Do You Know What a Yield Sign Means?

We all have pet-peeves when it comes to driving: tailgaters, slow drivers in the left lane, those that don’t use turn signals, those who swerve in and out of traffic and in recent year’s texting on a cell phone. They would clearly be on just about everyone’s list and I’ll throw in another: failure to even consider what a yield sign means.

You know what it looks like. Usually a yellow or in some cases red-and-white upside down triangle. My experience is a large percentage of drivers do one of two things when they approach a yield sign: .ignore it completely or speed up.

What you are really supposed to do is slow down and defer to other users of the road as they have the right-of-way. If necessary that means come to a stop until it is safe for you to join the flow of traffic and obviously if coming to an intersection that means look out for pedestrians and bicycles as well.

I can’t imagine there is a more ignored traffic sign then this one and it often puts the driver already on the road in a difficult spot. For example you are in the right lane and approaching an intersection at which you’re going to make a right turn.

Meanwhile someone is coming off an exit ramp on your right and they have a yield sign but instead of slowing down they basically cut you off as you begin to slow down approaching the intersection. What they are supposed to do is defer to you and then enter the roadway. It sounds more confusing then it is but the bottom line is I believe many yield signs should be replaced by stop signs to avoid any question of who goes first.

By the way for those who don’t know motorists in New Jersey should always be prepared to give the right-of-way to emergency vehicles using flashing lights and/or sirens, buses and postal vehicles re-entering the flow of traffic and of course pedestrians who are already in a crosswalk.

That’s it for today. At a later date we’ll talk about able-bodied drivers who park in handicapped spots and those who believe their vehicle is more important than yours so they take up two parking spots.