To be petrified driving on motorways

Ah I see! Yes if there is no other choice then they will be allowed. Same as when you have to go into a bus lane if there is an accident. I always make a note of this in case the camera catches you.

Do people really spend lots of time driving in areas they don't need to drive, just to prove they can.
I cant fathom driving 200 miles away, when I dont need to, just to prove I could.
@Frowningprovidence you shouldn't need to drive 200 miles to prove you can drive on a mostly straight line. You really should just be able to do it. If you can't, you're not a competent driver. If you can't drive on a motorway, if hazard a guess that you couldn't really drive on a dual carriage way and if you can't drive on a dual carriage way, you probably can't drive on a single carriage way a road and so on and so on.

Nice. A place I've wanted to visit.

I mean vehicles that are forbidden to drive on the motorway e.g. learners (unless with an instructor with dual controls), tractors, little motorbikes.
There must have been provision for them.

It’s a mixed bag though. The risk takers are clearly dangerous but people who are liable to panic are equally dangerous, strong chance of doing something completely unexpected that could cause chaos. There’s just likely more risk takers than panic drivers. Some people just aren’t meant to drive and my honest opinion is if you’re not capable to drive on all types of roads and journey types you probably shouldn’t be driving.

🥳🥳🥳 good on you!

It would be very unusual to have a diversion only go to a motorway because not all drivers are allowed on them. I'd suggest there was another diversion that you missed.

@pumpkinpillow Yes I do live in northern Scotland.

To the others saying I can't drive properly, as I've already said I'm perfectly competent at the driving I need to do. I never need to use motorways and have managed for 43 years without anybody questioning my competency because I've never driven on one.
So crack on and drive up and down motorways as much as you need to.

Sorry I don’t understand your question. If you only drive on A roads and they block you going ahead and force you to go o to the motorway you will have no choice but to drive on the motorway. If you are a panic driver that could be disastrous.

I understand, but my question was what did the vehicles do that are not allowed on the motorway?

The road ahead was blocked and everyone was diverted onto the M25. It happens!!

I would have thought it was the over confident risk takers that are a greater danger on the roads

Well done! Driving anxiety is awful but I promise it can be overcome with regular practice.

I used to hate the motorway and, even though I have had my licence for 10 years, it was only last year that I finally drove on the motorway in the dark as it turns out, it's now my favourite type of driving! It tends to be quieter, the oncoming headlights are much further away so they don't dazzle me, and I find a long, straight road in the dark much more relaxing than driving through towns.

Well done!

I'm glad you made it.

This is the thing though, if you (general you) keep putting something off, your mind creates a much bigger thing out of it.

A lot of those learners, were encouraged and have taken motorway lessons and made the effort to get out onto motorways so that they wouldn't become fearful. But yes I still stand by my point, if you cannot today, get on a motorway and drive, then you are not a competent driver.

There is not much difference between a dual carriageway and a motorway. Motorways are our safest roads. I agree merging onto one is the most difficult bit if it’s busy. However practice helps and I’d start with a dual carriageway where you must join via a slip road.

When dm was old she didn’t drive far and never ever went on a motorway in 60 years of driving. That means limiting yourself to destinations. Great if you have time to take side roads. Most of us don’t and go on holiday in cars which means driving more than 20km and often motorways and dual carriageways. Life is limited otherwise and you become dependent on others.

Well done for driving for 1 hour @mollyfolk . That’s a good start. There’s a whole lot more you can do now. Have fun.

I disagree with the people saying that if you are nervous of driving on a motorway you shouldn't be driving at all.
I have lost confidence on motorways and also would not drive into a big city.
I live rurally and I feel completely confident on local roads.
I think its important to know your limits.
Traffic is heavy on the motorway and moves at great speed. My own hesitancy and nervousness would make me dangerous.
I never drive long distances, I take the train.
If I were younger and work might require me to drive distances I would take some motorway lessons and try gradual desensitization by going on the motorway for short distances at quiet times. I don't see the point forcing it if it will never be required. ( I would have to travel 80 miles to find a motorway to practice on. There's a dual carriageway but it doesn't feel as daunting.

Do people mean proper motorways (i.e., 3-4 lanes), or is this applied to all dual carriage ways?

I'm absolutely fine with motorways and stuff, but not keen on inner city driving! I do both and don't fret about it, I just rely on my sat nav mostly! But I find fast motorway driving with multiple lanes easier than inner city!

I am doing a very usual thing on mumsnet. I am putting myself in someone else's shoes and imagining why they might behave differently than me. I'm even going one step further and feeling sympathy for someine who doesn't do exactly what I can or would do.

Learners weren’t even allowed to drive on motorways until 2018. Millions of drivers were deemed competent and issued a licence without ever having driven on one. Are you saying all those millions of people couldn’t drive and therefore shouldn’t have been issued a licence?

Could you? You have even said you'd get a taxi in that scenario.

If you cannot drive on a motorway, you are not a competent driver.

When you get Monday out of the way, treat this like a project and perhaps get up early on a Sunday and go for a drive when it is quiet and you don't have the pressure of a deadline or a destination. Join a junction then leave and drive back. Repeat enough times to take the edge off. Slowly increase the time and then use busier periods.

Do it again tomorrow, and the day after, go to different places

No it isn't, its asking a valid question, if you cannot drive on all roads, you cannot drive! It's that simple.