Merging onto a motorway when the slip road is finishing
Discussion
I have asked various people this question but never got a satisfactory, helpful response. I also get conflicting answers.
When joining a motorway where the slip road ends, what do you do if you cannot find a suitable gap? Now, there are motorways where there is a hard shoulder. Some say it is ok to drive on this to get onto the motorway. It's also safer then stopping on the slip road when there are cars behind doing 50-60mph and paying more attention to the traffic they need to merge into.
BUT:
It is said that it is illegal to use the hard shoulder in this way. But if you broke down on the hard shoulder, you cannot just merge into the motorway traffic. It takes an ordinary car about 9-10 seconds to reach 60mph (most people driving ordinary family saloons like Mondeos, etc). That's not enough acceleration when there are cars doing 60mph+ and covering plenty of metres a second. On the other hand, I have seen people merge into an M road from a stand still, on TV (like in road wars).
It is also deemed illegal to stop on the slip road, and I can understand why. But if the road is busy, there isn't much choice. Furthermore, this law is so screwed up - when the road I am merging into is at a standstill, I obviously have to stop on the slip road. Is this illegal? Exactly.
In the real world, there is going to be a rare ocassion where you are going to be faced with this situation (I should say I). I drive on 2 motorways everyday when going to work so I have the "it takes practise" argument sorted. But at least knowing the theory will help improve my confidence. So what would I do? I can't just stop and I won't always be able to merge into traffic. I have always been able to merge in as the car behind has been considerate enough but this won't always be the case. There are drivers who would close the gap with no need. Even worse, it will be a problem if there is a speeding emergency vehicle on call in the lane I want to merge into. I know I am just dreaming up situations but all of these are possible (I have seen them but not when I am driving).
What can I do in these circumstances?
When joining a motorway where the slip road ends, what do you do if you cannot find a suitable gap? Now, there are motorways where there is a hard shoulder. Some say it is ok to drive on this to get onto the motorway. It's also safer then stopping on the slip road when there are cars behind doing 50-60mph and paying more attention to the traffic they need to merge into.
BUT:
It is said that it is illegal to use the hard shoulder in this way. But if you broke down on the hard shoulder, you cannot just merge into the motorway traffic. It takes an ordinary car about 9-10 seconds to reach 60mph (most people driving ordinary family saloons like Mondeos, etc). That's not enough acceleration when there are cars doing 60mph+ and covering plenty of metres a second. On the other hand, I have seen people merge into an M road from a stand still, on TV (like in road wars).
It is also deemed illegal to stop on the slip road, and I can understand why. But if the road is busy, there isn't much choice. Furthermore, this law is so screwed up - when the road I am merging into is at a standstill, I obviously have to stop on the slip road. Is this illegal? Exactly.
In the real world, there is going to be a rare ocassion where you are going to be faced with this situation (I should say I). I drive on 2 motorways everyday when going to work so I have the "it takes practise" argument sorted. But at least knowing the theory will help improve my confidence. So what would I do? I can't just stop and I won't always be able to merge into traffic. I have always been able to merge in as the car behind has been considerate enough but this won't always be the case. There are drivers who would close the gap with no need. Even worse, it will be a problem if there is a speeding emergency vehicle on call in the lane I want to merge into. I know I am just dreaming up situations but all of these are possible (I have seen them but not when I am driving).
What can I do in these circumstances?
I think slip roads are stupid and a flawed concept. At 50mph you use up all of the slip road very quickly.
If you stop at the slip road (which is meant to be illegal and is dangerous), you are going to need a very big gap to join. A standard car takes 10 seconds to get to 60mph, which is very slow. A car coming at 60mph is going to make up ground very quickly.
So really, both approaches are not allowed but it is about which is the lesser of two evils. I don't see a danger with using the slip road in a worst case situation, but I can think of plenty of dangers with stopping. If you can't use the hard shoulder to join in an emergency, then you are essentially saying you can't use the hard shoulder to join if you broke down on there.
