I hate motorway driving!

[AWiseWomanOnceSaidFuckThisShit]

Country roads? Fine. A roads? No problem. Residential streets? That's me.

Motorways? Oh I hate them, I find them so scary! I'm capable... I wouldn't go on them if I wasn't. I keep on fighting the fear because I don't want to restrict myself... but I hate them, they scare me. The lorries. The wind you feel sometimes when the car sways. Having to speed up when overtaking. My palms always have a thin film of sweat when it's over and I'm always so relieved to see that turn off. I didn't give a flying shite in my 20s but the older I get the more anxious I feel.

Is it just me?! Lighthearted...

Joining a motorway shouldn't be scary either except people dont read signs and act appropriately. You know that sign that tells you there is a road joining the motorway up ahead....yes that means prepare for cars to possibly join and move over to the middle lane until you passed the joining lane and can move back over safely.

Except people do not move the feck over so you get situations where you have to slow your speed down to join with cars going at normal speed and you have to grt your car bsck up to that speed.

There is a reason why those roads joining a morotway are long so you can get up to the right speed when you join

But alas plenty of drivers don't know how to drive 🙄

do you mean lane hogging or just doing 70? You can't go faster without breaking the law. You shouldn't be overtaking faster than that!

Meanwhile, in the real world ...

Give me a long stretch of motorway over a bendy country lane any day.

I’m not sure how it is in the U.K. but in Ireland, when I learned, you couldn’t drive on the motorway with an L-plate but the morning you passed your test you could zoom on, without ever having had a practical lesson.

My wonderful big brother taught me motorway driving skills - how to pick a car and match your speed to it on the slip lane, where all the blind spots are, how to predict other drivers intentions, what gap to leave in front and how to watch and control the space beside you so you have options, always to show brake lights when you see brake lights ahead, how and when to use hazards, to wait until the car you are overtaking is in the middle of your rear view (not side) mirror, to stay out of blind spots, what lorry drivers can and can’t see, why driving slowly can be hazardous, etc

A lot of drivers don’t understand that there is a driving lane, and two over taking lanes, or when it’s appropriate to move between them (eg making space at the slip). In Ireland, from left to right, there’s the Foostering Lane, the Driving Lane and The I’m too Special for Speed Limits Lane.

If you can take some lessons in Defensive Driving, even theoretical ones, though better if practical, it can really help with confidence because you understand what you can and can’t control.

Oh I love the people who decide that they're going to overtake but also staunchly stick to "the law is 70 so I'll sit in the outside lane at 70" and then never overtake anyone.

Yes, the law says 70, but you're supposed to be overtaking in the outside lane. And if you sit bang on 70mph, chances are you're not going to be overtaking. You and middle lane hogs are going to my room 101.

I love motorway driving, I would take they over the chaos of inner city driving any day of the week! But I do understand the fear - when I had a crash a few years ago (low speed, country lane, daylight, good weather) for a while I found myself most reminded of it in the motorway - I think just because my brain was reminding me of the relative damage that could be caused if I'd crashed at nearly 3 times the speed.

I did plenty of motorway driving in my 20s though, I used to drive from south London to Scotland on a regular basis. I hate motorways now though and always avoid if I can.

@1Morewineplease

I haven't driven on the motorway for at least ten maybe fifteen years. Can't cope with them. I feel like I need to veer towards a crash barrier , even though I'm on the inside lane. Hate being on motorways when my husband is driving too.

I approached a respected driving school about this, thinking that motorway confidence driving skills would help, only to be told, after questioning , that I'd be too dangerous for their staff.

It sucks as I live 200 miles away from my frail mum.
Yes, I've had CBT but it wasn't very helpful. I just got told to do it and pull my socks up as everyone else can manage it!

Try some other driving instructors. Motorway driving lessons are quite common.

@Handsoffisback

If you cannot drive on motorways you shouldn’t be driving. Part of being a competent driver is being able to drive on all roads and in all conditions with confidence. Too many people (women in particular), seem petrified of motorways for absolutely no logical reason at all. To be so frightened of a particular road would also suggest that you are probably not particularly competent on other roads (whether you think it or not).

