Nearly in a serious car accident - hand hold please

[Usedandhurt]

Im literally shaking. Just had a driver nearly kill me and my dc on the motorway. He/she must have not checked before they pulled onto the motorway from a slip road, I literally had to slam on the breaks to avoid crashing into them and thankfully the driver behind me and the one behind them etc etc were able to stop also. My dc would have been very badly hurt - it was a huge bus and I can only imagine the driver got distracted.

Im a nervous driver at the best of times and Im literally sick with nerves.

Thank you both. I was begging to think that id missed the formula one training course or something 🙄

I had a similar but different experience the other day when I was ON a roundabout and 2 vehicles including one truck joined from the next and I had to drive in a way as to not literally be squished.
I alternated between raging and being upset that evening so sending empathetic vibes your way x

The thing you need to always remember is that any big vehicle, be it bus, lorry etc, has many blind spots all round it, made worse if they are left hand drive like many lorries these days. Most carry a sticker “ if you can’t see my mirrors then I can’t see you” but even that doesn’t cover all the spots. I notice they’ve even got a TV as now warning drivers. So you need to be especially careful near them, whether behind, overtaking or like you having them joining etc. I often drive our very big motorhome, which is based on a four ton lorry chassis & so have some idea of the problems they have seeing smaller vehicles without the advantage even of the rear view cameras ours has. It’s brought home to me how unaware many car drivers are as to the amount of leeway large vehicles need when manoeuvring. And how many treat motorhomes like caravans, who have tight rules about speed, rather than being wary of them as the fast, heavy lorries that the big ones actually are.
Try not to fret too much, think of it as a valuable lesson learned to drive a bit more defensively & never take too much for granted as to what other drivers might do.

I'm not defending the bus driver. Agree that they are in the wrong according to the highway code.
But - I would do whatever I could to avoid hard breaking on a motorway. If I see someone approaching on a slip road at speed, I'm going to slow or move for my own safety. Not wait until they cut me up and break.

Op I totally understand it was scary and probably the bus drivers fault but that is a very extreme reaction to something that nearly happened.

In the nicest possible way have you thought about talking to someone about your anxiety around driving?

I can't quite see how this has happened without bad driving on your part.
There's a bus on the slip road joining the main carriageway. Yes you have right of way...but...you should either move into lane two or slow your speed it allow it to join in front of you. Only occasionally would it be safe to pass it and allow it to join behind you.
It sounds like this is what you've done, misjudged the situation and nearly come off worse for it.
Sorry not really the handhold you were after.

I agree with this. There are many dangerous drivers out there and it's good to be prepared, so when you've got a slip road to your left you need to be constantly checking mirrors to see if anyone is joining. If you then indicated to move over right it's really likely that someone will give you space.

This is why hazard perception is a big thing in driving tests these days.

Yes he was in the wrong but you should have anticipated it and driven more defensively. You were equally dangerous performing such a hard brake on a motorway.

I do feel nervous drivers are as dangerous, sometimes more, than cocky ones.

That sounds really scary op, I've had people do that to me before. Whilst you should let people out if it's safe to do so you shouldn't need to do am emergency stop to facilitate a vehicle joining. Sounds like he was going too fast and not looking. If he had looked he should have adjusted his speed and pulled in behind you. Unfortunately, some drivers are bullies and just decide to force themselves out at all costs. We have some very short curved slip roads on a duel carriageway round here and people just fly out of them without looking. So dangerous.

Sorry Its difficult trying to reply to everyone individually. I always try to be as considerate as I can be whilst driving but I cannot anticipate a bus cutting into my lane with no notice at speed. The driver simply didn't pause or look. Can I ask all the people criticizing me, would you all join the motorway without checking to see if there was a suitable gap? Would you risk yourself, your passengers, the other people on the road with the attitude of "well tough Im joining the lane no matter what, make room for me or else"

I have witnessed buses and lorries sitting on slip roads awaiting an opportunity to join at this very junction. I myself have sat waiting at this very junction. The reason I wait rather than plow out into the traffic is that its dangerous and I dont have right of way.

