Capital Region Yield Is Point Of Aggravation For Drivers

The Capital Region is a place where we have drivers commuting from all over the place. Albany to Troy, Latham to Schenectady, Saratoga to Clifton Park, people are on the move and we have decently easy access to get to all of these places. It's shocking to see how many drivers seem to not know the basics of traffic signs and signals.

Central Avenue in Albany is one of the busiest roads in the entire area. During morning and afternoon drive times it can be backed up for long periods of time as people make their way to and from work. Now that school is back in session that adds to the chaos.
Read More: Don't Look Down! The Capital Region's Ten Most Dangerous Bridges

Problems at Northway Exit 2W

I'd like to address one of the biggest problems we have on Central Avenue in Albany. That would be exit 2W as you're getting off of the Northway South (or 87-South if you're not from the area) heading towards Schenectady. The issue that I have is that people don't obey the yield sign, especially during busy times. There is a yield at that spot that people seem to simply ignore.

If you've been in this spot on Central you know that drivers come off that ramp and just expect to be let onto the road. That is unfortunately not how it works, and I will explain why.

What does a Yield sign mean?

According to driving-test.org a Yield means you must slow down and be prepared to stop to allow the right of way to oncoming traffic. Once traffic has cleared, the driver at the yield may go.

Basically, you should be treating a yield like a stop sign. I know this will be shocking information for most of you since I see you improperly go through yields all the time, and not just at tat particular intersection, but in traffic circles and other places around the Capital Region. Did we fail or driver's tests or are we simply just choosing to ignore them?

Most of the time at that spot near 2W I see drivers fly up and expect to simply merge into oncoming traffic. That's not the way. I particularly hate when some drives up sits right next to me and tries to jam their car in. No, you're supposed to wait at the yield until traffic has cleared.

For those of you who need an extra lesson, I've included an informational video below on how you properly navigate a Yield.

New York State's 5 Most Dangerous Roads [RANKED]

With plenty of big cities and numerous busy highways, it should come as no surprise New York state is unfortunately home to some of the most dangerous roads in the nation. While you would expect New York City to be the home of such roadways (2 on this list), the danger is not limited to the Big Apple. According to Catalano Law, 3 New York State's 5 most dangerous roads live mostly Upstate and should be navigated with the most extreme caution. Here are the 5 most dangerous in the Empire State.

Gallery Credit: Matty Jeff