A couple of uncomfortable situations, advise please
Discussion
Situation 1:
I was joining a motorway during which time I accelerated along the slip road to match the speed of the traffic in L1. There was light traffic on the motorway and there was a large traffic free section in L1 which I aimed for, although there were widely spaced vehicles in L2. I kept looking to my right to make sure it was safe to join the motorway. Immediately after I merged, I get a blast of the horn and flashing lights and find a car directly behind me right up my rear bumper. I am 100% certain they were not in L1 at the time I was about to merge because I always look frequently to my right when joining to make sure I don't cut someone up or risk sideswiping them, so I can only assume they must have moved from L2 to L1 at the same time as I moved from the end of the sliproad to L1. Could I have done anything different/better?
Situation 2:
This happened today. This was on a four lane section of free flowing motorway. Trundlebunny in L2 doing about 55 mph so I decided to move to L3 to overtake. Chose a time when there was a decent gap in L3 and as I started to move across, I saw that someone in L4 started moving to L3. There was a risk of a collision so I aborted my lane change, at the same time the other driver aborted his/her lane change and moved across into L3 after they had passed me. Could I have done anything different/better?
I was joining a motorway during which time I accelerated along the slip road to match the speed of the traffic in L1. There was light traffic on the motorway and there was a large traffic free section in L1 which I aimed for, although there were widely spaced vehicles in L2. I kept looking to my right to make sure it was safe to join the motorway. Immediately after I merged, I get a blast of the horn and flashing lights and find a car directly behind me right up my rear bumper. I am 100% certain they were not in L1 at the time I was about to merge because I always look frequently to my right when joining to make sure I don't cut someone up or risk sideswiping them, so I can only assume they must have moved from L2 to L1 at the same time as I moved from the end of the sliproad to L1. Could I have done anything different/better?
Situation 2:
This happened today. This was on a four lane section of free flowing motorway. Trundlebunny in L2 doing about 55 mph so I decided to move to L3 to overtake. Chose a time when there was a decent gap in L3 and as I started to move across, I saw that someone in L4 started moving to L3. There was a risk of a collision so I aborted my lane change, at the same time the other driver aborted his/her lane change and moved across into L3 after they had passed me. Could I have done anything different/better?
Situation 2: For how long were you signalling before moving to your right? An alert driver behind you could perhaps have seen you were wanting to overtake but it is always a good idea to give adequate advance notice with a prior signal.
The majority of motorway drivers signal a lane change to the right only as they pull out.
The majority of motorway drivers signal a lane change to the right only as they pull out.
Anticipating where other drivers might wish to 'land' after an overtake can be tricky.
Ideally one should always do a shoulder check at the point of changing position, to help avoid two cars aiming for the same space, but there is always a point when one has to commit to an action, and with the number of interactions taking place, things can happen despite appropriate actions up to that point.
Scenario 1 may have been a driver moving at the last moment (and/or actively seeking conflict).
Scenario 2 sounds fine - both parties identified the situation developing and took mitigating action, with no adverse outcomes.
Ideally one should always do a shoulder check at the point of changing position, to help avoid two cars aiming for the same space, but there is always a point when one has to commit to an action, and with the number of interactions taking place, things can happen despite appropriate actions up to that point.
Scenario 1 may have been a driver moving at the last moment (and/or actively seeking conflict).
Scenario 2 sounds fine - both parties identified the situation developing and took mitigating action, with no adverse outcomes.
Edited by RSTurboPaul on Saturday 6th December 23:41
Situation 1; It's possible someone chose to return to L1 as you were joining, but highly unlikely. When you say you check to the right frequently, do you mean mirror checks or a blind spot check? If the former, make sure to make a final look over the right shoulder before merging. No need, to do a neck straining twist in the seat, just about level with your shoulder should do it.
With regards the other, as someone else has said, make sure to apply the indicator before the manoeuvre. Anyone returning to the left will see it, and more often than not have a reasonable degree of self-preservation and will delay their move. Again, a blind spot check should be made in these situations.
Or buy a car with blind spot warning lights in the mirrors; obviously, manufacturers have identified an issue with drivers not checking.
With regards the other, as someone else has said, make sure to apply the indicator before the manoeuvre. Anyone returning to the left will see it, and more often than not have a reasonable degree of self-preservation and will delay their move. Again, a blind spot check should be made in these situations.
Or buy a car with blind spot warning lights in the mirrors; obviously, manufacturers have identified an issue with drivers not checking.
Situation 1.
I always keep to the right of the joining sliproad as much as I can, I'm looking to my right as much as possible whilst running down the sliproad and have spotted my gap, as I get to the dotted line I then drive parallel to it for as long as I can without crossing which makes the eventual merge more 'gentle'. It also gives the car in lane1 more time to understand and see me. Your wing mirrors can also see any vehicles in lane1 better as you are running parallel to it.
