Slip road on to a motorway
Discussion
I think you're going to struggle to get any traction with this. Even at extremely busy times, it's possible to join the motorway; I think it's fair to say that the vast majority of people who end up stopped on the slip would, if they were honest, admit that they cocked it up. Either they didn't plan far enough ahead, or they were insufficiently decisive, or they simply didn't take the gap that was afforded them.
I also don't think it happens all that often.
I also don't think it happens all that often.
I did not want to revert to the manual on this one but here goes:
The Highway Code said:
Driving on the motorway
259
Joining the motorway. When you join the motorway you will normally approach it from a road on the left (a slip road) or from an adjoining motorway. You should;
259
Joining the motorway. When you join the motorway you will normally approach it from a road on the left (a slip road) or from an adjoining motorway. You should;
- give priority to traffic already on the motorway
- check the traffic on the motorway and match your speed to fit safely into the traffic flow in the left-hand lane
- stay on the slip road if it continues as an extra lane on the motorway
- remain in the left-hand lane long enough to adjust to the speed of traffic before considering overtaking
The Highway Code said:
Lane discipline
264
You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking. You MUST NOT drive on the hard shoulder except in an emergency or if directed to do so by the police, HA traffic officers in uniform or by signs.
A merge should not be considered an emergency and I'm sure the BiB would be having words/fines/points with you..264
You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking. You MUST NOT drive on the hard shoulder except in an emergency or if directed to do so by the police, HA traffic officers in uniform or by signs.
Edited by bluetone on Monday 1st February 13:41
vonhosen said:
What do you do entering a modern dual carriageway from a slip road with no hard shoulder when there's no space then ?
Is that aimed at me? Edited by vonhosen on Sunday 31st January 18:22
I'm not sure exactly what situation you envisage, but I have (and I am going to use this word on this occassion) never felt the need to use the hard shoulder in this way regardless of whether there is one - though I'm quite pleased to have it available as a last ditch escape route.
The only situations where I might stop or slow down drastically would be slow moving traffic on the carriageway (in which case I am still effectively matching my speed) or under length slip roads - in which case I would be making a planned pause with plenty of room to accelerate ahead of me, not doing a panic stop where the slip road ends.
My point is that stopping at the end of a slip road surrounded by fast moving traffic makes you a sitting duck. You have the threat from traffic on the carriageway, plus a worse threat from other drivers coming down the slip road towards you at 70+mph and mostly concerned with looking in their mirrors. And once you stop you need a much bigger gap to move off into - a gap which may never materialise!!
Z.B said:
vonhosen said:
What do you do entering a modern dual carriageway from a slip road with no hard shoulder when there's no space then ?
Is that aimed at me? I'm not sure exactly what situation you envisage, but I have (and I am going to use this word on this occassion) never felt the need to use the hard shoulder in this way regardless of whether there is one - though I'm quite pleased to have it available as a last ditch escape route.
The only situations where I might stop or slow down drastically would be slow moving traffic on the carriageway (in which case I am still effectively matching my speed) or under length slip roads - in which case I would be making a planned pause with plenty of room to accelerate ahead of me, not doing a panic stop where the slip road ends.
My point is that stopping at the end of a slip road surrounded by fast moving traffic makes you a sitting duck. You have the threat from traffic on the carriageway, plus a worse threat from other drivers coming down the slip road towards you at 70+mph and mostly concerned with looking in their mirrors. And once you stop you need a much bigger gap to move off into - a gap which may never materialise!!
Edited by vonhosen on Tuesday 2nd February 07:02
vonhosen said:
It's just that you commanded 'don't do it' & whilst of course you should try to avoid it, that doesn't mean that there isn't the possibility that you are left with the choices of stopping on the slip road or forcing your way into flowing traffic (in the absence of a hard shoulder). I assume should that happen you're advocating just attempting to force your way in then ? (As it appears stopping is discounted by you in any circumstances where traffic in lane 1 on the live carriageway is travelling at speed).
