To think I won't kill someone if I drive like this without lessons?

[RealPill]

I passed my test. When I get my car in a few weeks, the first major trip I want to take is from Bedfordshire to Essex. AIBU to think I won't kill someone if I drive on the motorway without any lessons?

My instructor said I should really think carefully before attempting a motorway on my own, and has strongly advised some motorway lessons.

I thought the only tricky thing would be merging on from a slip road... Otherwise should be fine, just follow the SatNav and road signs, and stay in the first lane at 60/65mph.

Maybe I am bonkers... I've spoke to a few friends and they said they just drove on motorways without any lessons for them. But they all passed years ago so maybe things were different

Only people I see undertaking are those having to go around middle lane or outside lane hoggers, the lanes that are for overtaking only

I've seen plenty of drivers use the left hand lanes to overtake people who themselves were over-taking, so who weren't "hoggers". Some people are just too impatient to wait. There are some pretty stupid/arrogant people out there.

Genuine middle lane sitting with some twotsit doing about 55 in the middle lane doesn't happen that often and even when it does, there are outside lanes to use. But for some reason people prefer undertaking. Is that because they're scared to use the outside lane?

Mostly, it's probably because they are already on the inside lane and overtaking means crossing two lanes, only to go back two lanes to the middle lane.

From what you've written, I think you should have more practice driving solo, without a child in the car before driving on one of the worst stretches of the country for accidents anyway. I live very close to the M1/M25 junctions and drive this regularly.
We often have accident alerts through to our office because of the knock on effects.
You don't sound like you have the skills yet to merge safely, ascertain your lane at the right time and want to do this with a toddler in the car? Build up the skills with another driver without the child in the car. You need to be able to be confident with the car and traffic as children are very off-putting

On a side note, use Google maps or Waze rather than a satnav like TomTom.

This was using Google maps. It had no idea, on either occasion, that the motorway was closed for planned works. It kept trying to take me back onto the motorway at junctions that were closed.

Just have a few practice sessions on the motorway before you go and you will be fine. Make sure you plan your journey to avoid rush hour though!
I remember my mum going mad after I took myself for a drive on the M6 shortly after passing my test - I was fine, it's easier than navigating through town really

Only people I see undertaking are those having to go around middle lane or outside lane hoggers, the lanes that are for overtaking only. I drive 80% on big motorways and rarely see the odd daft person weaving through traffic and genuinely undertaking.

Really? Try driving on the M25 then, particularly where it opens into 4 lanes. I find the worst times are when I pull out of the inside lane approaching an on slip (to give joining cars room to enter the motorway) or when the inside lane becomes an off slip lane. Cars will then fly up the inside and undertake.

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras I use to have a TomTom with a traffic subscription. It was really useful for diversions like that. The apps like Waze give you too much information.

People should be slowing at junctions anyway,
No. The exit slip road is for decelrration - not the carriageway.

Two points that I haven't seen being made:

1. If you've been on the mway for ~20mins you'll be accustomed to the speed and as a new mway driver, when you exit its very easy to under brake - ie not braking hard enough when you enter the exit slip so you hit the junction/turn/roundabout far too fast
2. M25 is a special case wrt mways but even so has quieter times - as a newbie don't touch it between 0700-0930 and 1600-1900

You should also check Google maps or traffic England just before you set off in case there has been an incident

Most of all, as a newbie, don't put yourself under time pressure for the journey and while driving don't do anything in a hurry, mirror, signal, mirror, mirror, manoeuvre sort of thing- and be patient - if that means you end up on an exit lane and can't get safely back on - just exit and re-enter, worst case is you go 30 miles out of your way (ie get routed onto another mway and need to go on to the next junction) best case is the exit has a roundabout and you just get straight back on.

Particularly as a new driver you will end up one day soon stopping at the end of a slip road - don't sweat it - even after 40yrs driving it occasionally happens to me - entering m6 at Stafford, no hard shoulder and 4 trucks in the left lane was the last time - as pp said if you're lucky there is a hard shoulder and you can use that as acceleration lane/speed match lane - but keep your eyes open - someone could be stopped - otherwise you just have to wait for a big gap and accelerate as hard as you are comfortable with.

However you drive, at times you will get radiators filling your rear view mirror, sometimes with horns, flashing lights and air brake hisses - it's really important that you don't let them force you into doing something you're not comfortable with.

As pp said planning to maintain 65 in left lane is a non-starter - you maintain the same speed as the traffic in the lane you are in and the way mways are engineered these days means that the left lane frequently turns into an exit lane.

Statistically mways are the safest roads in the uk

Wow, just catching up with all today's posts.

So, to add to all the other reasons doing this journey aren't advisable, you've now also admitted that you go to pieces under pressure, and that is why it took you 6 times to pass your test.
Yet it hasn't occurred to you that driving a new car, driving quite a long journey (for a newbee) , first time on the motorway, and first time doing an unfamiliar journey ALL WITH A TWO YR OLD in the back, might put you under a bit of pressure ??

Put P plates on so others know you are a novice driver. You do get road bullies and idiots (same as everywhere). If you are confident and safe on A roads you should be fine with motorways.

