Motorway driving - part 2 (including high speed)
Discussion
Back in the day I wrote an extensive piece on motorway driving. It was entitled "Motorway Driving Part 1" and as I'm sure you can work out from that title, the intention was to follow this piece with further pieces on motorway driving - parts 2 and 3 in fact.
Well, better late than never, (something like 7 years late in this case), here is "Motorway driving part 2".
Before you continue, however, it may well be worth 15 minutes reading part 1:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
In particular, I'd like to remind you of this paragraph:
Driving along the motorway
Sounds simple enough doesn't it? I mean - motorways are just big wide straight roads where you just go in one direction. This should be a piece of cake to write.
Ok, before I go any further, let's just nick a photo from part 1:
This photo shows a few of the terms I'll be referring to and the correct terminology for motorway lanes.
So, seven years ago, we joined the motorway. What next?
I'm going to make an assumption here, which should be a fair one on a motoring forum - I'm going to assume that you want to make some reasonable progress. Motorways are the main arteries of our road network and we generally use them when we want to cover longer distances. There is nothing wrong with wanting to make some decent progress where it is safe and appropriate.
So, having joined the motorway and having slotted in to lane 1, what's next? Well, if the motorway is clear and there is no traffic ahead, it's simple. Stay in lane 1.
Lane 1 is the default "driving along" lane and your overriding plan whenever you are driving on the motorway should be to return to lane 1 whenever it is appropriate. If you read the motorway section of the Highway Code, it is very clear that lanes 2 and 3 (and 4 etc) are for overtaking only. I'll cover lane hogging etc a bit later, but all I'll say at this point is that you should always try not to be "that" driver.
A quick general note on driving along here - motorway driving can be bloody boring. Modern cars are comfortable and cosseting and generally nice places to sit and at 70mph most cars are as comfortable as your sofa at home. Combine this with an unchanging, unremitting wide stretch of grey tarmac with nothing to look at for mile after dreary mile, and you've got a recipe for becoming bored, distracted and even sleepy if you're not careful. I believe this is a major cause of poor motorway driving (and particularly of poor lane discipline) - people are bored.
Once you've read this piece, you should go away with a few tips and techniques which will engage you in thinking creatively and planning your motorway progress. in turn, this should keep your interest levels up and prevent you from becoming bored. You'll be better able to spot situations before they actually occur and although it's unlikely you'll ever look forward to a long motorway drive, you will at least have some things to practice.
Here's another thing to consider. The Red Arrows choose only the best fast jet pilots and even then, they require months of training before they can fly in close formation.
When you're driving on the motorway, You're travelling in close formation at relatively high speeds alongside people who you've never met and of whom you have no clue as to their competency.
As another instructor once described it to me, motorway driving is "formation flying with idiots".
Not everyone is an idiot of course, but just have a look around you next time you bob in to a motorway service station for a wee. Not when you're weeing of course - this is the time to stare at your boots only - but on your way in and out of the building, have a look at the people around you. You will be in no doubt that some of them are idiots. The same idiots you've just been driving alongside at 102 feet per second. This exercise alone keeps my attention on every motorway journey I take.
Consistency of speed
This is something I always try to achieve on a motorway journey - I pick a speed and try to stick with it. This sounds a very simple concept, but it amazes me how many drivers are inconsistent with their speed. They will accelerate on downhill stretches, but then fail to compensate on the uphill bits. They will dawdle in the middle lane, but then unexpectedly accelerate as you're about to overtake them. The worst ones will continually (and generally obliviously) overtake you and then slow down. You'll pass them and they'll disappear into a dot in your mirror, only to reappear 2 or 3 miles later at warp speed and pass you like you're standing still, only to slow down again and repeat the cycle. Returning from a recent trip to Scotland, I overtook the same driver eight times in less than 50 miles without changing my speed. He had no idea that I even existed.
A consistent speed is also much more fuel efficient on a long journey than a pattern of acceleration and deceleration, so if you're a skinflint you'll benefit from this tip.
So, pick a speed and try to stick with it, preferably using acceleration sense as discussed in a recent thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Many people choose to use cruise control on long motorway journeys. Cruise control is very good at allowing you to maintain a constant speed, but in my view it's a bit of a blunt tool and is only really any good when the traffic is light. It also encourages drivers to switch off a little more than usual, when in fact, using cruise control requires just as much planning as driving on a normal throttle.
I will, however, reserve judgement on more modern "adaptive" cruise control systems which use radar to maintain a constant following position in traffic. I've not tried one of these systems yet, so I'm not in a position to comment.
Approaching and overtaking slower traffic
So, you're approaching some slower traffic. All you have to do is move in to lane 2 or 3, pass the traffic and move back into lane 1.
Simple.
Except it's never that simple is it? There is a much more extensive planning process which starts with considering the domino principle. This is the fairly simple premise that vehicles moving from lane 1 to lane 2 have a domino effect on vehicles in lane 2 which will generally move to lane 3.
A good driver will be able to spot this situation before it occurs by looking out for one simple clue...
Closing gaps.
Say you're driving along in lane 1 at 70 and you're approaching a "clump" of slower moving traffic ahead - again in lane 1 (traffic tends to travel in clumps on the motorway - I've no idea why). Keeping with my advice to maintain a constant speed, you will move out to lane 2 and continue past the traffic.
But - have you ever been surprised by one vehicle within the clump suddenly deciding to move out into lane 2? Usually in front of you? Usually with no prior warning?
My advice is to look for the closing gaps. Don't just view the clump of traffic as a single item to be overtaken, but instead recognise that it is a collection of individual vehicles, whose drivers all have different agendas.
The most obvious would be a car behind an HGV. Goods vehicles are mostly speed limited these days and the drivers tend to sit on or near the 56 ish mph permitted by the limiter. Look again at the car behind the lorry - don't just glance at it - look at it and work out if there is a difference in speed between the two vehicles. If the car is catching up with the HGV, the likelihood is that the driver will want to overtake it.
Most drivers don't plan too far ahead, so it's usually at the point when the car is right up with the HGV when the driver decides to overtake.