I said I have never felt the need so far, not that it's inconceivable that I might in the future - but it is highly unlikely and highly undesirable. If traffic is travelling at speed, even given the high incidence of following too close, it seems unlikely that I would be unable to find a gap large enough to merge into.Edited by vonhosen on Tuesday 2nd February 07:02
I wouldn't 'force my way in' in the sense of causing other drivers to take evasive action, but in heavy traffic I would consider moving into a gap of a size which would induce the following driver to back off (or me to manipulate him into doing so) to restore a normal following distance. It's not ideal, and one could even argue that it technically breaches the law, but if it's the safest way to deal with the situation that's fine with me.
Traffic density has increased significantly since the relevant regulations were drawn up - and sometimes now a bit of give and take is required.
In all my years of HGV driving, home and abroad, I cannot remember once being stopped on a sliproad joining the motorway, much easier for the driver to plan ahead than change the highway rules governing the whole off the country!
Same applies in the car, and on the bike.
Plan ahead, yes in a contraflow it may be nose to tail, but again planning ahead will find someone to let you in, I just cannot see where you are going with this at all, sorry!!
Same applies in the car, and on the bike.
Plan ahead, yes in a contraflow it may be nose to tail, but again planning ahead will find someone to let you in, I just cannot see where you are going with this at all, sorry!!
Z.B said:
vonhosen said:
It's just that you commanded 'don't do it' & whilst of course you should try to avoid it, that doesn't mean that there isn't the possibility that you are left with the choices of stopping on the slip road or forcing your way into flowing traffic (in the absence of a hard shoulder). I assume should that happen you're advocating just attempting to force your way in then ? (As it appears stopping is discounted by you in any circumstances where traffic in lane 1 on the live carriageway is travelling at speed).
I said I have never felt the need so far, not that it's inconceivable that I might in the future - but it is highly unlikely and highly undesirable. If traffic is travelling at speed, even given the high incidence of following too close, it seems unlikely that I would be unable to find a gap large enough to merge into.Edited by vonhosen on Tuesday 2nd February 07:02
I wouldn't 'force my way in' in the sense of causing other drivers to take evasive action, but in heavy traffic I would consider moving into a gap of a size which would induce the following driver to back off (or me to manipulate him into doing so) to restore a normal following distance. It's not ideal, and one could even argue that it technically breaches the law, but if it's the safest way to deal with the situation that's fine with me.
Traffic density has increased significantly since the relevant regulations were drawn up - and sometimes now a bit of give and take is required.
I've not ever had a problem myself, except for one near miss where a van ahead of me on the slip road decided to come to a sudden halt instead of trying to merge. Fortunately I was far enough behind him that I could get going and was able to merge when a gap in traffic soon appeared. I never did work out what he was doing, he was still there when I drove off and had made no attempt to get out or put on hazard lights to indicate a breakdown.
As for already being on the motorway I was always taught to move over if in the left hand lane when people are joining if it's safe to do so.
As for already being on the motorway I was always taught to move over if in the left hand lane when people are joining if it's safe to do so.
Marc W said:
As for already being on the motorway I was always taught to move over if in the left hand lane when people are joining if it's safe to do so.
When approching an on-slip on the motorway it is best practice surely to plan on the assumption that there will likely be someone wanting to join ie. make sure you have space to move into lane 2/3 if necessary.bluetone said:
Marc W said:
As for already being on the motorway I was always taught to move over if in the left hand lane when people are joining if it's safe to do so.
When approching an on-slip on the motorway it is best practice surely to plan on the assumption that there will likely be someone wanting to join ie. make sure you have space to move into lane 2/3 if necessary.dom180 said:
bluetone said:
Marc W said:
As for already being on the motorway I was always taught to move over if in the left hand lane when people are joining if it's safe to do so.
When approching an on-slip on the motorway it is best practice surely to plan on the assumption that there will likely be someone wanting to join ie. make sure you have space to move into lane 2/3 if necessary.CommanderJameson said:
dom180 said:
bluetone said:
Marc W said:
As for already being on the motorway I was always taught to move over if in the left hand lane when people are joining if it's safe to do so.
