On more than one occasion, I have had to get out of my automobile to negotiate vis-a-vis with stubborn drivers stuck in an impasse on the causeway of South Stanwich Road that crosses over the Rockwood Lake reservoir.
In my brief dealings with these road-raging drivers I’ve realized that many drivers do not understand what a yield sign actually means. The enraged drivers seem to think that a one-lane road with yield signs at both ends means that drivers take alternating turns crossing the causeway. That is not what a yield sign means.
Yielding is a passive action that allows prevailing traffic to continue en route. Stopped traffic must wait for all traffic to clear before preceding.
Similar confusion seems to happen at the roundabout in front of the Perrot Library in Old Greenwich. Maybe we all need a little refresher about yielding. Arriving first does not give priority at a yield sign. Flow of traffic determines who goes next when yielding.
This is perhaps indicative of not just our impatient driving habits, but also our societal norms of “me first” thinking.
Let’s make Greenwich known for our hospitality, warmth, and patience. We can begin by how we drive.
By Concerned Driver
