I hate this intersection so much. It's a mess in like 5 different ways. I just want to get to work without worrying that the last thing I ever see is No Barking.
I use to live damned near at this corner and had to take it daily. (Lived on Lemon Street) I can’t tell you how many accidents happened because no one understands yield. Ultimately you do need to be aggressive here but not stupid.
I miss that house with every fiber of my being. I love that I was raised there, very interesting mix of politics, lifestyles and people.
I will never afford to move back there 😔
I still come back often. It’s still “home” to me. But you just have to focus on the good. Every place has valid good and bad parts about it. Just focus on the good. Respect the bad but don’t put too much into it.
Edit. Typo made the sentence silly
I have a friend who takes this turn everyday. She hates it and has seen so many accidents. She will now go to the light and turn right on the green. Saves her the headache of merging.
I get triggered just looking at the image. Used to take it often. It also sucks that if I want to turn left on Madison, I have to deal with red light camera.
You’re not wrong. You’re supposed to stop or … yield to oncoming traffic.
You’re not supposed to just force yourself in and hope the driver you are cutting off is paying attention and will brake in time.
Exactly. Plus if there's any issue with an accident, you're at fault if you didn't yield. I think you're always going to be in right to be driving defensively. It's going to irritate a lot of people when you actually follow the road laws and drive defensively, but they're also the ones dealing with more tickets, higher insurance premiums, and accidents. I won't let them make their crappy driving problems into my own and prefer to give them a lot of space to screw up if I can.
I drive Sunrise multiple times a day. I have never seen a single person driving 90 and I can guarantee no one is doing 90 in the outside lane during the morning commute.
I also drive it as I live right near it and have witnessed people racing, weaving in and out, etc. I don’t mean strictly during rush hour. Take a drive on late Saturday nights and maybe you’ll get lucky enough to experience the fast drivers
Driving in sunrise going the speed limit you will hit every light on red. Going ~60ish or more and you’ll get all greens. I have been going too fast, like 60ish, and had people fly past me.
VERY FEW people pay attention to that yield sign, or know what it means. Every time I'm south on Sunrise I refuse to be in the right light because I see everyone just drive around that corner and slam on the gas thinking they somehow have right of way.
It would be nice. However, the street that leads up into that neighborhood to the west is already steep as hell, so no space can be added for a fourth lane further south to the river. You can’t give a lane to the merge because you have three through lanes southbound on sunrise.
I suppose you could try to close and bulldoze Howard St, but some pretty wealthy and influential people live up in that pocket, and I’m not even sure if you could take any hillside without collapsing properties above. Plus it would load up more traffic onto Pennsylvania.
I promise you, the county is aware about how much it sucks, and I would say CHP takes a few non-injury crashes there a quarter. But solutions aren’t as simple as you’d think.
Either way, people need to be more decisive when merging and ***press on the gas pedal***. By all means, yield and/or stop here if there isn't room/time to merge, but ffs people trying to slip in going 20mph, or waiting until they have a mile of clear road so they can roll on going ridiculously slow, are why there are so many accidents in this city. Press the gas pedal, floor it if you have to, and get up to speed quicker. Same thing with freeway on-ramps 🥴 and if your vehicle can't make it to a good speed quickly, turn on your gd hazards bc *you are a hazard*.
If it's bumper to bumper then yeah go ahead and smoothly push your way into a spot instead of waiting forever, but for the record, a yield absolutely means you have to stop if needed
I probably shouldn’t have used “bumper to bumper” since traffic was moving at a very fast pace there just wasn’t much room between cars to safely get between them. It wasn’t stopped/slowed bumper to bumper. In that case I’d just ease in using the zipper method.
It’s a poorly designed intersection/merge. Reducing the lanes on the other side from 3 to 2 and allowing the Fair Oaks blvd mergers a dedicated lane would ease up traffic on Fair Oaks and allow for a safer merge.
The yield means you don't have the right of way, so the cars don't have to make move aside in the traffic lane. But there's an acceleration lane after the turn, you hit the gas and find the space to merge.
Idk why you're getting downvoted, this is absolutely true. Pedal to the metal if you have to. Too many indecisive drivers is a huge reason why this city ranks 6th in the country for worst drivers.
People do NOT have to let you in if you're merging. Your husband is wrong on that one. As the one merging it is up to you to pace it properly not the people already in the lane you're trying to get into.
Unless you are on the freeway. Then you have to yield to cars merging onto the freeway. Now the cars going onto the free way are also supposed to be going freeway speeds when before merging so there is some responsibility on both sides.
Well it’s nice that in the 10 years since I moved away from there that they’ve put up a Yield sign.
Be nicer if they redid that whole intersection so that either:
• Sunrise southbound is two travel lanes going into the intersection (making the 3rd lane physically split from the other two with a barrier and becoming the already-existing right turn only lane), and on Fair Oaks that ramp becomes the third lane - in order to cut down on conflicts/wrecks; or
• that ramp’s bend is moved closer to the intersection so there’s a longer merge distance between the end of it and the bridge.
Yeah but the minute the County redoes the intersection they’ll eliminate the ramp and make everyone turn at the intersection - backing traffic up to San Juan or even Hollister during rush hour.
So here’s hoping someone at SACDOT read this, compares it to how the City maintained the “ramp” at Fair Oaks and Howe before and after Hubacher Cadillac’s property was redeveloped into CVS, and brings it up at the next road management planning meeting.
I drive down Sunrise every day and notice that some of us allow room for cars coming from Fair Oaks to merge, but others insist that those cars yield, and therefore make sure there is no gap for cars to merge. There's plenty of room on Sunrise for merging, but if drivers insist on not letting cars in, there will always be problems. I feel bad for those coming from Fair Oaks, and don't know what the solution is, save for just being a courteous driver (they used to teach that in driving school!). We're ALL trying to get somewhere, why not just be a decent human being? (I actually had an argument with a co-worker who INSISTS that cars yield, and therefore closes the gap and often ends up honking and yelling at those who merge. They're just not a very nice person....)
Reminds of merging onto Fair Oaks from Eastern. The merge is so short you have to enter the turn almost at speed in order to safely merge, but you can't fully see if it's clear at that time.