When approching an on-slip on the motorway it is best practice surely to plan on the assumption that there will likely be someone wanting to join ie. make sure you have space to move into lane 2/3 if necessary.In reality, I'd accelerate and increase speed so it wouldn't be an issue but if I were taking my test...?
dom180 said:
CommanderJameson said:
dom180 said:
bluetone said:
Marc W said:
As for already being on the motorway I was always taught to move over if in the left hand lane when people are joining if it's safe to do so.
When approching an on-slip on the motorway it is best practice surely to plan on the assumption that there will likely be someone wanting to join ie. make sure you have space to move into lane 2/3 if necessary.In reality, I'd accelerate and increase speed so it wouldn't be an issue but if I were taking my test...?
t. And you wouldn't be taking your test on a motorway. However, if I were to encounter this circumstance on a DC during my test, I think I'd probably just ease off a bit if there was someone joining, and let the joining traffic sort itself out whilst I concentrated on not crashing.
CommanderJameson said:
dom180 said:
CommanderJameson said:
dom180 said:
bluetone said:
Marc W said:
As for already being on the motorway I was always taught to move over if in the left hand lane when people are joining if it's safe to do so.
When approching an on-slip on the motorway it is best practice surely to plan on the assumption that there will likely be someone wanting to join ie. make sure you have space to move into lane 2/3 if necessary.In reality, I'd accelerate and increase speed so it wouldn't be an issue but if I were taking my test...?
t. And you wouldn't be taking your test on a motorway. However, if I were to encounter this circumstance on a DC during my test, I think I'd probably just ease off a bit if there was someone joining, and let the joining traffic sort itself out whilst I concentrated on not crashing.
dom180 said:
Sure. I've seen this a few times where it's happened to other people and it seems to me that it's the faster traffic in lane 2 who is at fault where they have plenty of time/space to move to lane 3 but seem to prefer to stick to lane 2 and not let others pull out.
I don't agree with the notion that the faster cars in L2 are at fault because someone else has executed a manoeuvre that causes them to brake or change course.CommanderJameson said:
dom180 said:
Sure. I've seen this a few times where it's happened to other people and it seems to me that it's the faster traffic in lane 2 who is at fault where they have plenty of time/space to move to lane 3 but seem to prefer to stick to lane 2 and not let others pull out.
I don't agree with the notion that the faster cars in L2 are at fault because someone else has executed a manoeuvre that causes them to brake or change course.My throw on this is that you witness a fight or flight scenario with many members of the public joining a motorway/carriageway from a slip road, typical reactions will be braking, or harsh acceleration or worse still preamble onto the nearside lane with a vane hope that everyone else will now match their humble speed.
In all situations I will a) move into the second/outside lane if safe, b) flash my lights to indicate my position and to encourage the driver who is wanting to enter my carriageway to pull out in front of me c) if things are getting hairy accelerate ahead to clear a gap between me, the vehicle behind and the vehicle trying to join my lane.
Not a lot more can be done I feel.
In all situations I will a) move into the second/outside lane if safe, b) flash my lights to indicate my position and to encourage the driver who is wanting to enter my carriageway to pull out in front of me c) if things are getting hairy accelerate ahead to clear a gap between me, the vehicle behind and the vehicle trying to join my lane.
Not a lot more can be done I feel.
waremark said:
One minor point to note is that lane 1 is likely to be moving at 56 mph (heavies are limited to 90 kph) not 70 mph - so that is the speed to try to attain before the merge zone.
I'd disagree slightly with this advice in certain situations, in a low powered car I will normally try to hit 70 as early as possible. As my ability to reduce speed it much greater than my ability to gain it, I feel this maximises my options by giving me a "speed reserve" to allow me to pull in front of other vehicles if necessary, as well as the ability to brake and pull in behind.Gassing Station | Advanced Driving | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff