Montana Drivers? (Hamilton, Lolo, Darby: work, cost , move)

[jimj]

One thing that you'll find weird about how we drive here is when we want to make a left either into a driveway or onto a street we'll pull into the oncomming traffic lane or shoulder and drive down that for a little bit before turning. Obviously this is only done when no one is coming and is done so we don't slow down the people behind us (usually traveling at highway speeds) because due to the weather or gravel on the roads you have to slow almost to a stop when turning so as not to slide. I always considered this a polite thing to do, getting out of the way if possible so you don't affect everyone else, just like pulling as far to the right when turning so the other cars can get by. You'll see people getting ready to turn right driving down the shoulder for a distance because it takes some time to slow from 70 to turning speed without just jamming on the binders and stopping traffic.
You'll be able to tell the new people from the ones that have been here awhile just by how they drive...

[StuckPA]

Originally Posted by jimj

One thing that you'll find weird about how we drive here is when we want to make a left either into a driveway or onto a street we'll pull into the oncomming traffic lane or shoulder and drive down that for a little bit before turning. Obviously this is only done when no one is coming and is done so we don't slow down the people behind us (usually traveling at highway speeds) because due to the weather or gravel on the roads you have to slow almost to a stop when turning so as not to slide. I always considered this a polite thing to do, getting out of the way if possible so you don't affect everyone else, just like pulling as far to the right when turning so the other cars can get by. You'll see people getting ready to turn right driving down the shoulder for a distance because it takes some time to slow from 70 to turning speed without just jamming on the binders and stopping traffic.
You'll be able to tell the new people from the ones that have been here awhile just by how they drive...

It's like the opposite here,people will pretty much stop in the road and Then make the right instead of keeping traffic moving by moving off to the side to make the turn.

[truckingbronco]

One problem with MT drivers is that they are sometimes too nice. I've been behind people who will stop in the hwy to let another driver pullout or turn across traffic. Also, four-way stops are a lesson in patience as you wait for the "you go...no you go...no you go...okay, after you..."

[TristansMommy]

Originally Posted by truckingbronco

One problem with MT drivers is that they are sometimes too nice. I've been behind people who will stop in the hwy to let another driver pullout or turn across traffic. Also, four-way stops are a lesson in patience as you wait for the "you go...no you go...no you go...okay, after you..."

LOL.. you have NO IDEA how funny that is to someone that lives in NY.. they'd run over an old lady to get throught he stop quicker..LOL.. ESPECIALLY in Manhattan!!

True driving culture shock.. I mean REAL culture shock.. drop a MT driver in the middle on Manhattan and say GO!! LOL.. It's scary even for me sometimes !!!

I'll never forget the story my mom told of when she first moved to NY with my dad (her husbandby then) and they lived in Queesn. My dad took my mom out for her first drive in NY and she tried to merge onto the highway and had a nervous break down.. From that day on she refused to drive a car until we moved to the suburbs!! She never drove into NYC until she was well into her 50's and had to drive my dad to sloan Kettering on the upper east side for cancer treatments.. and she was a wreck.. but she felt she had to do ..because if her daughter could do it (and by then I was a pro) she should be able to do it! Little does she know that when I was 17 and they went awy on vacation (to Mt!!) I took the car with my girlfriends into NYC for the first time (it was like an adventure movie.. seriously..can't believe the car came back without a scratch!!).

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by truckingbronco

One problem with MT drivers is that they are sometimes too nice. I've been behind people who will stop in the hwy to let another driver pullout or turn across traffic. Also, four-way stops are a lesson in patience as you wait for the "you go...no you go...no you go...okay, after you..."

Trust me, "after you, my dear Alphonse" is a whole lot more pleasant than the alternative!

Here in Lancaster CA (which used to look so much like Billings that it made me laugh every time I drove thru town) things used to be slow and easy, no one drove as fast as the speed limit, everyone came to a full halt at every stop sign, and life on the road was generally relaxed. Fast-forward through 10 years of yuppie invasions (swelling this valley's population from 30,000 to around half a million) and now it's all hurry-hurry why-aren't-you-speeding who-me-stop?? and you can't get anywhere unless you're willing to push and shove and risk getting into a wreck when the other guy shoves back.

[truckingbronco]

Originally Posted by Reziac

Trust me, "after you, my dear Alphonse" is a whole lot more pleasant than the alternative!

Here in Lancaster CA (which used to look so much like Billings that it made me laugh every time I drove thru town) things used to be slow and easy, no one drove as fast as the speed limit, everyone came to a full halt at every stop sign, and life on the road was generally relaxed. Fast-forward through 10 years of yuppie invasions (swelling this valley's population from 30,000 to around half a million) and now it's all hurry-hurry why-aren't-you-speeding who-me-stop?? and you can't get anywhere unless you're willing to push and shove and risk getting into a wreck when the other guy shoves back.

