Motorway help - very nervous driver!

[VillageFete]

Hi,

I have to take my baby boy for an important medical appointment on Saturday morning and need to use the motorway to get there.
There’s no one else to take us or accompany us.

I’ll need to set off around 8am Saturday morning and the journey takes approx 1 hour 15 mins. I’ll be going up the M62.

To say i’m terrified is an understatement. I simply have no confidence motorway driving, i’m not aware of all these new rules with smart motorways and I hate driving to places if i’m not familiar with the road layout. How will I know what lane to be in?

I’m looking for tips regarding safe motorway driving, merging on, how to know when it’s safe to change lanes at such high speeds and what these new smart motorways entail.

Also, if I stay in the left lane and traffic is merging on, do I try to change lane to let them on?

Yes, I really am this nervous and incompetent

I completely agree SunsetBunny. Arrogant overconfidence is intimidating and dangerous in the extreme.
How did it go OP?

I drove past it this morning OP and I thought of you!!
How did it go?

This thread has been invaluable to me. I took all the advice on board and it was a rather pleasant journey!

I stayed calm, focused, I changed lanes to let traffic on when it was safe to do so (Basically when the middle lane was fairly clear) But I still struggled to know for sure when it was safe if there were cars in the middle lane at the time. If I doubted I could move over safely then I stayed where I was. Because of the high speed of the middle lane, how can I know for sure when it’s truly safe to move?

I was going about 55mph on average in the left lane, but did speed up to about 65mph when I could. Merging was fine.

I actually wasn’t the dithering danger that some posters assumed I would be, but I tell you what, there are some people who truly are a danger on those motorways. So much weaving in and out, so many cars not indicating, so many doing about 90mph, and there was someone up my backside in the left lane because their turn off was coming, so they swerved around me and then swerved in front. Had I been going faster i’d have gone in to him. I was doing about 60mph at the time as there was a lorry not too far ahead.

There is so much arrogance and overconfidence on the motorway. I was stunned.

Massive thanks again to all the posters with their helpful advice. I’m all booked in for some motorway lessons next month, but I feel I genuinely did well today

Well done OP!

Good tips - I'm also a nervous motorway driver so reading with interest. Good luck!

Sorry just seen update. Well done! You've inspired me and am going to give it a go!

Good for you, it is intimidating if you aren’t used to motorway driving.

I've just caught this thread but well done OP.

Not just for the journey today but your overall response to this thread.

I'm really pleased you're doing pass plus.

There are a lot of terrible drivers around.

However, the fact that you posted to get advice in the first place, researched your route, got a friend to accompany you and then booked additional lessons demonstrates that you are far, far more mindful of safety than many others on the road.

I witnessed a near crash just today with someone weaving in an out of lanes on a dual carriageway.

They nearly went side on into another car (driving perfectly correctly) having done a high speed under taking manoeuvre. It was only the actions of the other driver who had to emergency brake that saved the day.

The idiot just accelerated off as if nothing had happened.

I love driving and and enjoy speed and acceleration. I own a very fast sports car.

However, I reserve exploring the capabilities of my car for the track where I push it to its (and my) limits in a safe environment.

It's very normal for me to have other drivers on the road try and "goad" me into poor driving (traffic lights, tailgating to see if I'll accelerate away).

I have my own calming playlist I just turn on and make sure I focus on my driving and road safety.

Anyway a bit rambling but honestly - well done

Ah well done OP this has made my day 😊 Congrats for today's journey and also for booking some motorway lessons I'm so so pleased you're doing that and then you'll be a confident and safe driver in all situations

OP, you’re an inspiration! Well done. I hope Huddersfield was nice to you. Liverpool was brilliant to us when we went at Easter.

Well done OP!! I didn't originally post as I was the same as you so had no advice! Im glad you did it and now I'm thinking of doing motorway lessons or pass plus.

So sorry meant to say I hope the appointment went well and little boy is ok

Fab news, and I think asking for advice and help when unsure actually makes you an excellent driver. Understanding what you aren't as confident on and taking on board what people say is a million times better than people who just do whatever. Glad you found it okay, I was really nervous about driving on the motorway but had to for work one day; and found the thought must scarier than actually doing it!

Thank you all very much. I’m so pleased I posted for advice, because the advice I got was invaluable and gave me the confidence to go for it.

@BikeRunSki Huddersfield is so pretty! We grabbed some breakfast at Merrie England (I think that’s what it was called?) And had a little walk around. Really pretty little place.
Pleased you enjoyed Liverpool! I love the Albert Dock. We go down there for food and drinks as often as we can.

Oh, the Merrie England!! I was taken there EVERY Saturday as a kid. Always had a custard tart. Glad it went well, OP

@VillageFete we walked around the Albert Dock on Easter Sunday in blazing sunshine. It was glorious!