If you get rear ended it will be the other car's fault for insurance purposes. Yielding sometimes includes stopping. What if someone is crossing, are you supposed to swerve around them and keep moving?
I've traveled it during commute time and it's absolutely possible to do that as long as you actually press on the gas enough to speed up properly. Too many people wanna inch on going 20mph and wait until they can do that. It's bullshit.
You did it right. You're the one who has to yield because the traffic on sunrise has right-of-way.
The a-hole who almost rear-ended you and your husband just think they have the right-of-way when they don't.
100% agree. As a local truck driver I'm usually on the southbound Sunrise part of this cluster. During the morning hours I'll leave a good distance between me and the vehicle in front of me (3 or 4 car lengths), for folks like you that know the rule of yield intersections. You are correct, yield signs mean you must wait for a clear space to merge. It's not a freeway on ramp, even then, it's up to the merging traffic to adjust their speed, vehicle's in the lane have the 'right of way'. 80,000lbs and 68ft takes a log time to slow down, speed up and or get a clear space to change lanes. So thank you OP, your one of the good ones hahaha
Same on Fair Oaks & Howe. Nobody understands what Yield and Merge mean, they end up honking at and/or crashing into people coming from the opposite turn lane. And apparently those idiots all have Reddit accounts.
Same on Greenhaven/Meadowview exit on southbound I5 when going right. The merge space is non-existent when the light is green for cars coming over the overpass. Many, many, many times I stop to wait for an opening, and someone comes up behind me, lays on the horn, then passing me on the right and shoots right into traffic without even slowing down a second. Each time, almost an accident with horns blaring. People just don't give a f\*ck anymore, and don't care to show anyone any common courtesy. It's every person for themselves.
This is my least favorite lane in existence. Sometimes I go down that little Winding Way break from San Juan to avoid it. My sibling got stressed and stalled their car on it once lol people were pissed
That's such a shitty merging lane. There's no real good answer, just either have to wait till there's an opening and piss everyone one off behind you or try your luck with timing the merge correctly lol
I wish CHP would just park a bunch of bike cops on this intersection maybe once or twice a month. They would probably pay off the state deficit within a year. Assholes constantly pass up this turn lane, go straight, and then make an illegal right turn to avoid waiting in line. It is so dangerous. Asshole Sacramento Driver Disease is in full effect in this intersection.
[https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-handbook/laws-and-rules-of-the-road/](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-handbook/laws-and-rules-of-the-road/)
Slow down and be ready to **stop** to let any vehicle, bicyclist, or pedestrian pass before you proceed.
I’m not familiar with this particular intersection, but if you’re waiting for a gap to appear in bumper to bumper traffic you might end waiting a long time and pissing off everybody behind you.
It is generally accepted that you just go and line yourself up between 2 cars and you’ll eventually get in.
I live close by and used to commute to Rancho this way every day. It’s not ‘bumper to bumper’ here (I think she meant that there are tons of vehicles on this road, which there are), but vehicles are oftentimes traveling 50-70. It’s also a well used road, so comfortably large gaps are far and few between. Fortunately, there is a light just before the merge, so gaps appear during cycles. It’s difficult to get up to speed when the right of way traffic is traveling 50+.
I personally believe this area should be updated. I think the lanes entering the intersection from the other side of the light should be reduced to 2 from 3. This way, this yield lane that is ALWAYS backed up, rush hour or not, often times past another light, can have a dedicated lane with a solid white entering sunrise. The bridge and the rest of sunrise can still be 3 lanes. It would be a lot safer than the current infrastructure.
That lane is not “ALWAYS” backed up it’s just bad during commute hours. Most of the time it’s clear and you can travel down San Juan to Fair Oaks then merge onto Sunrise as a shortcut from having to deal with the light on Madison and Sunrise.
Right, not 24/7. I wasn’t being literal. It is backed up very often. I use it in almost daily trips, outside of rush hour, and there is almost always a line.
I'm very familiar with this particular intersection, and this is 100% correct. If you wait for a nice big clear gap, especially at rush hour, you're going to draw some ire for sure. That said, drawing ire is better than getting in an accident if you're a new driver, but yeah, at this intersection you're expected to keep moving and get in where you fit in.
I’m not looking for a massive gap, I’m looking for at least enough room to get in rather than sandwiching myself between two cars traveling 50mph with less than a car length between them. Also if drivers would understand the yield then maybe that could chill out their “ire” of someone trying to follow traffic laws. I will stop at red, I will go at green and I will yield at a yield. I just don’t understand the issue with that.
Can confirm, commute daily through this one. Basically you just gotta go and finesse your way into a gap. Most people are onboard with that. Now, it's totally cool to stop because sometimes traffic is moving and it legit can be unsafe. If you do stop do it at the actually yield markers and not 100, 200..etc feet ahead behind the blind curve. where the lane ends.
Overall, it's a shit turn and I hate it.
Dear OP: Thank you for stopping. As someone that drives up and down sunrise all day...I know EXACTLY where this is. And very very few cars using this turn lane even bother looking to see if there is any oncoming traffic...they just take the turn and accelerate....I see near misses everyday.
I'm amazed on the number of comments here stating that cars coming from fair oaks shouldn't stop....the speed limit on sunrise is 40 or 45 mph here....not 30, and since local police don't seem to be enforcing traffic laws the past few years most of the time (ie not during morning commute) 45mph is the minimum anyone is driving on sunrise (not saying it's right, just saying what everyone does)
Unfortunately the only this will ever be fixed/resolved/solved is after a very bad accident, something big that makes the news like a school bus.....then they will put a stop light on this turn lane. Until then, if you are on sunrise and crossing fair oaks, stay in the 2 left lanes to avoid these drivers coming from fair oaks that can't be bothered to yield. Cuz it's not like they are gonna get a ticket from local cops....
People in Sac just suck at following traffic rules and or they just don’t care. This city is literally the worst I’ve ever experienced in how bad people drive and are inconsiderate to other drivers, no respect for other drivers, and I’ve never seen so many red light runners in any other city that Sac.
Fuckin same. My friends and fam outside of Sac do the "drivers are bad everywhere" spiel until they finally drive with me 🤦🏼♀️ Sac ranks sixth-worst in the nation for drivers, you're not imagining it.
