Short Slip Roads and Safety Tips
Discussion
FlyingFin said:
By the same token, I am not going to enter into a slanging match on how you should drive in your fictitious situations
I'm not sure it's that fictitious. His description didn't seem too dissimilar to the one occasion I can remember electing to extend my join a short distance onto the hard shoulder after plan A was cunningly and comprehensively foiled.I saw this post earlier today and at 62 years old, after years of driving, I had a similar experience just last Sunday although I was slowing ready to stop but got away just by the skin of my teeth. It was pitch black and raining and the car behind me was right up close and wasn't slowing down so I, being me had to reassure myself I was driving ok. I found this link and I feel it's a very good example of how to use slip roads to motorways or A roads....so here it is and I hope it helps. The official advice is: "if you have to stop on a slip road then stop"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypwDwqNhUSM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypwDwqNhUSM
Having looked at that Junction, I would just treat that as any normal T junction, but maybe slowly drive down it to give yourself a bit of room to get speed up to say 20mph at least and not 10mph when joining from a standing start...
Motorway merging just comes with practice, I used to hate it, and now just 'don't particular love it' but normally I would say 40% of the cars in L1 will merge into L2 if they see lots of traffic coming down the slip road anyway so that normally helps with finding a gap to pull into.
I have never had to stop at the end of a slip road (bar major slow traffic) and would be quite scared attempting to join from the very end from a stationary position. I would always try to only increase your speed whilst on a slip road and not slow down as that's what 90% of the people behind you will be doing - just don't increase your speed too quickly as if you merge into L1 and feel satisfied, you may be approaching the rear end of someone in front of you...
I would always remember you do not have priority when merging but I would certainly help out and 'pay it forward' to those merging whilst i'm already on the motorway, as is very likely someone moved over into L2 to help create a gap for me get out earlier on my journey...
Practice and experience!
Motorway merging just comes with practice, I used to hate it, and now just 'don't particular love it' but normally I would say 40% of the cars in L1 will merge into L2 if they see lots of traffic coming down the slip road anyway so that normally helps with finding a gap to pull into.
I have never had to stop at the end of a slip road (bar major slow traffic) and would be quite scared attempting to join from the very end from a stationary position. I would always try to only increase your speed whilst on a slip road and not slow down as that's what 90% of the people behind you will be doing - just don't increase your speed too quickly as if you merge into L1 and feel satisfied, you may be approaching the rear end of someone in front of you...
I would always remember you do not have priority when merging but I would certainly help out and 'pay it forward' to those merging whilst i'm already on the motorway, as is very likely someone moved over into L2 to help create a gap for me get out earlier on my journey...
Practice and experience!
For those saying he should indicate (which I agree with as especially at night you can't always make out what lane a car is in), should you indicate left as you approach the junction as that's what the junction is of right as you're merging? If the traffic was heavy I might be included to hang back from the junction so fairly square to it as this gives the best visibility up the road and only move when I see a gap approaching at which point I'd indicate right.
The OP might also like to think about what he would do if he was on the main road and a car was waiting to join. Leaving a healthy gap in front or moving over a lane.
The OP might also like to think about what he would do if he was on the main road and a car was waiting to join. Leaving a healthy gap in front or moving over a lane.
PaulMoor said:
That junction is not a slip road, it is a normal junction and should be treated as such. The problem is you treated it as a slip road. Too many people do this and try and treat duel carage way junctions as slip roads. Only some are, and you do not have right of way on them like a motorway.
Please tell me you don't drive?Or if do you tell me where so I can avoide you.
Apart from that, words fail me.
IT1GTR said:
I think observation is the key tbh.
Looking at the link, as you come round the slip road It appears that you have a good enough view of the DC to adjust your speed to slot into a gap. Certainly by the time you reach the keep left bollard you should have a feel for the flow of traffic.
If it was me, I would select 2nd at the keep left bollard, and then use the time between that and the hatchings on the road to select a suitable gap, then use 2nd gear to accelerate and slot into the gap.
Had a look at the road, sound advice unless the road is chocka, you don't have much time when you make the left curve turn, unless you see the road is clear you really have no option but to stop, it's hardly a slip road, in my opinion, it's a badly laid out junction.Looking at the link, as you come round the slip road It appears that you have a good enough view of the DC to adjust your speed to slot into a gap. Certainly by the time you reach the keep left bollard you should have a feel for the flow of traffic.
If it was me, I would select 2nd at the keep left bollard, and then use the time between that and the hatchings on the road to select a suitable gap, then use 2nd gear to accelerate and slot into the gap.
To the OP, we all had to learn sometime, take it easy, and as my instructor said to me "Treat all other road users as idiots"
Safe driving.
PS. Just noticed your a newbee, this is the site is the one for answers to anything, from joining dual carriageways to thermal nuclear science, someone here always knows the answer.
Edited by Vipers on Wednesday 22 January 08:27
henrycrun said:
And if you are on the main carriageway, its often worth doing a lifesaver over your left shoulder to check what is about to emerge from the sliproad.
Plan ahead, as you approach the junction, if you see another vehicle approaching, move over a lane ONLY if that doesn't inconvienance someone already there. (Don't have to but it's curtesy in my book.)It gets my goat when your doing 70 in L2, someone in L1 doing 60 sees someone coming down the slip, and pulls over to let them out, causing me to anchor up. Again I plan ahead for these morons.
Based on an NSL of 70 of course
Sorry guys for three separate posts, easier to do on an iPad than trying to answer more than one in a single post.
