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Original poster

Driving styles across UK motorways

82 replies

Offandonagain · 09/08/2022 21:15

I drove from Cumbria to Canterbury today. I live in Cumbria and use the M6 often to visit family in the NW.

I am a happy confident driver and happy to drive until and down the M6 knowing how to read the road and judge other driver’s manoevres.

The M1 and M25 on the other hand!!! I just could ‘t figure out what drivers were supposed to be doing or not!… It’s like there’s completely different rules down there!

M1 lorries constantly overtaking each other and holding up the other lanes.

M25 very regular undertaking and weaving that I had to keep and eye on all 4 lanes at all times, not knowing where cars were going to appear from!… Right up people’s backsides. Going way too fast for the conditions. It was 4pm and pretty busy!

I actually thought my family were going to die today…. The traffic slowed to 40 and I saw a car in my rear view flying towards me, swerved so not to go in to the back of me but miss judged a car in the outside lane, so swerved again behind me and dodged me by under taking… toppling and sliding about. He then gained control and off he went weaving through the traffic in front like nothing had happened. Where as I was in shock and spent the next 20 miles or so shaking!

I’ve got to drive 6 hours through France tomorrow and I’m now dreading it!
Then there’s the bloody return journey through the UK south again! 😫

OP posts:
Popcorning · 09/08/2022 21:19

Having done a 5.5 hour drive myself today I understand and what you’re saying but it’s not just the M25 and M1 - it’s all motorways/drivers. I am from the M62 area although not lived there for years and would say the same about that stretch of road as I would the M5, M4, M3… all of which I drive fairly regularly. Just very congested roads and people rushing = poor driving.

Seriously think they need ‘stopping distance cams’ more than speeding cams! Speeding it’s necessarily dangerous but driving within a few metres of someone at 70 mph definitely is.

Popcorning · 09/08/2022 21:20

*isn’t

DottyYy · 09/08/2022 21:24

Yeah the M1/25 are notoriously bad.
I once had a car refuse to move from the inside lane despite all of the other lanes being free and this man was doing 50mph with no speed restrictions.
Then I must have irritated him when flashing (5 other cars had done the same and given up and undertook so idk why I bothered) and so he decided to slam the brakes on and stop!! On the fucking motorway! I couldn’t swap lanes because other cars were undertaking us at 70mph, so I put my hazards on. Then he put his hazards on too! Crazy. Absolutely fucking crazy.

Original poster
Offandonagain · 09/08/2022 21:31

Popcorning · 09/08/2022 21:19

Having done a 5.5 hour drive myself today I understand and what you’re saying but it’s not just the M25 and M1 - it’s all motorways/drivers. I am from the M62 area although not lived there for years and would say the same about that stretch of road as I would the M5, M4, M3… all of which I drive fairly regularly. Just very congested roads and people rushing = poor driving.

Seriously think they need ‘stopping distance cams’ more than speeding cams! Speeding it’s necessarily dangerous but driving within a few metres of someone at 70 mph definitely is.

Yes I’ve seen a lot of up arse driving today… so so dangerous! And pointless!!

I only ever drive the M62
from M6 to Hull so I miss a lot of the manchester congestion.

I think it is the congestion that threw me today… the M6 nr cumbria gets busy with tourists but not many are irate commuters

OP posts:
EtiquetteQuestion · 09/08/2022 21:32

DottyYy · 09/08/2022 21:24

Yeah the M1/25 are notoriously bad.
I once had a car refuse to move from the inside lane despite all of the other lanes being free and this man was doing 50mph with no speed restrictions.
Then I must have irritated him when flashing (5 other cars had done the same and given up and undertook so idk why I bothered) and so he decided to slam the brakes on and stop!! On the fucking motorway! I couldn’t swap lanes because other cars were undertaking us at 70mph, so I put my hazards on. Then he put his hazards on too! Crazy. Absolutely fucking crazy.

Inside lane? Going at 50mph is obviously too slow for the motorway, but do you mean the middle/right hand lane? (I thought the inside lane means the left-hand lane.)

Original poster
Offandonagain · 09/08/2022 21:32

DottyYy · 09/08/2022 21:24

Yeah the M1/25 are notoriously bad.
I once had a car refuse to move from the inside lane despite all of the other lanes being free and this man was doing 50mph with no speed restrictions.
Then I must have irritated him when flashing (5 other cars had done the same and given up and undertook so idk why I bothered) and so he decided to slam the brakes on and stop!! On the fucking motorway! I couldn’t swap lanes because other cars were undertaking us at 70mph, so I put my hazards on. Then he put his hazards on too! Crazy. Absolutely fucking crazy.