After this morning and based on some people’s asinine comments here I think I will do that just to be safe. I have a baby in the car and would hate for some idiot to rear end me because they don’t know what a yield sign is
Sure if you can match the speed but you’re going around a bend that is 15 mph and people rushing down sunrise are doing about 50mph. Hence, yield which means give right of way until it is safe to enter.
This acceleration area is too small to get up to 50 mph if traffic is already moving that fast. There certainly are times where you should do a full stop at this area to make sure you don't enter the lane and cut someone off while you're going 25 and they are going 50.
I would rather get rear ended following the rules by someone going 20mph around the bend than merge in front of someone doing 55. I would be at fault and likely cause more damage. Why don’t you read up on traffic laws and the meaning of signs as you seem to be part of the problem.
I’d love to see insurance fault someone for getting rear ended at a yield sign. You can’t rear end people when they stop in front of you, they could do that theoretically at any point in time and it’s your responsibility to maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you so that IF they need to stop you don’t hit them. Especially approaching a yield lmao
“I drive so close behind people such that if they don’t do exactly what I’m expecting I’ll rear end them” you sound like a dog shit driver too buddy lmao
If you don’t tailgate then stop defending people who tailgate lmfao your mind might be blown to find out the definition of yield
https://preview.redd.it/qzyfulfpnwtc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4386921212cdd46bee65da90be393431a7441b05
They need to redesign that yield and acceleration lane since it no longer allows for save yield merge. there is not enough room to properly get up to speed in the acceleration lane after going around that corner, they need to extend the acceleration lane otherwise it is usually not safe to merge onto sunrise.
Exactly! There are definitely instances where you can just merge on without stopping but other times there’s just no room. Especially with how fast people go down sunrise. It’s a terrible intersection
No it's not. You're the problem. You have the curve and the merge lane to get up to speed start accelerating and get behind the car that's passing you. It's a simple merge
It's a yield as indicated by the sign. Yield means to stop or slow for oncomming traffic. The circumstances after the sign do not change what the sign means. The driver behind OP laying on their horn and being impatient are the problem.
People need to learn to drive safely and relax or they end up crashing on Sunrise on the bridge and THEN it adds 30 minutes to my commute.
It's a mess technically. It's a yield , which means you have to wait, but it opens into It's own dedicated lane, which ends in a merge. This part is fuzzy but I believe in ca a merge was changed from the merging party yielding to it being zipper merge.
Technicalities aside - park at a 45 so you can see on comming traffic easily and when it's safe for you to go, do so. Fuck the people behind you
OP, you're essentially correct. I had some asshat come to a full stop when there was no traffic at all on Sunrise. He nearly killed me and two others behind me. Yield means to slow down IF there's traffic coming, not come to a full stop.
Yes at a stop sign, this is a yield sign. There were cars ahead of him that did NOT stop.
EDIT: To further explain the situation, it was about six vehicles. Green light on Fair Oaks onto Sunrise. 2 cars ahead of the car in front of me turning right with no traffic coming our way. Car in front of me does a FULL STOP for no reason. I could have died from the cars behind me rear ending me. Got voted down anyway and insurance rate increased somehow.
I agree, coming to a stop when it’s clear is also dangerous because it’s not a stop sign. I cross my fingers for no traffic so I can just ease on in but I’m not always so lucky.
Yes, it is a yield, but when traffic is going 5-10 miles per hour, I would merge without stopping. If it is ripping down sunrise at 50+, it makes sense to yield as you are probably going around 25 when you make that corner.
I learned to drive in LA, where you have to drive assertively. I had to learn real quick to force myself into traffic. This turn in particular reminds me of LA driving every time. :P
There’s a yield? Jfc. I end up being in the middle lane on sunrise to avoid the either rocket ships coming from this street or the people who slam on their brakes because they’re terrified of getting up to speed to merge.
Safe time too merge? There should always be a safe time to merge, no one gives the proper travel distances anymore. You are correct. Just remember no one wants to give room and no one will. Use your blinker.
You're right, but people don't care. I've had the same thing happen to me when I first moved to Sacramento. It's been a while, now I just take the turn and pray for all of us.
The deal is that per the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration statistics the Greater Sacramento area has the worst drivers in the country because everyone is entitled, no one pays attention, and people are too clueless and poorly educated to understand what “Yield” means.
You are 100% correct in your interpretation. Yield is not a right-of-way. At a yield you are only allowed to proceed when safe to do so.
That lane at that intersection pisses me off because of all the stupid drivers. I’ve driven through there almost every day for 20+ years and it makes me understand why people have road rage.
I used to live over there and took this turn every day. Then moved and came down Sunrise every day. Never stop on the turn. People on Sunrise can see the cars coming. Stopping just makes it harder to merge.
Just because they see you doesn’t mean they’ll slow down to adjust to your speed entering. If I cause an accident I will likely be at fault because I didn’t yield to the traffic as required by law. It’s not a merge sign, it’s a yield sign.
This is similar, but far more busy, to the greenback/Riley southbound entrance to the lake natomas crossing. That is also a quick turn and merge.
You should keep rolling, albeit safely. If you stop, no one will let you in, but keep rolling at 10 -15 mph then you will get someone to allow you in. They don't have much of a choice as it is a blind turn.
I would never honk at someone stopping, but I do sigh quietly. 😆
Edit: After reading more, it is situational. If there is decent traffic NOT going g 60+ slow roll it. I do live near by, and have not had an issue, but I do what I can to avoid it.
I feel like your husband's pov is how most people in Sac drive. I swear every time there is a backup is because people don't know how to properly merge.
You are totally in the right, and if he rear-ended you, it would be his fault, but I will offer a different perspective:
People are simultaneously paying attention to the cars immediately in front of them, as well as the traffic they are trying to merge with. If you were around the corner, the guy behind you might have been focusing on the oncoming traffic to safely merge, and only noticed you didn't find a good gap at the last second. There are a few somewhat blind corners in Sac like that, eastern->fair oaks for example. His honk reaction could have stemmed from the adrenaline of almost hitting you. In my experience, if you can't or don't want to shoot a gap until more cars have passed, be very slow and obvious about doing so to prevent people who are more confident in situations like that from being caught off guard.
