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Original poster

Nearly in a serious car accident - hand hold please

719 replies

Usedandhurt · 24/10/2023 16:09

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.

OP posts:
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NerrSnerr · 24/10/2023 18:14

@fedupandstuck but the driver was on a slip road so couldn't have just appeared next to her, it must have driven up the slip road before it got to her so if she had used her mirrors before the bus was next to her then there wouldn't have been a need to slam breaks on which is obviously dangerous (although better than being crushed by a bus).

The bus driver was wrong but that doesn't mean we can't do our best to keep ourselves safe by being aware of our surroundings.

SirChenjins · 24/10/2023 18:14

supersonicginandtonic · 24/10/2023 18:13

Of course you had time to see the bus and take actions, even if he was driving at 70 you can see them. You indicate and move over. A huge bus shouldn't have to slow down, joining a motorway from stationary is incredibly dangerous. I use motorways daily and have never had this problem. Either slow down or move over, it's that simple.
If you didn't see him or as you say, have time to react, your weren't paying enough attention.

You need to retake your test if you truly believe those idiotic and factually incorrect words you just typed out there.

UnevenBalance · 24/10/2023 18:14

SirChenjins · 24/10/2023 18:08

Some of these replies are truly scary - no wonder there are accidents on motorways if people really believe that the cars on the motorway have to move over for traffic coming onto it (or indeed to adjust their speed).

Next time these posters are moving from the slip road onto a dual carriageway or motorway they should remember Highway Code 259 -

259
Joining the motorway. When you join the motorway you will normally approach it from a road on the left (a slip road) or from an adjoining motorway. You should

  • give priority to traffic already on the motorway
  • check the traffic on the motorway and match your speed to fit safely into the traffic flow in the left-hand lane
  • not cross solid white lines that separate lanes or use the hard shoulder
  • stay on the slip road if it continues as an extra lane on the motorway
  • remain in the left-hand lane long enough to adjust to the speed of traffic before considering overtaking.
Edited

👏👏👏

Whattheduck · 24/10/2023 18:16

Not your fault op the bus should have slowed down especially if it was a busy motorway and you couldn’t move over
Ignore all the perfect drivers on here

BlueEyedPeanut · 24/10/2023 18:16

Is it better to be right, or is it better to be alive? It's not just your own driving you need to be aware of. I imagine most people when seeing a bus charging down a slip road ahead of them would think "hmm he might not stop" rather than "I have the right of way, so he should stop" and act accordingly.

CherryMyBrandy · 24/10/2023 18:16

fedupandstuck · 24/10/2023 16:52

No one should be slowing down on a motorway to let traffic merge in from a slip road.

The bus driver committed a traffic offence. They must give way to traffic on the motorway. Forcing their way on and making vehicles brake hard to avoid them is the wrong thing to do. Dangerous and not a choice a professional driver should be making.

This. I can't believe PPs are blaming the OP. Regardless of common practice, if someone can't get onto a motorway from the slip road then they have to stop and wait. They shouldn't just barge on ffs.

Sorry this happened to you OP. Not surprise you are shaken up. Hope you feel better soon.

I live near a very short slip road that cant be seen due to the layout (until the very end) from a very busy motorway. So you can't always see traffic coming up a slip road with any/much warning.

If people aren't able to move over on my local slip road (which they often can't because of heavy traffic) you just have to stop and wait until it's clear. What you DON'T do is barge on causing everyone to perform emergency stops and potentially a multi car pile up!

supersonicginandtonic · 24/10/2023 18:17

@SirChenjins it's common sense, nothing wrong with my driving. Surely, everybody knows cars join from a slip road so you anticipate that and take action.
If the OP is as nervous as she says she is she shouldn't be driving on motorways. Hesitant and nervous drivers can be a danger too.
I also don't believe a bus just appears. It wasn't invisible until it arrived at the side of her 🙄

MikeRafone · 24/10/2023 18:17

Can someone get up the part in the Highway Code that state those on lane 1 should move to lane 2 at a slip road to the motorway, not seen this before for the UK?

IslandsInTheSunshine · 24/10/2023 18:17

I really feel for you OP. I think every driver has experienced this to an extent.

