Now This Is How You Cut Someone Off In Idaho!

Like orange is the new black, Boise streets are the new Wild West. It's been so long that I've all but forgotten what driving through Boise was like 10 years ago. Actually, that's not true. I do remember, I'd just rather not think about how great things used to be.

Idaho's new transplants drive like @$$holes. 

There, I said it. And even when my inbox gets slammed with nastygrams, I still won't regret it. Now, do I think EVERY single new transplant drives like a bat on its way out of hell? Of course not. But it sure seems like a lot of them do.

So we're clear, this isn't an attack on any one state. It doesn't matter if the car has plates from California, Texas, Utah, Washington, Oregon or anyplace else. Drivers from all over are flying through Boise streets like they're in the Indy 500.

Left and right, these people are flipping the bird, tailgating, and blaring their horns at tractor-riding farmers on the backroads. Worst of all, they're cutting people off like they're trying to win a real-life game of Frogger.

We're all going to die someday, but do we really want it to be at the hand of a video game-obsessed man-child?

A driver cut me off on my ride home from Boise to Star tonight. 

And I must say, the guy did it with class. That probably sounds crazy to you, but hear me out. I was on Broadway in downtown Boise. Saint Luke's Children's Hospital was just up ahead to my right as I made my way north'ish to the traffic circle next to Dona Larsen Park.

Just before I went to cross East Warm Springs, an SUV with California plates waiting on the left arrow pulled a fast one and jerked into my lane. He almost side-swiped me.

On the plus side, he gave me "the wave."

Because it was still light enough for me to see his face, I could tell the guy felt terrible. Immediately, his hand went up and gave me the "I-know-I-suck-and-I'm-SO-SO-sorry-wave." And honestly, I really appreciated it.

Did it erase the fact that he almost crashed in my two-week-old 2024 Subaru? No, but at least I knew he cared. Something I think more people are losing touch with behind the wheel in Boise.

Not a minute later, I pulled up behind him as he waited for his turn to enter the traffic circle. When he noticed me in the rear view mirror, he stuck his entire torso out of the driver's window to tell me again how sorry he was for cutting me off. I gave him a smile and a thumbs up, and away he went.

Not that I'd ever encourage it, but if you're ever the one to cut someone off in Boise, that's how you do it.

Email me with your opinions at ryan.valenzuela@townsquaremedia.com. 

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