If you've recognised this situation early, you've two options. Either move out early into lane three if it's clear, or if lane 3 isn't clear, you can lift off and allow the driver to move out in front of you to pass the HGV. Either of those two options avoids a confrontational situation (even though the root cause is the other driver's poor planning and observation).
Easy when it's just a car and a lorry, but less so when there is more traffic across several lanes. The key is to look carefully at each vehicle and try to work out its intentions.
Ages ago I wrote a piece about anticipation here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I'll not copy and paste the whole post, but there is some clear "car body language" which drivers display when they intend to change lanes on the motorway - even if they don't indicate their intentions.
Closing on the vehicle in front is the most obvious one, but here's another - the swerve and return.
When a driver is thinking about moving into a lane to their right, it is very common to see them make a small move to the right within their lane, then return to the centre of their lane, and then indicateandchangelanes all at once. Just how it's written.
It's very subtle, and I don't really know why they do it, other than my own theory which is that they're giving away their own intentions with a slight physical reaction. It is, however, a very real phenomenon and one to watch out for on your next motorway journey.
Rear observations
So, plenty of stuff to look out for in front, but what about behind?
Just as important - if you want to avoid being the swerve and return driver - is what's happening behind you. The centre mirror is the most useful one most of the time, but not just for a quick glance every 20 seconds or so. Some drivers and riders (either legitimately or not so) travel at very high speeds on the motorways. In the past I've legally seen in excess of 160 whilst covered by a police exemption and at those speeds, you're "on" other road users very, very quickly.
So mirror checks on the motorway should be a good second or so long - long enough for you to really take in what is happening behind and what is catching up with you. And regularly too - at least every 10 seconds and even more frequently when it's busy or your speed is high.
Look in the mirror in exactly the same way as you look out of the windscreen. Scan into the far distance for approaching vehicles, and then take in the middle distance and the foreground. In much the same way as you do when looking forward, it's very important to assess the information gained from your mirror check, such as the relative speeds of all the vehicles you can see, not just the one behind you.
Use this information to plan your progress. Move out early to obtain a lane well in advance or lift off early if you're approaching a slower vehicle but the lane to your right is full.
Changing lanes
If you're going to move out and pass a slower vehicle, my first piece of advice is not to leave it too late. If you move out early you're effectively stating your intentions early and "claiming" your place in the overtaking lane.
Before changing lanes, check your centre mirror and your offside (right) door mirror. In addition, it's good practice to give a right shoulder check. There is a very distinct blind spot just over your right shoulder and some drivers have a very annoying habit of finding it and sitting in it whilst matching your speed.
Not just a quick glance either - a good sustained gawp over your right shoulder through the rear offside window (if you've got one).
When you actually change lanes, move smoothly but positively straight into the centre of your chosen lane. Too quickly and it'll look and feel like a swerve. Too slowly and it'll look like an indecisive move- it shouldn't look indecisive because you've already made a positive decision to change lanes, so go with it.
Should you signal? This is a moot point in advanced driving circles. My personal approach is that I only signal if I believe someone will benefit. So a faster vehicle approaching from behind will benefit from a signal under some circumstances, but I pick and choose.
If you're in the habit of always signalling, then stick with it. Better to give the occasional unnecessary signal than to miss giving one necessary signal.
Once you've passed the slower moving vehicles, check your mirrors and wait until you have a full view of the vehicle in your centre mirror before moving back to the nearside lane. It's also important to check your left shoulder at this point in exactly the same way as described above, just in case an overtaken vehicle has decided to accelerate.
Travelling at very high speed
I'll start this section with a disclaimer. I've previously been in the privileged position of having a speed exemption for police training purposes. This allowed me, when it was appropriate, to drive as fast as was considered safe. At times, it would be perfectly safe to travel in excess of 150mph for considerable distances.
This was, however, under very controlled and justifiable circumstances and as part of my duties as a police driver and instructor.
I do not in any way condone breaking any laws and this part of the post is in no way an encouragement for anyone to go out and floor it to the max on a motorway.
It is, however, an insight into how police officers are taught to drive at very high speed on the motorway. It may also be useful for anyone who drives, or plans to drive at high speed on unrestricted sections of autobahn or any other unrestricted sections of road.
I'm sure that many of you will, at some point, have been driving on a quiet and un-policed stretch of motorway and been tempted to put your foot right down to see what your car will really do. Many of you will have succumbed to this temptation and exceeded 110, 120, or 130.
I'll bet, however, that you reached your maximum speed for less than a mile before backing off with a slight giggle and bringing your car back to a more sensible speed.
High motorway speeds can be intoxicating and exhilarating and those brief bursts of (highly illegal) speeds that many of us have explored will leave you with dilated pupils and a raised heart rate.
Here's the truth about sustained high speed driving.
It's a bit boring.
This will, of course, sound daft to most readers - how can driving a considerable distance on the motorway at 140 or 150mph be boring?
Well, firstly, when you're legally exempt from speed limits, the "naughty" element doesn't exist. There is no danger of you being prosecuted because what you're doing isn't illegal, so that element of excitement just isn't there.
Secondly, you very quickly get used to the high speeds. Modern high performance cars do not need working very hard to achieve these kind of speeds, so there is no extra effort required in the part of the driver, and no real specialist car handling skills either. On a completely empty and spacious road, almost anyone could sustain high speeds until they ran out of fuel.
In fact, I would commonly tell advanced car students that their speed - by which I mean the actual numbers on the speedo - was irrelevant. As long as the speed was appropriate to the circumstances, the numbers didn't matter a not. I had a couple of students who had a real mental block about going over 100mph. We'd accelerate nicely up through the gears, but as soon as they saw the needle go into three figures, they would involuntarily lift off.
We cured these drivers of their phobia by covering the speedo with a beer mat whenever we were on a motorway or NSL road. That's how irrelevant the actual speed is when you have an exemption.
Extended observations become absolutely vital as your speed goes well into 3 figures. If you're travelling at 150 and approaching a car doing 70, it's the same as approaching a stationary vehicle at 80mph. It's much more difficult to focus on things close to you when you're travelling above 100mph, and so you must look further down the road, as this is where you can focus. Excellent forward planning is essential and will allow you to make decisions well in advance of an evolving hazard.