What is hypermiling?
Tony: Now you know what I mean by grey area
If you stop at the slip road (which is meant to be illegal and is dangerous), you are going to need a very big gap to join. A standard car takes 10 seconds to get to 60mph, which is very slow. A car coming at 60mph is going to make up ground very quickly.
So really, both approaches are not allowed but it is about which is the lesser of two evils. I don't see a danger with using the slip road in a worst case situation, but I can think of plenty of dangers with stopping. If you can't use the hard shoulder to join in an emergency, then you are essentially saying you can't use the hard shoulder to join if you broke down on there.
What is hypermiling?
Tony: Now you know what I mean by grey area
RichB - I actually live very close to that junction/M4 in general. Never been on that ramp, though, but will bear that in mind.
Others - if you have to stop at the end of a slip road to join, you will have one hell of a long wait to join. If it's 5pm and rush hour, you have so many cars doing 60+. There are just too many cars coming too quickly. Not always can the cars in L1 change lane, either. And when you join in and accelerate, you're not out of the woods. I think this is way more unsafe than using the hard shoulder.
Near my home, I join the A40 from a small, quiet side road (not even wide enough to let two cars pass simultaneously). This is at a right angle (like a T junction). I have to wait ages to get a chance to come in, and the cars are doing 40mph (the speed limit on this stretch), but there are so many cars coming. The only real chance I get is when someone slows down and turns in at the side road I am on. Changing lanes sometimes presents an oppurtunity, but has its implications for me.
From experience, there is a 2 second gap between 2 cars in L1 - about 2 or more car lengths. I try to position my car in this physical gap. It works for me (as it did today). But again, none of these techniques are applicable every time.
It should be my right of way because I have less options as the slip road practically forces me onto L1 (ok I can stop, but this brings its own hazards). Cars in L1 can slow down or change lanes (easy for them as there is no speed differential between L1 and L2). As they have options, road rules should dictate they should let cars on the slip road in. I have always been let in because someone has changed lanes or slowed down. There should be enough gap between all the cars to allow this to not be a problem.
To the guy who quoted me: The best solution is for a dedicated lane to come off/join the motorway. This is the case on some motorways but at the time of the slip road construction and also now, probably wasn't/isn't an option due to natural structures, etc.
Others - if you have to stop at the end of a slip road to join, you will have one hell of a long wait to join. If it's 5pm and rush hour, you have so many cars doing 60+. There are just too many cars coming too quickly. Not always can the cars in L1 change lane, either. And when you join in and accelerate, you're not out of the woods. I think this is way more unsafe than using the hard shoulder.
Near my home, I join the A40 from a small, quiet side road (not even wide enough to let two cars pass simultaneously). This is at a right angle (like a T junction). I have to wait ages to get a chance to come in, and the cars are doing 40mph (the speed limit on this stretch), but there are so many cars coming. The only real chance I get is when someone slows down and turns in at the side road I am on. Changing lanes sometimes presents an oppurtunity, but has its implications for me.
From experience, there is a 2 second gap between 2 cars in L1 - about 2 or more car lengths. I try to position my car in this physical gap. It works for me (as it did today). But again, none of these techniques are applicable every time.
It should be my right of way because I have less options as the slip road practically forces me onto L1 (ok I can stop, but this brings its own hazards). Cars in L1 can slow down or change lanes (easy for them as there is no speed differential between L1 and L2). As they have options, road rules should dictate they should let cars on the slip road in. I have always been let in because someone has changed lanes or slowed down. There should be enough gap between all the cars to allow this to not be a problem.
To the guy who quoted me: The best solution is for a dedicated lane to come off/join the motorway. This is the case on some motorways but at the time of the slip road construction and also now, probably wasn't/isn't an option due to natural structures, etc.
Edited by Z064life on Friday 20th March 16:03
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