c/edmonton-chat

5

dylan265•21d ago

Unpopular opinion: That whole 'snow tires are a scam' take is wrong

I was talking to my neighbor Gary after he slid into a curb on 118 Ave last Tuesday, and he goes 'winter tires are just a money grab, all-seasons are fine.' But after he spent $800 on repairs, I told him about how my $600 set of winter tires saved me from hitting a bus last January. Has anyone else had a conversation that completely shifted their view on something like this?

5

the_morgan•22d ago

That $50 'premium' bird feeder was a total scam for Edmonton winters

I bought this fancy metal bird feeder from a local shop in October, paid $50 for it because they said it was weatherproof for our cold snaps. By early December the locking mechanism froze solid and the suet cake inside just molded because moisture got trapped. Now I'm back to using a basic $12 plastic tube feeder that works perfectly fine. Anyone else have luck with a brand that actually survives an Edmonton winter without breaking the bank?

1

jordan464•27d ago

Can we talk about how everyone hates the winter parking ban tickets?

I know most folks in Edmonton just pay the $250 when they get a winter parking ban ticket. I tried something different last January after getting hit downtown near Jasper Ave. I went to the city's online dispute form and sent in photos showing my street hadn't been plowed in 3 days. They dropped the fine to $50 within 2 weeks. Has anyone else actually fought one of these and won?

7

karenf40•28d ago

Appreciation post: The city compost bin changed my garden game

I started using Edmonton's green cart compost in my flower beds last spring just to save on buying soil. But after 6 months of mixing it in, my tomato plants grew twice as big as the year before. I didn't expect the nutrients to make that much of a difference, honestly. My neighbor even asked what fertilizer I was using and I just pointed at the bin. Has anyone else noticed a big boost from using city compost?

22

elliotw37•29d ago

Reconsidered my stance on winter tires after that cold snap in early January

I used to think all-seasons were fine for Edmonton winters, lol. But after sliding through that intersection on 137 Ave near the Northgate LRT station, a buddy at work told me I was being cheap with my safety. He showed me the difference in stopping distance on ice, and now I run Blizzaks from November to March. Anyone else had a close call that made them switch?

10

richard_ramirez•1mo ago

Vent: Took me 5 years to figure out I was loading my dishwasher wrong

Honestly I always crammed everything in there and ran it on heavy cycle cause nothing came clean. Then my buddy Dave from across the hall told me you gotta face the dirty side toward the center not the sides. Now I load it his way and everything comes out spotless on normal cycle. Has anyone else been doing it wrong this whole time too?

12

lunah86•1mo ago

My neighborhood went from zero christmas lights to a full competition in just 3 years

I moved onto 82nd Ave in Edmonton back in 2020 and that first December maybe 4 houses on my whole block had lights up. Nothing crazy, just basic strings. Fast forward to this year and I counted 23 houses with full displays, inflatables, the works. One neighbor even put up a projector that plays scenes on their garage door. What changed? I think it started when the guy at 10432 got that huge deer display in 2021 and everyone kept stopping to take photos. Then next year 5 more houses stepped up their game. Now I feel like I have to do something or I'm the Grinch of the block. Have you noticed your street getting more competitive with decorations lately?

21

victorclark•1mo ago

My mailman caught me trying to chisel ice off my driveway with a kitchen spatula

Used to just throw down buckets of salt and hope for the best every winter. Then last month during that -35 freeze I was out there at 6am with a pancake turner trying to chip away at a 3 inch ice sheet. My mailman rolled up, laughed, and handed me a $30 ice chipper from Canadian Tire. That thing saved my back and now I actually prep my driveway before it snows. Anyone else got a weird tool they swore by after a neighbor or delivery person showed them the way?

29

grant.margaret•1mo ago

Northside vs Southside in winter driving is no contest

I've lived in Edmonton for 12 years now and I swear the snow removal on the south side is way better than north of the river. Last winter during that big dump in February, my buddy on the north side said his street didn't get plowed for 5 days. Meanwhile my avenue in the south was cleared within 24 hours both times. I know it depends on your specific neighborhood but I think the city just prioritizes certain areas. Has anyone else noticed this pattern or am I imagining things?

6

riverknight•1mo ago

Just watched a customer's poodle slide off the table mid-groom

Was working a 9am slot at my shop in Edmonton when this 80lb standard poodle got spooked by a car backfiring, launched off the grooming table, and hit the floor so hard the owner just stared at me like I'd dropped it on purpose, has anyone else had a dog panic and bail mid-session?

21

colemiller•1mo ago

Fought with my garage door opener for 2 hours yesterday

My old Liftmaster finally gave out Tuesday after 12 years of service and just refused to open past halfway. I spent the whole evening taking it apart, cleaning the sensors, and checking the tracks before I realized a screw on the rail was loose the whole time. Anyone else have a simple fix that took way longer than it should have?

7

the_willow•1mo ago

Just realized I wasted $80 on parking downtown for years

I used to park in that lot on 104 Street near Jasper Ave every time I went to a concert or Oilers game. Paid $20 each time and thought that was normal. Last month a guy at the ticket booth told me about the park and ride at Stadium Station. It costs $5 to park and the train drops you right at the arena. I did the math and I could have saved over $300 in the last year alone. Has anyone else found a cheap parking spot downtown that beats the lots?