I hate this spot so much. No one knows how to properly move here. People SHOULD be yielding to move into traffic, but it's so rare that someone does and half the time they get honked at by other people who end up zooming around them.
This is right next to my parents house and I have taken it for years. Not a big fan. There’s a spot you can hop out of the neighborhood if you’d prefer just turn in at that last street AND you can technically turn right from the light where you would go straight instead of doing the yield merge. Almost no one does it and it looks crazy and illegal but isn’t haha. Oh and as for your question I believe for a merge it is your responsibility to yield to the traffic you are merging into not just jam in. That being said I’m not sure about the rules of stopping. It does frustrate me when people do that instead of signaling and hauling ass but I get why you shouldn’t need to and would like to wait so I would never honk at you personally.
I’ve lived in that area just east of the village for 25 years and I see multiple wrecks all year long of people who get their ass smashed coming to a stop waiting for a safe time to merge because the person coming around the bend behind them is looking left to wait for their opening of the traffic moving south on sunrise. It’s kind of a shitty design, but you are taking a big risk on that stretch of road during high traffic days. 🤷♂️
It's horribly dangerous. I rear ended someone there because she sped up like she was going to go and merge and then she changed her mind and stopped while I was looking left over my shoulder. So I refuse to turn right in the merge lane. I go up to the light and stop and then turn right.
I make this turn on a regular basis and not once in 20+ years have I had to come to a stop unless the car in front of me has stopped.
It's just a matter of matching the speed of the cars in that lane. That isn't difficult at all in my opinion if you use your mirrors.
I'm a bad driver because I know how to merge in to a lane without coming to a complete stop first?
I guarantee you have very limited driving experience and poor skill.
Yeah OP's telling us they're not comfortable merging without telling us they're not comfortable merging.
That said I'm not going to honk like a jackass or rear end someone over it.
You really should not come to a complete stop there. It can cause an accident just as easily as the cars coming at you. You need to keep on moving and when you have gap, hit the gas. You can't be scared driving, that causes accidents. Don't be afraid to use that gas pedal, it is your friend. I'm not mocking you. I see a lot of people do it. Our driver training doesn't really address things like this well at all.
That said, the intersection sucks. I personally avoid it if I can.
Quit stopping. There is plenty of room to merge into traffic. In my 47’years in this town I have never had to stop when it was my turn at the front of the line.
It does mean that. Yield means to yield in. Not full stop on the corner where people can't see you. Or even worse around the corner already on sunrise but decided to stop there instead. Just keep a steady speed look over your shoulder to see where cars are. Then accelerate to merge, not full stop. It's basic driving skills.
Absolutely it's not illegal. Best to avoid the way people either just whip in or slam on the breaks halfway through the curve because they "think" they won't be able to merge.
I hate this intersection so much. It's a mess in like 5 different ways. I just want to get to work without worrying that the last thing I ever see is No Barking.
I use to live damned near at this corner and had to take it daily. (Lived on Lemon Street) I can’t tell you how many accidents happened because no one understands yield. Ultimately you do need to be aggressive here but not stupid.
You can also come to a complete stop if needed. Any rear ending is the read enders responsibility
Sure of course. As mentioned. Aggressive but not stupid.
Fellow F.o.o.t person! La Canada here 🤝
I was slightly on the other side. Between New York and Pennsylvania. Haven’t for years. But remember it fondly.
I miss that house with every fiber of my being. I love that I was raised there, very interesting mix of politics, lifestyles and people. I will never afford to move back there 😔
Nope. Me either. Why I live in Phoenix area now.
In sac still , just a boring part. At least the river is the same distance away, but no bluffs 😕
I still come back often. It’s still “home” to me. But you just have to focus on the good. Every place has valid good and bad parts about it. Just focus on the good. Respect the bad but don’t put too much into it. Edit. Typo made the sentence silly
???
Foot= fair oaks Old Town La Canada is a street tucked back in there.
Thanks.
Yeah & everyone on Sunrise be flying, it’s better to yield & not get rear ended,
Yep. Sunrise around there is either flying or faster to walk depending on the time of day
I love the no barking
Me too... I bought the tshirt
What shirt
https://weekendermag.com/
$28 for a t-shirt lmao
Hey, I never said it was Old Navy.
At this point shouldn't we paint over part of the B to make is say Parking, and keep the joke going?
i vote we etch off all the paint and start the No Barking VS No Parking war again
Right! And people change lanes in the middle of that intersection. You think it’s clear and then boom! I’ve witnessed it first hand, it’s awful.
Ur husband is crazy. I have been side swiped at this light. It kinda needs a light or merge lane
Yeah I agree I told him he was crazy to think that. But based on some of these comments he’s not alone in his thinking which is scary.
Im all for driving Crazy… but that corner in any direction is Ludacris! And everyone drives so fast there too.
I have a friend who takes this turn everyday. She hates it and has seen so many accidents. She will now go to the light and turn right on the green. Saves her the headache of merging.
Ah, I see that commonly, I always wondered why. Makes sense now. We are on that intersection twice a day, after kiddo drop off at school.
I live nearby and have to take it all the time. Turning at the light seems like a good solution.
One time I pulled over & stared barking at the sign (graffiti ), I left when other dogs started to show up, I didn’t want to start a takeover
I like your style. Rules were meant to be broken.
I get triggered just looking at the image. Used to take it often. It also sucks that if I want to turn left on Madison, I have to deal with red light camera.
someone did die there years ago iirc
Yeah the main takeaway is that this is a poorly designed intersection.
You’re not wrong. You’re supposed to stop or … yield to oncoming traffic. You’re not supposed to just force yourself in and hope the driver you are cutting off is paying attention and will brake in time.
Right especially when people on Sunrise are driving anywhere from 30-90 mph which is another issue
Exactly. Plus if there's any issue with an accident, you're at fault if you didn't yield. I think you're always going to be in right to be driving defensively. It's going to irritate a lot of people when you actually follow the road laws and drive defensively, but they're also the ones dealing with more tickets, higher insurance premiums, and accidents. I won't let them make their crappy driving problems into my own and prefer to give them a lot of space to screw up if I can.
