Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

AIBU? Slip road onto dual carriageway

97 replies

DesireLight · 26/09/2019 19:29

I was trying to merge onto a two lane dual carriageway using the 40 mph slip road. I'm always very cautious doing this as I'm a relatively new driver (been driving nearly a year) and generally merging from the slip road has been OK as people in the left lane of the carriageway (onto which I am merging) usually move into the right lane to make space for mergers, meaning I could often merge quite early on in the slip road.

I'm always less inclined to keep driving on the slip road and merging later unless absolutely necessary as drivers behind me who are also merging often use tiny gaps to merge onto the carriageway, meaning I'm likely to need to wait even longer to merge (by which time I might have got to the end of the slip road!) so usually merge at the earliest possible oppurtunity as it's generally always possible to do so (except in a few cases)

but today, it was horrific - I looked behind to merge and saw a big gap with a car driving along the left lane some distance away (plenty of time and space for me to merge) so I start merging in but take another look and see that a huge lorry seems to have moved from the right lane (fast lane on the dual carriageway) to the left lane (I think!) just as I had begun to merge in from the slip road so I had to quicky pull back into the slip road and continue on until another gap but it was such a close to accident situation (we missed each other by less than a foot!) and left me shaken.

I am questioning myself - did I do something wrong or are they to blame? I feel stupid and ashamed it could have led into a huge crash - I feel it wasn't my fault but seeing as this has never happened to me, I have no idea.

OP posts:

NerrSnerr · 26/09/2019 22:08

Sailing down a slip road at 60 blindly hoping there will be a gap in the traffic is so dangerous.

Has anyone suggested that the OP blindly hopes there's a gap? You can still look out your windows and use your mirrors at 60mph, if you couldn't how on earth would anyone manoeuvre on the motorway.

How do you suggest the OP joins a 70 mph road @Alsohuman? Are you genuinely saying that joining at 40mph is safer?

italianfiat · 26/09/2019 22:18

Sailing down a slip road at 60 blindly hoping there will be a gap in the traffic is so dangerous.

Yeah, it is. Literally nobody has suggested doing this though.

The lorry was at fault, OP

The lorry was ON the carriageway, the lorry had right of way. The OP was pulling onto a 70 mph road at ?40? Mph. The OP was at fault. It is up to the merging traffic to ensure it is safe to merge, not the other way round.

As previously mentioned, if OP was joining at the correct speed for the road she would not have been anywhere near the lorry.

Teddybear45 · 26/09/2019 22:25

Oh dear OP. I suggest you book a driving lesson and ask an instructor to take you back to the slip road - I doubt the speed limit will be different to the dual carriageway, and I doubt it will be 40 for the full length of the slip road. I also think you might have missed the lorry which suggests your observation skills need work - again 1-2 lessons with an instuctor could help with that

Siameasy · 26/09/2019 22:30

Double check the slip road. I would ignore the 40 if it really does say that because it must be a mistake. Join at or around the speed of everyone else. I agree, have lessons. I had four! I drive on motorways most days and did my test in Grtr London so no chance of anything above a 40 so it really is a good idea. They were so useful

PurpleFlower1983 · 26/09/2019 22:31

The lorry was at fault OP but the slip road will likely be the same speed limit as the dual carriageway.

OrchidInTheSun · 26/09/2019 22:32

It's not about being perfect @Alsohuman. It's about understanding the physics involved in joining a fast moving stream of traffic. And knowing the Highway Code

italianfiat · 26/09/2019 22:33

The lorry was at fault

Why do you think this?

The lorry was driving, on the main carriageway and bears no responsibility for merging traffic.

suggestionsplease1 · 26/09/2019 22:45

If they were both changing from their respective lanes into the left hand lane of the dual carriageway at the same time they would both bear some responsibility I imagine. Situations like that can be tricky.

italianfiat · 26/09/2019 22:50

If they were both changing from their respective lanes into the left hand lane of the dual carriageway.....

