How can you NOT get onto a motorway?

[purplecurtaindog]

I have driven on motorways for many years and avaerge 15,000 miles some years as I drive for work. I consider myself a very confident yet safe driver. I have experience driving lorries and an extended professional license.

Never in my 20+ years of driving have I had trouble getting onto a motorway...

Yet my friend told me today that she was not able to join a motorway today, that she matched with speed of traffic but there were 'no gaps.' She got stranded at the end of the slip road, DC in car, and ended up getting a vehicle recovery service to come out and get her car as she was too scared to move onto the motorway from a stop.

She says it was not her fault and that this was not due to fault of her driving.

However I can't see how you could fail to get onto a motorway if you were merging correctly?

I've always matched my speed with the traffic, indicated right, ended up on carriageway. If the traffic is slower, you still match your speed! My guess is she want too fast or slow. Yet she insisted this was not her fault.

So AIBU to not see how a safe and competent driver can get stranded at the end of a slip road? And AIBU to ask if this has ever happened to anyone/ if they've witnessed it?

I personally never have in all my years of driving.

Friend has been driving for ten plus years. I did mention that this shouldn't happen and that it was very dangerous, but I wasn't harsh or rude.

Thank you.

Yes I realise it's not about what I think @Migraleve but I've not had this situation ever in my 17 years of driving.

So this is my unadulterated opinion and I will endeavour to read the Highway Code before I next have to drive on the motorway.

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira don't worry about Migraleve, she keeps posting (here and the other motoring thread open now) about how stupid people are who don't follow rules of the road, yet she is ignorant of the fact that what she is saying are rules, just aren't. She is correct is some things, dangerously incorrect in others.

Likewise your use of the hard shoulder - read my post following yours. Some advance driving observers would advise using the hard shoulder in exceptional circumstances once there has been a complete failure by the terrible driver to join a motorway properly, merely as the safest thing to do for the reasons you correctly stated. Otherwise, definitely a no-no.

And no, in all my years of driving, never have I had a single problem joining any motorway, nor have I ever had to stop at the junction.

I agree btw that you would stop if traffic is very slow or stopped, but if it's moving at speed just busy then I don't see how stopping is safe or sensible at all?

So, you continue driving up the hard shoulder? That is certainly not better.
Or just push in front of another car driving at speed?

If you can't get in, you stop. Just preferably before the end of the slip road.

I've never have to use the hard shoulder to join any motorway, nor have I nearly caused any crashes on the motorway or the slip road.

@Lweji I have never been in the situation before. I did say that in a subsequent post.

I indicate and move over when there's a space. If its a small space and the traffic is moving at speed it can be a bit tense but I have never stopped at a junction where the traffic wasn't slow or stopped. In general people move over or slow slightly to let you in.

I have also never caused a crash either btw!

And why is it 'certainly not better' to continue up the hard shoulder? So it's better to come to a stop and try to merge into traffic going at speed from being stationary?

It's advised to bring your speed up on the hard shoulder if you've had to stop so I agree @FlowerPot1234 it's safest to do it that way.

But again, I'll state this is my opinion! And what I remember from Pass Plus 17 years ago.

It seems hypocritical to accept that you must get up your speed before rejoining the motorway from the hard shoulder but it is OK to join from the slip road from a standstill and no speed

I think some posters are misunderstanding - I would only continue onto the hard shoulder in an absolute emergency where I have been unable to join from the slip road (totally accept that this might be from my bad driving or dicks on the road not letting me out). In no way do I consider the hard shoulder as an automatic extension of the slip road.

yet she is ignorant of the fact that what she is saying are rules, just aren't. She is correct is some things, dangerously incorrect in others.

Please give it up will You.

Nothing I have posted is anything other than fact as laid out in the Highway Code.

You do not drive on the fucking hard shoulder.

Yes I realise it's not about what I think @Migraleve but I've not had this situation ever in my 17 years of driving

Me neither. I think it’s a combination of hesitation and dick drivers on the motorway already.

And why is it 'certainly not better' to continue up the hard shoulder? So it's better to come to a stop and try to merge into traffic going at speed from being stationary?

Because the hard shoulder is not made to circulate and may not have enough visibility or road conditions.
It should only be used, if absolutely necessary and for a very short while. If traffic is so bad that you can't join from the slip road, it's not likely that it will be better if you continue at speed on the hard shoulder.

It's advised to bring your speed up on the hard shoulder if you've had to stop so I agree @FlowerPot1234 it's safest to do it that way.

Where's your reference for that?