Wow! That’s really scary!… My biggest fear on the motorway is someone going in to the back of me and it neatly happened today 😭

OP posts:
Original poster
Offandonagain · 09/08/2022 21:33

EtiquetteQuestion · 09/08/2022 21:32

Inside lane? Going at 50mph is obviously too slow for the motorway, but do you mean the middle/right hand lane? (I thought the inside lane means the left-hand lane.)

Show quote history

I assumed op was mistaken. You are right. Outside lane is the fastest. Inside the slowest

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Spaghag · 09/08/2022 21:39

Have you ever tried the M42 around Birmingham?

I used to regularly drive to Exeter down the M5 which I never had an issue with. Unfortunately the quickest way for me to get to the M5 is via the M42.

The driving "style" shall we say is unique.

Original poster
Offandonagain · 09/08/2022 21:42

Oh really?! Luckily I haven’t and will make a metal note to avoid! 😬

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LaChatte · 09/08/2022 21:42

From my experience (having lived in France for the past few decades) French motorways are pretty relaxed and relatively nice to drive on. I HATE driving on the M25 and M1.

Ylvamoon · 09/08/2022 21:43

Seriously, you'll be fine in France! Especially if you use their toll roads.
The UK roads are the worst out of the 5 European countries I drive in.
We always joke that the 3 hour journey from the ferry to home is just as stressful as the 10 hour trip across Europe! My favourite are Belgium motorways, honestly, they drive by the textbook! Evern in Brussels rush-hour.

RhubarbFairy · 09/08/2022 21:46

French autoroutes are absolutely not the same as British motorways. The autoroutes are a dream to drive on and we rarely see any fuckwittery on them.

Sorry to hear today was so stressful. Enjoy your drive in France tomorrow, it'll be much easier.

MakingNBaking · 09/08/2022 21:50

The M25 is a law unto itself.
The volume of traffic can make it difficult to move out from the inside lane when you need to, and you frequently need to as that lane so often turns into an "off" lane. Therefore people tend to drive in the second lane out as if that is the inside lane and move over when their junction comes up. So that's why you often see undertaking.
And sometimes nervous drivers and M25newbies just 'find' themselves in the third lane out and they're driving along panicking because they can't move over, and they can't even remember how they ended up out there. Then other drivers come up close behind them to try to encourage them to take the plunge and MOVE OVER but it just panics them more.
It's a jungle out there.

Original poster
Offandonagain · 09/08/2022 21:51

LaChatte · 09/08/2022 21:42

From my experience (having lived in France for the past few decades) French motorways are pretty relaxed and relatively nice to drive on. I HATE driving on the M25 and M1.

That’s really reassuring to hear! Thank you!

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Original poster
Offandonagain · 09/08/2022 21:52

Ylvamoon · 09/08/2022 21:43

Seriously, you'll be fine in France! Especially if you use their toll roads.
The UK roads are the worst out of the 5 European countries I drive in.
We always joke that the 3 hour journey from the ferry to home is just as stressful as the 10 hour trip across Europe! My favourite are Belgium motorways, honestly, they drive by the textbook! Evern in Brussels rush-hour.

Thank you for the reassurance! Honestly the M25 has put me off motorways for life!

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Original poster
Offandonagain · 09/08/2022 21:54

RhubarbFairy · 09/08/2022 21:46

French autoroutes are absolutely not the same as British motorways. The autoroutes are a dream to drive on and we rarely see any fuckwittery on them.

Sorry to hear today was so stressful. Enjoy your drive in France tomorrow, it'll be much easier.

Thank you! That’s great that a few people have sake the same about the French routes. I’m feeling more at ease now… not sure how I’m going to get back to Cumbria from Folkestone yet though 🤣… i might set off at 1am!!

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StamppotAndGravy · 09/08/2022 21:54

French motorways are a breeze. Make the British ones look purposely grim. Everyone more or less sticks to the limit and rules and they're well maintained. There are lots of speed cameras and they do send our fines! The only challenge is lining yourself up at the toll booth. I always get in an embarrassing mess and can't reach the machine without getting out.

Octomore · 09/08/2022 21:54

I agree with PPs - French motorway drivers are infinitely better than those you see in the south of England.

They are far better at the rules of the road - they overtake and then get straight out of the slow lane. Lane hoggers are not tolerated and undertaking doesn't seem to happen.

Original poster
Offandonagain · 09/08/2022 21:55

MakingNBaking · 09/08/2022 21:50

The M25 is a law unto itself.
The volume of traffic can make it difficult to move out from the inside lane when you need to, and you frequently need to as that lane so often turns into an "off" lane. Therefore people tend to drive in the second lane out as if that is the inside lane and move over when their junction comes up. So that's why you often see undertaking.
And sometimes nervous drivers and M25newbies just 'find' themselves in the third lane out and they're driving along panicking because they can't move over, and they can't even remember how they ended up out there. Then other drivers come up close behind them to try to encourage them to take the plunge and MOVE OVER but it just panics them more.
It's a jungle out there.

