Why Do So Many Drivers Not Know How to Enter Maine’s Highways Properly?

There's a right way and a wrong way of doing things in this world. It seems to me through observation as I drive on the Maine Turnpike, I-295, and any highway with an on-ramp in Maine, that drivers do not know the proper way to get onto the highway.

I won't name any names, but I have friends that didn't realize that every highway on-ramp in Maine has a yield sign posted on it. See? It's right there, albeit a little hidden in the bushes.

Yield, even if it's at highway speed, still means yield.

When entering the flow of traffic on the on-ramp, you must yield the right of way to traffic on the highway. That means, if you reach the end of the on-ramp and are unable to safely merge into traffic you must stop. Although this is a very uncommon occurrence, that's the definition of yielding.

People have told me that you NEVER stop on the on-ramp which I contend is untrue by the definition of yield. You can't just barrel your way out into the flow of traffic and it's the responsibility of the vehicle behind you to maintain a safe distance to be able to stop if need be if merging is not possible.

Here's what the Maine State Police had to say in a Facebook post from 2015.

People have told me that you NEVER stop on the on-ramp which I contend is untrue by the definition of yield. Yes, 99% of the time you shouldn't need to stop, but you can't just barrel your way out into the flow of traffic and it's the responsibility of the vehicle behind you to maintain a safe distance to be able to stop if need be if merging is not possible.

So until we hear definitively from The Maine State Police who patrol our highways if stopping on the on-ramp when unable to merge safely is the correct course of action, the debate will rage on. But in the meantime, obey the yield signs.