I currently deal with the "alternative" and I admit that it's not too pleasant, however; the over cautious/friendly thing still drives me insane everytime I go back to MT.

Also, some of the cautious/friendly drivers also happen to be horrid drivers as well, which makes for some extra fun.

[rangerider]

Originally Posted by truckingbronco

One problem with MT drivers is that they are sometimes too nice. I've been behind people who will stop in the hwy to let another driver pullout or turn across traffic. Also, four-way stops are a lesson in patience as you wait for the "you go...no you go...no you go...okay, after you..."

That is good...politeness becomes a kind of a comical anarchy, doesn't it?

I would submit, however, that a piece of that is also the fact that we have a light or a sign directing our every action anymore, and therefore most people no longer think or pay attention to street and intersection rules. And I further wonder if anyone pays any attention to about half of the signage that is out there, whether it's there for actual safety or just exists so the police and insurance companies know what to say in court.

I drive a truck for a living here in the Gallatin Valley, and have for an embarrassingly long time. I'm heavy, and I haul a liquid load so that makes it doubly interesting. Used to have maybe one or two close calls a year, now it's more like two or three a day.

The plus side is, much like wartime pilots you get to where you can spot a bad situation developing. Sometimes you can either place yourself a little in the way to prevent it or get off and away and let it happen without being in the middle. Bozeman is getting to be notorious for what I suspect is about 40%-50% of the driving population being clueless and reckless to boot. I no longer fear the tourists as much as I do the locals, especially when attached to a cell phone. And the last two or four years I have seen some almost unbelievably rash and unsafe behavior from cops and emergency vehicles, one of which almost cost me my life and the MHP in front of me. We'd have made the front page, but not been around to see it.

There is still an uncontrolled 4-way in the middle of Belgrade. It operates pretty smoothly and you can tell quite a few people still use it and others quite a bit. The reason I know this is that when a major intersection in Bozeman, or more than one, loses it's power and traffic lights, the crossings still operate fairly well with a minimum of cursing and non-verbal personality assessments.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by rangerider

That is good...politeness becomes a kind of a comical anarchy, doesn't it?

I would submit, however, that a piece of that is also the fact that we have a light or a sign directing our every action anymore, and therefore most people no longer think or pay attention to street and intersection rules. And I further wonder if anyone pays any attention to about half of the signage that is out there, whether it's there for actual safety or just exists so the police and insurance companies know what to say in court.

I drive a truck for a living here in the Gallatin Valley, and have for an embarrassingly long time. I'm heavy, and I haul a liquid load so that makes it doubly interesting. Used to have maybe one or two close calls a year, now it's more like two or three a day.

The plus side is, much like wartime pilots you get to where you can spot a bad situation developing. Sometimes you can either place yourself a little in the way to prevent it or get off and away and let it happen without being in the middle. Bozeman is getting to be notorious for what I suspect is about 40%-50% of the driving population being clueless and reckless to boot. I no longer fear the tourists as much as I do the locals, especially when attached to a cell phone. And the last two or four years I have seen some almost unbelievably rash and unsafe behavior from cops and emergency vehicles, one of which almost cost me my life and the MHP in front of me. We'd have made the front page, but not been around to see it.

There is still an uncontrolled 4-way in the middle of Belgrade. It operates pretty smoothly and you can tell quite a few people still use it and others quite a bit. The reason I know this is that when a major intersection in Bozeman, or more than one, loses it's power and traffic lights, the crossings still operate fairly well with a minimum of cursing and non-verbal personality assessments.

I used to drive tanker, it's worse when your load is thick liquid.... You slam on the binders, make it to an almost stop and then... here comes the liquid surge slamming the front bulkhead and "pushing" you another few feet. Definately makes for an interesting time! I used to love the looks on peoples faces as my rig was stopped and kept rocking back and forth like it was possessed.

[rubydi]

yes but in Great Falls you got those damn dips in the street before the intersection, so if ya don't slow down you will bottom out your car!!

[Heart]

Can someone please explain this?

My husband was pulled over for speeding on his way to work today on S. Reserve. He says that he didn't slow down in time for the transition between 45mph to 35mph. So the cop busted him RIGHT as he drove INTO the 35mph zone.

I understand that they expect you slow down, but up here do they want you to slow down BEFORE you hit the speed change, or AS you are driving INTO it?

I keep telling him he has to slow down before...I'm from another town who has speed changes vary all over the city so I'm used to that.


Now why are they wanting him to appear in court instead of just paying it off in the mail?

Thank you!