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

Hi op
Forget how many other new drivers have done this you need to be 100% sure you are capable of driving on the motorway and can deal with more than two lanes and the extra pressure of driving somewhere unfamiliar.
If your instructor feels you need some extra tuition then take his advice.
Better safe than sorry.
Good luck.

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.

How can you possibly tell how I drive without seeing me? It's all very well typing whatever else but sitting in the driving seat is different

18yo DS did something like this. Passed his test, 10 days later bought a car, 3 days later drove it 7 hours across country & on motorways. Via M25. He's lived to tell the tale(!) Drove back 36 hours later.

To me it's pretty much same as dual carriageways.

How can you possibly tell how I drive without seeing me? It's all very well typing whatever else but sitting in the driving seat is different

You thought a Sat Nav would tell you to move lanes
Case closed

Trying Meh, it was a flippant comment - Thinking about it though I've never used a SatNav, on lessons or otherwise, to direct me lane wise or on a dual carriageway. I just knew where to go

No need to shut me down like that, bloody hell. I'm not an unsafe driver, just very unaware of motorways in general and I've said I'm fixing that with a motorway lesson

You fear someone not letting you merge in

It puzzles you having to change lanes

The sheer speed people drive at

Do you just break if someone doesn’t let you in

That someone will move to let you in

All these questions you have asked highly indicate that your driving level is very very poor because you lack the knowledge and awareness of the skills required to drive.

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

Who on Earth are you taking advice from? How does someone "take complete advantage of you" in terms of driving? What does that even mean.

You should use P plates.

Thinking about it though I've never used a SatNav, on lessons or otherwise, to direct me lane wise or on a dual carriageway. I just knew where to go

My understanding is that using a Sat Nav is part of the test now

You will be in a new car so will have to concentrate on that. You will have a toddler to distract you. What will you do if they start screaming? Plus you are unfamiliar with motorway driving.

Seriously, don’t do this.

Do some practice motorway journeys with an experienced driver as your passenger and no toddler. Do some practice drives with the child but no motorways. Finally put it all together.

I had to drive on the M25 the day after I passed my test, with two toddlers in the back. It was fine. I think with driving you just have to get on with it, otherwise the things you are worried about soon begin to grow into fears in your head.

Oops, sorry - and I hate when people don’t RTFT. Now seen you are taking a lesson. Very sensible. Make sure you do it in your own car not the instructor’s.

Diego By cutting me off, obviously.

Back it is standard - I said I've never used one to direct me for lanes

Sat nav tells you what lanes you should be in at junctions etc so it does aid in that sense

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.

They're "minors" which you wouldn't fail on unless you made a huge number of "minors" during the test.

Kazzy No, they're not minor - If you fail your parking then you fail the test

For those saying people move over and let you move in, yes they do a lot of the time but you need to be aware that sometimes people will suddenly move back over as you start to join. Been driving motorways for many years and never had it happen to me until it happened twice in a month on the M69.

Joined slip road checked all around, only one car in sight in the middle lane (The M69 is a very quiet motorway at times) so great. Already indicating so began merging, another quick check of mirrors, all fine, do one last final check and the car behind is now changing lane into the inside one....

Then lo and behold same thing happened at the same junction two weeks later, definitely not the same driver.

I did that, your right, that's the most nerve racking bit, you'll be fine if you drive as you say 👍

OP, honestly once you've merged a few times it should be a non issue.

I drive about 600 miles per month on motorways, mainly the M1 and the M25. I passed my test 15 years ago I remember one thing my instructor said about merging onto a motorway/dual carriageway 'always be ready to stop'. So try to join, if you can join safely then stop and wait for a big enough gap, which again will happen eventually!

But as far as I remember, I've never had to stop - I think it helps that most of the very busy junctions on there motorways are built with very long opportunities to merge, so even if you can't merge straight away you will have had a chance well before the end of the slip road.

Though I definitely agree that the M25 is more ruthless and seems to have more lane joggers for some reason.

If it is any consolation, I passed my test then didn't drive for a year.

Ended up buying a car about 30 miles away and had to drive it home (via the motorway) by myself as my DH couldn't come with me due to work.

It's nerve wracking the first time, but if you are confident in yourself then it shouldn't be too much, especially once you have been in the car for ten minutes or so.

I also drove along the entire anti-clockwise stretch of the M25 to visit family, which was essentially nothing but motorway driving.

My personality might differ to yours in that I wasn't worried in the slightest to make the journey. My family thought I was mad but I found motorway driving much easier than the awful junctions in my town.

If you are in any way anxious, a lesson might be useful to calm your nerves and boost your confidence. It takes one bad knee jerk reaction from anxiety to cause an accident.

Trying Meh, it was a flippant comment - Thinking about it though I've never used a SatNav, on lessons or otherwise, to direct me lane wise or on a dual carriageway. I just knew where to go

But..
You don't? You've already displayed confusion about basic lane changes.

Have the rules changed for parking?
Bay Park is a minor If you are on the line but the line is visible
Parallel Park and Reverse around a corner you have up to a foot away from the curb
Reverse around a corner is all good unless you cross sides of the road

I assume too close to the curb means hitting curb...

Trying you don't reverse around the corner anymore. That was taken away from the driving test a few years ago

You weren't allowed to practice on a motorway when I learnt and I managed pretty well, I was 17 and learnt largely on country roads.

Be alert and aware but please god don't drive at 60 on the motorway if conditions are good - you'll cause more problems for yourself than you'll solve.

@RealPill

Point taken.
But with that removed there is even less for you to fail on.
That manoeuvre was a pain in the ass.

FUCKING HELL

I akways drive as though everyone else is an incompetent driver - because chances are- they are... but this thread still terrifies me.

Many of you shouldn’t be allowed out in the park, on a scooter - let alone on the roads, in a car.😳😳😳🤯