atlanta.
> > >
> >
>
> Curious because I'm a traffic guy and we check with law
> enforcement, ALDOT cameras and rely on people calling in
> problems. We do the best we can really. At least it's local
> and not out of Atlanta ;-)
>
> Seriously though, is there anything you can think of that
> might help us do our jobs better? I know that Birmingham PD
> are not the easiest to work with. I had one dispatcher give
> me an accident on US 78 Southbound. We should all know that
> 78 SB does not exist, and when I tried to get more
> information out of the dispatcher, she was like 'Well I-59
> goes north-south...so does 78...). We really do what we can
> with what we have to work with, and I know that we would
> gladly take any suggestions on how to do it better.
>

 

[gotrock]

>they will say there is a wreck on I-20 right where you are sitting and there is no sign of a wreck.


Traffic (unfortunately) is like a train not marching soldiers. It takes time for you start moving even though those way in the front have. If you say you're SITTING on I-20, obviously there was/is an issue. The next time you're stopped at a traffic light, watch for it to turn green. You'll be amazed at the time spent SITTING at a green light!

This common sense is brought to you by Bud Light... buckle up!

 

[gregdymon]

If you think traffic in Birmingham is rough.... you ought to do traffic in a small Alabama city. Its really a practice in futility UNTIL there's an accident on one of the major highways in the area. The really frustrating thing is (and I bet this is a problem even in the Birmingham market) communication between police dispatch (from a range of municipalities AND troopers). I am trying to help local PI officers discover web-based solutions of posting and updating traffic and other dispatch calls that still protects privacy issuues while reporting needed information (news and traffic) to reporters and traffic reporters at ONE TIME, efficiently, succinctly, effectively and in a time sensitive manner.

If any of you guys (or gals) have any suggestions, let me know!