Yellowstone speeding crackdown - focused on snowmobilers

[VRod]

Here's an entertaining read for those of you who take the route through the north side of Yellowstone Park to get to Cooke City. Just another attempt to close the park to snowmobile traffic.

http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/news/yellowstone_national_park/article_0082a806-77fe-11e3-986d-001a4bcf887a.html

http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-reckless-winter-driving-through-yellowstone-national-park

 

[2XM3]

not to mention the insane traffic jams caused by tourists trying to get a picture of a wolf, or the moron driving at 5 mph in his Subaru with no snow tires on it. It is perfectly safe to drive that road at 45 with the proper equipment. Try giving tickets for blocking the road and driving to slow.

 

[Spaarky]

Maybe I am out to lunch, but I have not heard of any truck/trailer accidents in that stretch. Maybe one.

I am guessing there is more to the story of the lady getting called vile names. It's like the lady yelling at the couple for having their diesel running in the parking lot. I am sure she would say she was treated rudely too.

I know I have pushed it a few times, but if the roads are bad I take my time. Drive 14 hrs to wad it up the last hour doesn't make sense.

I would guess the gentleman that wrote the petition had what he thought was a bad experience. Now he wants to take it out on everyone.

 

[sledr900]

Petition

We should start our own petition for the wolf watchers that stop in the middle of the road or on the wrong side of the road. Last year my wife and I were on our way out of the park and came barreling over a hill doing 45 mph and there in our lane was a Subaru with a camera stuck out the driver's side window. The look on the ladies face in the passenger seat was priceless as this gigantic diesel burning environment polluting truck with tree killing sleds on the deck was heading straight for her. Thankfully, I was being a safe and responsible driver that day.

 

[plumnuts]

this tells you about Leo (the guy behind the petition)

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/leo-leckie/31/258/2a2

would you hire him?

"Worked in the field of higher education for over 25 years (1985-2010), as well as serving as a volunteer in several areas of naturalist education. All of my employers over this time period would say that one of my strongest traits is interpersonal communication and public relations. My interactions with a diverse array of constituents over the years – from community leaders to elementary students of field trips – has instilled in me a talent for and appreciation of exchanging and sharing information.

Specialties

Interpersonal communication and public relations, and a passion for equality and wilderness!"

 

[800poodragon]

this tells you about Leo (the guy behind the petition)

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/leo-leckie/31/258/2a2

would you hire him?

"Worked in the field of higher education for over 25 years (1985-2010), as well as serving as a volunteer in several areas of naturalist education. All of my employers over this time period would say that one of my strongest traits is interpersonal communication and public relations. My interactions with a diverse array of constituents over the years – from community leaders to elementary students of field trips – has instilled in me a talent for and appreciation of exchanging and sharing information.

Specialties

Interpersonal communication and public relations, and a passion for equality and wilderness!"

I would call him the poster child for the wilderness orgaizations...

 

[carlc]

I would call him the poster child for the wilderness orgaizations...

But he, like most other wilderness advocates are found in Yellowstone instead of the millions of acres of roadless and wilderness they create.


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[turboless terry]

A few years ago me and some buddies went to cooke in december. We came around a corner and there was a guy, with his tripod and spotting scope set up in the middle of the road, watching a 7 point bull elk. The elk was so close to the road that he had to be counting hairs or ticks. I actually don't think we were speeding because of the corner and the slick roads. My buddy put the binders on and we were struggling to stop. His outfit was partially on the road so we had to go in the other lane to squeeze by. The guy never once looked up to see whether he was going to get hit.

I was headed home from another trip and went around the same corner the other way and a car was backing up in my lane because he went a 100 yards past a turnoff. It was too slick to stop. If there had been a car coming I would have wiped them out. The bunny huggers can kiss my azz. This arcticle doesn't surprise me coming from the Bozeman Chronicle. They and Bozeman are as liberal as it comes. College towns breed liberals.

 

[phatty]

I have yet to make a trip to cooke without some photographer parked in the middle of the lane while standing in the road taking photos. You just expect it. You really cannot speed through the park in the winter, its a curvey, icy road. Any snowmobiler who speeds through the park is an absolute idiot IMO. Take your time and enjoy one of america's crown jewels. But really, these hippies are blowing smoke. I have no problems with more rangers on the road there, because they will and can site hippies for parking in the middle of the road and getting too close to animals.
furthermore, Cooke city would not survive 1 winter without sleds or the money we bring to that town. rangers and all park personal know that.

 

[snengineer]

Yeah I've only been once but wow what a mess. Phatty is right its tough to do more then 45mph on that stretch so I find it hard to believe the traffic on the road is causing the sight seers problems. Sounds like the sight seers are causing there own issues.