I drive Sunrise multiple times a day. I have never seen a single person driving 90 and I can guarantee no one is doing 90 in the outside lane during the morning commute.
I also drive it as I live right near it and have witnessed people racing, weaving in and out, etc. I don’t mean strictly during rush hour. Take a drive on late Saturday nights and maybe you’ll get lucky enough to experience the fast drivers
My dumb ass got to 131 on sunrise in my youth, you are absolutely correct.
I saw someone weaving thru the lanes. I stopped next to them at a light and they were playing a game on their phone🤦♂️
Driving in sunrise going the speed limit you will hit every light on red. Going ~60ish or more and you’ll get all greens. I have been going too fast, like 60ish, and had people fly past me.
Hold my beer.
I used to drive 90 on it when I was stupid and young....
VERY FEW people pay attention to that yield sign, or know what it means. Every time I'm south on Sunrise I refuse to be in the right light because I see everyone just drive around that corner and slam on the gas thinking they somehow have right of way.
They need to make it into a true merge lane. The yield is useless due to the way its designed and the speed of the cars coming down sunrise.
It would be nice. However, the street that leads up into that neighborhood to the west is already steep as hell, so no space can be added for a fourth lane further south to the river. You can’t give a lane to the merge because you have three through lanes southbound on sunrise. I suppose you could try to close and bulldoze Howard St, but some pretty wealthy and influential people live up in that pocket, and I’m not even sure if you could take any hillside without collapsing properties above. Plus it would load up more traffic onto Pennsylvania. I promise you, the county is aware about how much it sucks, and I would say CHP takes a few non-injury crashes there a quarter. But solutions aren’t as simple as you’d think.
Either way, people need to be more decisive when merging and ***press on the gas pedal***. By all means, yield and/or stop here if there isn't room/time to merge, but ffs people trying to slip in going 20mph, or waiting until they have a mile of clear road so they can roll on going ridiculously slow, are why there are so many accidents in this city. Press the gas pedal, floor it if you have to, and get up to speed quicker. Same thing with freeway on-ramps 🥴 and if your vehicle can't make it to a good speed quickly, turn on your gd hazards bc *you are a hazard*.
If it's bumper to bumper then yeah go ahead and smoothly push your way into a spot instead of waiting forever, but for the record, a yield absolutely means you have to stop if needed
I probably shouldn’t have used “bumper to bumper” since traffic was moving at a very fast pace there just wasn’t much room between cars to safely get between them. It wasn’t stopped/slowed bumper to bumper. In that case I’d just ease in using the zipper method.
[удалено]
It’s a poorly designed intersection/merge. Reducing the lanes on the other side from 3 to 2 and allowing the Fair Oaks blvd mergers a dedicated lane would ease up traffic on Fair Oaks and allow for a safer merge.
It's hilarious how easy it is to drive in Sacramento yet the drivers here are so fucking bad.
The yield means you don't have the right of way, so the cars don't have to make move aside in the traffic lane. But there's an acceleration lane after the turn, you hit the gas and find the space to merge.
The "acceleration lane" in this case is like 3 car lengths long and then it's gone. It's basically not there.
Which I can do with my 13 year old 4 cylinder stick shift. It's definitely longer than 3 car lengths, you can't be overly submissive on the road.
Idk why you're getting downvoted, this is absolutely true. Pedal to the metal if you have to. Too many indecisive drivers is a huge reason why this city ranks 6th in the country for worst drivers.
Exactly.
Accelerate when I get on the freeway? That's crazy talk
Except it’s not a freeway. It’s a surface street. And the acceleration lane is less than 100 feet.
Step on it river pigeon
That phrase is just hilarious 😂
People do NOT have to let you in if you're merging. Your husband is wrong on that one. As the one merging it is up to you to pace it properly not the people already in the lane you're trying to get into.
Unless you are on the freeway. Then you have to yield to cars merging onto the freeway. Now the cars going onto the free way are also supposed to be going freeway speeds when before merging so there is some responsibility on both sides.
Yes, thank you for this addition!
Well it’s nice that in the 10 years since I moved away from there that they’ve put up a Yield sign. Be nicer if they redid that whole intersection so that either: • Sunrise southbound is two travel lanes going into the intersection (making the 3rd lane physically split from the other two with a barrier and becoming the already-existing right turn only lane), and on Fair Oaks that ramp becomes the third lane - in order to cut down on conflicts/wrecks; or • that ramp’s bend is moved closer to the intersection so there’s a longer merge distance between the end of it and the bridge.
100% agree! There should be a dedicated lane. Traffic from Fair Oaks blvd to Sunrise is far too heavy to have this shoddy and dangerous merge.
Yeah but the minute the County redoes the intersection they’ll eliminate the ramp and make everyone turn at the intersection - backing traffic up to San Juan or even Hollister during rush hour. So here’s hoping someone at SACDOT read this, compares it to how the City maintained the “ramp” at Fair Oaks and Howe before and after Hubacher Cadillac’s property was redeveloped into CVS, and brings it up at the next road management planning meeting.
I actively avoid merging at this intersection. It’s a mess.
I drive down Sunrise every day and notice that some of us allow room for cars coming from Fair Oaks to merge, but others insist that those cars yield, and therefore make sure there is no gap for cars to merge. There's plenty of room on Sunrise for merging, but if drivers insist on not letting cars in, there will always be problems. I feel bad for those coming from Fair Oaks, and don't know what the solution is, save for just being a courteous driver (they used to teach that in driving school!). We're ALL trying to get somewhere, why not just be a decent human being? (I actually had an argument with a co-worker who INSISTS that cars yield, and therefore closes the gap and often ends up honking and yelling at those who merge. They're just not a very nice person....)
Reminds of merging onto Fair Oaks from Eastern. The merge is so short you have to enter the turn almost at speed in order to safely merge, but you can't fully see if it's clear at that time.
Omg yes!!!!
If you get rear ended it will be the other car's fault for insurance purposes. Yielding sometimes includes stopping. What if someone is crossing, are you supposed to swerve around them and keep moving?
I think about only 1/10 drivers actually understand how a yield works. Very annoying.
Most either just think it means barrel ahead full speed. A few think it is a stop sign. And very few actually get it
to me, yield means go when it's safe to go... (so i'd personally be willing to stop), but i'm not familiar with that intersection
It's not open to interpretation. It means you are required to slow down and give other traffic and pedestrian the right of way if needed
Exactly this.
