POLSON, MT. (WIVB/CNN Newsource) – A grandmother in Montana is now an honorary state trooper.
She wants cars in her neighborhood to slow down.
So she took matters into her owns hand – well – a hair dryer that is.
You may recognize Patti Baumgartner from this picture made famous on social media.
A mom and a grandma, Baumgartner wants cars on South Finely Point to slow down for people’s safety.
“They forget to slow down – and there are a lot of people that are complaining about that they can’t walk or ride their bikes. I wouldn’t even attempt riding a bike around.”
So, she took matters into her own hands.
“We were talking about maybe something would slow the cars down. So, we decided to put me in a chair and I guess use the hair dryer as a speed thing.”
Patti’s son took this picture of her and tweeted it out to trooper Noah Pesola, hoping to catch his attention.
And it did.
“I thought it was hilarious, I think that we have a speed issue in Montana and I thought it was a great creative idea for the public to try and combat that a little bit without making people too upset.”
Trooper Pesola liked it so much he gave Baumgartner a special title.
“It’s not an official or anything like that for the honorary trooper, which is kinda what I called it. I didn’t know what else to do for her when she’s doing something for the community and like she says she’s got grandkids in the area so she’s doing something for her grandkids’ benefit. The best thing I could think of was give her a trooper hat and a badge to make her look a little more official.”
Baumgartner says she can’t tell if her white hair dryer really slowed cars down.
But she plans on using it again — to bring awareness to speeding cars in the neighborhood.