Scan right to the distance and look very carefully for closing gaps. Spotting one truck closing on another on the distant horizon can become a truck moving in front of you within a few seconds.
Don't forget that other road users never expect you to be travelling at very high speeds. I would always use dipped headlights at high speed for extra visibility.
Make all your inputs very slowly and smoothly. All the stuff about keeping your driving smooth suddenly makes complete sense when you're moving along in the hundreds.
Your choice of lane is slightly different too. It's highly unlikely that you'll be holding anyone up at 140 or 150 (although mirror checks are still required at high speed), so I would usually stick to lanes 2 and 3. There are two reasons for this. HGVs mostly use lane 1 and over time they can create distinct tyre tracks in that lane. These aren't usually a problem at 70, but can cause extreme tram lining at 140, so stay out of lane 1. Secondly, you're not likely to be impeding anyone's progress, so lanes 2 and 3 can be used as driving - as opposed to overtaking - lanes at high speed.
Something else to bear in mind on this point. Motorways are designed by engineers so that the radii of bends are safe at up to around 100mph. They are not designed to be travelled at top speed, and so the wide open bends you're used to become very distinct corners at high speed. Left handlers can be particularly uncomfortable when you're in lane 3 as the central barrier can feel perilously close.
In dealing with motorway corners at high speed, bear in mind that the basic principle of cornering with a little acceleration still apply if you want to keep the car we'll balanced. This means that you shouldn't approach a motorway corner at top speed, because you'll have nothing left with which to accelerate. Instead, lift off slightly on approach, lose around 10mph and then reapply the speed as you drive around the corner. This is a very subtle technique, but makes a world of difference.
Anything else to bear in mind? One overriding rule...
Always be prepared to sacrifice speed for safety
It's not a willy waving contest out there and even the very best drivers can get caught out at high speeds. The fact that sustained high speed driving can become boring makes it even more dangerous if that in turn reduces your concentration level. You need to be VERY alert to drive at these speeds.
One last note on this subject - it's very, very easy to break the speed limit when you leave the motorway after sustained high speed driving. After 10 miles at 150, 100 can feel like 60 and 60 can feel very dangerously like 30.
I think that's enough for now. There will be a 3rd instalment in which I'll talk about exiting the motorway, dealing with roadworks and obstructions and stopping in an emergency.
Like I said at the beginning of the post - driving along the motorway. Simple.
Well, better late than never, (something like 7 years late in this case), here is "Motorway driving part 2".
Before you continue, however, it may well be worth 15 minutes reading part 1:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
In particular, I'd like to remind you of this paragraph:
A much younger Reg said:
In these particular articles (unlike others I’ve written), I’m going to assume no prior knowledge on the part of the reader. I make no apologies for this – I want it to be helpful for everyone from brand new licence-holders, through to advanced drivers. I’ve tried to include something for everyone, so it should be useful if you only ever use a motorway every other month, or if you do 70,000 miles a year.
So, now you've got a little bit of context for this article, here's what I'll be covering in part 2.Driving along the motorway
Sounds simple enough doesn't it? I mean - motorways are just big wide straight roads where you just go in one direction. This should be a piece of cake to write.
Ok, before I go any further, let's just nick a photo from part 1:
This photo shows a few of the terms I'll be referring to and the correct terminology for motorway lanes.
So, seven years ago, we joined the motorway. What next?
I'm going to make an assumption here, which should be a fair one on a motoring forum - I'm going to assume that you want to make some reasonable progress. Motorways are the main arteries of our road network and we generally use them when we want to cover longer distances. There is nothing wrong with wanting to make some decent progress where it is safe and appropriate.
So, having joined the motorway and having slotted in to lane 1, what's next? Well, if the motorway is clear and there is no traffic ahead, it's simple. Stay in lane 1.
Lane 1 is the default "driving along" lane and your overriding plan whenever you are driving on the motorway should be to return to lane 1 whenever it is appropriate. If you read the motorway section of the Highway Code, it is very clear that lanes 2 and 3 (and 4 etc) are for overtaking only. I'll cover lane hogging etc a bit later, but all I'll say at this point is that you should always try not to be "that" driver.
A quick general note on driving along here - motorway driving can be bloody boring. Modern cars are comfortable and cosseting and generally nice places to sit and at 70mph most cars are as comfortable as your sofa at home. Combine this with an unchanging, unremitting wide stretch of grey tarmac with nothing to look at for mile after dreary mile, and you've got a recipe for becoming bored, distracted and even sleepy if you're not careful. I believe this is a major cause of poor motorway driving (and particularly of poor lane discipline) - people are bored.
Once you've read this piece, you should go away with a few tips and techniques which will engage you in thinking creatively and planning your motorway progress. in turn, this should keep your interest levels up and prevent you from becoming bored. You'll be better able to spot situations before they actually occur and although it's unlikely you'll ever look forward to a long motorway drive, you will at least have some things to practice.
Here's another thing to consider. The Red Arrows choose only the best fast jet pilots and even then, they require months of training before they can fly in close formation.
When you're driving on the motorway, You're travelling in close formation at relatively high speeds alongside people who you've never met and of whom you have no clue as to their competency.
As another instructor once described it to me, motorway driving is "formation flying with idiots".
Not everyone is an idiot of course, but just have a look around you next time you bob in to a motorway service station for a wee. Not when you're weeing of course - this is the time to stare at your boots only - but on your way in and out of the building, have a look at the people around you. You will be in no doubt that some of them are idiots. The same idiots you've just been driving alongside at 102 feet per second. This exercise alone keeps my attention on every motorway journey I take.
Consistency of speed
This is something I always try to achieve on a motorway journey - I pick a speed and try to stick with it. This sounds a very simple concept, but it amazes me how many drivers are inconsistent with their speed. They will accelerate on downhill stretches, but then fail to compensate on the uphill bits. They will dawdle in the middle lane, but then unexpectedly accelerate as you're about to overtake them. The worst ones will continually (and generally obliviously) overtake you and then slow down. You'll pass them and they'll disappear into a dot in your mirror, only to reappear 2 or 3 miles later at warp speed and pass you like you're standing still, only to slow down again and repeat the cycle. Returning from a recent trip to Scotland, I overtook the same driver eight times in less than 50 miles without changing my speed. He had no idea that I even existed.
