So what's the real deal with speeding through Montana? (Bozeman: house, bankrupt)

[69Charger]

I've always heard Montana is the most speeder friendly state. Does that mean they never pull anybody over? Is there a limit that's frowned upon to pass?

I drove through there on 90 a few years ago and it was beautiful. I kept it between 80 and 85 miles an hour, but was always tempted to do more because of the supposed leniency I've heard about. I never saw a cop anywhere.

[MTSilvertip]

Originally Posted by 69Charger

I've always heard Montana is the most speeder friendly state. Does that mean they never pull anybody over? Is there a limit that's frowned upon to pass?

I drove through there on 90 a few years ago and it was beautiful. I kept it between 80 and 85 miles an hour, but was always tempted to do more because of the supposed leniency I've heard about. I never saw a cop anywhere.

There aren't a lot of Hwy Patrol to cover the state, so the chance of running into one is slimmer than other places.
That said, most will cut you slack if you're within 5 MPH of the speed limit, but be warned, they will bust you if you're speeding, and may add a reckless to it if you're way over the limit, or if the road conditions are bad.


The days of the Montanaban are over, and the days of the $5 ticket are history as well.


You may skate for a while, but you'll run out of luck eventually, and the Hwy Patrol isn't forgiving just because you have a fast car.


Just an FYI, the speed limit drops below 80 going over the Bozeman Pass, and they lie in ambush there. They'll be happy to enlighten you

[WyoNewk]

Wyoming is very strict on the portions of interstate that are 80 mph. And fines in those areas are higher than on any other roads as well. Iirc, it's cheaper to get a ticket for 85 (or faster) on an 75mph stretch than on an 80mph stretch -- unless you're doing 20 mph over the limit. Then they might simply throw you in jail and bankrupt you!

80 mph is fast enough, really. I got nailed by a deer a couple weeks ago -- while doing 80. He took out my front bumper, right front quarter panel, both right doors, rear quarter panel and rear bumper... and then he trotted off. He came up out of a ditch on the run. I didn't see him until a split second before impact. Of course the natural (and worst) thing you do at a time like that is swerve to miss him, and I found myself in the left lane working to get the car back under my control.

I'm glad I wasn't being passed at the time of impact, or that the roads weren't a little slick from rain, etc. Yes, 80 is fast enough.

[Senah]

So, now there is a catch 22 here. We can drive 80 on most of the freeways as they recently raised the limit, but the word on the street is that you don't get more than 5 above that or they will start pulling you over. There aren't that many state troopers, so the odds aren't that great that you will get pulled (though that Bozeman pass thing is definitely true - I see that all the time commuting from Livingston). However, if you are in Bozeman we have a million cops now, and it seems like with all the levies for a new public safety center being denied, they are looking for ways to fund their force, so they are pulling people over for everything imaginable. I have never seen so many cops anywhere, and there are red and blue lights flashing constantly. It's even a joke at our house because there are cops that sit on two places on our street and spend all Saturday night pulling people over, and they use our side street as the place where people turn in, and so whenever we have people over for dinner, we can see their lights reflecting on our dining room walls all night. Welcome to the new era.

[nowhereman427]

Does the weather permit in Montana for this type of high speed driving and are the roads paved and well maintained for t his kind of driving?
I wonder how my Corvette and Mustang GT will fare on Montana roads and weather.

[Senah]

In the summer it is fantastic. The interstates are excellent and very drivable. The secondaries vary depending on where you are. Tertiary roads can be anywhere from great to terrible. It really depends on the county.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by Senah

So, now there is a catch 22 here. We can drive 80 on most of the freeways as they recently raised the limit, but the word on the street is that you don't get more than 5 above that or they will start pulling you over. There aren't that many state troopers, so the odds aren't that great that you will get pulled (though that Bozeman pass thing is definitely true - I see that all the time commuting from Livingston). However, if you are in Bozeman we have a million cops now, and it seems like with all the levies for a new public safety center being denied, they are looking for ways to fund their force, so they are pulling people over for everything imaginable. I have never seen so many cops anywhere, and there are red and blue lights flashing constantly. It's even a joke at our house because there are cops that sit on two places on our street and spend all Saturday night pulling people over, and they use our side street as the place where people turn in, and so whenever we have people over for dinner, we can see their lights reflecting on our dining room walls all night. Welcome to the new era.

Sounds like CommieFornica.

[Senah]

Originally Posted by nowhereman427

Sounds like CommieFornica.

We're on the way...

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by Senah

We're on the way...

You mean Montana is becoming another California? I don't think so.

[kettlepot]

Back in the late 90s, after the Feds released control of the interstates back to the States, Montana had it's "Safe & Reasonable" period of speed limits. I was traveling through on I-80 I believe. The sky was blue, the light was good, the asphalt was dry, and the road was straight as far as the eye could see. I thought, what the heck, here's my chance and I drove several miles going 100 mph. I believed the speed was defensible given the conditions. However, I could literally see the gas gauge drop as I drove. Still, I was able to get that out of my system, and then went back to driving 80 - 85 mph. By the way, that's about the speed people drive on I-5 in California's Central Valley another flat, straight stretch of road. The only difference being the amount of traffic is much higher - commuters between LA & SF, and huge amounts of truck traffic - even though it is rural.

At some point, the combination of crash survivability and fuel consumption just doesn't make higher speeds worth it.