However, slip roads are junctions and signposted well in advance.

You always have to be aware of idiots who think they have right of way and don't give way, or don't see you.

If possible you should slow down as you approach slip roads and also move to the middle lane if it's possible, or the outside lane to allow traffic to join the motorway. Your default thinking should be they have not seen you, so you take avoiding action.

Do you have dashcam as you said you'd reported the driver?

bathrobeandpie · 24/10/2023 18:18

supersonicginandtonic · 24/10/2023 18:13

Of course you had time to see the bus and take actions, even if he was driving at 70 you can see them. You indicate and move over. A huge bus shouldn't have to slow down, joining a motorway from stationary is incredibly dangerous. I use motorways daily and have never had this problem. Either slow down or move over, it's that simple.
If you didn't see him or as you say, have time to react, your weren't paying enough attention.

you use motorways DAILY?

Good grief.

We really should have to retake our licences at some point, lord knows how some people got one in the first place.

easylikeasundaymorn · 24/10/2023 18:18

KateyCuckoo · 24/10/2023 17:18

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

Show quote history

why the shocked face? This is exactly what you are supposed to do if there is no space to safely join a new road.

Have you never needed to access a gridlocked road or one that is very busy with stop-start traffic, so had to queue on the slip road to wait to join a motorway/dual carriageway?

I can't understand how people have never experienced this, have you never driven during rush hour?

I can't believe the arrogance of people who didn't witness an event and are relying solely on a second hand description to say with such confidence that not only the person who actually experienced it was wrong but also the police officer considering it, and the actual Highway code!

Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 24/10/2023 18:18

Bloody hate slip roads. Sometimes yoy can't move to the right, sometimes there's a twat up your arse, so you can't brake. When your coming on to the slip road the onus is on the one joining to not cause a major accident. No argument.

fedupandstuck · 24/10/2023 18:18

Fucking scary the number of people who seem to think that you should be slowing down to allow traffic to merge from a slip road. It is dangerous to slow down like this on the motorway. It is not required by the Highway Code nor is it even recommended by the Highway Code. Cars slowing down on the motorway can cause confusion for those joining, and as a PP has explained is actively dangerous if the joining vehicle is aiming for a gap behind due to being speed limited.

NerrSnerr · 24/10/2023 18:18

Whattheduck · 24/10/2023 18:16

Not your fault op the bus should have slowed down especially if it was a busy motorway and you couldn’t move over
Ignore all the perfect drivers on here

The 'perfect' drivers are just trying to explain how not to die on a motorway.

Yes, everyone could just stay in the left hand lane at 65mph ignoring the slip road and hoping no one crashes into them or you can actually use mirrors, pre empt people's movements and have an active role in keeping yourself safe. I know what I'd prefer.

IslandsInTheSunshine · 24/10/2023 18:18

MikeRafone · 24/10/2023 18:17

Can someone get up the part in the Highway Code that state those on lane 1 should move to lane 2 at a slip road to the motorway, not seen this before for the UK?

It's not in the Highway Code but would be classed as 'defensive driving' which is what advanced motorists learn.

Alargeoneplease89 · 24/10/2023 18:18

TallulahBetty · 24/10/2023 16:11

Depends. How come you didn't move over for them to join?

That is not how the slip road works!

Op there are so many entitled drivers who think they have right of way ... im so sorry this happened to you.

supersonicginandtonic · 24/10/2023 18:19

@MikeRafone it's just common sense isn't it? A bus cannot stop and then accelerate quickly to joint the motorway safely. The OP Could easily have reduced her speed to let him in. It's not exactly difficult is it? Where did she expect him to go?

UnevenBalance · 24/10/2023 18:19

NerrSnerr · 24/10/2023 18:14

@fedupandstuck but the driver was on a slip road so couldn't have just appeared next to her, it must have driven up the slip road before it got to her so if she had used her mirrors before the bus was next to her then there wouldn't have been a need to slam breaks on which is obviously dangerous (although better than being crushed by a bus).

The bus driver was wrong but that doesn't mean we can't do our best to keep ourselves safe by being aware of our surroundings.

Nope sorry.