This is exactly what I felt today! Thank you for this. I will remember it for my return journey

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Octomore · 09/08/2022 21:55

Tbh it depresses me that such a high proportion of British motorway drivers are so woefully inept. Other countries manage it, why not us?

HundredMilesAnHour · 09/08/2022 21:56

the M6 nr cumbria gets busy with tourists but not many are irate commuters

I suspect this explains a lot of the difference. Tourists are more relaxed and not trying to get to and from work. But it's not just commuters, it's also tradespeople plus LOTS of freight lorries.

I live in central London but grew up in Lancashire (and my family are all still there) so spend a lot of time on the M25, M1, M6 and M62. Drivers around London tend to be much more aggressive than in the North West (in my experience). It's worse in central London where it really is dog-eat-dog. He/she who hesitates is lost. Everyone is frustrated by the congestion so whenever the roads are slightly clear, they drive like maniacs to make the most of it before the next congestion hits. This of course spreads out to the M25 (and up the M1) as we do leave London sometimes. Wink

Have you never heard that saying about London drivers and traffic lights? Green means go. Amber means go. Red means think about it for a second and then GO!

Where I live in London, it's like the Wild West for cars. (Even my local black cabbies agree - the rules are that there are no rules). You can't relax for a second. You can't assume because it's a one way street that someone won't drive at you from the opposite direction. I was even undertaken by a car driving ON THE PAVEMENT once (they soon realised that the reason I wasn't moving was because it was gridlocked in front of me - so they ended up stranded on the pavement as I sure as hell wasn't letting them in). Don't even get me started on the homicidal cyclists and only slightly less aggressive pedestrians. This 'charming' London driving style inevitably moves out to the M25 and beyond so we can ruin the driving experience for more people. (Sorry!)

IWasFunBeforeMum · 09/08/2022 21:56

If people were undertaking you why weren't you in the inside lane? Middle lane drivers are the worst. If people used lanes correctly there wouldn't be nearly as much congestion on motorways.

Mrsbadger77 · 09/08/2022 22:01

I get massive anxiety as a passenger on English motorways particularly m5 and m6 and I always think I'm going to die. I really need to get Valium for the next journey I do.
As soon as we arrived in France this summer it all melted away. As PPs have said, driving in France is an absolute dream. Once you get used to driving on the other side which doesn't take too long, you will love it. I promise. Have a great trip.

Original poster
Offandonagain · 09/08/2022 22:01

StamppotAndGravy · 09/08/2022 21:54

French motorways are a breeze. Make the British ones look purposely grim. Everyone more or less sticks to the limit and rules and they're well maintained. There are lots of speed cameras and they do send our fines! The only challenge is lining yourself up at the toll booth. I always get in an embarrassing mess and can't reach the machine without getting out.

Thank you!… I’ve bought a toll tag to save my embarrassment 🙈

OP posts:
Original poster
Offandonagain · 09/08/2022 22:04

HundredMilesAnHour · 09/08/2022 21:56

the M6 nr cumbria gets busy with tourists but not many are irate commuters

I suspect this explains a lot of the difference. Tourists are more relaxed and not trying to get to and from work. But it's not just commuters, it's also tradespeople plus LOTS of freight lorries.

I live in central London but grew up in Lancashire (and my family are all still there) so spend a lot of time on the M25, M1, M6 and M62. Drivers around London tend to be much more aggressive than in the North West (in my experience). It's worse in central London where it really is dog-eat-dog. He/she who hesitates is lost. Everyone is frustrated by the congestion so whenever the roads are slightly clear, they drive like maniacs to make the most of it before the next congestion hits. This of course spreads out to the M25 (and up the M1) as we do leave London sometimes. Wink

Have you never heard that saying about London drivers and traffic lights? Green means go. Amber means go. Red means think about it for a second and then GO!

Where I live in London, it's like the Wild West for cars. (Even my local black cabbies agree - the rules are that there are no rules). You can't relax for a second. You can't assume because it's a one way street that someone won't drive at you from the opposite direction. I was even undertaken by a car driving ON THE PAVEMENT once (they soon realised that the reason I wasn't moving was because it was gridlocked in front of me - so they ended up stranded on the pavement as I sure as hell wasn't letting them in). Don't even get me started on the homicidal cyclists and only slightly less aggressive pedestrians. This 'charming' London driving style inevitably moves out to the M25 and beyond so we can ruin the driving experience for more people. (Sorry!)

Thank you for this explanation! It does explain a lot!

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