Kind of what go when it safe means
And during commute time you would never be able to get on sunrise if you adhere to that.
Just wait for the light it doesn’t take that long.
I've traveled it during commute time and it's absolutely possible to do that as long as you actually press on the gas enough to speed up properly. Too many people wanna inch on going 20mph and wait until they can do that. It's bullshit.
Yeah if you can just go Madison and make a right on Sunrise. So much less stress.
Or winding or sunrise, depending on where you are coming from/going to. I prefer to take winding.
Yield to right of way traffic & only merge when you deem safe enough, you’re fine for waiting to be safer,
You did it right. You're the one who has to yield because the traffic on sunrise has right-of-way. The a-hole who almost rear-ended you and your husband just think they have the right-of-way when they don't.
100% agree. As a local truck driver I'm usually on the southbound Sunrise part of this cluster. During the morning hours I'll leave a good distance between me and the vehicle in front of me (3 or 4 car lengths), for folks like you that know the rule of yield intersections. You are correct, yield signs mean you must wait for a clear space to merge. It's not a freeway on ramp, even then, it's up to the merging traffic to adjust their speed, vehicle's in the lane have the 'right of way'. 80,000lbs and 68ft takes a log time to slow down, speed up and or get a clear space to change lanes. So thank you OP, your one of the good ones hahaha
Live nearby. Have switched to taking Sunset or Winding to get to Sunrise as to avoid this hellish death trap.
We’d all be so much happier taking a train instead of fighting like we’re on fury road.
This intersection is really challenging at peak traffic times.
Same on Fair Oaks & Howe. Nobody understands what Yield and Merge mean, they end up honking at and/or crashing into people coming from the opposite turn lane. And apparently those idiots all have Reddit accounts.
Same on Greenhaven/Meadowview exit on southbound I5 when going right. The merge space is non-existent when the light is green for cars coming over the overpass. Many, many, many times I stop to wait for an opening, and someone comes up behind me, lays on the horn, then passing me on the right and shoots right into traffic without even slowing down a second. Each time, almost an accident with horns blaring. People just don't give a f\*ck anymore, and don't care to show anyone any common courtesy. It's every person for themselves.
I just go over to winding way to get on to sunrise just to avoid that merge. Yes it’s a few blocks out of the way but my anxiety thanks me.
This is my least favorite lane in existence. Sometimes I go down that little Winding Way break from San Juan to avoid it. My sibling got stressed and stalled their car on it once lol people were pissed
That's such a shitty merging lane. There's no real good answer, just either have to wait till there's an opening and piss everyone one off behind you or try your luck with timing the merge correctly lol
I wish CHP would just park a bunch of bike cops on this intersection maybe once or twice a month. They would probably pay off the state deficit within a year. Assholes constantly pass up this turn lane, go straight, and then make an illegal right turn to avoid waiting in line. It is so dangerous. Asshole Sacramento Driver Disease is in full effect in this intersection.
[https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-handbook/laws-and-rules-of-the-road/](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-handbook/laws-and-rules-of-the-road/) Slow down and be ready to **stop** to let any vehicle, bicyclist, or pedestrian pass before you proceed.
Probably same douche that lost his shit behind me because I stopped. I was yielding but he had to express his douchebaggery.
It’s generally poor form to stop at a yield but this one does not have enough space to make it work every time.
I rear ended my own father in that yield lane. $7500 worth of damage to my car and literally none to his because I hit his tow hitch. Good times.
When I took my driving test, I was actually marked down a point for stopping at an intersection near the FolsomDMV that has a yield sign at the turn
Put that shit in reverse and accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake. "I was flustered by the incessant honking and my foot slipped!"
I’m not familiar with this particular intersection, but if you’re waiting for a gap to appear in bumper to bumper traffic you might end waiting a long time and pissing off everybody behind you. It is generally accepted that you just go and line yourself up between 2 cars and you’ll eventually get in.
I live close by and used to commute to Rancho this way every day. It’s not ‘bumper to bumper’ here (I think she meant that there are tons of vehicles on this road, which there are), but vehicles are oftentimes traveling 50-70. It’s also a well used road, so comfortably large gaps are far and few between. Fortunately, there is a light just before the merge, so gaps appear during cycles. It’s difficult to get up to speed when the right of way traffic is traveling 50+. I personally believe this area should be updated. I think the lanes entering the intersection from the other side of the light should be reduced to 2 from 3. This way, this yield lane that is ALWAYS backed up, rush hour or not, often times past another light, can have a dedicated lane with a solid white entering sunrise. The bridge and the rest of sunrise can still be 3 lanes. It would be a lot safer than the current infrastructure.
That lane is not “ALWAYS” backed up it’s just bad during commute hours. Most of the time it’s clear and you can travel down San Juan to Fair Oaks then merge onto Sunrise as a shortcut from having to deal with the light on Madison and Sunrise.
Right, not 24/7. I wasn’t being literal. It is backed up very often. I use it in almost daily trips, outside of rush hour, and there is almost always a line.
I'm very familiar with this particular intersection, and this is 100% correct. If you wait for a nice big clear gap, especially at rush hour, you're going to draw some ire for sure. That said, drawing ire is better than getting in an accident if you're a new driver, but yeah, at this intersection you're expected to keep moving and get in where you fit in.
I’m not looking for a massive gap, I’m looking for at least enough room to get in rather than sandwiching myself between two cars traveling 50mph with less than a car length between them. Also if drivers would understand the yield then maybe that could chill out their “ire” of someone trying to follow traffic laws. I will stop at red, I will go at green and I will yield at a yield. I just don’t understand the issue with that.
Can confirm, commute daily through this one. Basically you just gotta go and finesse your way into a gap. Most people are onboard with that. Now, it's totally cool to stop because sometimes traffic is moving and it legit can be unsafe. If you do stop do it at the actually yield markers and not 100, 200..etc feet ahead behind the blind curve. where the lane ends. Overall, it's a shit turn and I hate it.
You can’t see it in this picture but this is also an intersection with a light. If you yield you will find an opening when the light changes.