A consistent speed is also much more fuel efficient on a long journey than a pattern of acceleration and deceleration, so if you're a skinflint you'll benefit from this tip.
So, pick a speed and try to stick with it, preferably using acceleration sense as discussed in a recent thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Many people choose to use cruise control on long motorway journeys. Cruise control is very good at allowing you to maintain a constant speed, but in my view it's a bit of a blunt tool and is only really any good when the traffic is light. It also encourages drivers to switch off a little more than usual, when in fact, using cruise control requires just as much planning as driving on a normal throttle.
I will, however, reserve judgement on more modern "adaptive" cruise control systems which use radar to maintain a constant following position in traffic. I've not tried one of these systems yet, so I'm not in a position to comment.
Approaching and overtaking slower traffic
So, you're approaching some slower traffic. All you have to do is move in to lane 2 or 3, pass the traffic and move back into lane 1.
Simple.
Except it's never that simple is it? There is a much more extensive planning process which starts with considering the domino principle. This is the fairly simple premise that vehicles moving from lane 1 to lane 2 have a domino effect on vehicles in lane 2 which will generally move to lane 3.
A good driver will be able to spot this situation before it occurs by looking out for one simple clue...
Closing gaps.
Say you're driving along in lane 1 at 70 and you're approaching a "clump" of slower moving traffic ahead - again in lane 1 (traffic tends to travel in clumps on the motorway - I've no idea why). Keeping with my advice to maintain a constant speed, you will move out to lane 2 and continue past the traffic.
But - have you ever been surprised by one vehicle within the clump suddenly deciding to move out into lane 2? Usually in front of you? Usually with no prior warning?
My advice is to look for the closing gaps. Don't just view the clump of traffic as a single item to be overtaken, but instead recognise that it is a collection of individual vehicles, whose drivers all have different agendas.
The most obvious would be a car behind an HGV. Goods vehicles are mostly speed limited these days and the drivers tend to sit on or near the 56 ish mph permitted by the limiter. Look again at the car behind the lorry - don't just glance at it - look at it and work out if there is a difference in speed between the two vehicles. If the car is catching up with the HGV, the likelihood is that the driver will want to overtake it.
Most drivers don't plan too far ahead, so it's usually at the point when the car is right up with the HGV when the driver decides to overtake.
If you've recognised this situation early, you've two options. Either move out early into lane three if it's clear, or if lane 3 isn't clear, you can lift off and allow the driver to move out in front of you to pass the HGV. Either of those two options avoids a confrontational situation (even though the root cause is the other driver's poor planning and observation).
Easy when it's just a car and a lorry, but less so when there is more traffic across several lanes. The key is to look carefully at each vehicle and try to work out its intentions.
Ages ago I wrote a piece about anticipation here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I'll not copy and paste the whole post, but there is some clear "car body language" which drivers display when they intend to change lanes on the motorway - even if they don't indicate their intentions.
Closing on the vehicle in front is the most obvious one, but here's another - the swerve and return.
When a driver is thinking about moving into a lane to their right, it is very common to see them make a small move to the right within their lane, then return to the centre of their lane, and then indicateandchangelanes all at once. Just how it's written.
It's very subtle, and I don't really know why they do it, other than my own theory which is that they're giving away their own intentions with a slight physical reaction. It is, however, a very real phenomenon and one to watch out for on your next motorway journey.
Rear observations
So, plenty of stuff to look out for in front, but what about behind?
Just as important - if you want to avoid being the swerve and return driver - is what's happening behind you. The centre mirror is the most useful one most of the time, but not just for a quick glance every 20 seconds or so. Some drivers and riders (either legitimately or not so) travel at very high speeds on the motorways. In the past I've legally seen in excess of 160 whilst covered by a police exemption and at those speeds, you're "on" other road users very, very quickly.
So mirror checks on the motorway should be a good second or so long - long enough for you to really take in what is happening behind and what is catching up with you. And regularly too - at least every 10 seconds and even more frequently when it's busy or your speed is high.
Look in the mirror in exactly the same way as you look out of the windscreen. Scan into the far distance for approaching vehicles, and then take in the middle distance and the foreground. In much the same way as you do when looking forward, it's very important to assess the information gained from your mirror check, such as the relative speeds of all the vehicles you can see, not just the one behind you.
Use this information to plan your progress. Move out early to obtain a lane well in advance or lift off early if you're approaching a slower vehicle but the lane to your right is full.
Changing lanes
If you're going to move out and pass a slower vehicle, my first piece of advice is not to leave it too late. If you move out early you're effectively stating your intentions early and "claiming" your place in the overtaking lane.
Before changing lanes, check your centre mirror and your offside (right) door mirror. In addition, it's good practice to give a right shoulder check. There is a very distinct blind spot just over your right shoulder and some drivers have a very annoying habit of finding it and sitting in it whilst matching your speed.
Not just a quick glance either - a good sustained gawp over your right shoulder through the rear offside window (if you've got one).
When you actually change lanes, move smoothly but positively straight into the centre of your chosen lane. Too quickly and it'll look and feel like a swerve. Too slowly and it'll look like an indecisive move- it shouldn't look indecisive because you've already made a positive decision to change lanes, so go with it.
Should you signal? This is a moot point in advanced driving circles. My personal approach is that I only signal if I believe someone will benefit. So a faster vehicle approaching from behind will benefit from a signal under some circumstances, but I pick and choose.
If you're in the habit of always signalling, then stick with it. Better to give the occasional unnecessary signal than to miss giving one necessary signal.
Once you've passed the slower moving vehicles, check your mirrors and wait until you have a full view of the vehicle in your centre mirror before moving back to the nearside lane. It's also important to check your left shoulder at this point in exactly the same way as described above, just in case an overtaken vehicle has decided to accelerate.
Travelling at very high speed
I'll start this section with a disclaimer. I've previously been in the privileged position of having a speed exemption for police training purposes. This allowed me, when it was appropriate, to drive as fast as was considered safe. At times, it would be perfectly safe to travel in excess of 150mph for considerable distances.
This was, however, under very controlled and justifiable circumstances and as part of my duties as a police driver and instructor.
