Is this a garter snake?

[Stefan-A]

Forget the link. The link was unintended. It was the text I intended to copy. It leads to "common garter snake" for obvious reasons.

The reason why I brought it up, is that it brings a completely different context to the text you quoted. It highlighted differences between the "ribbon snake" and Thamnophis sirtalis, not differences between "the ribbon snake" and the rest of the genus.

All garter snakes are common within their range, and garter snakes in general are found in nearly every state in the USA.

If it's any kind of garter snake. Radix, ordinoides, elegans, doesn't matter. It's a garter and they are common.

You really shouldn't make statements like that.