How are you with driving on the motorway?

[bumchic]

There are a few journeys locally which are sometimes much quicker if I go in the motorway for a couple of junctions but it’s so unpredictable I always try and avoid it.

BUT I do all the driving on long family journeys including abroad and am fine with it.

My mum on the other hand outright refuses to drive on the motorway and always has. The idea of her driving on a long trip eg when we were kids was absolutely out of the question. I have friends like this now too - they see long journeys as a man’s job.

Wow WTF

I have to admit that I don't do much motorway driving, because I don't need to. But I don't have any fear of it - it just doesn't feature in my daily life.

I can probably count on a few fingers how often I have done it. Once to Derbyshire to go to my Grans funeral, and once on the M25 to go on a holiday. I'm always on dual carriageways though.

Are you ok?

I've always loved motorway driving.
When I was learning to drive I wanted to pass the test purely to use motorways.

I judge them as long straight roads and everyone drives the same direction so very easy to negotiate.
My motorways nearby have always been the M1 and then on to the M25. Love them.

Yes I know that they aren't actually straight roads.

Yes, totally fine with motorways and I’m in my 60’s.

I used to drive down 3 junctions of the M1 for work everyday for years, whatever the weather.

I’ve always been a better more competent driver than any of my exes (they’d definitely agree), and DH doesn’t drive at all now due to sight issues.

I prefer motorway driving to the winding countryside lanes we have around us. I learnt to drive in London and when i moved to suffolk was amazed how many women my age (50s) were too nervous to drive outside of the county. However, Suffolk doesn't have a motorway, only A roads, so maybe it's just an experience thing....

I prefer motorway driving to non-M roads. I don't understand people who are scared of it... if you're that anxious/incompetent get off the roads altogether.

I don't mind motorways and with satnav it's easy to see in advance where there might be sudden congestion.

We have a few dual carriageways here with very short slip roads which I could see people feeling much more anxious about driving on.

Very confident. Motorway driving is much easier than suburban/city driving. I share long drives with my husband.

I love motorways, they are easier than normal roads by far.

Fine. I spend far too much time on the M6. Although as I get older I find my first thought about delay warnings isn’t ’ffs I’m going to be late’ and more ‘hmm should I stop for a wee at this service station or risk it?’

I lived this life for a long time. DH did the long trips. Not really because he was a man, but because he was a confident driver who enjoyed it, and I was happy to let him and have a nap.

Then he died, and suddenly, if I was doing to go anywhere I needed to drive. The first time I went on a trip I was shattered from the stress of it all, but actually once I did it regularly the confidence came quite quickly.

Whilst obviously I would prefer DH was still here, I'm very glad I wasn't older when I had to make this adjustment, so I'd caution women against becoming reliant on a male driver.

It doesn't even cross my mind as something noteworthy. Driving's driving.

A man's job to drive on a road. Get a grip

I’ve never actually driven on a motorway - not through fear but just because I’ve never needed to.

A man’s job??? JFC is it the 1950’s?

I prefer motorway driving to any other type of roads tbh - worst thing about them is the middle/outside lane hoggers. Other than that it’s easy driving

I don’t think about it, I just drive in the roads I need to drive on. Sometimes we go on A roads as part of a road trip because the M6 can be a lorry car park and I’d rather drive a bit further than spend hours sat in traffic.

I’ve not got a lot of patience for people who will drive on A roads but not motorways, although I’m grateful they’re not having a meltdown at 70mph I suppose. I have even less patience for people think motorways are “a man’s job”…

I hate motorway driving on a primal level. Even as a passenger. Such a grim environment, all featureless concrete with metal flying by you at high-speed. Always rather pootle through towns and see how the country connects. Also enough people drive like twats - overtaking without indicating etc - that it puts me on edge so i avoid at all costs. Nothing to do with it being a man's job though.

Driving is a "Use it or lose it" skill. If you don't do it regularly it can become terrifying and you don't have the techniques to do it safely.

Its been 6 years since I drive on the German Autobahn, something I used to do regularly... I would be more hesitant to do it now. But know i'd een fine after a bit.

British motorways which I do most weeks? I don't think twice.

I'll happily drive on motorways but will check google maps to see how much time it will save as they're so boring! If a motorway makes the journey 10 mins quicker than pretty A roads I'll take the A roads for a more scenic journey.
DP + I are equally happy and able to drive any roads so we both do the long drives, it's definitely not a male / female thing, that's ridiculous!

Motorway driving is fine. Given the choice, I’d take motorway driving over single-carriageway ‘A’ roads or winding country roads any day! At least you’re never going to be tailgated by some arsehole waiting for the opportunity to overtake at 70mph because they know the road so well and it means they’ll get home two minutes quicker.

I like motorways. They're the easiest roads to drive on. The M25 can go suck on a bag of dicks but most are fine. I don't mind driving long journeys, I prefer it to being a passenger.

No problem with motorway driving and I like a long road trip (early 60s). If I I’m driving on one during school holidays I can’t help noticing that it’s usually the man in the family driving🤔 I also like country roads as I now live semi rurally. Driving in London when I lived there in my thirties gave me a lot of confidence driving anywhere else.

There are certain motorways I hate, especially parts of the M25 when Lorries can be in lane 3 so you can end up with one each side of you if you’re in lane 2. It would never stop me driving though. I have friends who hate it and if we go on a girls trip, it’s always me that drives.

On long journeys I will often do the driving rather than my husband, partly as I’m travel sick and partly as he’s bought a stupid 2 seater sports car. (Our son is now at uni and has his own car so it’s not like we need a “family” car any longer.

I’ll go whichever way is quickest! Often that’s not the motorway if there’s been an incident.

Apart from any unforeseen health issues, I do not intend to lose the independence that driving gives me