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 drive to France 1 week after passing my test. It was fine.

So driving under pressure is when people make mistakes, like in your tests. If you found manoeuvres tricky then I would worry about how you would manage looking forwards and using your mirror, and blind spot checking to join on the slip road.

Before you go for your lesson have a search for videos of driving on the motorway, driving schools might have some.

People underestimate how much thinking and decision making you do in motorway driving, and looking ahead to plan for lane changes.

I’m relieved that you are going to have a lesson first.

If pressure is what caused you to fail then that is why the pressure of doing this for the first time makes them think you need lessons.

You seem to have a fixed idea how you want it to be with sat nav telling you what to do but motorways can be unpredictable with plenty of idiotic drivers

Pleased you’re having a lesson, we might be thinking he is trying to upsell however none of us know what your driving is like, maybe he suggested it as he knows you and your skills level, confidence etc better than a load of strangers on the internet.

If you’re in the left hand lane and lorries are overtaking you, you need to speed up a little. You’ll still be within the limit.

I have only ever had to indicate on a motorway when my way wasnt clear, i.e. on the hope that someone else will let me in out of kindness when there has been an unexpected sudden lane closure due to an accident.

You should ALWAYS use your indicator when changing lanes on a motorway - or when entering the motorway from a slip road. Even when you think the lane is "clear". Signal all lane changes well in advance.

The lane may look clear to you - but there may be fast moving traffic approaching from some way behind you - and other drivers need to clearly see your intentions well in advance.

I had a motorway lesson and it was really useful. However, it was more to reduce my nerves not learn something new as we had been on really busy dual carriageways and slip roads plenty of times before I passed my test.

Remember to take your time but there may well be places 60 - 65 is not keeping pace with the traffic.

To everyone saying the motorway is easier:

It may be easier when everything is flowing to plan but when things fuck up they really fuck up.

Everyone who drives on the motorway should be prepared for the fact it’s higher stakes and should be a competent enough driver to deal with it with average or above average ability.

You probably won't kill anyone, no.
There never used to be "motorway lessons" available - nearest most of us got to practising was to find a 70mph dual carriageway that we could try out!
And guess what, most of us haven't killed anyone either.

I'm not saying that the lessons wouldn't be useful, especially if you're a nervous type, but they're not necessary.
Although there are some long-term drivers who could do with a few refreshers about motorway usage, I think!

Usually I'd say don't bother, I learned to drive in East London, using the A13, 12, 406 etc which are as aggressive and busy as the m25, I was on the m25 within a few days of passing. BUT it took you SIX attempts to pass and you say you don't understand how motorways, overtaking etc works. Leave the long trip, especially with your child, I see horrendous accidents every week on the M25 and the M1 is no better, wait until you've had your extra lessons. There are lots of lorries, lots of speeding, it's almost impossible to leave a proper gap as someone will just pull into it, you often get drivers weaving from lane to lane undertaking etc. You don't sound like you're ready for that.

Why the M25 in particular? Is there a type of driver more inclined to use the M25? grin

Parts of the M25 are like the Wild West! Because it is no longer really big enough for the volume of traffic, it gets very congested in places, people get very wound up and drive quite aggressively. The section round by Heathrow, before they made it 5 lanes each way, was a nightmare, and I've seen some appalling driving at the M25/M40 interchange.

Dithering about when you're surrounded by angry drivers who are in a rush is a big no-no. Making a late decision, when you suddenly realise you're about to sail past the junction you need, can be bloody dangerous.

I very rarely use the section of M25 you'll be on, but I can imagine it carries a lot of freight heading for the east coast ports. Having lots of lorries around can be quite unnerving, as it means your view is partially obscured (I've been driving for over 40 years, and it still gives me the willies). Many of them will be from the continent, so will be on the "wrong" side of the road, and some of them will have been driving for hours (not slating foreign truckers, or lorry drivers generally, but a dear friend was killed when a Belgian lorry driver, who'd exceeded his hours, crashed into her because he fell asleep at the wheel on the M2).

If I was a new driver, I'd want to do at least a couple of interchanges for practice, with a trusted friend, and I wouldn't dream of doing a motorway journey with a toddler on board until I'd really got the hang of it. You can't afford to be distracted at 70mph when you're surrounded by traffic.