I do not in any way condone breaking any laws and this part of the post is in no way an encouragement for anyone to go out and floor it to the max on a motorway.
It is, however, an insight into how police officers are taught to drive at very high speed on the motorway. It may also be useful for anyone who drives, or plans to drive at high speed on unrestricted sections of autobahn or any other unrestricted sections of road.
I'm sure that many of you will, at some point, have been driving on a quiet and un-policed stretch of motorway and been tempted to put your foot right down to see what your car will really do. Many of you will have succumbed to this temptation and exceeded 110, 120, or 130.
I'll bet, however, that you reached your maximum speed for less than a mile before backing off with a slight giggle and bringing your car back to a more sensible speed.
High motorway speeds can be intoxicating and exhilarating and those brief bursts of (highly illegal) speeds that many of us have explored will leave you with dilated pupils and a raised heart rate.
Here's the truth about sustained high speed driving.
It's a bit boring.
This will, of course, sound daft to most readers - how can driving a considerable distance on the motorway at 140 or 150mph be boring?
Well, firstly, when you're legally exempt from speed limits, the "naughty" element doesn't exist. There is no danger of you being prosecuted because what you're doing isn't illegal, so that element of excitement just isn't there.
Secondly, you very quickly get used to the high speeds. Modern high performance cars do not need working very hard to achieve these kind of speeds, so there is no extra effort required in the part of the driver, and no real specialist car handling skills either. On a completely empty and spacious road, almost anyone could sustain high speeds until they ran out of fuel.
In fact, I would commonly tell advanced car students that their speed - by which I mean the actual numbers on the speedo - was irrelevant. As long as the speed was appropriate to the circumstances, the numbers didn't matter a not. I had a couple of students who had a real mental block about going over 100mph. We'd accelerate nicely up through the gears, but as soon as they saw the needle go into three figures, they would involuntarily lift off.
We cured these drivers of their phobia by covering the speedo with a beer mat whenever we were on a motorway or NSL road. That's how irrelevant the actual speed is when you have an exemption.
Extended observations become absolutely vital as your speed goes well into 3 figures. If you're travelling at 150 and approaching a car doing 70, it's the same as approaching a stationary vehicle at 80mph. It's much more difficult to focus on things close to you when you're travelling above 100mph, and so you must look further down the road, as this is where you can focus. Excellent forward planning is essential and will allow you to make decisions well in advance of an evolving hazard.
Scan right to the distance and look very carefully for closing gaps. Spotting one truck closing on another on the distant horizon can become a truck moving in front of you within a few seconds.
Don't forget that other road users never expect you to be travelling at very high speeds. I would always use dipped headlights at high speed for extra visibility.
Make all your inputs very slowly and smoothly. All the stuff about keeping your driving smooth suddenly makes complete sense when you're moving along in the hundreds.
Your choice of lane is slightly different too. It's highly unlikely that you'll be holding anyone up at 140 or 150 (although mirror checks are still required at high speed), so I would usually stick to lanes 2 and 3. There are two reasons for this. HGVs mostly use lane 1 and over time they can create distinct tyre tracks in that lane. These aren't usually a problem at 70, but can cause extreme tram lining at 140, so stay out of lane 1. Secondly, you're not likely to be impeding anyone's progress, so lanes 2 and 3 can be used as driving - as opposed to overtaking - lanes at high speed.
Something else to bear in mind on this point. Motorways are designed by engineers so that the radii of bends are safe at up to around 100mph. They are not designed to be travelled at top speed, and so the wide open bends you're used to become very distinct corners at high speed. Left handlers can be particularly uncomfortable when you're in lane 3 as the central barrier can feel perilously close.
In dealing with motorway corners at high speed, bear in mind that the basic principle of cornering with a little acceleration still apply if you want to keep the car we'll balanced. This means that you shouldn't approach a motorway corner at top speed, because you'll have nothing left with which to accelerate. Instead, lift off slightly on approach, lose around 10mph and then reapply the speed as you drive around the corner. This is a very subtle technique, but makes a world of difference.
Anything else to bear in mind? One overriding rule...
Always be prepared to sacrifice speed for safety
It's not a willy waving contest out there and even the very best drivers can get caught out at high speeds. The fact that sustained high speed driving can become boring makes it even more dangerous if that in turn reduces your concentration level. You need to be VERY alert to drive at these speeds.
One last note on this subject - it's very, very easy to break the speed limit when you leave the motorway after sustained high speed driving. After 10 miles at 150, 100 can feel like 60 and 60 can feel very dangerously like 30.
I think that's enough for now. There will be a 3rd instalment in which I'll talk about exiting the motorway, dealing with roadworks and obstructions and stopping in an emergency.
Like I said at the beginning of the post - driving along the motorway. Simple.
Edited by R_U_LOCAL on Monday 5th May 21:25
CB2152 said:
Another good read, thanks
Out of curiosity, I often notice traffic police cars on the motorway seem to be dead steady in their lane, appearing not to move closer to either side of it at all, even at quite high speed. Is there a technique for achieving this (I know "hold the wheel still" is a good start) or is down to experience?
I echo the previous comments about extending your observations to the far distance, but it's not quite as simple as that (it never is!).Out of curiosity, I often notice traffic police cars on the motorway seem to be dead steady in their lane, appearing not to move closer to either side of it at all, even at quite high speed. Is there a technique for achieving this (I know "hold the wheel still" is a good start) or is down to experience?
As part of the scanning process you should of course look to the far distance, but it's important that you also work back to the middle distance, then to the foreground, the sides and the rear. This is a continuous process "a continual visual sweep of the whole environment".
In the midst of this continual visual sweep, if you're looking to improve your consistency within your lane, look to the far distance, then to the white lines immediately to the front nearside, and then front offside of the car, back to the horizon, then back to the front corners (taking in the relationship between the white lines and the front corners of the car).
Don't just do this continuously - just introduce this double glance - horizon - corners/lines - horizon - corners/lines - into your normal scanning routine. Combine it with a relaxed grip on the steering wheel and remember that on a completely flat road the car will want to go in a straight line all of its own accord. Don't over-drive the car - just guide it gently with subtle inputs.