Situation 2.
If traffic density is high in lane2 or 3 and gaps are small, I indicate as soon as a gap appears (and sometimes even before a gap has appeared to almost stake my claim on it when it does appear) and as long as possible before moving. My vision is constantly darting from watching in front and watching (mirrors but also physically moving my head/upper body to check the angle in the mirror) for something in lane 3 or 4 dropping into my intended space. If it happens as it did with you then the only thing is to abort. You know that you were more observant than whoever dropped into it.
The car makes a difference, I drive an old Berlingo which has massive mirror's and lots of glass so visibility is great but I also drive a Cayenne which has tiny teardrop mirrors and large pillars so visibility is rubbish so I have to work harder.
I always keep to the right of the joining sliproad as much as I can, I'm looking to my right as much as possible whilst running down the sliproad and have spotted my gap, as I get to the dotted line I then drive parallel to it for as long as I can without crossing which makes the eventual merge more 'gentle'. It also gives the car in lane1 more time to understand and see me. Your wing mirrors can also see any vehicles in lane1 better as you are running parallel to it.
Situation 2.
If traffic density is high in lane2 or 3 and gaps are small, I indicate as soon as a gap appears (and sometimes even before a gap has appeared to almost stake my claim on it when it does appear) and as long as possible before moving. My vision is constantly darting from watching in front and watching (mirrors but also physically moving my head/upper body to check the angle in the mirror) for something in lane 3 or 4 dropping into my intended space. If it happens as it did with you then the only thing is to abort. You know that you were more observant than whoever dropped into it.
The car makes a difference, I drive an old Berlingo which has massive mirror's and lots of glass so visibility is great but I also drive a Cayenne which has tiny teardrop mirrors and large pillars so visibility is rubbish so I have to work harder.
Edited by RustyNissanPrairie on Sunday 7th December 00:05
The majority of times I see Situation1 happen is when someone on the slip road overtakes a lot of cars in lane 1, joins lane 1 towards the end of the sliproad and a driver in lane 2 assumes (instead of checking) that no cars are joining lane 1 from the sliproad, perhaps because they didn't see any cars on the sliproad earlier on and assume cars on the sliproad will be slower than cars in lane 1. In that case it's the fault of both drivers imo.
Something like situation2 will happen, there will be times when 2 drivers both put indicators on at the same time. But indicators should be on well in advance of changing lanes so it shouldn't cause a problem if both drivers cancel their intended lane change. SItuations like this though could point to lack of anticipation by one or both drivers.
One thing I find mildly annoying is when driver A behind driver B should be able to anticipate that driver B will soon be wanting to switch lanes to overtake (because they're catching up another vehicle C in front of B) but decide they (driver A) are going to floor it and overtake driver A, which prevents driver B from changing lanes and perhaps causes driver B to reduce speed, even if by remaining in current lane until that point driver B was being courteous by not pulling out in front of others that were overtaking. This seems to happen a lot when vehicles have just merged from a slip lane. Sometimes driver A will prematurely (before the merge section) join the motorway (going over white lines) just to get in lane 2 or 3 sooner than they otherwise would, sod driver B who is forced to stay in (say) L1 for (say) 30 seconds longer that they would have needed to if driver A hadn't 'jumped the gun' even if only saves driver A (say) 5 seconds - that's pushy driving that is at odds with 'do not try to dominate on the roads' and illegal (maybe unsafe) to jump the white line before the merge section anyway.
Something like situation2 will happen, there will be times when 2 drivers both put indicators on at the same time. But indicators should be on well in advance of changing lanes so it shouldn't cause a problem if both drivers cancel their intended lane change. SItuations like this though could point to lack of anticipation by one or both drivers.
One thing I find mildly annoying is when driver A behind driver B should be able to anticipate that driver B will soon be wanting to switch lanes to overtake (because they're catching up another vehicle C in front of B) but decide they (driver A) are going to floor it and overtake driver A, which prevents driver B from changing lanes and perhaps causes driver B to reduce speed, even if by remaining in current lane until that point driver B was being courteous by not pulling out in front of others that were overtaking. This seems to happen a lot when vehicles have just merged from a slip lane. Sometimes driver A will prematurely (before the merge section) join the motorway (going over white lines) just to get in lane 2 or 3 sooner than they otherwise would, sod driver B who is forced to stay in (say) L1 for (say) 30 seconds longer that they would have needed to if driver A hadn't 'jumped the gun' even if only saves driver A (say) 5 seconds - that's pushy driving that is at odds with 'do not try to dominate on the roads' and illegal (maybe unsafe) to jump the white line before the merge section anyway.
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