Short Slip Roads and Safety Tips

[7mike]

Vipers said:

Thats got them thinking

Yep, if someone's going to resurrect an old thread to offer their words of wisdom, why not pick one of the old 'to signal or not to signal' threads. It's not as if there aren't enough of them.

[WD39]

Dr Jekyll said:

BOF said:

Get your indicator on even before it can be seen from the road you are joining...so many things to look at and do...get this out of the way.

Must admit I rarely signal at all when entering from slip roads.

Always indicate.Every time.No exceptions.24/7.No excuses.Let other road users know your intentions.Please.

Edited by WD39 on Tuesday 21st October 19:49

[Dr Jekyll]

WD39 said:

Always indicate.Every time.No exceptions.24/7.No excuses.Let other road users know your intentions.Please.

Edited by WD39 on Tuesday 21st October 19:49

I'm on an entry slip, my intentions are obvious.

[Vipers]

Dr Jekyll said:

WD39 said:

Always indicate.Every time.No exceptions.24/7.No excuses.Let other road users know your intentions.Please.

Edited by WD39 on Tuesday 21st October 19:49

I'm on an entry slip, my intentions are obvious.

But if your changing lanes, shouldnt one indicate?

From a safe driving web site :-

Joining a motorway or dual carriageway

Slip roads allow you to join a motorway or dual carriageway.

Use the slip road to accelerate until your speed matches that of the traffic on the motorway.
Check there’s a suitable gap in the left-hand lane.

Use the Mirrors – Signal – Manoeuvre/Position – Speed – Look (MSM/PSL) routine before you merge onto the motorway.

You must give priority to traffic already on the motorway: don’t force your way into the traffic stream.

Avoid stopping at the end of the slip road unless you’re queuing to join slow-moving traffic.

Edited by Vipers on Tuesday 21st October 21:07

Edited by Vipers on Tuesday 21st October 21:08

[XJ Flyer]

Vipers said:

Dr Jekyll said:

WD39 said:

Always indicate.Every time.No exceptions.24/7.No excuses.Let other road users know your intentions.Please.

Edited by WD39 on Tuesday 21st October 19:49

I'm on an entry slip, my intentions are obvious.

But if your changing lanes, shouldnt one indicate?

From a safe driving web site :-

Joining a motorway or dual carriageway

Slip roads allow you to join a motorway or dual carriageway.

Use the slip road to accelerate until your speed matches that of the traffic on the motorway.
Check there’s a suitable gap in the left-hand lane.
Use the Mirrors – Signal – Manoeuvre/Position – Speed – Look (MSM/PSL) routine before you merge onto the motorway.
You must give priority to traffic already on the motorway: don’t force your way into the traffic stream.
Avoid stopping at the end of the slip road unless you’re queuing to join slow-moving traffic.

Edited by Vipers on Tuesday 21st October 21:07

Mirror signal manoeuvre means use the mirrors and only 'then' signal if/when you've found a suitable gap and intend to make the manouvre in this case joining lane 1 from an entry slip.Most of the problems on entry slip roads are owing to deliberate blocking moves by traffic in lane 1 either accelerating to close down a gap or accelerating or braking to match the speed and position of the joining vehicle.Or sometimes even changing lanes from lane 2 to lane 1.All of which seem to be happening on an increasing basis.

As for short slip roads like those on the A3 in question they are actually better in that regard than the longer ones.In that it is easier to pick a gap from a stationary give way position than it is running out of room while waiting for a suitable gap on the move.Especially in view of the above issues.

[Dr Jekyll]

Vipers said:

But if your changing lanes, shouldnt one indicate?

Only if it would help or warn other road users.

[Jon1967x]

Dr Jekyll said:

Vipers said:

But if your changing lanes, shouldnt one indicate?

Only if it would help or warn other road users.

There's been a long discussion on here before as to whether you always need to indicate or not. Some take the view that if your spacial awareness was correct and you took the time to think about the need to indicate then if there is no need, don't. Others take the view it's almost muscle memory and there is no harm, accepting that the same spacial awareness checks are made and not be reliant on the signal as giving you rights to change lane.

The conclusion as I remember it was both are acceptable. However, I used to be an 'always indicate' but thinking about whether I need to has changed my perspective. Even if you decide to always indicate, work out who are the real beneficiaries of that signal, it may be more than the immediately obvious ones.

