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?

I will try and find the thread..

i do try and move over but its not always possible-its yor job to give way on a slip road if u have to stop u stop

It was about lorries predominantly. Everyone got a trucking lesson.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3214166-Why-Lorry-drivers-do-this?msgid=76911566

I did an advanced driving course a few years ago. Largely to make me.a.better motorway driver.

We were told that as per highway code that when we were joining a motorway we should match our speed and wait for a gap; and that as the line between the slip.and the motorway is a "give way" line, we should be prepared to stop, not.try to barge in.

However we were also.taught that when on the motorway and approaching an "on slip" that if possible we should try to move into the centre lane so as to give the idiots who just barge on to the motorway a wide berth.

Incidentally the instructors were all advanced police drivers.

I always move out a lane or slow down to let them in. Because that's what I was taught to do and because I'm nice.

If I can move out for a joining driver I will, but not if it isn’t easy or safe to do so. I don’t slow down because that has an effect on the traffic behind me as well as being a safety risk.

Drivers on a slip road who slow down are a pain and a danger to other drivers. A joining car on the slip road needs to be accelerating to motorway speed. If your car won’t accelerate you are in too high a gear.

I usually slow down a bit to let people on but I am guessing he thought you would speed up to go in the gap and therefore didn't need to change speed.

I think in this case we both misjudged it. I would guess he was going about 75, and I was about 70 when I was about to join, and I think he assumed I would speed up to 75 or 80 or so. In the end, I don't think it was a close run, but it got me thinking about what the best thing to do is.

It does seem as if there is a split who do see some responsibility for those on the motorway to prepare, anticipate in some way, and those who think it is the responsibility of those on the slip road. I'd assumed the former was more widespread, even if it is technically wrong.

I often wonder about this.

I was taught that when joining, you should build up your speed to be able to join at a matching speed or atleast close to the speed of those already on the motorway. Those on it would move over.

I always asked instructors what if they don’t move, and I was told they would or should.

I have never actually needed to go on the motorway myself, but whenever I’ve been with another driver, I’ve never seen people move over to allow others to join.

I still don’t get it tbh. If I’m matching the speed to join the motorway, no one moves over and there isn’t a safe gap, I might be a bit fucked. If I have to stop or slow down to wait for a gap, I’ll be at a moving off speed when I do get on.

I always try to move if I can and it’s safe based on that in my experience people don’t expect to have to wait, and will barge on even at the wrong speed and not give way. So I think moving over is to save yourself from crashing into a dickhead who expects to pull straight into the lane. I usually move over before a junction unless it’s heavy traffic just to avoid this then I will move back again. As I’m the one going so fast I will try to prevent myself from other people’s miscalculations. If I am the one on the slip road then I just wait for a suitable gap and don’t expect anyone to slow or move for me

I tend to do 1 or 2

If you don't know how to get your car to go fast enough to get up to the speed of the inside lane of a motorway, you shouldn't be driving it!

I used to have an old vw camper. 2 And a half tonnes on the original engine, fuck all remaining horsepower. I could still get to 70mph+ for a brief period of time that would give me enough time to merge in to traffic from a slip road.

I will move over if I have space to do so easily but I wouldn't bother if the next lane is busy or if there's clearly enough room in front of me for the car on the slip road to merge in. I would only slow down if the joining car cut in front of me going to slowly and forced me to brake, which they should never do!

If you start to slow the cars behind bunch up making it even more difficult for cars on the slip road. I do find that cautious drivers I know tend to drive small engines when really the should drive fast reacting ones for this reason.

Like most other replies, If it is safe to do so, then I try to move across to the next lane to let people in from slip roads, but ultimately it is the responsibility of the driver on the slip road to wait for the gap.

No, I wouldn't slow down to let someone in, they should join behind you if there isn't room / time.

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

What on earth are you driving which can't accelerate to 70mph within the length of a sliproad? An ex-Army Land Rover?

I think everyone knows how to accelerate and get up to the same speed as the motorway, but that doesn't help you if there's no safe gap! The more you accelerate the faster you run out of slip road..

What on earth are you driving which can't accelerate to 70mph within the length of a sliproad? An ex-Army Land Rover?

I was going 70!

There's a lot of people on here talking about really speeding up or 'booting it' to pull out ( or "squeeze in") in front of another vehicle.

You do realise if you take your foot slightly off the accelerator you will slow down a little & can safely pull out behind the poor sod? That way nobody gets pissed off with you, and you have safely joined from the slip road.

Clearly I'm not talking about slamming on, just dropping maybe 3-5mph so that a thundering great lorry - which struggles to brake or change gear as easily as you - doesn't rear end you.

It is more dangerous for the people on the motorway to slow down to accommodate you than it is for you to be required to speed up. Therefore people avoid slowing down to accommodate slip road joiners as it's more dangerous. Nothing to do with courtesy.

I always try to move if I can and it’s safe based on that in my experience people don’t expect to have to wait, and will barge on even at the wrong speed and not give way. So I think moving over is to save yourself from crashing into a dickhead who expects to pull straight into the lane.

This is very true! I always remember my Dad telling me to drive as if everyone else on the road is a idiot so, yes, I tend to assume that joiners will barge on or, if I'm joining, they won't move!

Sparkling, on that thread I can't see anyone having a problem with car drivers moving into the middle lane on the motorway. But I can see why lorries don't - they would then end up with cars on the inside that they might be blocking in and so on.

@WyclefJohn I suppose what I feel like I'm getting at, and some others are, is that being courteous, and anticipating the slip road, so maybe taking the foot off a gas a little is good, safe driving practice. I feel in reality, if cars did barrel on without any consideration for cars in the slip road, then it would likely end up in harder braking, because people (wrongly) do pull out.

But your theory doesn't make sense.
The person on the road is already doing a constant speed, right? And you already know they have priority.

So you are using your time on the slip road in order to (a) gain motorway-appropriate speed; and simultaneously (b) time it so you slot into the gap you have identified as you are doing (a).

So you know what you are doing. If the on-road vehicle then suddenly starts slowing down, it fucks your trajectory up because you have to suddenly adjust your speed again - and then where does it stop?

I don't know if you have ever seen animations on what happens when one person brakes in free flowing traffic? It ripples back and then you end up in one of those inexplicable jams. Multiply that by everyone doing the same thing as they pass an on-slip.
This is a short clip explaining that:

I was going 70!

Then you should have gone behind the van, not in front of it, or speeded up a bit. I'm slightly sceptical about the inside lane of a motorway flowing at 75mph, and I would question your speedometer, but anyway: your choice is "behind" or "in front" and it sounds like you should have gone for "behind".

If you're saying you encountered a UK motorway where the inside lane was a continuous stream of traffic going over 70mph, without large gaps, I'd be even more sceptical.

but that doesn't help you if there's no safe gap! The more you accelerate the faster you run out of slip road

You start assessing gaps as soon as you join the slip road. That way if you need to hang back for the gap you can do, then you put on speed quickly to match the speed of the main carriageway. You don't just blindly accelerate and hope there's a gap when you get there!

I drive on motorways all the time. Never been unable to join from a slip road, even when busy. Really baffled by people that can't do this!

You should only ever keep going or, if safe to do so, move over. Braking on a motorway is an emergency manuever. You created a hazard by driving poorly. If anything you do on the road forces another driver to react then you are driving dangerously. Unfortunately, the motorways in Britain are so woefully unfit for purpose that it isn't always possible to drive to a high standard of safety.

Move over to the next lane if I can or else slow down to let them in, obviously nobody is obliged to do anything but A but common courtesy costs nothing