soft shoulder

soft shoulder

An unpaved lane or area on the side of a road, often a highway, where drivers can stop their vehicles in emergency situations. I think you've got a flat tire. You'd better pull over on to the soft shoulder. I came to a stop on the soft shoulder because it was raining so hard I couldn't see.

See also: shoulder, soft

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.