Media queries don't work in IE8 and earlier. Any way to get around this?

Please forget IE8. There should be a law to forbid using IE8 and earlier versions. Even google dropped support to Jurassic browsers.

Make sure you get paid really good for supporting Jurassic versions of IE. Because you are basically working in something that is already obsolete therefore you are wasting your time in learning something that you will never use again.

If you are looking for a basic, out-of-the-box solution, you could use Respond.js.

I usually start a project with the conditional comment code that Twitter Bootstrap recommends in their sample template, and supplement with more nuanced solutions like Modernizer if needed.

    <!-- HTML5 shim and Respond.js for IE8 support of HTML5 elements and media queries -->
    <!-- WARNING: Respond.js doesn't work if you view the page via file:// -->
    <!--[if lt IE 9]>
      <script src="https://oss.maxcdn.com/html5shiv/3.7.2/html5shiv.min.js"></script>
      <script src="https://oss.maxcdn.com/respond/1.4.2/respond.min.js"></script>
    <![endif]-->

The html5shiv is technically not needed for media queries, but if you are using modern techniques like media queries, you probably also should allow yourself the freedom to use HTML 5 elements as well. I've often seen them paired together.

This may not solve all your IE 8 support issues, but it's a good start.

Good luck.

I think even Microsoft stopped supporting IE8. Thank God for that - it's a sign ;)

I'm currently collecting people for a mob, and together we will hunt down all those who use this dark technology known as "Internet Explorer", and modernize them. Anyone else down?

I think the best way is to have an honest conversation with the business. Is it essential to put resource and budget into older browsers, rather than invest in other modern features to enhance the product further?

There is repond.js as mentioned above, but my goal these days are to only include additional code if absolutely necessary.

If I can serve a stacked mobile -esque layout to an IE6,7 & 8 user, then I will. They are on these devices to access content, and not much more than that.

I don't think that anyone using an outdated browser should expect to have the same advantages that modern browsers have. When I play Final Fantasy 3 on SNES, I wont complain that the graphics don't compare to Final Fantasy 14 on a PS3. So I say let the dinosaurs die without responsive design.

Here you go: https://code.google.com/p/css3-mediaqueries-js/ ie5+