[Vipers]

Dr Jekyll said:

Vipers said:

But if your changing lanes, shouldnt one indicate?

Only if it would help or warn other road users.

Absolutely, amazing how many dont bother, bit like the "Why ahould I indicate, I know where Ime going" brigade.

[Dr Jekyll]

Vipers said:

Absolutely, amazing how many dont bother, bit like the "Why ahould I indicate, I know where Ime going" brigade.

On the contrary, the dispute was about signalling on an entry slip road. My point was 'Why should I indicate, THEY know where I'm going'.

[Vipers]

Dr Jekyll said:

Vipers said:

Absolutely, amazing how many dont bother, bit like the "Why ahould I indicate, I know where Ime going" brigade.

On the contrary, the dispute was about signalling on an entry slip road. My point was 'Why should I indicate, THEY know where I'm going'.

Each to their own.

[WD39]

Dr Jekyll said:

WD39 said:

Always indicate.Every time.No exceptions.24/7.No excuses.Let other road users know your intentions.Please.

Edited by WD39 on Tuesday 21st October 19:49

I'm on an entry slip, my intentions are obvious.

My OP was to say that it is good roadcraft to indicate AT ALL TIMES, not just on slip roads.This is my constant practice when driving. No,it is not by rote or zombie like,it is a carefully calculated and positive action. There is no such thing as an 'obvious' manoevre.How many times do we observe other drivers suddenly changing lanes,an impromptu right turn, the wrong indications on a roundabout, a sudden swerve,etc.All without indicating. These,and other moves have all been highlighted on various PH threads.
Always indicate.This basic driving procedure has now become an optional extra.(that feels better).

[7mike]

WD39 said:

My OP was to say that it is good roadcraft to indicate AT ALL TIMES, not just on slip roads.

There is a clue in the thread title you seem to have overlooked. You could always start a new thread to share your opinions regarding general use of signals, I don't think it's been done before

[Blakewater]

This is a tricky one in Manchester that I used to have to negotiate everyday when I was at university. You're obliged to stop and look back as best you can at the end and the inside lane goes off at the next junction meaning people are reluctant to move out for you and you have to be sure you can move to lane two in time after pulling out.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Upper+Brook+St...

[Foppo]

Tanguero said:

No wonder the standard of driving on the roads is so st if the "Advanced Driving" forum of a site like Pistonheads contains advice to a new driver along the lines of;
"you have right of way on a slip-road when joining the motorway"
and "if you can't pull in to the traffic at the end of the slip-road then use the hard shoulder"

Both of which are wrong, illegal and dangerous!

I must admit never heard of this before.Pull on the hard shoulder? If you can't join the motorway.Is it about time driving test and lessons should be motorway included.

[7mike]

Foppo said:

Is it about time driving test and lessons should be motorway included.

Not for learners but several hours post-test, backdated for all those who past their test after 1934

[Blakewater]

Perhaps a two stage test for those who want to use motorways. On the M62 I was actually forced onto the hard shoulder by an HGV driver who was either deliberately closing the gap I was aiming for or not paying attention. It was a managed section so I suspect he assumed I should have been using the hard shoulder when it wasn't active and was trying to enforce his own interpretation of the rules.

[7mike]

Blakewater said:

Perhaps a two stage test for those who want to use motorways. On the M62 I was actually forced onto the hard shoulder by an HGV driver who was either deliberately closing the gap I was aiming for or not paying attention. It was a managed section so I suspect he assumed I should have been using the hard shoulder when it wasn't active and was trying to enforce his own interpretation of the rules.

Motorways are included in HGV driving tests. Does this prove that motorway lessons do not improve safety?

or just that tts will be tts

[Blakewater]

True. If you care enough about doing something well you learn and practice until you're good. Then you keep on honing your skills to become even better. When it comes to driving a lot of people don't care but, unlike playing the piano or something like that, it's something they still need to do everyday and not caring and not being at least competent is dangerous. It's people's attitude that needs to change, wanting to learn and be good rather than just get lucky on test day and then forget everything.

[7mike]

Blakewater said:

It's people's attitude that needs to change, wanting to learn and be good rather than just get lucky on test day and then forget everything.

Not related to motorway driving, but if you want an insight into driver attitudes take a look at this:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...