One other situation which can lead to wandering in your lane is our natural tendency to mirror the movements of a vehicle we're following.
Next time you're in a line of traffic, try to look about two or three cars in front. At some point you'll see one of the cars ahead start to wander slightly in their lane. Then watch what happens - the next car will do the same, and the next etc. you'll end up watching a line of cars very slightly "snaking" along the road as each driver in turn unconsciously mirrors the movements of the one in front.
Avoid this by recognising when the cars ahead are waving slightly and concentrate on not following them yourself.
Dave Hedgehog said:
i have a question about mway driving?
your taking a fast right hander that becomes ever tighter, the nose of the car starts to wash out and the car starts to push wide from lane 3 to lane 1. lanes 2 and 1 are clear so should you let the car drift and keep your foot in it or should you lift off and hope the rear does not let go?
thanks
If your car is understeering on the motorway then your speed is too high. As I mentioned in the main post, most motorway corners can be easily taken at up to 100mph, but above that speed, you should treat them like any other corner and assess the severity of the curve on approach. Even if you've assessed it as a very high speed corner, you should lose a little speed prior to turning in so that you have a little acceleration left to apply through the bend.your taking a fast right hander that becomes ever tighter, the nose of the car starts to wash out and the car starts to push wide from lane 3 to lane 1. lanes 2 and 1 are clear so should you let the car drift and keep your foot in it or should you lift off and hope the rear does not let go?
thanks
High speed understeer can be quelled by a gentle lift on the throttle to rebalance a little more weight over the front wheels.
pedromorgan said:
Just wanted to say thanks for both of the articles and looking forward to part 3.
i think its amazing how much of this never seems to be said anywhere.
out of interest (and a little off topic) do you think motorway cops should be much tougher about tailgating and such when the high speeds are involved?
I personally have no problem with people going a bit faster when the conditions are right, but something that has really surprised me in the last couple of months is how many complete idiots there are out there.
peter
I've been out of the policing game for a few years now, but my new role has me frequently working with the police in various roles, including traffic. I've seen how police funding has been drastically reduced over the last few years and how that has had a seriously negative effect on the quality and amount of traffic policing where forces have had to prioritise on more serious issues.i think its amazing how much of this never seems to be said anywhere.
out of interest (and a little off topic) do you think motorway cops should be much tougher about tailgating and such when the high speeds are involved?
I personally have no problem with people going a bit faster when the conditions are right, but something that has really surprised me in the last couple of months is how many complete idiots there are out there.
peter
It'd be nice if a few more MLMs and tailgaters were to get a pull, but it would be an unaffordable luxury at the moment.
I don't like the contact position. I've never taught it or used it myself, either on the motorway or on other roads. The police driving school I taught at did not recommend or teach the contact position and that page was crossed out in all the school's copies of Roadcraft.
I experienced the contact position in a demonstration drive by a Met officer once. It made me very uncomfortable and confirmed to me once and for all that it shouldn't be used.
I posted a reply to another thread recently on the subject of "encouraging" lane hogging drivers to move:
I experienced the contact position in a demonstration drive by a Met officer once. It made me very uncomfortable and confirmed to me once and for all that it shouldn't be used.
I posted a reply to another thread recently on the subject of "encouraging" lane hogging drivers to move:
In another thread Reg said:
Nothing wrong with a headlight flash to encourage an inattentive driver to vacate an overtaking lane - it is a technique I used to teach standard and advanced police students. A couple of things to bear in mind though.
Firstly, don't flash someone if they're clearly overtaking or have nowhere to go. It's pointless if the car in front is alongside another vehicle or will obviously be overtaking another vehicle very shortly. Save the headlight flash until they have a clear gap to their nearside into which they can safely move.
Once they have a clear gap to the nearside, but they're obviously not budging, give them a 2-3 second retina burn, but without encroaching within your 2 second following position. A longer flash seems to appear less aggressive than a series of shorter flashes, especially from a consistent following position.
If they move, accelerate smartly past and give them a courtesy signal - a quick wave of thanks clarifies that you weren't acting aggressively.
If they stay put, keep your distance & give a second 2-3 second burn.
Still no reaction, give a third flash, still from a 2 second gap.
If at that stage they still haven't moved, they're either deliberately blocking or they haven't looked in their mirror since a week last Tuesday.
At this point, I just switch my headlights to dipped beam, leave them on and sit 2 seconds back - they might see you in the next 10 miles, so sit it out & try not to let yourself get too wound up.
On the legality of a headlight flash, it's a perfectly legitimate signal to inform other road users of your presence and I honestly can't think of a more appropriate use of the signal.
And somewhere else I gave a short input on how to deal with someone tailgating you:Firstly, don't flash someone if they're clearly overtaking or have nowhere to go. It's pointless if the car in front is alongside another vehicle or will obviously be overtaking another vehicle very shortly. Save the headlight flash until they have a clear gap to their nearside into which they can safely move.
Once they have a clear gap to the nearside, but they're obviously not budging, give them a 2-3 second retina burn, but without encroaching within your 2 second following position. A longer flash seems to appear less aggressive than a series of shorter flashes, especially from a consistent following position.
If they move, accelerate smartly past and give them a courtesy signal - a quick wave of thanks clarifies that you weren't acting aggressively.
If they stay put, keep your distance & give a second 2-3 second burn.
Still no reaction, give a third flash, still from a 2 second gap.
If at that stage they still haven't moved, they're either deliberately blocking or they haven't looked in their mirror since a week last Tuesday.
At this point, I just switch my headlights to dipped beam, leave them on and sit 2 seconds back - they might see you in the next 10 miles, so sit it out & try not to let yourself get too wound up.
On the legality of a headlight flash, it's a perfectly legitimate signal to inform other road users of your presence and I honestly can't think of a more appropriate use of the signal.
Somewhere else Reg said:
One of the advantages of a correct following position listed in Roadcraft is something like "to extend your braking distance to make it safer for following vehicles."
In other words, if you're following a vehicle at a safe distance and the vehicle in front suddenly brakes without warning, you've got the stopping distance of the car in front plus the distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front in which to stop, so theoretically you wouldn't have to brake as hard as the vehicle in front, which means there is less likelihood of the car behind running in to you.
