Missoula’s Unwritten Rules Every Newcomer Must Learn

The influx of people into Missoula isn’t going to slow down anytime soon. Just when the tourist season starts to slow down, we are going to see an increase in University of Montana students coming back to town. 

For some people this will be the first time they will be living in Missoula. Our town can be a wonderful place, and it can also be intimidating. It isn’t the easiest town to navigate, and many people may not know what to expect.  

Why Missoula Can Be Tricky for Newcomers

There are some “unwritten rules” to living in Missoula. For example: trying to take a left-hand turn in this town can be incredibly frustrating.   

The Driving Habits Locals Warn About

We asked our listeners about Missoula’s “unwritten rules” and we received hundreds of responses. A lot of them had to do with driving in this town. These comments were either critical of other drivers' bad habits or offered advice on locations to avoid.  

READ MORE: Missoula Named One of the Most Confusing Cities to Drive In

There were also some nuggets of truth to living in Missoula that people notice that make this place a bit unique. 

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We are home to the University of Montana so there are a lot of Griz fans and some of the comments reflect that. You don’t want to be mistaken for a “Cat” fan around here.  

There are also comments reflecting on how people dress and what kind of cars they drive.  

Bailey L. said some of the “kids will have a nicer Patagonia than you,” referring to the high-end outdoor gear.  

We had so many comments that we couldn’t publish them all. Below you will see some of the samples of our “unwritten rules”. Whether you are moving here, or have been here for a long time, maybe some of these can help make your time here a little bit better.