Montana woman targets speeding drivers with hair dryer

Armed with a white hair dryer, Patti Baumgartner sat in a chair along the road waiting for cars to come, KPAX reported.

"We were talking about maybe something (that) would slow the cars down," Baumgartner, who is concerned about her grandchildren's safety, told KPAX. "So, we decided to put me in a chair and I guess use the hair dryer as a speed thing."

A photo of her efforts gained the attention of the Montana Highway Patrol.

"I thought it was hilarious,"  Trooper Noah Pesola told KPAX. "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."

While it doesn't come with any authority, she was given the title of "Honorary Montana Trooper."

"It's not an official (title) or anything like that for the honorary trooper -- which is kind of what I called it. I didn't know what else to do for her, when she's doing something for the community," Pesola told KPAX. "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's not sure if she's slowing cars down, but she plans to keep pointing the hair dryer at speeding drivers.