So if you're being tailgated in traffic, the safest option is to extend your following position from the car in front of you to perhaps three or four seconds.
In other words, if you're following a vehicle at a safe distance and the vehicle in front suddenly brakes without warning, you've got the stopping distance of the car in front plus the distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front in which to stop, so theoretically you wouldn't have to brake as hard as the vehicle in front, which means there is less likelihood of the car behind running in to you.
So if you're being tailgated in traffic, the safest option is to extend your following position from the car in front of you to perhaps three or four seconds.
BusaMK said:
Liked a lot of it but respectfully really disagree with a couple of points -
Fair enough - fire away.BusaMK said:
1. Advising motorists to glance over their shoulder to check their blindspot while doing 70 mph is a bad idea.
Really?BusaMK said:
Bikers have no trouble with this, but Imagine joe bloggs trying this out and swerving their car partly into the next lane - I bet many are not capable of doing this safely.
Really? Are you genuinely of the opinion that most drivers are incapeable of carrying out a shoulder check without drifting over into an adjacent lane? I sometimes teach learners and they become competent at shoulder checks within a couple of days. And are you really suggesting that there is such a vast difference between the skill level of different road users, based solely on the type of vehicle they use? BusaMK said:
Perhaps this explains your 'lane swerve phenomena' prior to lane change.
It's a fair point, but I don't agree, based on my own observations. It's a very common visual clue that a driver is considering changing lanes, but I've never seen it accompanied by a visible shoulder check.BusaMK said:
If you accelerate into the overtaking lane a vehicle cannot stay hiding in your blindspot.
Thats a very sweeping statement. They aren't always "hiding" in your blind spot (although I accept that was an example I gave) - they can also be overtaking you at a slow closing speed. It's difficult to describe how a full car can be within feet of you, ye entirely invisible in the mirrors. If I'm teaching a learner I always do a little exercise on a car park where I'll position various articles - up to one of those large industrial wheely-bins, in the drivers blind spot whilst they're parked up. The only way to safely check this "zone of invisibility" is to physically look over your shoulder. BusaMK said:
Mirror, signal, accelerate and change lane would be good practise for the average motorist moving into the outside lane.
Remember this was a post which covered driving along the motorway - I've already covered joining a motorway in an earlier post. If you go back through my post you'll see that a fundamental piece of advice was to pick a speed and stick with it. your plans should centre around keeping this consistent speed, so if you're planning correctly most of your lane changes and overtakes will not need any acceleration at all. For those that do, the lane change should come first followed by the acceleration. This will ensure that you'll never accelerate within (and thus reduce) your safe following position on the vehicle in front.BusaMK said:
This also breeds a good habit of accelerating on slip roads to join the motorway, a skill which some motorists unbelievably lack.
I agree with this & I covered it in the first installment.BusaMK said:
2. Irrespective of ability you should always indicate for the person you might not have seen too - It's just not worth changing lanes without doing it, even for someone with 'perfect' awareness - it's good practise and should always be done without fail when moving into a faster lane of traffic.
I don't agree with you, but if you want to indicate every single time you change lanes, then please carry on. I posted a piece on forgiving yourself years ago, which became a bit of an ongoing argument about signalling. I've no intention of reigniting that argument, but the thread is here if you want a read...http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=5&a...
Edited by R_U_LOCAL on Wednesday 7th May 18:05
Z.B said:
R_U_LOCAL said:
I don't like the contact position. I've never taught it or used it myself, either on the motorway or on other roads. The police driving school I taught at did not recommend or teach the contact position and that page was crossed out in all the school's copies of Roadcraft..
I'm interested by this - I will start a new thread if you'd care to comment......In all my years and many thousands (likely to be well into the hundreds of thousands) of motorway miles, I think I've been caught out by vehicles in my blind spot on four occasions due to my own lack of observations. None of these incidents led to anything more serious than an aborted lane change or another driver having to slow down.
This is three times too many - I should have learned from my mistake on the first occasion.
I do not intend the number to raise to five, so my use of shoulder checks on the motorway has risen over the years rather than reduced.
This is three times too many - I should have learned from my mistake on the first occasion.
I do not intend the number to raise to five, so my use of shoulder checks on the motorway has risen over the years rather than reduced.
Not all habits are "bad". Many techniques taught as part of any driver training are repeated and repeated so that less and less thought is required for the processes involved in moving the car along. This should ensure that the driver has the maximum percentage of their attention available for observing and planning for hazards, whilst using a minimum amount of mental capacity to physically drive the car.
Systematic approaches to hazards should be habitual, as should smooth use of the controls, accurate placement of the car and the muscle memory involved in operating the minor controls, switches etc.
Mirror checks should be habitual too, at the appropriate times. That's the mirror checks though - the analysis of what you've seen in your mirrors falls into the conscious part of your driving - the bit you're actually thinking about and using as you plan your way down the road. So the check can be habitual, but the analysis should be conscious.
Same with a shoulder check. When teaching learners I expect them to carry out left and right shoulder checks when moving off from stationary. At first, it's obvious that they're just moving their head - it's just a routine, or "drill" that they're carrying out, and I don't have much faith that they're actually looking and processing what they're seeing. As time goes on, and they are able to think less about what they're physically doing with the cars controls, I start to see that they're actually seeing and using the information gained from the shoulder check.
There are plenty of bad habits though. My first to second gearchange is bloody awful at the moment.
Systematic approaches to hazards should be habitual, as should smooth use of the controls, accurate placement of the car and the muscle memory involved in operating the minor controls, switches etc.
Mirror checks should be habitual too, at the appropriate times. That's the mirror checks though - the analysis of what you've seen in your mirrors falls into the conscious part of your driving - the bit you're actually thinking about and using as you plan your way down the road. So the check can be habitual, but the analysis should be conscious.
Same with a shoulder check. When teaching learners I expect them to carry out left and right shoulder checks when moving off from stationary. At first, it's obvious that they're just moving their head - it's just a routine, or "drill" that they're carrying out, and I don't have much faith that they're actually looking and processing what they're seeing. As time goes on, and they are able to think less about what they're physically doing with the cars controls, I start to see that they're actually seeing and using the information gained from the shoulder check.