A hypothetical question, why do they insist on plowing the mammoth to cooke city stretch over plowing the pilot parking to cooke city stretch? From the practical side of the logistics in plowing a road, the east side makes more since, even with the heavy snow over the pass its not a long stretch. Plus the park section really shouldn't be labeled a two lane road in the winter. And as far as accessing the trail system by sled the "old" roadway alignment would work well as a groomed trail, it parallels the existing roadway but its down closer to the creek bottom.

 

[Xrider]

I hate that stretch of road and am sick of wildlife watchers stopping in the middle of the road to watch a cow elk or a stupid buffalo when there are pullouts 1/4 mile ahead. Last time I went through to Cooke a car with Wyoming plates that I was following slams on the brakes and stops dead in the middle of the road to watch a doe antelope.....yes an fricken antelope!!!! My wife said she won't ride with me anymore through there if I don't calm down. Ha. My blood pressure if off the charts by the time I get to Cooke.

 

[AdrenalineAddict]

The park service really needs to crack down on orientals occupying the MIDDLE of the highway. My son and I drove around several on a trip to Cooke last December.

 

[Pro-8250]

A Flatlander who's been there.

Yeah I've only been once but wow what a mess. Phatty is right its tough to do more then 45mph on that stretch so I find it hard to believe the traffic on the road is causing the sight seers problems. Sounds like the sight seers are causing there own issues.

A hypothetical question, why do they insist on plowing the mammoth to cooke city stretch over plowing the pilot parking to cooke city stretch? From the practical side of the logistics in plowing a road, the east side makes more since, even with the heavy snow over the pass its not a long stretch. Plus the park section really shouldn't be labeled a two lane road in the winter. And as far as accessing the trail system by sled the "old" roadway alignment would work well as a groomed trail, it parallels the existing roadway but its down closer to the creek bottom.

A hypothetical question, why do they insist on plowing the mammoth to cooke city stretch over plowing the pilot parking to cooke city stretch? From the practical side of the logistics in plowing a road, the east side makes more since, even with the heavy snow over the pass its not a long stretch.

To answer your hypothetical question. There has been so much discussion in the past here on SW on this subject. Opening the road from the east in the winter would not be a good thing. Leave it the way it is.

 

[05900]

Nothing a good set of train horns wouldn't fix..

 

[CBX]

I just don't get how people think it's ok the stop in the middle of the road, much less set up an f'ing tri pod there.

I can appreciate them wanting to enjoy nature. But, I have seen it with my own eyes before. Some of them do set up cameras on the road. It's not a lib vs whatever argument, it's being dumb and dangerous.

My theory is that it's done on purpose. Not only does it get attention, it tries to make motorists (mainly sledders) look bad in the process.

It wouldn't be that hard to get a no trailer rule done there. What sucks is that we are totally out numbered on this deal. All it takes is one accident, the right kind, and it's game over.

The road and parks are for tree huggers and non tree huggers alike. But these guys are looking for a fight. Keep your cool, and don't do anything stupid. It sucks, I know. Their definition of public means like minded individuals. We don't count.

I'm also gonna bet that the guy who started the petition had mostly attorney friends too. This is just the start to a new front on the very long running eco battle in Yellowstone.

I wished I was independently wealthy and had a law degree. I'd keep the eco tards so tied up and distracted it wouldn't even be funny.

 

[kidwoo]

Why the hell would there NOT be a petition to just plow pullouts on that stretch?

I've never driven it in winter but around tahoe where we get as much snow as anyone in a normal season (so that's not an excuse), pullouts get plowed for this exact reason. Much easier to move to an area and try to change everyone elses' behavior I guess.

 

[carlc]

There are pullouts along the road. But you don't have the amount of sight seeers who will literally drop everything wherever they are to photograph any kind of animal. All the stupid stories you are reading above are not exaggerations


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[BigAir]

They do plow the pull outs...most the people are just too stupid or too lazy to use them. Heaven forbid you have to walk back up the rode 100 yards to take your picture.

 

[kidwoo]

But you don't have the amount of sight seeers who will literally drop everything wherever they are to photograph any kind of animal.

Yeah I don't know, that kind of thing is pretty bad around the holidays here. Not so much wildlife outside of a deer or coyote but certainly with pics of the lake.


Either way, it's not the trailers or exclusively the speed limit causing the problems it seems. If people are treating that as anything but a road, they're impeding traffic. They should be cited, not filling out bullshlt petitions.

Sounds like the petition needs to be for some 'unlawful to stop in right of way, use pullout' signs. And some cops to enforce it.