Slip road on to a motorway
Discussion
I would be interested in others opinion on this. You entered the slip road to a very busy motorway, you build up your speed to match the traffic on the motorway, however, you find that there is insufficient gap between the vehicles to safely enter/merge and the traffic cannot move over a lane to let you in and don't appear to want to let you in within the length of the slip road, as sometimes is the case. Do you keep up your speed ready for when the opportunity arises, even though this means you have run out of slip road and are now on the hard shoulder doing 70mph or do you slow down and possibly stop on the slip road, oh and you are in a Model T or maybe camper van.
In 37 years of driving I cannot remember it happening (though admittedly much of it in vehicles with good performance)!
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.
A recommendation is to choose the lane on the slip which has the longest merge zone, until you can see where you will merge - then run alongside a gap for a while before merging.
The highway code recommends drivers leaving the hard shoulder to build up speed on the hard shoulder before merging with motorway traffic. To be consistent with this advice, if you have really not been able to merge by the end of the slip it is better to continue on the hard shoulder than to stop.
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.
A recommendation is to choose the lane on the slip which has the longest merge zone, until you can see where you will merge - then run alongside a gap for a while before merging.
The highway code recommends drivers leaving the hard shoulder to build up speed on the hard shoulder before merging with motorway traffic. To be consistent with this advice, if you have really not been able to merge by the end of the slip it is better to continue on the hard shoulder than to stop.
Paddy_N_Murphy said:
should of figured it all out before you hit 70 anyway.
^^^ This.Personally, I move over into lane 2 whilst accelerating down the slip in order to get an early as possible view of the m'way to plan my merge (also gives traffic on the m'way early sight my vehicle on the slip).
waremark said:
The highway code recommends drivers leaving the hard shoulder to build up speed on the hard shoulder before merging with motorway traffic.
This is for merging onto the carriageway after having a forced stop on the hard shoulder ie. not to pull out into L1 at 5mph but to build-up speed beforehand, for obvious reasons.The hard shoulder is dangerous enough without people using it as an entry slip road...
Z.B said:
waremark said:
In 37 years of driving I cannot remember it happening
I'm with waremark. I should add that stopping at the end of a slip road surrounded by fast moving traffic is virtual suicide! Don't do it!
bluetone said:
Z.B said:
waremark said:
In 37 years of driving I cannot remember it happening
I'm with waremark. I should add that stopping at the end of a slip road surrounded by fast moving traffic is virtual suicide! Don't do it!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 ?
There's always space.Edited by vonhosen on Sunday 31st January 18:22
For an assertive one.
No?
Might mean some disregard for the finer points of AD though.
However, once merged, settle down to the book.
It's about adapting to the situation one is presented with, I would have thought.
Part of the rationale of AD?
waremark said:
In 37 years of driving I cannot remember it happening (though admittedly much of it in vehicles with good performance)!
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.
A recommendation is to choose the lane on the slip which has the longest merge zone, until you can see where you will merge - then run alongside a gap for a while before merging.
The highway code recommends drivers leaving the hard shoulder to build up speed on the hard shoulder before merging with motorway traffic. To be consistent with this advice, if you have really not been able to merge by the end of the slip it is better to continue on the hard shoulder than to stop.
Thanks guys - I suspected there would be mixed views and some ambiguos ones. I'm for the record with Waremark although he has not had the pleasure of the experience or should I say nightmare, I have many times from both sides of the equation, usually in a fully laden artic, which is both a tad more difficult to judge gap lengths and often there would be a car tucked behind a truck we can't see early enough and the fear of having to stop because someone was blocking the hard shoulder. The other side of the equation being on the nearside lane and finding someone trying to merge and seeing them stopping instead of keeping up with me until I could watch them in even if it meant them going on the shoulder since you can't afford to be slowing down in a fully laden truck especially on a gradient even with 500 gee gees under your toe. Even worse when they have following traffic on the slip road darting around them. The training in artic driving is to be agressive and not to be indecisive at all times but it does test ones heart rate.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.
A recommendation is to choose the lane on the slip which has the longest merge zone, until you can see where you will merge - then run alongside a gap for a while before merging.
