Motorway sliproad, stay same speed, move over or slow down?

[WyclefJohn]

This is more of a question about what do most people do, rather than what is reasonable.

Yesterday, I was driving up a sliproad to join a motorway, and I saw what looked like I big gap in front of a van, but I was going a bit slower (maybe 5mph or so, although I was getting faster), so the van was gaining on me a bit. I was fully expecting him to slow down a touch and let me in, and I was getting a bit nervous as I thought I would have to brake sharply. Eventually they did and no problem, but I could have caused an accident, but my strategy hinged on the strategy of the other driver (or player, it's a bit like game theory).

My DP and I then had a conversation about what is the reasonable thing to do as the driver on the motorway in the similar situation. If you're on the main road, and you see a car coming on, you're going to clash, there are three strategies

1. Move over if there's space
2. Slow down
3. Keep going at normal speed, and force the person coming on to react

My DP argued the right thing to do is 3) keep going. However, I think that "most people", would either follow strategy 1) or 2), to allow someone on.

I think my DP is technically correct, but moving over a slowing down seems more natural. I also get it can vary from situation to situation (difference in speeds, how much braking is required). What do most people do and what is right in this situation?

You shouldn’t join a motorway and expect people to slow down for you, you need to join at the speed of the traffic or pick a big enough gap.

The law is give way to traffic on the motorway so you were in the wrong to expect the van to change speed.
It's nice of people move over but sometimes they can't and they don't have to.

I was always taught to no worry about people getting on from the slip roads. That is their own problem but in reality I would just do what was best to avoid a collision

I would probably have sped up a bit if I thought that would make a difference. They can then move over if they decide there’s not enough space.

People do slow down - but only because of people barging their way on.

The person coming down the slip road must give way to the motorway traffic- even if they have to stop and wait. People tend to help out and change lane but if they can’t or don’t notice then no big deal really

Move over if there's space obvs. But it was your duty as the joiner to either speed up and fit in without affecting the van or slow down and go behind van. Or...alternatively if there's clearly space in the outside lane wait until it looks like van is moving over to the other lane.

I get the theory, and in that sense my DP is right, about as a driver on the road, staying on path, but I still think in practice, if people on the motorway didn't react (get going at the same speed) I feel there would be quite some accidents from people (such as myself in this situation) just pulling out.

I move over if there’s space, but that always isn’t a possibility, so I would continue at normal speed. Slowing down on a motorway to let someone in is not great, I don’t think. The person joining the slip road needs to be monitoring the speed of people already on the motorway, and adjust their speed accordingly as they make their way up the slip road (rather than hoping someone will make space for them and then having to slam on the brakes if they haven’t)

I move into next lane if safe. Otherwise I do slow down a bit.

If you’re the person on the slip road, and there’s no gap and no one slows or moves over - what are you meant to do? As everyone always says never stop on a slip road........

It would depend on the particular scenario. If I was either slightly ahead or at the exact same point as the person on the slip road, I would probably speed up in order to get out of their way.
If I notice something barrelling along the slip road in plenty of time, however, I would always slow down for them - unless the road was pretty clear in which case I would pull out.
It's probably best to pull out, as that makes it clearest you're allowing them to go - but obviously that isn't always a possibility.

Not allowing them out at all is a dick move. Slip roads exists so that the cars on them have a chance to build up speed before joining the faster road. Whilst obviously someone pulling out doesn't have the right of way - forcing them to come to a dead halt before joining a motorway is dangerous and would serious inconvenience anyone they later pulled out in front of, as they would have to rebuild their speed from zero.

I don't think your DP can be a very courteous driver.

I'd move over if I could but otherwise wouldn't do anything. You needed to speed up.

That last post doesn't make sense.

"I get the theory, and in that sense my DP is right, about as a driver on the road, staying on path, but I still think in practice, if people on the motorway didn't react, I feel there would be quite some accidents from people (such as myself in this situation) just pulling out."

Well of course the person driving on the motorway should do their best to avoid an accident. The highway code often contains what appears to be contradictory advice precisely because everyone should be cautious. What they should do depends on the exact situation though.

I get the feeling however that the OP is trying to blame the other person for their own poor driving. When you're on a slip road you shouldn't expect people to slow down or make space for you - it is your own responsibility to be travelling at the right speed and entering into a suitable gap.

@wizardswife79 "what are you meant to do"

Continue on the hard shoulder if you run out of slip road. But if you are paying proper attention that shouldn't happen.

Why didn't you speed up? You're supposed to match their speed, not the other way round.

I move out where I can but it's not always possible. I wouldn't slow down because I'd be expecting them to speed up.

You can stop on a slip road. That’s what the give way signs on the road are for.

PS, what I'm talking about here is not "slamming on the brakes", but more an anticipation when I'm on the main road, as taking my foot off the gas a bit.

I suppose what I'm saying is that I see it as a bit of a "conversation" between the two drivers.

Joining traffic must match the speed of the traffic on the motorway.

It's up to the driver joining the motorway to achieve this by speeding up, slowing down, or maintaining their speed as appropriate.

Traffic on the motorway has the right of way and does not have to react to joining traffic in any way. If they do speed up, slow down, or move away that is merely a matter of courtesy.

"Why didn't you speed up?" - my engine wasn't allowing me to! :-)

Sorry but this expectation that cars on the motorway will/should accommodate those on the sliproad is what causes accidents, not motorway traffic "not letting them in".

I drive nearly 100 motorway miles daily and see too many drivers forcing their way onto the road. The dashed line at the end/side of the sliproad means YOU give way.

"Traffic on the motorway has the right of way and does not have to react to joining traffic in any way. If they do speed up, slow down, or move away that is merely a matter of courtesy."

I suppose this is my question. This is what the Highway Code says, but I am wondering at what most people in practice do.

I move over or drop my speed a touch to make sure they can get on. I obviously don’t slow right down as that would be dangerous, but it’s easy to hang back a little to let people get on. It would be really dangerous for people to stop on the slip road - traffic comes speeding up behind them and how could you safely join a motorway from standing still?

I always drive in the left lane unless overtaking and I am on the motorway every work day so I do this several times a day Monday to Friday. When I see a slip road is ahead, I move over if it’s safe or I get ready to adjust my speed to let people on if necessary. I’d never just keep driving, ignoring them and thinking it’s their problem!

I agree with your list of 'reasonability', and sometimes you do have to do #3, either there's someone overtaking as you all pass the sliproad [that gets my goat; why not wait two seconds til we're all past the junction?!] or there's a lorry behind that can't slow down etc etc.
... if you simply haven't looked to see if there's merging traffic then that's dangerous, but as you say it's the merging traffic's problem [... everyone's problem if there's an accident]

My favourite are the people who drive at a nice, gentle 40mph on a slip road or, as I see far too often, slow down, so.that all the traffic on the slip road has to slow. Wtf?