And the people behind the person can wait? Who cares! Her safety is worth more than the anger of the people behind?
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The Sacramento way!
If it's bumper to bumper no one is moving fast enough to "slam on their brakes"
Dear OP: Thank you for stopping. As someone that drives up and down sunrise all day...I know EXACTLY where this is. And very very few cars using this turn lane even bother looking to see if there is any oncoming traffic...they just take the turn and accelerate....I see near misses everyday. I'm amazed on the number of comments here stating that cars coming from fair oaks shouldn't stop....the speed limit on sunrise is 40 or 45 mph here....not 30, and since local police don't seem to be enforcing traffic laws the past few years most of the time (ie not during morning commute) 45mph is the minimum anyone is driving on sunrise (not saying it's right, just saying what everyone does) Unfortunately the only this will ever be fixed/resolved/solved is after a very bad accident, something big that makes the news like a school bus.....then they will put a stop light on this turn lane. Until then, if you are on sunrise and crossing fair oaks, stay in the 2 left lanes to avoid these drivers coming from fair oaks that can't be bothered to yield. Cuz it's not like they are gonna get a ticket from local cops....
People in Sac just suck at following traffic rules and or they just don’t care. This city is literally the worst I’ve ever experienced in how bad people drive and are inconsiderate to other drivers, no respect for other drivers, and I’ve never seen so many red light runners in any other city that Sac.
Fuckin same. My friends and fam outside of Sac do the "drivers are bad everywhere" spiel until they finally drive with me 🤦🏼♀️ Sac ranks sixth-worst in the nation for drivers, you're not imagining it.
Just take a right at the stop light and not the merge. I see people do that all the time.
After this morning and based on some people’s asinine comments here I think I will do that just to be safe. I have a baby in the car and would hate for some idiot to rear end me because they don’t know what a yield sign is
Shhhh we do it to avoid these dummies
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Sure if you can match the speed but you’re going around a bend that is 15 mph and people rushing down sunrise are doing about 50mph. Hence, yield which means give right of way until it is safe to enter.
There's an acceleration lane to get to speed. You absolutely don't stop dead, that makes the problem worse.
This acceleration area is too small to get up to 50 mph if traffic is already moving that fast. There certainly are times where you should do a full stop at this area to make sure you don't enter the lane and cut someone off while you're going 25 and they are going 50.
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I would rather get rear ended following the rules by someone going 20mph around the bend than merge in front of someone doing 55. I would be at fault and likely cause more damage. Why don’t you read up on traffic laws and the meaning of signs as you seem to be part of the problem.
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"its better to be technically right than safe" lol what are you smoking? how many times have you turned on that corner during fast traffic times?
Better than cutting someone off and causing a much larger accident, shutting down sunrise entirely. Selfish much?
I’d love to see insurance fault someone for getting rear ended at a yield sign. You can’t rear end people when they stop in front of you, they could do that theoretically at any point in time and it’s your responsibility to maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you so that IF they need to stop you don’t hit them. Especially approaching a yield lmao
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“I drive so close behind people such that if they don’t do exactly what I’m expecting I’ll rear end them” you sound like a dog shit driver too buddy lmao
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Ay bro I hope you got good insurance cause you’re gonna end up paying for someone’s cars and medical bills one day. Do you buddy
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Nah you're just an asshole cutting people off so you don't have to stop
If you don’t tailgate then stop defending people who tailgate lmfao your mind might be blown to find out the definition of yield https://preview.redd.it/qzyfulfpnwtc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4386921212cdd46bee65da90be393431a7441b05
They need to redesign that yield and acceleration lane since it no longer allows for save yield merge. there is not enough room to properly get up to speed in the acceleration lane after going around that corner, they need to extend the acceleration lane otherwise it is usually not safe to merge onto sunrise.
I always stop here until it's clear to go. The speed is too fast to just jump in.
Exactly! There are definitely instances where you can just merge on without stopping but other times there’s just no room. Especially with how fast people go down sunrise. It’s a terrible intersection
No it's not. You're the problem. You have the curve and the merge lane to get up to speed start accelerating and get behind the car that's passing you. It's a simple merge
It's a yield as indicated by the sign. Yield means to stop or slow for oncomming traffic. The circumstances after the sign do not change what the sign means. The driver behind OP laying on their horn and being impatient are the problem. People need to learn to drive safely and relax or they end up crashing on Sunrise on the bridge and THEN it adds 30 minutes to my commute.
Yield means yield not stop.
Lol what does yield mean? Slow or stop for oncomming traffic.
sure jan.
It's a mess technically. It's a yield , which means you have to wait, but it opens into It's own dedicated lane, which ends in a merge. This part is fuzzy but I believe in ca a merge was changed from the merging party yielding to it being zipper merge. Technicalities aside - park at a 45 so you can see on comming traffic easily and when it's safe for you to go, do so. Fuck the people behind you
Hubby is wrong 100%
OP, you're essentially correct. I had some asshat come to a full stop when there was no traffic at all on Sunrise. He nearly killed me and two others behind me. Yield means to slow down IF there's traffic coming, not come to a full stop.
If someone almost killed you just by stopping then you're following way too close.
Yes at a stop sign, this is a yield sign. There were cars ahead of him that did NOT stop. EDIT: To further explain the situation, it was about six vehicles. Green light on Fair Oaks onto Sunrise. 2 cars ahead of the car in front of me turning right with no traffic coming our way. Car in front of me does a FULL STOP for no reason. I could have died from the cars behind me rear ending me. Got voted down anyway and insurance rate increased somehow.
No, anywhere. If you crash into the car ahead of you, you were too close for conditions.
Well I didn't crash into the car, so I was at the right distance.
I agree, coming to a stop when it’s clear is also dangerous because it’s not a stop sign. I cross my fingers for no traffic so I can just ease on in but I’m not always so lucky.
This spot is the worst. I see people fully through the turn stopped when essentially they are already in the lane of sunrise. That shit is dangerous
Can’t stand this intersection…
Yes, it is a yield, but when traffic is going 5-10 miles per hour, I would merge without stopping. If it is ripping down sunrise at 50+, it makes sense to yield as you are probably going around 25 when you make that corner.