I dont think me being an anxious driver means that I shouldnt drive or that im at fault for someone elses poor driving. Ive never had an accident or a complaint about my driving.

The OP has said that moving over wasn't possible due to traffic. Traffic joining the motorway has to give way to traffic on the motorway. It's really clear cut that the bus driver has committed a traffic offence. The OPs done nothing wrong.

I always try to be as considerate as I can be whilst driving but I cannot anticipate a bus cutting into my lane with no notice at speed.

was the slip lane unusually short?

Jesus those of you blaming the OP need to hand in your driving licences.

While it's nice to move over, there is no obligation to do so, nor is it always possible.

Her braking can cause accidents/contribute to congestion through a domino effect.

The Highway Code is quite clear that it's up to joining traffic to find a gap and they should use the hard shoulder as an extension of the slip road if absolutely need be.

Had there been a crash it would have been entirely on the other driver's insurance, and that driver potentially facing criminal charges.

gosh people are absolute twats on this forum, and terrible drivers by the sound of it!

busy motorway, cars in front and behind you, middle lane hoggers..
you really can't see why the OP didn't force her way through lane 2 or even lane 3? 🙄

You actually think it's normal for a bus to force the traffic to slam on their break when they're joining the motorway?

No wonder the M25 is permanently congested with accidents thanks to attitude like that.

I especially love the "OP, you should just slow down to let him go through" 😂
Cause that's the best way to avoid accidents and a car or lorry to ram into you because they didn't notice your change of pace.

OP, chill, aside from proving how hateful some posters can be, all it proved is that you are in control of your vehicle, you reacted when you had to do. It's unpleasant, but you handled it, and nothing happened.

but I cannot anticipate a bus cutting into my lane with no notice at speed.

You don't anticipate people joining a motorway from a slip road?

The bus shouldn't have pulled out when a car was there. Of course that's wrong. What lots are saying is that not everyone drives well and to reduce accident risk you need to anticipate people doing this.

When did you spot him? You should have been aware of him approaching from behind you and already be asking yourself what he's going to to. Also what was the distance between you and the car in front, it shouldn't ever be difficult to make a big enough gap as there should be a big enough stopping distance (another way of defensive driving to reduce risk of accidents)

Can I ask all the people criticizing me, would you all join the motorway without checking to see if there was a suitable gap?

I am guessing yes, we found the people doing literally just that and it pisses me off. Bonus point for going straight onto the "fast lane" without a care in the world.

As I have said numerous times before I didnt have the opportunity to slow to let the bus join as he was travelling at speed. Im not blind, but neither am I telepathic.

You don't have to be telepathic, if they are on the slip road they will be joining the main carriageway. If you see a bus drawing level on a slip road you can lift your foot off the accelerator, no hard braking, to allow it to merge. If you truly didn't see the bus gaining speed along side you, that's a real danger.

He/she was clearly distracted or finishing a shift and trying to get home.

This is ridiculous, the bus has to drive to speed limits, gaining speed to join a motorway is normal, not something they do while trying to get broke faster.

Away and have a word with yourself!!! Cruel and unnecessary comment.

The OP is in shock here. WTF if it had been entirely her fault which it doesn't appear to be, she still deserves a little kindness!!

It's horrible @Usedandhurt. Maybe you need a little g&t *insert tipple of choice. There are some really really shit drivers on the roads.

What do you mean sat waiting at this junction? Have you stopped on the slip road waiting to join? 😱

I am imagining the bus in Speed careering onto the motorway 🙈

You clearly should never be allowed to drive. If you think a near-miss on the motorway is that hilarious, you really should never be going on one, or anywhere near a driver seat.

It's entirely usual for people to go into shock after near miss. It can come out as silence, rage, hysteria, an extremely businesslike approach - whatever you can imagine, it can happen.

From someone with experience of this.