Edited by Vipers on Wednesday 22 January 09:45
Jon1967x said:
For those saying he should indicate (which I agree with as especially at night you can't always make out what lane a car is in), should you indicate left as you approach the junction as that's what the junction is of right as you're merging? If the traffic was heavy I might be included to hang back from the junction so fairly square to it as this gives the best visibility up the road and only move when I see a gap approaching at which point I'd indicate right.
The advice about signalling was for communication with those on the road he's joining - that's obviously signalling right. I think there might be a word missing or something in your post - at what point are you thinking about signalling left? Who would you be signalling to?SK425 said:
Jon1967x said:
For those saying he should indicate (which I agree with as especially at night you can't always make out what lane a car is in), should you indicate left as you approach the junction as that's what the junction is of right as you're merging? If the traffic was heavy I might be included to hang back from the junction so fairly square to it as this gives the best visibility up the road and only move when I see a gap approaching at which point I'd indicate right.
The advice about signalling was for communication with those on the road he's joining - that's obviously signalling right. I think there might be a word missing or something in your post - at what point are you thinking about signalling left? Who would you be signalling to?An extreme example of this (and it IS extreme) there are plenty of motorway junctions around here where they're off a straight road crossing over the motorway. It's feasible to signal left onto the slip road and then right onto the motorway. In the case of the OP it's just more compact.
My daughter had trouble with slip roads when she was learning to drive. I helped her by turning it into a game. Starting with proper slip roads that had good visibility, and explaining that the aim was to slot into L1 at the same speed as the traffic around her (and without causing the other car to brake or change lane). With this in mind, I asked her to pick a car and tell me whether she was going to join in front of it, or behind it. That way I could tell whether the move was on or not, and coach her to match the speed in the best way, or take corrective action if not.
The OP's situation is just an extreme version of this as you have a very limited window to slip into the moving traffic without coming to a stop first. Having come to a stop, you just need a bigger gap to successfully and safely merge with traffic. The rules on joining the main carriageway are the same whether it is a T-junction, short merge lane or a slip road - it is just more likely that the first is completed from a standing start and the latter from a gradual acceleration and move across whilst doing the same speed as cars in L1.
Steve
The OP's situation is just an extreme version of this as you have a very limited window to slip into the moving traffic without coming to a stop first. Having come to a stop, you just need a bigger gap to successfully and safely merge with traffic. The rules on joining the main carriageway are the same whether it is a T-junction, short merge lane or a slip road - it is just more likely that the first is completed from a standing start and the latter from a gradual acceleration and move across whilst doing the same speed as cars in L1.
Steve
sjmmarsh said:
My daughter had trouble with slip roads when she was learning to drive. I helped her by turning it into a game. Starting with proper slip roads that had good visibility, and explaining that the aim was to slot into L1 at the same speed as the traffic around her (and without causing the other car to brake or change lane). With this in mind, I asked her to pick a car and tell me whether she was going to join in front of it, or behind it. That way I could tell whether the move was on or not, and coach her to match the speed in the best way, or take corrective action if not.
The OP's situation is just an extreme version of this as you have a very limited window to slip into the moving traffic without coming to a stop first. Having come to a stop, you just need a bigger gap to successfully and safely merge with traffic. The rules on joining the main carriageway are the same whether it is a T-junction, short merge lane or a slip road - it is just more likely that the first is completed from a standing start and the latter from a gradual acceleration and move across whilst doing the same speed as cars in L1.
Steve
Good sound sense, and as I have said before, it helps is those already on the carriageway observe what is going on ahead, and anticipate someone trying to join the carriageway, and assist if they can, ie moving over to another lane ensureing it doesnt impede anyone else on there.The OP's situation is just an extreme version of this as you have a very limited window to slip into the moving traffic without coming to a stop first. Having come to a stop, you just need a bigger gap to successfully and safely merge with traffic. The rules on joining the main carriageway are the same whether it is a T-junction, short merge lane or a slip road - it is just more likely that the first is completed from a standing start and the latter from a gradual acceleration and move across whilst doing the same speed as cars in L1.
Steve
When I use this slip road:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.745156,-1.285841...
I generally wait where I've placed the Streetview man. When there's a gap I'll then use the slip road and join. It's a lot easier to judge a gap from that position, and a lot easier to spot someone moving from L2 to L1.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.745156,-1.285841...
I generally wait where I've placed the Streetview man. When there's a gap I'll then use the slip road and join. It's a lot easier to judge a gap from that position, and a lot easier to spot someone moving from L2 to L1.
Accelebrate said:
When I use this slip road:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.745156,-1.285841...
I generally wait where I've placed the Streetview man. When there's a gap I'll then use the slip road and join. It's a lot easier to judge a gap from that position, and a lot easier to spot someone moving from L2 to L1.
Good sound approach.https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.745156,-1.285841...
I generally wait where I've placed the Streetview man. When there's a gap I'll then use the slip road and join. It's a lot easier to judge a gap from that position, and a lot easier to spot someone moving from L2 to L1.
Deva Link said:
Dr Jekyll said:
It's unnecessary signals that suggest to me that the driver isn't aware of what's going on around him. Or that he signals out of habit because they are too lazy to think about what they are doing.
On our works defensive driving courses it was interesting that the instructors had different opinions about this. Some say if there's no-one to see the signal then don't do it. Others felt you should always signal, as someone could suddenly appear and you'd then be scrabbling for the indicator.Always signal your intentions,but don't do it by rote,know where and why.
There is no such occurance as 'No-one to see the signal'.
It may be a pedestrian,a virtually invisible cyclist etc.
Let your fellow road users know what you are intending to do,whether it is 1500 0r 0300.
Edited by WD39 on Saturday 18th October 19:25
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