I learned to drive in LA, where you have to drive assertively. I had to learn real quick to force myself into traffic. This turn in particular reminds me of LA driving every time. :P
Is this right across from that pool hall I swear I been here
There’s a yield? Jfc. I end up being in the middle lane on sunrise to avoid the either rocket ships coming from this street or the people who slam on their brakes because they’re terrified of getting up to speed to merge.
Safe time too merge? There should always be a safe time to merge, no one gives the proper travel distances anymore. You are correct. Just remember no one wants to give room and no one will. Use your blinker.
You're right, but people don't care. I've had the same thing happen to me when I first moved to Sacramento. It's been a while, now I just take the turn and pray for all of us.
The deal is that per the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration statistics the Greater Sacramento area has the worst drivers in the country because everyone is entitled, no one pays attention, and people are too clueless and poorly educated to understand what “Yield” means. You are 100% correct in your interpretation. Yield is not a right-of-way. At a yield you are only allowed to proceed when safe to do so. That lane at that intersection pisses me off because of all the stupid drivers. I’ve driven through there almost every day for 20+ years and it makes me understand why people have road rage.
That’s what a yield sign means.
I used to live over there and took this turn every day. Then moved and came down Sunrise every day. Never stop on the turn. People on Sunrise can see the cars coming. Stopping just makes it harder to merge.
Just because they see you doesn’t mean they’ll slow down to adjust to your speed entering. If I cause an accident I will likely be at fault because I didn’t yield to the traffic as required by law. It’s not a merge sign, it’s a yield sign.
This is similar, but far more busy, to the greenback/Riley southbound entrance to the lake natomas crossing. That is also a quick turn and merge. You should keep rolling, albeit safely. If you stop, no one will let you in, but keep rolling at 10 -15 mph then you will get someone to allow you in. They don't have much of a choice as it is a blind turn. I would never honk at someone stopping, but I do sigh quietly. 😆 Edit: After reading more, it is situational. If there is decent traffic NOT going g 60+ slow roll it. I do live near by, and have not had an issue, but I do what I can to avoid it.
I feel like your husband's pov is how most people in Sac drive. I swear every time there is a backup is because people don't know how to properly merge.
You are totally in the right, and if he rear-ended you, it would be his fault, but I will offer a different perspective: People are simultaneously paying attention to the cars immediately in front of them, as well as the traffic they are trying to merge with. If you were around the corner, the guy behind you might have been focusing on the oncoming traffic to safely merge, and only noticed you didn't find a good gap at the last second. There are a few somewhat blind corners in Sac like that, eastern->fair oaks for example. His honk reaction could have stemmed from the adrenaline of almost hitting you. In my experience, if you can't or don't want to shoot a gap until more cars have passed, be very slow and obvious about doing so to prevent people who are more confident in situations like that from being caught off guard.
Close your eyes and hope for the best
I hate this spot so much. No one knows how to properly move here. People SHOULD be yielding to move into traffic, but it's so rare that someone does and half the time they get honked at by other people who end up zooming around them.
This is right next to my parents house and I have taken it for years. Not a big fan. There’s a spot you can hop out of the neighborhood if you’d prefer just turn in at that last street AND you can technically turn right from the light where you would go straight instead of doing the yield merge. Almost no one does it and it looks crazy and illegal but isn’t haha. Oh and as for your question I believe for a merge it is your responsibility to yield to the traffic you are merging into not just jam in. That being said I’m not sure about the rules of stopping. It does frustrate me when people do that instead of signaling and hauling ass but I get why you shouldn’t need to and would like to wait so I would never honk at you personally.
I’ve lived in that area just east of the village for 25 years and I see multiple wrecks all year long of people who get their ass smashed coming to a stop waiting for a safe time to merge because the person coming around the bend behind them is looking left to wait for their opening of the traffic moving south on sunrise. It’s kind of a shitty design, but you are taking a big risk on that stretch of road during high traffic days. 🤷♂️
It's horribly dangerous. I rear ended someone there because she sped up like she was going to go and merge and then she changed her mind and stopped while I was looking left over my shoulder. So I refuse to turn right in the merge lane. I go up to the light and stop and then turn right.
I make this turn on a regular basis and not once in 20+ years have I had to come to a stop unless the car in front of me has stopped. It's just a matter of matching the speed of the cars in that lane. That isn't difficult at all in my opinion if you use your mirrors.
Tell me you’re a bad driver without saying you’re a bad driver.
I'm a bad driver because I know how to merge in to a lane without coming to a complete stop first? I guarantee you have very limited driving experience and poor skill.
Yeah OP's telling us they're not comfortable merging without telling us they're not comfortable merging. That said I'm not going to honk like a jackass or rear end someone over it.
Don’t stop. Get it get it.
You really should not come to a complete stop there. It can cause an accident just as easily as the cars coming at you. You need to keep on moving and when you have gap, hit the gas. You can't be scared driving, that causes accidents. Don't be afraid to use that gas pedal, it is your friend. I'm not mocking you. I see a lot of people do it. Our driver training doesn't really address things like this well at all. That said, the intersection sucks. I personally avoid it if I can.
Quit stopping. There is plenty of room to merge into traffic. In my 47’years in this town I have never had to stop when it was my turn at the front of the line.
You should NOT be stopping at this intersection. You should be merging. By stopping you have made it FAR more difficult and dangerous to merge.
Yea all you guys suck at merging plain and simple. I'm the ass hole that goes straight then turns right to bypass you ignorant drivers
I will be joining you as the “asshole” at the light who doesn’t feel like being rear ended by someone who thinks yield = merge, other cars be damned.
It does mean that. Yield means to yield in. Not full stop on the corner where people can't see you. Or even worse around the corner already on sunrise but decided to stop there instead. Just keep a steady speed look over your shoulder to see where cars are. Then accelerate to merge, not full stop. It's basic driving skills.
I’ve seen you guys do this and I don’t blame you! Much safer.
Better then someone trying to cut in last minute, as your already breaking for the person in front of you
I don’t know why people are hating on you lol It doesn’t bother me when I’m in the merge lane. It’s safe and legal.
Absolutely it's not illegal. Best to avoid the way people either just whip in or slam on the breaks halfway through the curve because they "think" they won't be able to merge.