If you have to stop on the slip road because traffic is very intense, you just wait for a long enough gap to join that allows you time to speed up.
Again, the trick is not to speed up from the start, unless you can spot a gap, and not to stop at the very end of the slip road (if traffic really is so bad that you can't merge).

I've never seen anyone continue along the hard shoulder to merge into a motorway, and I'd think they were mad if I saw anyone do that.

Lweji I know your post was not directed to me, but since I was mentioned, allow me to interject.

You're quite correct - if I was seeing anybody on the hard shoulder trying to merge on the motorway I would think they were mad. But in the singular exceptional situation I have said it has been advised, they have already proved they are mad.

You've asked for a source. There is no rule and there is no law about this, but I am passing on what I have heard - that some advanced driving observers (I am an advanced driver, trained by the police) have stated that if an idiot driver finds that they have stopped at a junction because of through their own stupidity have found they could not join a motorway, rather than then join a 50mph minimum lane from a complete standstill, it could be considered a safer manoevre to move into the hard shoulder and build up their speed to then join the main carriageway at an appropriate speed. This way they would not be causing anyone in Lane 1 to slam on their brakes to slow down for them if they were starting from 0mph.

It is not a HC advisory, it is not a rule, it definitely isn't even a tip for drivers to even begin to think that driving onto the hard shoulder is an official continuation of the slipway and is ok. It is absolutely exceptional - IF you are an idiot driver, IF you find yourself having to stop at the junction, it MIGHT be a better and safer thing to do to move onto the hard shoulder, build your speed up and join that way, rather than pull out from 0mph.

It should only be used, if absolutely necessary and for a very short while.

I agree.

If traffic is so bad that you can't join from the slip road, it's not likely that it will be better if you continue at speed on the hard shoulder.

Just be clear, I'm not advocating using the hard shoulder if the traffic is bad enough to be at a standstill, only if you need it for a little bit after you've come off the slip road and no one has pulled over for you when they could have.

I have no idea why I'm arguing this though as I've never had a problem getting on the motorway myself.

Does anyone know why it's called the hard shoulder

Rebeccaslicker They used to be covered with gravel and hard standing, differentiating them from the asphalt/tarmac roads and soft grass verges/shoulders.

probably too close to the car on slipway infront so could not match speed. Beats the person who stopped on the motorway infront of me to allow cars to join almost caused a pile up

The fact you use motorways frequently & yet claim to never have done so leads me to the conclusion that you are one of the twats who just goes whether there is a gap or not

If that "twat" got on to the motorway without dying in a multiple pile up, clearly there had to be a gap. Or else they couldn't have got on!

Which leads me to believe that you are one of the gobshites that waits for an invitation and a mile long "gap" to yourself before you get off the ramp and out of everyones way!

I'd much rather drivers stop at the end of the slip road and wait for a space rather than just driving into the traffic already on the motorway without a care for whether they cause an accident whilst doing so.

Calling a recovery vehicle is ridiculous though. She sounds too nervous to be on the road, let alone on a motorway. Perhaps she was having a really bad day.

Thank you!

We saw a car stopped yesterday stopped right at the end of the slip road coming onto the M56, (I think)
Maybe that was her. Very dangerous place to stop.

messyjessy
Very good response

This is painful reading, there really should be compulsory motorway lessons too in driving school. Just reading this it's obvious how many people don't have a clue! Nevermind observing the idiots on the motorway.

If you really can't join the moving traffic then you just have to stop, not drive down the offing hard shoulder or aggressively push in as you do not have the right of way.

As previous poster said:
It's not the end of the world nor extremely dangerous to stop on a slip road. It happens all the time in heavy traffic. You just need to be patient until a gap appears. Even if it takes minutes.
And you're not driving safely if someone stopping on a slip road almost causes you to crash onto them. You're simply not leaving enough space or not watching

I grew up living 90 miles from the nearest motorway though helipad and everyone living north of Aberdeen is even further away. Compulsory motorway lessons just isn't feasible.

Pickle, maybe a national safety campaign or something would be due then. To update the outdated "drive on the hard shoulder" brigade and remind that those on the motorway do have right of way. And few other things as well like addressing the middle lane hoggers. The thick skinned twats won't take any notice as they believe they are right regardless but it may be helpful for the rest.

I'm with the OP. This has never happened to me, and even though I can imagine how it might happen, the OP's friend's reaction was ridiculous. She's licensed to drive a tonne of metal, she should have a certain level of competency with it.

Totally agree that theory at least should be taught helipad I didn't sit my test in Aberdeen but did it in London. Had never been on a slip road and it scared the bejeezus out of me. Took a lesson after I passed on motorways up near where I live now. Which helped a lot.

My sister was in awe of having 4 lanes on either side of motorways when she came to visit once!!