Since I've moved up here, I've been amazed at the drivers of Oklahoma. (Actually before I moved here as well, but was only here once a week) I've thought that maybe I was doing something wrong, so I pulled down the Oklahoma Drivers Manual, which I find to be a little incomplete (and slightly ambiguous in at least one case).
My confusion stems mostly from yields, merges, turns on red and now, traffic circles(which I really just an extension of the previous two).
I would assume that the best place to get answers would be to call or drop by DPS somewhere, but for the heck of it, I'll toss these out..
Traffic circles:
Fact: Everyone has a yield sign.
Fact: Traffic is designed to travel counter clockwise (in this circle at least)
Assumption: You yield to traffic in the circle to your left that is in the circle. If you're in something that for whatever reason, cannot merge into the traffic coming from the left (regardless of intersection that it entered), you wait. Or you buy something faster.
Result: I had a conversation from an agent of an organization that I hold high respects for and was told that traffic circles *should* be treated as a four way stop and you oughta yield to the intersection to the right (if they've been there a while and it can cause traffic to back up). I can understand his frustration at having been stuck there a while (I'd just made a couple of circles around the County offices myself, waiting for every light I hit, on my lunch hour). Emphasis is mine.
Thoughts: Yielding to a person to the right in this case seems incorrect. I slowed, watched for traffic to the left and continued on as the traffic on the right was at a stop as I started to enter the intersection.
On Ramps with no yield signs:
Assumption: Should be treated as if there was a yield sign.
Possible Fact: A sign is present as shown on page 5-5, 1st row / column
OK Driver's Manual: Merging traffic should yield, though if the yellow sign is in place, established traffic should watch for merging traffic and yield to them as necessary.
Thoughts: This is contradictory to me. Merging traffic should yield or properly merge. (Don't get me wrong, if there's heavy traffic and people signal, I try to let them in as long as they're not idiots. If it's clear traffic, they can find plenty of space and I shouldn't need to do anything)
Ramps with Yield signs:
Fact: There's a yield sign. You should yield. Because, you know, there's a sign there.
Assumption: People should yield.
Thoughts: About 80% of drivers don't seem to think this applies to them, esp at the ramps of NB I35 and WB I240 or at the exit of I44 for Northbound Hwy 74. WTF people?
Notes: Any number followed by the symbol % should be taken lightly salted.
Am I really not getting this stuff?
My confusion stems mostly from yields, merges, turns on red and now, traffic circles(which I really just an extension of the previous two).
I would assume that the best place to get answers would be to call or drop by DPS somewhere, but for the heck of it, I'll toss these out..
Traffic circles:
Fact: Everyone has a yield sign.
Fact: Traffic is designed to travel counter clockwise (in this circle at least)
Assumption: You yield to traffic in the circle to your left that is in the circle. If you're in something that for whatever reason, cannot merge into the traffic coming from the left (regardless of intersection that it entered), you wait. Or you buy something faster.
Result: I had a conversation from an agent of an organization that I hold high respects for and was told that traffic circles *should* be treated as a four way stop and you oughta yield to the intersection to the right (if they've been there a while and it can cause traffic to back up). I can understand his frustration at having been stuck there a while (I'd just made a couple of circles around the County offices myself, waiting for every light I hit, on my lunch hour). Emphasis is mine.
Thoughts: Yielding to a person to the right in this case seems incorrect. I slowed, watched for traffic to the left and continued on as the traffic on the right was at a stop as I started to enter the intersection.
On Ramps with no yield signs:
Assumption: Should be treated as if there was a yield sign.
Possible Fact: A sign is present as shown on page 5-5, 1st row / column
OK Driver's Manual: Merging traffic should yield, though if the yellow sign is in place, established traffic should watch for merging traffic and yield to them as necessary.
Thoughts: This is contradictory to me. Merging traffic should yield or properly merge. (Don't get me wrong, if there's heavy traffic and people signal, I try to let them in as long as they're not idiots. If it's clear traffic, they can find plenty of space and I shouldn't need to do anything)
Ramps with Yield signs:
Fact: There's a yield sign. You should yield. Because, you know, there's a sign there.
Assumption: People should yield.
Thoughts: About 80% of drivers don't seem to think this applies to them, esp at the ramps of NB I35 and WB I240 or at the exit of I44 for Northbound Hwy 74. WTF people?
Notes: Any number followed by the symbol % should be taken lightly salted.
Am I really not getting this stuff?
That's my excuse anyways.