Only the lorry was changing lanes. Only thing lorry was on the dual carriageway. The slip road is not a lane on the dual carriageway.

Branleuse · 26/09/2019 22:58

The lorry driver was being a dick, but ultimately he had priority.
I bloody hate slip roads and merging

Alsohuman · 26/09/2019 23:06

When I was taught to drive, back in the dark ages, I was taught to move into the right hand lane at junctions to make way for merging traffic, is nobody taught this any more?

TrainspottingWelsh · 26/09/2019 23:12

I don't see why the lorry driver is a dick for not planning her/his lane change around people wishing to merge at 40mph. By the time they'd realised op wasn't continuing to build speed and merge in front, it's a bit late to do anything about it. Lorry's are big and heavy, they can't just emergency brake in a few metres.

Or is it now a new rule in the Highway Code that vehicles on the carriageway must give way to those on the slip road, especially any that don't wish to use the slip road for its intended purpose?

AnyFucker · 26/09/2019 23:20

To me it sounds like you tried to merge too early and too slowly

Also, the lorry shouldn't have pulled into the left lane so close to a junction but he may not have expected you to try to merge so early

HiJenny35 · 26/09/2019 23:38

If you had hit the lorry you would have been at fault. All cars on the road have priority over someone merging onto the road. You have to check all lanes and watch for indicators etc before merging where it is safe which usually isn't straight away as you need to have enough time to check all cars and lanes currently on the road. Maybe get a couple of motorway lessons that take you on faster roads to reinforce skills.

OtraCosaMariposa · 26/09/2019 23:39

Pootling down a slip road at 40 and trying to merge with traffic doing 60 or 70 is dangerous.

Dearie me, OP. Please book a motorway lesson.

Librocubicularist · 27/09/2019 00:44

@DesireLight
Don't dwell on it too much, just chalk it up to experience. It's impossible for us to say, who was in the wrong. But at the end of the day you don't want 'DesireLight was in the right' on your headstone. If you were doing 40 and the lorry was doing 60, then they would have completed their manoeuvre faster than you. However the lorry was a twit, moving into the inside lane when there is traffic on the slip road trying to join the carriageway.

As PP have mentioned you need to match the speed of the carriageway when joining. The reduced speed limit may have been for the previous road, bend, etc. Next time you're at this junction look out for warning/SLOW signs etc to indicate why it's 40 for a particular point. I remember how daunting it was as a new driver with the number of different signs that you're trying to take in whilst worrying about following the route and completing manoeuvres, trying to gauge the speed of other traffic. As you gain experience you will become more confident and it won't be quite as daunting.

Most drivers don't leave a long enough gap between the vehicle in front and themselves, so it's difficult to join from a slip road when the road is busy. If you can see a gap ahead and you need to accelerate above the speed limit to get in it, do it. Sometimes you need to be pushy/assertive when joining if it's busy, so make it clear to the drivers as early on as possible what your intentions are. If you're going to nudge in, match the speed of the traffic, get the front of your car level with the back of the vehicle you're going to drop in behind, indicate and give the vehicle you're slotting in ahead of a few seconds to prepare to dip their speed in order to increase the gap in front of them if need be. Don't sit parallel to the vehicle that you want to drop in in front of, expecting them to significantly drop their speed/brake in order for you to join though.

zxcvhjkl · 27/09/2019 01:35

Please merge at the correct speed. The slip lane won't have a different speed limit to the road you are joining. That kind of defeats the purpose of the slop lane. The slip lane is to build your speed so you can merge into the traffic at the right speed. You may have found if you were going at the correct speed the lorry wouldn't have even been an issue.
If you were merging at the correct speed and the lorry moved into the lane you are joining then that IMO is a bit of a dick move on their part.
For future reference, slip lane - indicate and build speed similar to that of the traffic you are joining - whilst doing that look for appropriate gaps in traffic - merge when safe. You may need to use the full length of the slip lane you may not. But for the love of God, please do not join the road until you are the same speed as the traffic you are joining because that is ridiculously dangerous.

