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

I’m pretty sure learner drivers are not allowed on the motorway under any circumstances are they?!?

I've done a lot of driving on motorways particularly the M25 and from what you've said I would have a motorway lesson if I were you. The M25 is a bit of a monster if you're not used to it- I used to practise on the M3 before I tackled the M25.

@BlingLoving

There are parts if the UK that are literally hundreds of miles from a motorway, and not even part of the same landmass. It would be completely impractical to force everyone to travel to their nearest motorway to take their driving test. I don't think it's particularly right or safe, but there are few practical alternatives.

I passed my test in December, our area has no dual carriageways or motorways within 100 miles so it's not something I ever had the chance to do on lessons or even as a pass plus but I wish I had the opportunity.

It turns out I'm a nervous driver when the kids are in the car so it's not something I ever see myself being confident enough to try out now or ever tbh.

You sound like you could benefit from it especially if you haven't done much driving on your own yet!

@BlingLoving Learner drivers who haven't passed their test aren't allowed on motorways at all. It always struck me as both stupid and sensible. Stupid that they don't get to practice motorways to pass the test and sensible that they don't let non-drivers on motorways where shit could go really wrong.

bling, yes in the UK we all pass our tests without driving on the motorway pretty much. Learner drivers didn't use to be allowed on the motorway at all and it's not in the test. So we learn on slower roads then they unleash us on the motorways.

The limit, even on motorways, for new drivers (1st year) in NI is 45mph, and yes, it is ridiculously dangerous. I'm a new driver and was driving on the M1 last week and it didn't feel safe and was very hard to keep to. Though the big R plates mean people are aware and just overtake.

Oh my goodness, just googled that learners can go on the motorway, thank you, I’ve learned something!

I've just had a look and if I go on the M25 it's 1 hour 8 mins. If I avoid all motorwayss it's only 1 hour 37 mins May as well not use the motorway for now then until I'm confident after a lesson or two

It's interesting because I've been a passenger from a Bedfordshire area to St Albans, and from there to St Albans just feels like a dual carriageway

@Herocomplex wait, what? Since when? I need to go google now.

@brontesisters

Learner drivers who haven't passed their test aren't allowed on motorways at all.

The law changed in 2018: www.gov.uk/government/news/learner-drivers-will-be-allowed-on-motorways-from-2018

They're not compulsory, I didn't have them I passed my test and the following week ended up driving from lake district to norfolk, I hadn't planned to but dh got flu and couldn't drive, he slept the whole way, I was fine.

I was terrified of driving on the M25, it was piss easy to get on and drive it. Easier that the A roads actually! Then I got distracted by the view on the QE2 and rear ended somebody

Which junction on M1? If it’s near me I can give you detailed advice.

You have been able to drive as a learner on the motorway with an instructor for a while. Why did you not do so?

In my first year driving I had two close calls on a busy dual carriageway.

First go, had decided to stay in slow lane, was behind a maintenance vehicle that slowed to about 15/20mph. I'm not even sure now what type of vehicle it was, I was in such a panic. It gave quite a lot of notice that it was slowing but I didn't find the confidence to pull out into fast traffic. Several cars slowed to try let me out but I couldn't tell if they were slowing enough and if I could get my speed up quick enough. It was scary when I did pull out.

Another time came to a standstill on a slip road because it was so busy and I couldn't get out. Picked what I thought was a reasonable gap and pulled out nearly causing a crash as cars slowed too accommodate me.

I worried definitely do an extra lesson if unsure.

Is it optional to practice driving on motorway? Why would you NOT do this as part of learning to drive?

Because there are huge parts of the country with no motorway.
I didn’t know my mother drove on the motorway for the first time when I was 16. She was taking me to the airport. Although she’d been driving for 25 years where we lived was a couple of hours from a motorway.

Newly qualified driver (the group most statistically likely to have an accident) wants to drive on m25 without actually being sure of how motorways work or competent, with a small child on the car on a long journey.

What. Could. Possibly. Go. Wrong.

You should be able to use a slip road properly, period. If you don't, that's okay we all gave to start somewhere - but for safety's sake PLEASE get extra lessons.

You should know how to drive on a motorway efficiently and SAFELY. If you don't, please get extra lessons.

Don't underestimate long journeys either. Build up the distance and length of time you spend driving.

I think it’s fairly standard now for instructors to offer motorway lessons to new drivers and I have one planned next weekend.

A lesson isn’t essential but if you can afford one then having a lesson will make your first motorway journey less likely to be stressful. There isn’t much harm to come from booking a lesson - at worst you will find driving on the motorway really easy and natural and all you’ll gain is some confidence, but if you do find it more difficult then you anticipated then it will be an opportunity for your instructor to highlight any mistakes you’re making and equip you with skills you would otherwise have lacked. I would at least have one lesson and decide from there whether you’re ready to go or need more.

@BronteSisters You shouldn't be indicating that you want to move over until it is clear to do so. If your DH started doing that and people moved over to let him out they probably did it in concern that he hadn't seen them coming up behind him in the next lane and that he was going to pull into them.

Anytime someone I am close to overtaking indicates I assume I am in their blind spot and will move another lane over if possible. This is not me being courteous, it is me trying to prevent an accident.

Which junction on M1? If it’s near me I can give you detailed advice.

The OP doesn't need detailed advice of how to deal with a single junction. She needs proper tuition to safely use a motorway under whatever conditions might present themselves.

I can't believe some of the attitudes that people take to being in charge of a lethal piece of machinery. Somehow trying to wing it onto the motorway and then just staying in lane 1 whatever happens is not how to safely and competently use a motorway, and to do so would be dangerous and reckless.

I think merging on from a slip road can be difficult. The first time I went on a motorway it was a Saturday morning in August heading to Devon. The traffic was nose to tail doing about 20 mph and all very close together and determined not to let anyone else on. No one would let me in, no point them trying to pull in to next lane as it was the same. I did get on but it brings me out in a sweat remembering it.

I had a motorway lesson before driving and then went out for practice with a couple of experience drivers. I used to drive a lot on motorways and would always recommend getting a lesson or two first.

There's lots to contend with - entry & exit, changing lanes (especially if it's busy), sudden congestion, weather, different speed vehicles. It's also pretty tiring because you have to concentrate all the time and you're always pressing a pedal and holding the wheel - it's not like city driving where you might get a minute or two at traffic lights to readjust your position.

As others have said, motorway driving is not as simple as get in the inside lane and stay there, particularly on the route that the OP has referred to.

In some parts there can be 5/6 lanes of traffic that you have to negotiate your way between and unless you are coming off at the next junction, then you HAVE to move into lane 2 or lane 3.

Also there are variable speed limits and roadworks around J13 (Beds) on there so when traffic is heavy or there is an incident, if it is down to 40mph then it is hard to merge smoothly as the slip roads are shorter due to the cones.