Hudson Valley Drivers: This Popular Move Could Cost You $450

Far be it for me to tell you how to live... but maybe a hefty fine can do it instead.

The arterial interchange in Poughkeepsie, NY is one of the most famously frustrating bits of road construction in the Hudson Valley. The 4-leaf clover of exit and entrance ramps connecting Route 9 with 44-55 has one persistent daily (and illegal) problem... and it can also cost you enough money to ruin your holiday.

The 44-55 arterial in Poughkeepsie, NY is one of the most frustrating pieces of road in the entire Hudson Valley (Google/TSM Poughkeepsie)

Dangerous Roads in the Hudson Valley, NY

From running stop signs to not understanding how to navigate a traffic circle, our local roads can be a frustrating place. For me though, the most infuriating maneuver is the one I see every single day on my commute from Newburgh, NY to Poughkeepsie on the famed arterial.

This example of failure to yield (and the one vehicle who is actually following the rules of the road) happens continually on the Poughkeepsie, NY arterial (TSM Poughkeepsie)

Failure to Yield at the 44-55 Arterial in Poughkeepsie, NY

If you've taken the exit from the Mid-Hudson Bridge onto Route 9 then you've seen it just as much as I have: failure to yield. The interchange is difficult enough as it is with slow cars trying to merge with the two lanes of speeding traffic on Route 9, but those drivers seem to forget that the opposite needs to happen as well.

The correct way to yield at the 44-55 arterial in Poughkeepsie, NY (Google)

Who Has the Right of Way at the Arterial in Poughkeepsie, NY?

The yield signs on each arterial ramp is meant to remind drivers that the vehicles on Route 9 have the right of way, including the right of way to exit. So why do so many cars instead decide to create a bottleneck, essentially preventing cars on Route 9 from merging (below)?

A persistent problem on the 44-55 arterial in Poughkeepsie, NY is failure to yield (TSM Poughkeepsie)

Fines and License Points for Failing to Yield in New York

The problem is so bad that it's become the norm. If I had a dollar for every time the car behind me honked or gave me a rude gesture for obeying the yield sign, I'd have enough money to pay the fine associated with the violation. Not only can failure to yield cost you three points on your license, but it can come with a $150 fine as well... at that's just for the first time.

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Repeat failure to yield offenders can be charged as much as $450 for a repeat infraction, with three points added with each ticket. Everyone has conspiracies about police departments cracking down on speeders at the end of the month to meet quota, but officers could do a lot better if they just camped out at the arterial every rush hour. Check out some more of our dangerous New York roads below.