IsobelRae23 · 27/09/2019 02:28

I haven’t read the thread, but why is the slip road so different, they are normally the same? A lorry was in the right hand land, I’m doubting that as they stay in the left because of the max speed they can do? You say he you think he came over, you should know, so were not paying attention. Your should be speeding up to join the flow of traffic not coming in 30mph slower, classic way to cause a pile up behind you when everyone breaks.

FunkyKingston · 27/09/2019 03:15

Surely your driving lessons and test featured some dual carriageway driving?

Did your instructor.not give.you guida on the use of slip roads? If not I'd suggest reading the Highway code.

GrimSisters · 27/09/2019 03:30

I live in a village just off a notorious dual carriageway. It is 40mph before the slip road, but after that you have have to put your foot down and go for it, especially if you're in a tiny 1 litre engined car like mine. Honestly, it absolutely terrifies me being behind someone who is doing 40/50 as they merge on. So much so that I'll stop and wait before entering the slip road if I see anyone liable to do this travelling in front of me and I don't think I'll be able to overtake in time.
So much easier to put your foot down, get up to speed, look for the gap and then brake if necessary than try to get onto the DC at less than 70.
Don't be the dangerous dodderer that elicits 'Mummy's driving words'😳

MidniteScribbler · 27/09/2019 04:19

Also I try to join when both lanes are clear if I can do so without waiting an age.

WTF????

ememem84 · 27/09/2019 04:31

A few years ago now I flew with Dm from Jersey (where we live) to Exeter to visit family. We hired a car. Dm had up until this point never driven on a motorway.

Once you leave Exeter airport you’re on motorway fairly quickly.

Here in Jersey we have no motorways. Top speed limit is 40mph.

Dm drove hire car initially. At the slip road exit to join motorway she slowed right down and waited to be let out. 😱 luckily road wasn’t busy. But she drove at 40 for a while. Had to keep telling her to speed up because it wasn’t safe.

I ended up making her get out and we switched places. Never have I been so scared.

Tilltheendoftheline · 27/09/2019 04:40

Sailing down a slip road at 60 blindly hoping there will be a gap in the traffic is so dangerous.

No one said that. A slip lane is to get up to speed, the same speed of traffic on the duel carriage way. Not bomb down it at 60 regardless

Imo, it's a bad move to try and move into the left lane when there is a slip road., but that doesnt make the lorry driver at fault. Baring in mind the OP iant actually sure about this.

Likely the lorry didnt expect the OP to come right at the beginning of the merge, going at 40. Because you shouldnt do that.

I was taught to move into the right hand lane at junctions to make way for merging traffic, is nobody taught this any more?

No. I have been driving 29byears and told not to do that. Merging traffic needs to find a gap.

Also I try to join when both lanes are clear if I can do so without waiting an age

Please tell me you dont stop or slow down to achieve this

JollyHolly30 · 27/09/2019 04:49

Another poster here wondering which junction this is so we can advise you with absolute certainty.

SaveKevin · 27/09/2019 05:01

if I’m merging into a motorway and with hard acceleration I can safely get into this gap but go 5 -10mph mph over, i will do that if it’s safer then try and bust in at the speed limit with a stream of cars after said first gap.
As your approaching assess the gaps for safeness, some may need you to be going faster some slower to slot in. You can adjust your speed once your on.

The lorry was a dick, and you will come across a lot of dicks in your driving carer. Some will stay with you more than others (catering van last week who called me a wanker last month I’m thinking of you!). Even now and I’ve been driving years, I use it to educate myself if I’ve done something wrong. Mostly I haven’t, occasionally I have, occasionally it’s one of those things. You won’t have come across everything in your driving carer and there is always new stuff to learn. I always imagine the carnage when round abouts appeared.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread