Motorway Driving

[janeferguson]

I was watching a video on motorway driving and it said sometimes people who can't merge have to stop at the end of the slip lane. I have never experienced or seen this. Has anyone? I have seen someone say they saw someone overtake a car stopped at the end of the slip lane

 

[clinteastwood]

I suppose that is the logical outcome of giving way to traffic on your right and existing traffic - ie slip road traffic joining a road doesnt have priority.

 

[Yoga Woga]

I was blown out of it yesterday by a Dublin Bus, i was only going 80 and he was annoyed I hadn't held back to let him join the dual carriageway, I was too busy concentrating and keeping eyes all around in the heavy rain. He then tailgated and kept his full beam, until he eventually had to pull over for a passenger. I regularly let buses out in the 50 zones as I think it's good to do so as it helps keep them on track of their timetable, but yesterday it was safer for me to proceed and him to slow and go behind me than try barge out from where he was joining the road, I'm not sure everyone realises the full rules of the road...

 

[mathepac]

Any chance you were driving in a bus-lane?

The general rule is to give way to traffic approaching from your right. As you were on the bus-driver's right, right of way was yours. However, if the lane to your immediate right was free, applying the 3 Cs principle, you could have moved right, after indicating, and ceded right of way. Maybe that's what got HKIAT.

 

[AlbacoreA]

I was watching a video on motorway driving and it said sometimes people who can't merge have to stop at the end of the slip lane. I have never experienced or seen this. Has anyone? I have seen someone say they saw someone overtake a car stopped at the end of the slip lane

Yes. Both seen and experienced where drivers on the motorway will not let traffic entering the motorway merge. I don't think its that uncommon.

 

[AlbacoreA]

I was blown out of it yesterday by a Dublin Bus, i was only going 80 and he was annoyed I hadn't held back to let him join the dual carriageway, I was too busy concentrating and keeping eyes all around in the heavy rain. He then tailgated and kept his full beam, until he eventually had to pull over for a passenger. I regularly let buses out in the 50 zones as I think it's good to do so as it helps keep them on track of their timetable, but yesterday it was safer for me to proceed and him to slow and go behind me than try barge out from where he was joining the road, I'm not sure everyone realises the full rules of the road...

You might have had right of way.

But I don't really get "can't slow down" thing.

 

[Yoga Woga]

You might have had right of way.

But I don't really get "can't slow down" thing.

I wasn't insisting on my 'right of way' i kept proceeding, he hadn't indicated to come out, it was poor visibility and he was aiming to merge when we were parallel.

 

[Leo]

I wasn't insisting on my 'right of way' i kept proceeding, he hadn't indicated to come out, it was poor visibility and he was aiming to merge when we were parallel.

And that is the correct approach, the law is clear that it is the driver joining who has the responsibility to speed up or slow down to merge with the traffic already on the road. The problem we have is so many drivers are inconsiderate and just expect everyone else to get out of their way.

 

[odyssey06]

And that is the correct approach, the law is clear that it is the driver joining who has the responsibility to speed up or slow down to merge with the traffic already on the road. The problem we have is so many drivers are inconsiderate and just expect everyone else to get out of their way.

We also have a problem with drivers driving too close to the cars in front of them in the lane, when more room should be left to accomodate merging (and basic safety reasons).

 

[AlbacoreA]

I wasn't insisting on my 'right of way' i kept proceeding, he hadn't indicated to come out, it was poor visibility and he was aiming to merge when we were parallel.

I just said you had right of way, you've decided to say "insisting".

If someone is a on slipway joining on a major road would assume they are merging onto the major road. What else would they be doing.

No sure what poor visibility has to do with it, if people are all driving at 80kph and you all saw each other.

 

[Leo]

We also have a problem with drivers driving too close to the cars in front of them in the lane, when more room should be left to accomodate merging (and basic safety reasons).

Agreed, and I suspect a lot of that is down to the overall poor standards of driving. You often see the gaps closing in traffic as a few try to jump into exit lanes late to get ahead of others waiting their turn.

 

[Yoga Woga]

I just said you had right of way, you've decided to say "insisting".

If someone is a on slipway joining on a major road would assume they are merging onto the major road. What else would they be doing.

No sure what poor visibility has to do with it, if people are all driving at 80kph and you all saw each other.

I'm a sailor, i drive as I sail, right of way is one thing, avoiding a collision is another and takes priority. I was too far ahead to have slowed down to accommodate the bus, his intentions were unclear as to what point he was going to merge. Sheesh, I wish I had kept my mouth shut.

 

[thedaddyman]

I've experienced it (when merging) where traffic is very busy and almost at a standstill. Also on occassions you will get people who just mosey onto the motorway without a clue what is happening on the road itself

 

[AlbacoreA]

I'm a sailor, i drive as I sail, right of way is one thing, avoiding a collision is another and takes priority. I was too far ahead to have slowed down to accommodate the bus, his intentions were unclear as to what point he was going to merge. Sheesh, I wish I had kept my mouth shut.

You already said what point he was going to merge. Exactly where you were if neither of you changed speed.

You had right of way and didn't change speed. Leaving the bus only one option, to slow down, and try merge behind you at slower speed (to the traffic on the main road) or stop.

That's simply how the physics of it work. I'm not casting any judgement either way of it all.

 

[AlbacoreA]

I often see and/or experience merging difficulties when joining motorways. I noticed similar in the UK when driving there.

Some countries I think have a different rule that you have give way to merging traffic. Perhaps for this very reason.

Personally where possible I prefer to move out of the first lane if approaching a lane joining merge and avoid any grief.

Unrelated to people or comments on this thread. There was a whole other thread on here about people slavishly following lane discipline on motorways regardless of how practical or how it effected others. It all stems from impatience and lack of enforcement. I don't believe anyone including myself is a perfect driver. We are human.

There are times when it's going to difficult to merge. I don't think road rage is the answer.

 

[Seagull]

I think the biggest issue here with motorway driving is people not leaving proper gaps between vehicles. It should be easy for vehicles joining the motorway to slot between vehicles already on it, but most drivers here are way too close.

 

[AlbacoreA]

I think the biggest issue here with motorway driving is people not leaving proper gaps between vehicles. It should be easy for vehicles joining the motorway to slot between vehicles already on it, but most drivers here are way too close.

There is the issue when you leave a reasonable gap someone (sometimes more than one) will dive into it at inappropriate speed diving for the exit. My answer to that is where appropriate slow down further making the gap bigger. Speaking for myself I want the impatient drivers disappearing into the distance ahead, not near me, especially not behind me.

But as traffic gets worse, congestion gets worse is gets harder. No argument from me. I go out of my way to avoid driving in heavy traffic these days.

 

[S class]

This problem will be solved in the future when all vehicles are fully automated or driver-less.

They will fully communicate and cooperate with each other, unlike the many unskilled, stupid or downright dangerous humans currently operating vehicles on our roads.

This will result in less traffic jams and safer roads.

The sooner this happens the better.

 

[joer]

This problem will be solved in the future when all vehicles are fully automated or driver-less.

They will fully communicate and cooperate with each other, unlike the many unskilled, stupid or downright dangerous humans currently operating vehicles on our roads.

This will result in less traffic jams and safer roads.

The sooner this happens the better.

I think I would like to be in control of my own vehicle

 

[Leo]

I think I would like to be in control of my own vehicle

The problem is every boy racer and idiot looking to gain a few seconds in their journey time thinks the same.

I often use adaptive cruise control on the motorways now, slows and accelerates with the traffic around you. More chilled experience, and if more did it, average traffic speeds would increase.