The highway code recommends drivers leaving the hard shoulder to build up speed on the hard shoulder before merging with motorway traffic. To be consistent with this advice, if you have really not been able to merge by the end of the slip it is better to continue on the hard shoulder than to stop.
I would like to hear other views if there are any.
JohnMW said:
Thanks guys - I suspected there would be mixed views and some ambiguos ones. I'm for the record with Waremark although he has not had the pleasure of the experience or should I say nightmare, I have many times from both sides of the equation, usually in a fully laden artic, which is both a tad more difficult to judge gap lengths and often there would be a car tucked behind a truck we can't see early enough and the fear of having to stop because someone was blocking the hard shoulder. The other side of the equation being on the nearside lane and finding someone trying to merge and seeing them stopping instead of keeping up with me until I could watch them in even if it meant them going on the shoulder since you can't afford to be slowing down in a fully laden truck especially on a gradient even with 500 gee gees under your toe. Even worse when they have following traffic on the slip road darting around them. The training in artic driving is to be agressive and not to be indecisive at all times but it does test ones heart rate.
I would like to hear other views if there are any.
I've been there too and know where you're coming from.I would like to hear other views if there are any.
I start looking from as early as possible, right from having entered the slip road if possible. In a car it is easier to pick your spot and then set the speed to suit. In an artic you can't change your speed so much though. In the artic i tend to go slower, and then accelerate to match the speed if poss.
I wouldn't stop on the slip road though, not in any circumstances unless totally unavoidable.
I don't have an answer here (bit similar to the clueless who govern us
) but 'no way', not for anyone, especially those 'experts' in authority, would I halt at the end of the slip road with today's morons on each side of you, and more importantly, probably also right up your ass behind you!
A tail-end in that situation would be survival of the lucky only!
I am not putting myself in it, for anyone... not if I can help it.
However, what I would add is that it hasn't happened to me because I drive something that the establishment frown upon BUT works wonders, and has done, to get me out of hazardous situations like that.
Full alertness at all times, coupled with a car that has very rapid acceleration! So, even if I had to use a bit of the hard shoulder, it wouldn't be much of it.
Speed kills? Pah, too simplistic a message.
Speed can 'save' as well!
) but 'no way', not for anyone, especially those 'experts' in authority, would I halt at the end of the slip road with today's morons on each side of you, and more importantly, probably also right up your ass behind you! A tail-end in that situation would be survival of the lucky only!
I am not putting myself in it, for anyone... not if I can help it.
However, what I would add is that it hasn't happened to me because I drive something that the establishment frown upon BUT works wonders, and has done, to get me out of hazardous situations like that.
Full alertness at all times, coupled with a car that has very rapid acceleration! So, even if I had to use a bit of the hard shoulder, it wouldn't be much of it.
Speed kills? Pah, too simplistic a message.
Speed can 'save' as well!
bluetone said:
heebeegeetee said:
I wouldn't stop on the slip road though, not in any circumstances unless totally unavoidable.
Of course it's a far from ideal situation but surely safer than barelling down the hard shoulder? Some busy sliproads even have traffic lights just before the m'way...I'd much, much, much rather be travelling down the hard shoulder than be stationary on it.
Ok guys it looks like the majority are in agreement on not stopping when the slip road runs out if that occurs. Do you agree then that slip road markings should accomodate a better form of termination so that those who currently feel reluctant to cross the line can be encouraged to continue until the opportunity to join the carriageway is allowed without doubt. This could be enabled also by a mandatory rule that allows traffic to merge from the left in a sensible and considerate manner.
I intend to forward a proposal to the Highways Agency, therefore, I would like more comments from you all without it decending into a knocking charter please.
Incidentally I have noted that the majority of drivers of all types are gracious and considerate in this respect where they get enough warning and without having to clomp their brakes on to allow this.
Thanks
I intend to forward a proposal to the Highways Agency, therefore, I would like more comments from you all without it decending into a knocking charter please.
Incidentally I have noted that the majority of drivers of all types are gracious and considerate in this respect where they get enough warning and without having to clomp their brakes on to allow this.
Thanks
Edited by JohnMW on Monday 1st February 12:51
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