Is it weird to stay off the motorways?

[chessica]

I will preface this and say I’m a relatively experienced driver and often use the car to pop to the supermarket, local shopping centre, train station etc

I don’t like motorways, haven’t used them as a driver in about 12 months possibly longer. We do live 5 minutes from several, but I can also take A/B roads to get to where I need to be usually only takes 10 minutes or so longer.

I am put off them as we have a lot of smart motorways nearby, and as a passenger when DH is driving I have noticed some awful driving around us. People on their mobiles doing 60, people texting in motorway traffic, people merging and then failing to accelerate and those who change their minds at the last minute and cut across two lanes of traffic at speed so they don’t miss their exit junction. Seems like fewer and fewer drivers leave the correct gap, you see them all up ahead following so closely & worse when there’s spray and rainy conditions. I know statistically they are safer, but surely not when everyone’s doing 60-80mph and many people not paying attention or leaving themselves enough space

Does anyone else avoid motorways altogether?

@EllaPaella if you are driving at 60 or above you are not being overtaken by lorries, they are legally not allowed to exceed 60, most have speed limiters and few can reach 60 anyway! Coaches are the exception in the large vehicle category. Driving daily on the m5 I see cars doing 30/35/40 regularly, it's not safe for conditions, lorries overtaking them

DD passed her driving test just over a week ago and I’m glad that yesterday when she and I were travelling involving a motorway that she asked to drive on the motorway so she could see what it’s like rather than building it up in her mind and not trying. Similarly with driving a couple of friends a couple of days ago - she now knows she can do it and it’s fine.

Where we live we are unlikely to use motorways too much but for journeys to see family it would make it a lot longer and more difficult a journey.

When I drive (hire car on holiday sometimes) I use motorways if needed. Though I don't blame anyone for avoiding them.

In my opinion about 25% of those with a licence should not have one, conduct being at least half of those.

I prefer motorways and always use them. We regularly travel from Cambridgeshire to Wiltshire. My bloke goes across country, I do motorways. Far less stress.

Particularly as I’d guess that poster doesn’t know what a dual carriageway actually is based on their comment.

Completely agree.

No not odd. I avoid them if at all possible.

Sometimes it can't be helped but since the idiots at the DfT decided smart motorways were a good idea, they are so dangerous, I use the old A roads if I can.

I don't avoid motorways yet but I can see why some people do and I might do in the future. There are terrible drivers on all roads but terrible drivers at 70/80 miles ph are more of a problem than at 30 or 40 mph. You get people like the poster upthread who think its OK to stay in the outside lane doing 80 and move to the middle if someone wants to get past. Then you get the middle lane hoggers which provoke the undertakers. Also people who are scared to move out to let you on.

I’d quite like an alternative to motorways for one journey I do regularly, but it’d take a lot longer. 60 miles, M3, M25, M40. Luckily none of the lethal ‘no hard shoulder’ sections though.

I drive on motorways all the time. It doesn't bother me.
I actually find driving long distances on them alone to be quite therapeutic, especially as I can have my music on as loud as I like.

I do use motorways but it scares me getting on them. I would rather go a slightly longer route than on the motorway if it's possible, although not more than 10 or so minutes out of the way. Once on I'm absolutely fine, it's far easier and more enjoyable than driving in a city or on country roads.

Smart motorways do worry me though, I don't understand how they can justify not having at least some refuge area/hard shoulder for huge stretches.

To be honest I only really use them when we go on holiday, the very occasional further afield day out.

I don't drive on the M25 but happily drive on the paege in France.

I live about a I’ll from the M62/M1 interchange, they are my local roads to get to the gym, to another part of my city. I really don’t think they’re any worse then any other road tbh

It’s the slip roads getting on that terrify me. I avoid them absolutely.

Yes. It’s been years now.

Motorways are the best type of driving

No idiots on e-scooters, no bloody cyclists, no traffic lights, no peds, everybody going in the same direction. It's easy

My nan did this, and it left her very isolated when her husband died. She was a confident driver, but stopped driving on motorways and the lacked the confidence when she need to do it after she died.

It turned a 4 hour journey to see her kids into closer to 7, so she just stopped going, meaning that we always had to travel to her, so she ended up seeing a lot less of her than we would have otherwise.

No. If you avoid things, you become worse at dealing with them and they become a bigger issue in your mind, so if you do ever have to use them, you’re probably in a state and become a danger to others.

But…I love driving. I can’t imagine ever being scared of it.

No, I always prefer the motorway if things are running smoothly and feel relaxed as soon as I am cruising along. Even if it's a 50mph limit.

I find A and B roads with all the lights and junctions tiring and am always stuck behind driver's who take 5 minutes to set off when the lights change and chunner along at a 24mph for 5 miles.

I find the main problem on motorways is boredom.

Unfortunately, all those People avoiding motorways are probably also nervous and irritating drivers on other roads.

I love all roads for driving. Motorways are statistically the safest but a lot of drivers don't know how to use them properly and just sit in the middle fucking lane and switch off until they need to come off the road.

I used to be absolutely fine with driving on motorways, and enjoyed the freedom and speed. Wheeee!

But then I moved close to the M25 and it’s the fastest route to so many other local places. I absolutely hate it and have become quite phobic about it. The way you have to constantly switch in and out of the outside lane as it becomes the lane for leaving the motorway. The way people swerve across multiple lanes
to get to the exit lane. That constant feeling that the road is curving slightly, making me feel slightly dizzy and spacey…

Nope love a bit of motorway driving, tho recently had to take a fiat 500 onto the motorway and that wasn't enjoyable compared to something German. Holding 70 (it's doesn't go much faster without screaming even 72mph it doesn't like) with everyone flying passed was an experience a van over took me and the car felt like it drifted left. Would have one given and defiantly wouldn't take it on the motorway with DS in. Yet feel perfectly safe in my Mini.

I don't mind smart motorways in my car which has multiple early warning alerts, has only done 20k and run flats so very unlikely to stop. The only way I would stop would be if the car physically wouldn't move anything else we are coming off at the next exit.

Slow drivers are also scary on the motorsways when your gaining on them at 60-70mph it dangerous having to slow down to move left and over take. Minimum speeds which are monitored by average speeds shouldn't enforced over a maximum speed.

Would love to see the autobans in this country.

Yes. I totally avoid motorways. The thought of driving on one fills me with such dread that I can think of no good reason to drive on one. My DH quotes the stats line at me but I pay it no mind. I feel safer avoiding them.