Priority on slip roads
Discussion
We have a huge number of slip roads in this country that are way too short for vehicles entering the main road to accelerate up to the speed limit of the main road. This is OK when traffic is quiet. Or when the main road is packed and moving slowly. The difficult time is when the main road is 'full' but still moving at the speed limit.
Of course, we also have a lot of drivers who don't know they are supposed to even try to match their speed to the line of traffic that they are entering.
Put it all together and we just have to be very careful and considerate.
Of course, we also have a lot of drivers who don't know they are supposed to even try to match their speed to the line of traffic that they are entering.
Put it all together and we just have to be very careful and considerate.
Muddle238 said:
Slip road etiquette in general seems to be sub standard, my main bug bear is when in a convoy of joining vehicles, it’s almost inevitable that an impatient driver further back treats the slip road like a section of NASCAR track, getting right up close to the car ahead and sometimes even alongside them to the offside. It’s such a careless act and shows a complete lack of restraint and courtesy, they’ve positioned themselves in a closing gap unnecessarily and completely shafted the merging plans of the car ahead.
OK. So, move right to stop them passing on the slip road, spot a vehicle on the carriageway with a gap in front, aim to match that vehicles speed, then increase speed to enter in front of that vehicle, leaving vehicle behind shafted. Naughty, but nice!Pica-Pica said:
Muddle238 said:
Slip road etiquette in general seems to be sub standard, my main bug bear is when in a convoy of joining vehicles, it’s almost inevitable that an impatient driver further back treats the slip road like a section of NASCAR track, getting right up close to the car ahead and sometimes even alongside them to the offside. It’s such a careless act and shows a complete lack of restraint and courtesy, they’ve positioned themselves in a closing gap unnecessarily and completely shafted the merging plans of the car ahead.
OK. So, move right to stop them passing on the slip road, spot a vehicle on the carriageway with a gap in front, aim to match that vehicles speed, then increase speed to enter in front of that vehicle, leaving vehicle behind shafted. Naughty, but nice!
however it’s more an observation I’ve witnessed while already on the motorway, watching the antics of those joining. On rare occasions that I sense it’s about to happen to myself, I do position the car further to the offside to dissuade the vehicle behind from attempting an overtake, while we’re in the process of merging. He/she has a whole motorway to make progress upon, however not on the slip road at the expense of courtesy towards other motorists. Peter3442 said:
We have a huge number of slip roads in this country that are way too short for vehicles entering the main road to accelerate up to the speed limit of the main road. This is OK when traffic is quiet. Or when the main road is packed and moving slowly. The difficult time is when the main road is 'full' but still moving at the speed limit.
Of course, we also have a lot of drivers who don't know they are supposed to even try to match their speed to the line of traffic that they are entering.
Put it all together and we just have to be very careful and considerate.
While some slip roads do seem to be short, there's definitely an overwhelming number of drivers who seem to think entering the motorway at 50mph is a 'safer' way of doing it than putting their foot down and merging at 65+ with the flow of traffic. I've had plenty comments when accelerating down a slip that I'm driving "fast" or "dangerously" for trying to hit 70 before the bottom.Of course, we also have a lot of drivers who don't know they are supposed to even try to match their speed to the line of traffic that they are entering.
Put it all together and we just have to be very careful and considerate.
Contrast with driving in the US where some of their slip roads are practically non-existent (https://goo.gl/maps/EQLAtWvr3i6b4URC7) and yet drivers always seemed to really boot it down the "on ramp" as they call it to merge smoothly.
People not accelerating on slip roqds is one of my biggest bug bears (bares???). It’s dangerous and also screws over the car behind, who cannot get up to speed either.
There is a dual carriageway near me where you are lucky if people join any faster than 50mph, speeds of 40mph or less are not unheard and you even get the odd idiot who comes to a complete stop. These days I try to hold back so I can get a bit of speed up.
Also, everyone seems to slow down as they approach the exit, rather than once on the slip road.