If she needed to use her mirrors then it was coming from behind her and was going faster than her which is NOT adjusting to the speed of other vehicles. Tbh I find that surprising. I’ve yet to find a bus or truck that is going faster than me on a slip road.

If he was in front of her, the OP did NOT have to switch lanes, even if there was a gap. It’s up to the bus driver to find a gap.
And yes habit is for people to change lanes. Except that in some cases , like the OP, you simply can’t. The issue here is then the assumption people will move. Plus the feeling from buses and trucks that they somehow have oriority and push people out if the way.

Lou670 · 24/10/2023 18:19

I don't think a call to the police was warranted. Have you never not made a mistake in all your years of driving? I agree with the other posters that upon passing a slip road where vehicles are trying to join/merge on to the motorway, that you should have been aware. If you were in the inside lane then you should be looking to see what vehicle is trying to join the road you are on.

You may cost someone to lose their driving career at worse or receive a warning at best. Things like this happen every day and not just on a motorway. If you are such a nervous driver as you say you are then you need to overcome this or stay away from the motorways. Your children are probably upset as picking up on your reaction to the situation.

EarthSight · 24/10/2023 18:19

Ooof close call. Glad you're all ok!

Cablescablescables · 24/10/2023 18:19

God almighty people are showing a staggering lack of empathy. I expect OP didn't move over due to a combination of not enough time/ no space in the middle lane, it's hardly an unheard of occurrence!

OP, I'm am so sorry this happened, how frightening and it's only natural to imagine the worst. Remember, you DID keep everyone safe, and that was as through your awareness of others and quick reactions - everything is ok because you did the right thing, not luck. Give everyone a big cuddle, deep breaths and try not to dwell on the 'what ifs'! Xxx

bathrobeandpie · 24/10/2023 18:19

so now we have the usual middle-lane hoggers

and all these drivers who SLOW DOWN pre-emptively on the motorway when approaching a slip road.

And are proud of it.

I have no word.

AsWrittenBy · 24/10/2023 18:20

I think the issue is that the OP has not clarified if the slip road was indeed unexpectedly short, or why she didnt see the bus before it suddenly appeared in front of her.

There is a short one that I can think of on the A27 just past Falmer, but you couldnt get to 70, but that is an A road, not a motorway

To survive on the roads today, you have to drive as if everyone is an idiot and have your eyes in front, behind and on both sides at the same time.

Nowherenew · 24/10/2023 18:20

supersonicginandtonic · 24/10/2023 18:13

Of course you had time to see the bus and take actions, even if he was driving at 70 you can see them. You indicate and move over. A huge bus shouldn't have to slow down, joining a motorway from stationary is incredibly dangerous. I use motorways daily and have never had this problem. Either slow down or move over, it's that simple.
If you didn't see him or as you say, have time to react, your weren't paying enough attention.

If the slip road is empty you carry on driving past it.

If a speeding driver then comes down it and gets in front of you and pulls out then what are you meant to do?!

There is not time to get across to the next lane because there are cars on it.
If OP had pulled into the next lane as you suggest, she would have caused a huge pile up.

And OP did slow down as she had to slam on her brakes.

The police have confirmed that she nor the cars behind her did anything wrong.
The bus was completely at fault.

It makes me sick to think that their are people like you driving on the motorway and not understanding the rules.
Its so dangerous.

IslandsInTheSunshine · 24/10/2023 18:21

fedupandstuck · 24/10/2023 18:18

Fucking scary the number of people who seem to think that you should be slowing down to allow traffic to merge from a slip road. It is dangerous to slow down like this on the motorway. It is not required by the Highway Code nor is it even recommended by the Highway Code. Cars slowing down on the motorway can cause confusion for those joining, and as a PP has explained is actively dangerous if the joining vehicle is aiming for a gap behind due to being speed limited.

This is just stupid.

No one is talking about slowing from 70 to 30mph.

But you can't carry on at 70 and just cross your fingers hoping the driver in the slip road has seen you.

I've been driving for decades on very long motorway journeys.

If I'd followed your plan I may not be here.

First rule of safe driving is expect everyone else doing the wrong thing and take defensive action when it's safe to do so.