There are plenty of bad habits though. My first to second gearchange is bloody awful at the moment.
Blakewater said:
Regarding lane hogging, there is a part of the Highway Code which discusses not going three or more abreast with other vehicles in order for everyone to keep escape routes, or zones of safety around them. If you're in lane three coming up to overtake a vehicle in lane two, you should avoid being alongside it while that vehicle is in lane one as no one has anywhere to move to should evasive action around a hazard be necessary.
Certainly at moments when all traffic in each lane is travelling at much the same speed, I'll keep a clear space to the left of me if I'm in an overtaking lane as well as a good stopping distance ahead of me. A lot of people would see this as lane hogging, assuming I should be moving to the clear space to the left and that if I want to make faster progress I should be getting up close and personal with those ahead. There's a difference between lane hogging and keeping a good amount of space around your car so nothing takes you by surprise and you have time to observe and react to unfolding hazards.
When I undertook my police advanced course in 1995, "avoiding making a line of three vehicles abreast" was a key ingredient of advanced motorway driving. Even when travelling at very high speeds, you were expected to time your approaches to vehicles in lane 2 to avoid passing them when they were alongside vehicles in lane 1. If your obs were good, you could do it through acceleration sense only and it didn't really impede your progress, but it did start to become more difficult as the volume of traffic increased.Certainly at moments when all traffic in each lane is travelling at much the same speed, I'll keep a clear space to the left of me if I'm in an overtaking lane as well as a good stopping distance ahead of me. A lot of people would see this as lane hogging, assuming I should be moving to the clear space to the left and that if I want to make faster progress I should be getting up close and personal with those ahead. There's a difference between lane hogging and keeping a good amount of space around your car so nothing takes you by surprise and you have time to observe and react to unfolding hazards.
When I applied to take my instructor's course four years later, I had to carry out an assessed drive with full commentary. I included the three abreast rule, but was pulled up during the debrief. The school had decided that the general increase in motorway traffic had made keeping the three abreast rule increasingly difficult and they no longer expected students to apply it during high speed motorway runs. The fact that you're travelling at a much higher speed than the overtaken vehicles means that your "time alongside" is reduced to a minimum.
For general driving in heavy traffic, however, I still strongly advocate the "three abreast" (or four abreast, depending on the number of lanes) rule. As mentioned in my original post, there is a domino effect on motorways where movements in lane 1 affect vehicles in lane 2 etc. if traffic is heavy and there is an HGV in lane 2, I tend to fall into a following position just longer than the HGV and only start to pass it once the vehicle in front of me has moved forward enough to allow me to pass the HGV and sit in a following position without being alongside the HGV.
It's not a "rule" per se, - more of a general guide. Sometimes (often in heavy traffic), it's impossible to avoid three or four abreast, but it's good practice where possible.
waremark said:
R_U_LOCAL said:
My first to second gearchange is bloody awful at the moment.
Is it true? I admired the accuracy of your rev matching in the gear changing video filmed in the MX5 a few years ago.I occasionally "self examine", whereby I consciously look at how I'm driving and I noticed that I was rushing 1st to 2nd. It's an easy one to rush because you've normally just pulled away from stationary and your attention is on the hazard you're negotiating rather than what's happening "in-car".
The problem isn't my technique - I'm perfectly capeable of carrying out smooth changes. The problem is that I've stopped thinking about the change altogether and my attention is elsewhere. By the time I've remembered, I've already thrown the lever into second and it inevitably leads to a "D'oh" moment.
I've mostly sorted it now, but I can feel a post on self-analysis coming up...
Rick101 said:
I'm in the same mind for always indicating but am constantly told I'm wrong for doing so.
I really don't understand the issue, negative effect or damage to my driving to flick an indicator on when changing direction must be absolutely minimal. There are some occasions where I don't indicate but 99% of the time, I think for moving my finger 1cm it's worth it.
If nothing else, it's a useful teaching aid. Police students are required to consider whether a signal is necessary before giving one. The knock-on effect is that it helps them develop better scanning skills and observations. It also requires them to be more careful in their analysis of the information they're taking in from their observations.I really don't understand the issue, negative effect or damage to my driving to flick an indicator on when changing direction must be absolutely minimal. There are some occasions where I don't indicate but 99% of the time, I think for moving my finger 1cm it's worth it.
So, in effect, it's not really a reduction in signals that we're looking for - it's a more analytical approach to making observations. Being more selective about signals is one way to demonstrate these improved observation skills.
Back in the real world, however, I wouldn't normally advise someone to stop signalling automatically. If it works for you, then stick with it.
Rick101 said:
Bizarrely I'm also told to not engage seatbelt until after I start the engine in case the car bursts into a massive fireball. I'm told 1 in a million chance but it's 'safety' so we should do it.
This seems a bit unnecessary. The starting drill I used to teach involved a number of actions, including seatbelt, which were carried out before starting the engine. I would imagine the chances of a sudden explosion are the same as the chances of being shot by a sniper. Perhaps a quick scan for snipers should be included in the starting drill too? On a more serious note, if your car is parked on the road (and being extremely pedantic in the traditional PH manner), once your engine is running, you are "driving" the car even if it's not moving, so you would be committing an offence if you hadn't already put your seatbelt on.
Bring on the arguments...
Edited by R_U_LOCAL on Thursday 5th June 10:16
Vipers said:
Unless you intend to reverse! And after completing the manouevour and intend to drive forwards, you will still be sitting stationary with the seatbelt off, until you put it on.
So I can't see it be an offence if the vehicle is stationary?
I was being a bit naughty with that one - there is an argument that if the engine is running and you're in a position to control the direction and propultion of the vehicle then you could be held to be driving. Its certainly the case if you were stuck in traffic or stopped at lights, but probably not at the start of a journey. In any case, it would have to be a particularly shiny-shoed and slashed-peak gutter rat to give you a ticket under those circumstances, and they're a dying breed these days.So I can't see it be an offence if the vehicle is stationary?
The exemption you're referring to allows you to carry out a manoeuvre "which includes reversing", whilst not wearing a seatbelt, so the exemption counts even when driving forwards if the forward movement is part of a bigger manoeuvre which requires backwards and forwards movement, such as a three-point-turn.
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