There is a dual carriageway near me where you are lucky if people join any faster than 50mph, speeds of 40mph or less are not unheard and you even get the odd idiot who comes to a complete stop. These days I try to hold back so I can get a bit of speed up.
Also, everyone seems to slow down as they approach the exit, rather than once on the slip road.
Nampahc Niloc said:
People not accelerating on slip roqds is one of my biggest bug bears (bares???). It’s dangerous and also screws over the car behind, who cannot get up to speed either.
There is a dual carriageway near me where you are lucky if people join any faster than 50mph, speeds of 40mph or less are not unheard and you even get the odd idiot who comes to a complete stop. These days I try to hold back so I can get a bit of speed up.
Also, everyone seems to slow down as they approach the exit, rather than once on the slip road.
This pisses me off as well, but having bought a new car for my mum, and having driven it a bit, I now understand what the problem is - there are a lot of cooking cars that are just too damn slow to accelerate to a safe speed. There is a fairly short slip that I use frequently, in all of my daily drivers, I can easily be at 70 before joining the motorway. In my mum’s Yaris, even If I floor it, I’m only at 50.....There is a dual carriageway near me where you are lucky if people join any faster than 50mph, speeds of 40mph or less are not unheard and you even get the odd idiot who comes to a complete stop. These days I try to hold back so I can get a bit of speed up.
Also, everyone seems to slow down as they approach the exit, rather than once on the slip road.
Totally with OP, I always assume slip road people give way to main road people. It annoys when when I am driving my motorhome in the inside lane and people joining expect me to give way or move over, the MH has the acceleration of a slug, so moving into faster lane is not normally an option.
Konrod said:
One of the many things that bug me on modern roads are the way slip roads are used, however I also wonder if the rules have changed and I've missed something.
I was taught, both originally and by various ex-police drivers and ADIs I've been with in the last 30+ years that when using:
- an on slip, you position the car for best visibility of the road you're joining, within the bounds of the lanes available, so left most on an up slip and right most on a down slip, pick the gap you are going for early (making sure it is big enough) and adjust your cars speed to join without causing any other traffic to change speed or lane. The dotted white line is a give way sign and joining traffic does not have any right of way.
- an off slip, get into the LH lane early, don't tailgate as you approach the offslip, but don't slow down/brake until you are actually on the slip road, then deal with the next hazard (roundabout, junction etc.).
The rules now seem to be that traffic on the major road is expected to move lanes to make way for joining traffic. I can't find anything that says the rules have changed but I don't see anyone policing it so perhaps I'm behind the times.
Thioughts?
The rules haven't changed at all; it's just that no-one obeys them any more.I was taught, both originally and by various ex-police drivers and ADIs I've been with in the last 30+ years that when using:
- an on slip, you position the car for best visibility of the road you're joining, within the bounds of the lanes available, so left most on an up slip and right most on a down slip, pick the gap you are going for early (making sure it is big enough) and adjust your cars speed to join without causing any other traffic to change speed or lane. The dotted white line is a give way sign and joining traffic does not have any right of way.
- an off slip, get into the LH lane early, don't tailgate as you approach the offslip, but don't slow down/brake until you are actually on the slip road, then deal with the next hazard (roundabout, junction etc.).
The rules now seem to be that traffic on the major road is expected to move lanes to make way for joining traffic. I can't find anything that says the rules have changed but I don't see anyone policing it so perhaps I'm behind the times.
Thioughts?
Export56 said:
Totally with OP, I always assume slip road people give way to main road people. It annoys when when I am driving my motorhome in the inside lane and people joining expect me to give way or move over, the MH has the acceleration of a slug, so moving into faster lane is not normally an option.
"Assuming" there is an off ramp you have at least a mile advance warning to prepare for a on ramp...Edited by PhilAsia on Wednesday 6th January 19:12
Peter3442 said:
We have a huge number of slip roads in this country that are way too short for vehicles entering the main road to accelerate up to the speed limit of the main road. This is OK when traffic is quiet. Or when the main road is packed and moving slowly. The difficult time is when the main road is 'full' but still moving at the speed limit.
