Does anybody know what yield means?

Okay, I have to go on a rant here. I just had to drive downtown to take dinner to my daughter before her performance tonight (she’s in a camp and they have a production tonight and tomorrow) and on my way there I was this close to having some road rage!! (Imagine me holding my fingers up very close together!!) I was in the right lane and there was traffic in all lanes – not super heavy but heavy enough. Well, a whole line of cars started coming up the on ramp to get on the highway and while most were far enough in front of me to merge quite easily there was one car that ended up pretty much right next to me. And what do you think happened? Do you think since he had a YIELD sign he chose to heed the warning on that sign and actually make sure he had room to merge onto the highway? If you answered no you would be correct. He continued on and I had to slam on my brakes or have him run right into me. (Very loud groan right here!) I honked very loudly (well, as loud as the horn will honk!) at him and yelled at him that HE HAD THE YIELD SIGN!!! Now, I realize he could not hear me but it sure made me feel better – I think. I really don’t get how most of the population seems to forget what the word yield means after they pass their driver’s test. For those who might have forgotten here is how Webster defines it: to give or render as fitting, rightfully owed, or required. Now, when traffic is moving at 60-70 mph down the highway and you are trying to get on the highway going considerably slower don’t you think it makes sense to make sure nobody is coming before you move onto the highway??? Or if merging without worrying about who is already in that lane means you’re going to hit someone wouldn’t you want to look??? The basic thing to remember here is: PEOPLE ALREADY ON THE HIGHWAY HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY!!! So, everyone please make sure you yield – if that means you have to slow down or even stop to make sure there’s room and that it’s safe for you to enter the highway then please do so.

Also, if you’re going down the highway going s – l – o – w please don’t change lanes (especially to the left!) and jump right in front of people who are actually going with the flow of traffic. This happened to me on the way back from downtown and again I had to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting this person!

Okay, I’ll stop complaining now.

****update: Okay, my husband told me last night that the way I said that about my fingers made him think I was going to flip the person off. THAT IS IN NO WAY WHAT I MEANT!!! I was trying to give you a visual of HOW CLOSE I was to getting really mad (which would have just been more yelling) – you know, holding your thumb and finger together about an inch a part?? I would NEVER flip somebody off. Just wanted to clarify that!!!