5 New Year's Resolutions for Bozeman: Wishful Thinking?

Perhaps if we all will these things to happen in 2023, some might actually stick. New Year's resolutions are difficult, especially when they involve a whole town.

Bozeman drivers will avoid left turns without a lead arrow: This one isn't entirely our fault, but it sure would be nice if there was an instinctive way to avoid the intersections that have don't give drivers a legit left turn light.

Bozeman folks will return to the days of saying 'hi' to each other on the street: No need for weirdo antics, saying 'how ya doing?' to every single person you pass on a crowded sidewalk. But haven't you noticed the fading trend of acknowledging each other with a 'good morning'? You know, the person that walks into the coffee shop at the same time or the person who pulls into a parking spot right next to you...

Let's throw more block parties: Getting to know your neighbors is always a good idea (even if you end up not liking them...really). With so much growth in Bozeman, there's a decent chance we know far fewer of our neighbors than we used to. Let's shut down the street, fire up the biggest BBQs, and let the kids ride their bikes together. Maybe a neighborhood movie night, projecting a flick on someone's garage door. Exchange phone numbers and get to know each other a little more.

We could give pedestrians a little more grace: As long as the pedestrian is abiding by the rules too, it sure would be nice to see more people stop for pedestrians trying to cross a street. With a sidewalk, but perhaps no light. Think about streets like Mendenhall and Babcock. I've seen dozens of cars go by as a very visible person is patiently waiting to cross the street. We can do better.

Picking up the dog poop on our trails: Or anywhere else for that matter. Super gross but it's a serious issue around here. There are so many responsible dog owners who wouldn't dream of leaving Fido's stuff behind. But damn...there sure are a lot of lame people who clearly don't care. Perhaps nobody was watching so they just ignored it. That behavior ruins the trails for the rest of us.