Can you not get a friend to go for a short motorway drive or two with you first?
The first time I drove on a motorway it was terrible weather and the car was bouncing around being buffeted by the wind and visibility was dreadful. It was quite scary to cope with all that, alongside the lane discipline for the first time.

My only fear is trying to merge on and someone not letting me in

So you stop and wait

Is it not illegal to stop and wait? I thought you could only stop on a motorway 1)on the hard shoulder and 2) only when you have broken down

Or if not actually illegal, certainly in contravention of the highway code

I wonder if they've thought the compulsory motorway lessons thing through. How do you do that if you live in Cornwall, where the nearest motorway starts in Exeter? Yet another idea floated by a government task force based in the south east.

However, I think it's a good idea for it to very strongly recommended, where feasible.

As far as the's OP's journey is concerned, I would have thought you could have found a non-motorway route. Yes it takes longer but can be easier and a lot less stressful. I'm not a fan of motorway driving and avoid it where it's not strictly necessary or going to take hours longer to use another route.

Or, obviously, when the traffic has ground to a halt, but that goes without saying really.

Is it not illegal to stop and wait? I thought you could only stop on a motorway 1)on the hard shoulder and 2) only when you have broken down.

It's probably a bit less illegal than driving straight into someone when trying to merge.

I drove from Somerset to Scotland a week after I passed my driving test (lots of motorway driving), motorways are not that tricky, the only thing I hate is how boring it is so I would advise to take a few breaks when there are services.

@bobbiester You have misunderstood and not seen what I was replying to.

Of course I indicate every time I change lanes. A PP was suggesting you should indicate when you want to change even if your way isn't clear as a way of asking someone to let you in.

I am saying you shouldn't indicate for thht reason, you should indicate when you intend to move and are able to move because it is clear.

I was saying that the only time I indicate when the way isn't clear is when there has been a sudden stoppage.

Haven't RTFT but I'd definitely advise a practice trip with an experienced driver in the car before you take on the M25 on your own! I'd been driving for 10 years before I first had to use that road and I still found it unnerving. It doesn't move that fast (most of the time) but the sheer weight of traffic around junctions means you have to be pretty assertive when changing lanes. I now drive it fairly regularly and still allow lots of time to get into the correct lane before turn-offs. You also need to be very conscious of other cars changing lanes from both your left and right, which isn't an issue on most dual carriageways - closest I've ever come to an accident was when both I and another car tried to move into the same land at the same time and I hadn't spotted him. (Idiot didn't use indicators!!)

Paying for lessons is unnecessary, but I would definitely take someone with you.

So you:

*Think you can spend the whole journey doing 60/65 in the outside lane
*Did not know that the main carriageway has right of way
*Are not confident on joining at speed
*Think the satnav will tell you what lanes to change..

I think a lot of this is stuff that's applicable to dual carriageways which I am assuming you have have driven on?

Maybe get out and practice on shorter junctions? Otherwise you'll be the hazard.. and don't rely on your satnav.. you are already new to driving. SatNavs are fine if your a confident driver.. can react to hazards.. are aware of your surroundings.

the problem with the M25 is it for a lot of journeys simply unavoidable and that means the sheer traffic of it is huge. At places it has 5 and even 6 lanes to cope. It’s junctions often serve major motorways so 2 lanes go off.

It's probably a bit less illegal than driving straight into someone when trying to merge.

I wasn't suggesting driving straight into someone. I was pointing out that stopping to wait is not a good idea. If you slow to a halt then by definition you can't join the traffic at the right speed.

Why do you have to pay now? I thought learners with a driving instructor could go on the motorway now anyway so he should've taken you on!

I wasn't suggesting driving straight into someone. I was pointing out that stopping to wait is not a good idea. If you slow to a halt then by definition you can't join the traffic at the right speed.

Agree. I nearly went straight into the back of someone who suddenly stopped on the end of the slip road.

Thank goodness you’ve changed your mind OP, the thought of doing your first motor way drive on the m25 with a two year old was bringing me out in a cold sweat!

I have been driving for thirty years and I still find the m25 stressful

I had motorway driving lessons, only 2 but it was invaluable.
One bit of advice my instructor gave me was that if you run out of time to get in, carry on a short distance on the hard shoulder if you can. It's the lesser of the 2 evils. I have never had to use it in the last 27 years but it reassured me.