Braking on the motorway - an admission of failure?

[g3org3y]

I feel that braking on the motorway typically results from:
- leaving an inadequate gap to the car in front
- poor planning
- poor reading of the road
- poor awareness of those around

If I have to brake (and it wasn't absolutely necessary) I get grumpy with myself.

Anyone else think like this or am I the only one?

[simoid]

Depends if you're ramming into 2nd gear to avoid braking

[Spoof]

Completely agree. One of the reason I can't get on with adaptive cruise.

[b14]

Totally agree, but there are some points when you just can't help it, like when the guy in front brakes hard. Otherwise, if I have to brake on the motorway I've done something wrong.

[GadgeS3C]

You're not alone.

[wst]

I think that a bit myself, but oftentimes leaving a suitable gap is only possible if you reverse as people will insist that your suitable gap is actually a suitable gap for them to sit in...

Sometimes when I get out of a cluster of cars and stuff and see a mile or two of clear road... if I don't see the cluster of cars receding in my mirrors I feel like I'm not "getting there" quicker but if they are receding I come up against another cluster sooner rather than later and I feel like a prat then as well. Can't win!

Now I'm not driving a van though it's a bit easier to avoid almost leptonian transit because I'm suddenly paying for my own fuel and it's a tiny hatchback with a hairdryer in the front anyway...

[HustleRussell]

Yep, me too- Especially since I now have two cars with sub-25mpg economy.

[Ranger 6]

g3org3y said:

...If I have to brake (and it wasn't absolutely necessary) I get grumpy with myself.

No, you're not the only one

[Bohally]

What about the tossers who move out into your lane doing 20mph less than you with 10 feet to spare? Not really an admission of failure.

[Lee540]

wst said:

I think that a bit myself, but oftentimes leaving a suitable gap is only possible if you reverse as people will insist that your suitable gap is actually a suitable gap for them to sit in...

Hate these drivers.. overtake you and then brake.. causing you to have to brake as well

[trashbat]

I generally agree, but there are times when it can be legitimate. Here's one that I think is:

Suppose there is a long line of traffic in L1, moving at 50-60 mph.

You are in L2 making good progress, nothing behind you. You want to leave the motorway at the next exit.

You spot a suitable gap in L1 traffic ahead that you can fit into without inconveniencing anyone. However if you only come off the throttle you may not reach it in sufficient time.

So, you maintain your higher speed until you are ready to merge into the gap. You brake in lane, then once matching speed, move to L1. You take the exit in sufficient time.

IMO this is good planning and has all the advantages of a single carriageway overtake. In the same way that you might choose to brake for a corner rather than bleed off speed beforehand, based on the objective of the drive, it's acceptable in light of the gain.

Edited by trashbat on Monday 17th December 13:37

[Martyn1986]

There is only two reason usually which cause me to brake:

Flying in lane 3 at 90 when i look behind me and notice blue flashing things.

Flying in lane 3 and some poor old dear is sat there while overtaking a lorry which is in lane 2, which is overtaking a another lorry or a car towing a caravan in lane 1 all going faster than each other by 0.3mph..

Edited by Martyn1986 on Monday 17th December 13:48

Edited by Martyn1986 on Monday 17th December 13:58

[Chris71]

I wouldn't go as far as to say the odd dab of the brakes is a failure on congested modern roads, but if you find yourself braking frequently you probably are too close to the car in front.

The M25 always amuses me. Leave a safe gap to the car in front and somebody will most likely pull into it.

[RacingBlue]

Martyn1986 said:

Flying in lane 3 at 90 when i look behind me and notice blue flashing things.

Braking would be the least of your worries.

[joewilliams]

You're not the only one.

My wife's method of maintaining a speed that isn't flat-out (which is what she'll do given the opportunity) is to keep accelerating then coasting, which drives me nuts. I think she just isn't capable of *not* having her foot to the floor.

[rgracin]

Count me in. Have always thought that and even pulled over to give myself a little self flagellation when I braked before pulling out to overtake a slower car.

[tamore]

joewilliams said:

You're not the only one.

My wife's method of maintaining a speed that isn't flat-out (which is what she'll do given the opportunity) is to keep accelerating then coasting, which drives me nuts. I think she just isn't capable of *not* having her foot to the floor.

digital accelerator pedal! trying to tell mrs tamore that it's an analogue device, but it seems lost on her!

[0000]

You're not driving fast enough if you never use the brakes.

[mattball]

What about:

- Roadworks
- Standing traffic
- Speed limit reduction

They're generally pretty unavoidable

The best I've done is J21a - J12 on the M1 (I then had to brake because the light on the exit slip was red and didn't change in time).

[TheRacingSnake]

spend most of my time on the motorway tutting at the sea of brake lights in front of me. However, try to leave a safe gap and it's almost certain that some idiot will be of the opinion that they can fit their car into my nice safe gap