I was advised against this by quite a few people - Because people are in two camps, they either see the P plates and act considerate or take complete advantage of you

So, to add to all the other reasons doing this journey aren't advisable, you've now also admitted that you go to pieces under pressure, and that is why it took you 6 times to pass your test.

Well, if you read the updates like you claim then you'd know I've said already that I won't be attempting the journey with a motorway lesson first.

And no I didn't 'fall to pieces'. I just didn't judge my reference point well and Parked up a bit dodgy or came too close to the curb whilst parking etc.

My overall driving ability is very good and my instructor was always happy with me, no concerns. I think taking longer to pass made me a better driver.

For what it's worth, it's hard to articulate what you're thinking and know is right about driving when you're typing it and not driving. I haven't been in a car for a few weeks so off the bat I'm probably wrong in what I type but I know what to do in a car

Motorways are different though, which is why I have taken the advice to have a motorway lesson

But for some reason people prefer undertaking. Is that because they're scared to use the outside lane?
If you're driving in lane 1 at the speed limit and come across someone doing 65 in the 2nd lane, one has the choice of continuing in the same lane or crossing from 1 to 2 to 3 to 2 to 1. Its so irritating. I personally don't undertake, but absolutely see why people might. I travel 60 miles on the motorway network a day. Whether its 6.30 christmas morning or 9am Thursday morning, there's always someone who believes the middle lane is 'safe' because they don't like the idea of junctions and trucks. Meanwhile 98% of the other road users are calling them names.

People should be slowing at junctions anyway

No, that's dangerous. You slow down on the exit sliproad to leave and you speed up on the entry sliproad to join.

The only thing you should do if you're going straight on at a junction is prepare to move over from lane 1 to avoid cars wrongly slowly to leave and to give space for cars joining to enter lane 1.

Whether its 6.30 christmas morning or 9am Thursday morning, there's always someone who believes the middle lane is 'safe' because they don't like the idea of junctions and trucks.

On Boxing Day morning, there was a woman doing about 50 in the right hand lane. Cars coming up behind her flashed - she moved over to the middle, and then moved back to the right hand lane once they'd passed. She clearly hadn't a clue how to drive on a motorway. People like that need their licence taking away (if she had a licence that is).

Never had a motorway lesson...you will be fine x

@ItsGoingTibiaK no my mum is not an experienced motorway driver (assumed that was obvious, otherwise my comment wouldn’t have made any sense - as you pointed out).

>People should be slowing at junctions anyway,
No. The exit slip road is for decelrration - not the carriageway

I was talking about motorway junctions where you have to be in a certain lane and there isn't an exit slip road. The one I had in mind was the 3/M25 junction where there are four lanes, two for the M25 and two to continue on the M3. So you have lots of people changing lanes so yes, people should be slowing to allow people to get in the right lane rather than roaring off at 90.

Where it's a simple junction and you take the slip road off, yes you are right and you don't start slowing down until you are on the slip road.

The Boxing Day morning woman sounds like she was foreign and used to the right hand lane being the slowest lane!

I'm interested to know what a journey from Bedfordshire to Essex is like without a motorway. It's very possible and only 25 mins longer - Do you just go around loads of side roads?!

If you're near Bedford the fastest route would be the A603 through Moggerhanger to Sandy, then down the A1 to Baldock, then onto the A505 towards the M11 at Duxford.

The A505 is dual carriageway all the way from the A1M J9 to Royston, then single carriageway to the M11. Depending on where in Essex you need to be you can either use the motorway towards bishops Stortford or the A505 and then go towards Saffron Walden at the Sawston roundabout.

From Bedford to the Sawston roundabout should take under 45 minutes, depending on traffic. Although at peak times traffic after the M11 roundabout will be heavy going eastbound.

I have read the thread @RealPill. I did also put as my first words in my original post, that I'm glad you have decided not to do it. However, it was from your post that I read

I took the driving test 6 times before passing... It confused and frustrated both myself and my instructor! Each time was just down to the pressure of passing - I would muck up my manoeuvre and fail because of that

.....I took "due to the pressure"...... had to take the test 6 times..... to mean that you struggle to drive as well as you (and your instructor) feel you do normally when you feel you are under pressure.

Was there a different way we were supposed to interpret that information ?

I did pass plus and was still scared of the slip road after that. It's the fear of not being g able to get in, which when you have experience is not an issue.

I did motorway junctions, on and off on and off, with my partner. But I lived very near a motorway then so it was practical to do that.

The best advice I had was to match your speed whilst on the slip road to what you can see on the motorway as you drive down. So scan it to see what you have- eg slow moving lorries close together.

@BackforGood - good luck!

isn't another car not letting me in an emergency in that situation?

Do you know? With every new post you scare me a bit more. You seem quite clueless.

OP, I initially after your first post supported you using a motorway.

Having now read your further posts, please sell your car, and if you don’t, can you let me know when ever you’re on the road because quite honestly you’re not a safe driver.

Not just on motorways. Your lack of knowledge is seriously concerning and you are more than likely to cause an accident

Seriously, it’s your lack of experience that could cause an accident, I’m really not dismissing your enthusiasm and admire your wish to venture out, but please get some basic skills. I drive 30,000 miles a year for work, am often on the M25 and like most motorways see multiple accidents due to slight miscalculations/tiredness etc.
For the sake of everyone get some practice with an experienced driver sat next to you.