Of course, we also have a lot of drivers who don't know they are supposed to even try to match their speed to the line of traffic that they are entering.
Put it all together and we just have to be very careful and considerate.
We have a rather long slip road in Portlethen joining the A92 southbound, just about 99.9% of those using it, manage about 10 metres or less and insist on pulling into the road, then we have the idiots who pull over to let them in causing those in L2 who are going fast brake. I hate slip roads, majority of drivers I see think they have gods gift to pull into the main carriageway.Of course, we also have a lot of drivers who don't know they are supposed to even try to match their speed to the line of traffic that they are entering.
Put it all together and we just have to be very careful and considerate.
But having said, I will always move over traffic permitting to let those joining the carriagway can do so.
Vipers said:
Peter3442 said:
.............majority of drivers I see think they have gods gift to pull into the main carriageway.
I get the gist in what you're saying but what other option do they have if they don't pull onto the main carriageway? They can either slam on the brakes at the end of the slip or smash into the barriers if there's no hard shoulder?Edited by _Hoppers on Wednesday 6th January 19:41
_Hoppers said:
Vipers said:
Peter3442 said:
.............majority of drivers I see think they have gods gift to pull into the main carriageway.
I get the gist in what you're saying but what other option do they have if they don't pull onto the main carriageway? They can either slam on the brakes at the end of the slip or smash into the barriers if there's no hard shoulder?Edited by _Hoppers on Wednesday 6th January 19:41
In all my 50+ years I have never had a problem using a slip road correctly, aint rocket science, then again are you serious?
Vipers said:
I get the gist in what you're saying but what other option do they have if they don't pull onto the main carriageway? They can either slam on the brakes at the end of the slip or smash into the barriers if there's no hard shoulder?
They should have been looking and judging right at the start of the slip road to judge a space thus giving them the whole slip road to accelerate and adjust to fit in the gap.If there is no gap you slow and if needs be stop. Might p
s off drivers behind but they are all at slow speed already so the risk of them rear ending is less dangerous than smashing into traffic at the end of the slip road or joining at 20mph and causing carnage. Then of course accelerate and join when safe.
Its better to slow down and if necessary stop half way down the slip road leaving yourself acceleration space then stopping at the give way line and having zero space as then you are screwed as you need a much bigger space to account for your acceleration.
Then of course accelerate and join when safe.
In grid lock slow traffic its a bit different as the speeds are low and you may need to crawl to slip road end and wait for someone to let you out.
There's a bunch of assumptions in some of the replies about other drivers having the mental capacity, experience or desire to drive sensibly and properly.
Advanced driving is about knocking those assumptions out, assume everyone else is an idiot (including yourself) and driving accordingly. If someone else screws up and you've anticipated it and given them room to manoeuvre, you can drive smugly on knowing you've once again saved the moment...It's what I do
Advanced driving is about knocking those assumptions out, assume everyone else is an idiot (including yourself) and driving accordingly. If someone else screws up and you've anticipated it and given them room to manoeuvre, you can drive smugly on knowing you've once again saved the moment...It's what I do
Psycho Warren said:
Vipers said:
I get the gist in what you're saying but what other option do they have if they don't pull onto the main carriageway? They can either slam on the brakes at the end of the slip or smash into the barriers if there's no hard shoulder?
They should have been looking and judging right at the start of the slip road to judge a space thus giving them the whole slip road to accelerate and adjust to fit in the gap.If there is no gap you slow and if needs be stop. Might p
s off drivers behind but they are all at slow speed already so the risk of them rear ending is less dangerous than smashing into traffic at the end of the slip road or joining at 20mph and causing carnage. Then of course accelerate and join when safe.
Its better to slow down and if necessary stop half way down the slip road leaving yourself acceleration space then stopping at the give way line and having zero space as then you are screwed as you need a much bigger space to account for your acceleration.
Then of course accelerate and join when safe.
In grid lock slow traffic its a bit different as the speeds are low and you may need to crawl to slip road end and wait for someone to let you out.
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