Free Safety Signs

Yield signs on Highway Mergers?

I find it strange that on an entrance ramp in many states they have a Yield sign(s), as you are to be near highway speeds when merging instead of requiring the highway traffic to make space for merging traffic. I find that this is a double standard as you would cause more of a traffic hazard if you yielded to traffic and entered the highway at an interval at a much lower than highway speed causing the flow to slow. What is your opinions?

Public Comments

1. it's because the other lane(s) have the right of way, only lots of people are too stupid to realize it
2. Better than the STOP signs I've seen.
3. Thats a good question, I don't see any need of a yield sign on the merge ramp of a multi lane devided highway but on 2 lane 2 way traffic it would be a must. I'll be interested to see what others have to say.
4. The on ramp is a lane. Even though it ends, it is still considered a lane. The real name for it is "Acceleration lane" and that is what it is supposed to be used for. It ends but it is still the users responsibility to enter traffic when safe to do so. It's the same as switching lanes on the highway. You would not expect a motorist to get out of your way if your in the fast lane and want to move to the slow lane. You would not start moving into the slow lane until you slowed down and got behind or sped up and got in front. At no time do you expect the driver in the slow lane to change course just because you want over. This same principle applies to the on-ramp lane as well. You must yield the right of way to the traffic that is already in the slow lane. If they do not move over or get out of your way and you hit them, you are at fault. Now that being said, it is always courtious to allow drivers that want to merge into traffic the space to do so. The thing that irritates me is when there is no traffic at all, I am driving my semi down the highway in the middle of the night and there isnt a car or truck on the road. Then some motorist will be coming down the on-ramp, see me, yet still drive up to where I am and expect me to move over because they want to merge. Merge? Into what? I am only 75 feet long, there is plenty of highway in front of me or behind me, but no.. the motorist will end up getting run off the road because I didn't move over for them. Then they get mad and turn on their brights. It's insane. All they had to do was slow down or speed up and they could have come on the highway without incident. Yet they choose to make me move over because why? That is my beef with 4wheelers.
5. basically, if you are entering the highway, and your speed is matched to the traffic which is already there, you must adjust your speed to safely enter the highway. basically, the yield sign means that if you have an accident in this case, you are indeed at fault.
6. A yield sign mean just that you must yield to other traffic, if you inter a highway at a lower speed you have more control of your vehicle, to speed up, slow down or even stop, than other that are traveling at high speed, you exspect fast moving traffic to slow down, or move over if some is to there left so you can inter, that like cutting in line, so yield or you will get your self killed or someone else!!
7. people do not yield the right of way anymore @ onramps. use to be the people coming down the ramp would have to slow down for the interstate traffic,then merge.but for some reason people have got the stupid idea that traffic should have to slow down or sometimes even stop on the interstate for people coming off the ramp.. i,m a truckdriver.I have seen it all.
8. The only time I remember seeing a yield or stop sign on the entrance ramp to an Interstate highway is when there was no space for the construction to have included the acceleration lane. But regardless, when merging, the traffic in the major lanes always has the right of way.
9. Any State that has signs like that on on ramps is way out of touch with the realities of driving, and also looking a revenue raising from fines. A GOOD driver, on entering a highway/freeway, always matches speed to the traffic already on it, picks a vehicle, and then slots in behind that vehicle. Courteous drivers on the freeway will change lanes to let you in if space permits, but don't expect it. Truckies, whose vehicles are too big, you should not expect them to move over, they probably have someone alongside them any way and can't move over.
10. The idea is that the person merging does not have the right of way, just as if someone changed lanes in front of you and caused you to stop. No difference between a street or highway and yes you should absolutely be going at least the speed limit/ flow of traffic. YIELD does not mean stop, it mean's you don't have the PRIORITY when crossing another driver's lane. If highway traffic should slow down for every person entering it, that is not only the hazzard but contradicts having a highway. Use your mirrors.
11. It just means that the people on the highway are under no obligation to let you in. You, are supposed to yield to the cars already on the highway, not the other way around. The worst sign to see is the STOP sign, on the Treasure Island to Bay Bridge onramp in San Francisco / Oakland Bay Area. :) Everybody on the bridge is going 50-60, and you have about 30 ft to accelerate up to freeway speed. :-P