19

blairf48•1mo ago

Got called out for wasting time at the pet store by a stranger

I was at the PetSmart on 137 Ave last Saturday, standing in the cat food aisle for like 10 minutes comparing ingredient lists. An older woman in a pink vest just walked up and said "he's not gonna care about the protein percentage, you know." She was right. My cat eats whatever I put down. I spent 45 more seconds and grabbed the cheapest bag. Has anyone else had a random stranger just cut through your overthinking like that?

12

jennifer_west•1mo ago

Bought a $150 anti-snoring mouthguard off Amazon and it broke after 3 nights

Woke up with plastic shards in my mouth last Thursday, wife thought I was joking when I showed her. Anyone know a dentist in Edmonton who makes the custom ones that actually last?

12

beth_sanchez47•1mo ago

I tried two different ways to clear ice off my driveway last winter and one was a total disaster

So I had this bright idea to use hot water to melt the ice after a big freeze in January. I poured about two gallons of boiling water on a patch near my front steps and it just turned into this massive sheet of black ice that was worse than before. My neighbor came out laughing and told me to try the cheap regular salt from the hardware store on 82 Ave instead. That salty stuff worked in like 20 minutes and I didn't almost break my neck. Has anyone else made that dumb hot water mistake or am I the only one?

14

kim_sanchez19•1mo ago

Spent $600 on a winter jacket I thought was overkill. Totally wrong.

I was against dropping that much on a Canada Goose parka. Thought it was just branding hype. Then last January hit -40 and my old coat couldn't handle the wind. After one commute from downtown to Southgate I caved. Now I get why people pay that. Anyone else here worn down by Edmonton winters enough to pay up?

25

sethp26•1mo ago

Finally gave in and tried the south side farmers market over the downtown one

Finally gave in and tried the south side farmers market over the downtown one. I've been a downtown market loyalist for like 3 years but my buddy kept pushing the south side one so I gave it a shot last Saturday. The parking alone was worth the switch - found a spot in 5 minutes instead of hunting for 20 near 104 Street. Picked up a flat of strawberries for $12 from a guy near the entrance, way cheaper than the $16 I usually pay downtown. The produce felt a bit more local and less like stuff shipped in from California. I'm still not sold on the vibe though, downtown has better live music usually. Anyone else find one market better for certain things?

19

rivera.keith•1mo ago

Heard a kid at Whyte Ave coffee shop say "vibe check" instead of "how are you" and it hit me how slang changes every 5 years

It was a Tuesday afternoon at Transcend Coffee and this teenager just casually drops that on his friend who nodded back like it was normal, and I realized I still say "cool beans" from 1998 which my nephew laughs at every time, has anyone else noticed how fast the lingo shifts around here?

2

mia_anderson•1mo ago

Vent: Got yelled at for parking in my own spot at Southgate Mall today

Some guy in a truck blocked me in and started honking cause he thought I stole his parking stall. I showed him my monthly pass and he just drove off without saying sorry. Has anyone else had issues with people fighting over spots in that lot?

0

lee_ward54•1mo ago

Can we talk about those cheap grow lights I got off Kijiji?

Last spring I bought a 4-pack of those purple LED grow lights for $60 from some guy out in Sherwood Park. I figured they'd be fine for starting my tomatoes and peppers indoors. First 2 weeks they worked okay, but by week 3 the diodes started flickering and one just died. I ended up losing about 30 seedlings because they got all leggy and weak. Spent another $120 on a proper T5 setup from Greenland Garden Centre after that. Anyone else get burned by those cheap knockoff lights around here?

13

smith.anna•1mo ago

Swapped my morning coffee for green tea this month and it actually stuck

I was a die hard dark roast guy for years, two big mugs before noon. But my afternoon crash kept getting worse, so a buddy from work dared me to try green tea for 30 days. Day 5 I almost gave up because it tasted like hot grass, but now my energy feels more even through the afternoon. Anyone else make a switch like this and actually keep it going?

8

jamesrivera•1mo ago

Drove past the old Reynolds district mall last weekend and barely recognized the place

It used to be the spot for Friday night hangs back in the 90s, but now they've torn down half the parking lot for those new townhouses has anyone else seen how fast that area got rebuilt?

2

gonzalez.vera•1mo ago

Had to pick between two bus routes to get home after school yesterday

I was stuck deciding between the 4 that goes through Whyte Ave but takes forever or the 9 that's faster but drops you off way further from my house. I gambled on the 9 and it was 15 minutes quicker but I had to walk 6 blocks in the rain. Anyone else ever make a bad call on a bus route and regret it right away?

9

angelacooper•1mo ago

My fridge died mid-July and I lost $200 in groceries

Came home from work on a Thursday to find my 12-year-old Kenmore fridge humming but not cooling at all. Everything in there was warm to the touch, meat and dairy had to go straight in the trash. Ended up hauling the stuff to my neighbor's spare fridge and ordering a new one from Trail Appliances that same night. Has anyone else had a fridge just give up with zero warning like that?

26

evan_anderson•1mo ago

Shoutout to the guy at the LRT station who gave me directions to the Legislature grounds last Tuesday

I was about to take the wrong bus from Corona Station when this older fella pointed me to the right route, saving me a 40 minute detour, has anyone else actually had good luck asking strangers for help downtown?