When you merge onto the interstate, who yields?

Question

When you merge on the interstate is it your responsibilty to adjust your speed or other people on the interstate to move over so you can get on? I'm in an argument w/ my friends over this... please give proof that you have (ie a link to a law)...t hanks!

Thank you for you answers but it's not necessary to get rude about it. Don't attack me and tell me I'm an idiot and I should even ask this question, tell my friends that because they are the ones who screamed at me when I said the traffic on the interstate doesn't have to move over for mergers... but regardless... enough with the rude comments its not me you're mad at

Answer 1

It is usually the law that the person merging yields to the freeway traffic.
Read pg 4 of 17 in the link below for New Jersey

Answer 2

In California the law is that the person merging is to yeild the right of way.

"Merging In And Out Of Traffic

Whenever you enter traffic, signal and be sure you have enough room to enter safely. You have to share space with traffic already on the road and you must know how much space you need to merge with traffic, to cross or enter traffic, and to exit out of traffic.

Space To Merge

Enter the freeway at or near the speed of traffic. (Remember that the maximum speed allowed is 65 mph on most freeways.) Do not stop before merging with freeway traffic unless absolutely necessary. Freeway traffic has the right of way.

Any time you merge, you need a gap of at least four seconds. However, this gives both you and the other vehicle only a two second following distance.

Don’t try to squeeze into a gap that is too small. Leave yourself a big enough space cushion.
Watch for vehicles around you. Use your mirrors and turn signals. Turn your head to look quickly to the side before changing lanes. Leave three seconds of space between you and the vehicle ahead. Make sure you can stop safely if you must.
If you need to cross several freeway lanes, cross them one at a time. If you wait until all lanes are clear, you may cause traffic delays or an accident."

Answer 3

Next time you are merging...check out that little sign that says "YIELD". Now is it on the four lane part of the interstate or the edge of the on-ramp? There's your answer! Apparently there are a lot of people that don't understand this simple basic law of the road judging by the number of idiots that have no clue as to how to use an entrance ramp and merge with traffic.

Answer 4

I HATE when some people go on an entrance ramp and then STOP and wait for an open spot in traffic before they get on the freeway!! You are supposed to use that ramp to accelerate and match the speed of the cars on the freeway so you can merge. I think it's pretty stupid to enter a freeway at zero MPH.

As to your question......I don't think anybody should yield. You should merge into the right lane from the ramp just as you would merge into any other lane. You should be going the same speed as the traffic.

Answer 5

You are entering the freeway, everyone else is already ON the freeway. Therefore, you have to yield because you are the person that is merging onto the freeway into existing traffic. However, you should try to keep with the flow of traffic (aka don't merge on the freeway going 45 mph - unless you have a death wish) and others on the road should merge over or leave space for you to enter.

You don't need a law, it's freaking common sense!!!

Answer 6

It should be were the cars on the interstate are in the left lane while you just can easily merge onto the interstate without disrupting the traffic or speed of other drivers. This doesnt always happen so if anyone has to yield it has to be the one entering the interstate. buckle up and safe driving

Answer 7

If you are a Semi-driver and there is oncoming traffic then you need to slow down, or move over to the left lane for oncoming traffic coming from your right. That is a general common courtesy to people who are trying to merge. So if you can move over to the left hand lane, then by all means do it. But it can be dangerous if you don't slow down, or move over to let oncoming traffic merge, and the people who are merging suddenly have to stop or be forced to use the shoulder. Remember they have traffic behind them as well. So if you don't move over or slow down it is easy to cause an accident.

Answer 8

If you are the one who needs to merge onto the interstate, it is your responsibility to find a way to make it happen. People on the interstate should try to be accomodating just out of consideration, but that is not always possible.

Check the link.

Answer 9

this may be a rant no longer a question... And all automobiles manage in any different case, some tip relatively so people may be greater careful and maximum ramp pronounced speeds are forty MPH, so no longer everybody is gentle flying onto a street at recklace speeds... some people opt to verify whats occurring around them somewhat of no longer having time to think of and basically reducing somebody off.. the undertaking isnt the careful people however the maniacs that have not have been given any persistence and are over aggresive. no person we could every person in, none makes use of a blinker (through fact we are all ideas readers) people blare there horns through fact somebody might hesitate at a site visitors easy , somewhat of a delightful honk. maximum folk have lost there courtesy and sense they are the lord of the rodes and everybody ought to yield to them.......... Ugh.............

Answer 10

Freeway traffic has the right-of-way, but it is common courtesy to slow down just a bit or speed up in order to let someone in.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs47thru51.htm

If merging cars had the right-of-way, freeway traffic in the right lane would literally have to stop in order to let mergers on -- just imagine the chaos!