It took longer than usual for someone to trot this nonsense out.

I'll drive on any road & in any condition etc. I've had to. But i appreciate everyone's different & if people are happy pootling around the town/residential but lack the confidence to drive on motorways, so choose not to, I'm thankful. I appreciate them not using them!

For their own convenience I'd suggest motorway lessons, but it's up to them and it does not stop them being good drivers on other roads.

Some people do use the outside lane as their personal speeding lane. The moment I move into the outside lane to overtake there’s some aggressive twat in the distance bearing down on me at 95 mph at least. Trying to force me back in to the middle lane before there is actually room to do so.

@Handsoffisback

If you cannot drive on motorways you shouldn’t be driving. Part of being a competent driver is being able to drive on all roads and in all conditions with confidence. Too many people (women in particular), seem petrified of motorways for absolutely no logical reason at all. To be so frightened of a particular road would also suggest that you are probably not particularly competent on other roads (whether you think it or not).

Oh bore off! I am more than competent. I'd argue that I'm safer than many drivers except you'd only have my word for that. I can drive perfectly safely on motorways I just don't like being around all the other UNSAFE drivers, the ones that tailgate, cut across in front of you when they have failed to prepare to exit the motorway. I don't sit there pootling along at 50mph if the limit is higher. I drive at the limit when it is safe to do so.

It's sooo boring! I use a roads where I can to avoid falling asleep at the wheel.

The m1 near me has had roadworks on it for the last 14 years since I moved down here. They've now changed it to 60 but when it was 50 everyone was packed in like sardines tailgating and overtaking to get the extra 1mph. On top of that I see so many bad drivers that are accidents waiting to happen plus getting furious at people just dawdling in all lanes. My blood pressure can't handle it frankly.

I’m not keen to drive on motorways. I’d rather go on other roads or by train.

@1Morewineplease

I haven't driven on the motorway for at least ten maybe fifteen years. Can't cope with them. I feel like I need to veer towards a crash barrier , even though I'm on the inside lane. Hate being on motorways when my husband is driving too.

I approached a respected driving school about this, thinking that motorway confidence driving skills would help, only to be told, after questioning , that I'd be too dangerous for their staff.

It sucks as I live 200 miles away from my frail mum.
Yes, I've had CBT but it wasn't very helpful. I just got told to do it and pull my socks up as everyone else can manage it!

If you have a valid driving licence and drive for other purposes, I don't see why you would be too dangerous for any competent driving instructor. They could help you to build up to going on a motorway by using dual carriageways initially. I'd suggest you try again.

Middle lane hoggers. Especially those who dawdle then the second you go to overtake them speed up like it's some kind of personal affront to them.

I do a variety of road driving , so country roads where there may be a cyclist/horse/tractor around the next bend, Town and city driving and motorway driving. I don't mind driving on the motorway, its a bit dull usually and not always the quickest or shortest route, depending on the time of day and if there are roadworks.
I rarely go in the outer lane, unless I need to overtake an overtaking lorry or similar, I need my licence squeaky clean and there are often traffic police sitting on bridges over the motorways around here. That and my car isn't the sort that can happily tank down the outer lane for long.
I leave big gaps in front of me ( without being an obstruction ) , and am mindful of the road and road users ahead, so rarely have to brake suddenly.
Hate driving on them in the pouring rain or fog though, some people don't seem to be able to change their driving to suit the weather conditions.

I don't like motorway driving, but I don't find it scarey, just boring and dull. Because I find it boring, I have to really work at maintaining my focus.

But then I love country road driving, I think it's much more challenging. And I love finding a road so little used it has grass growing down the middle!

If you do it regularly you get used to. I am out of practise now as my commute is local and avoid them now.

I don't like them, because of bad drivers. The number of times I have been trying to join the M4 and nobody bloody moves over, meaning I have to slow right down and then hammer my 1.2 Peugeot to get back up to speed. People changing lanes from the right-hand lane back to the middle and then left without indicating. People right up my arse in a 50 average speed limit section. Ugh.

I love the M1. 4 lanes! 4!

Would rather drive on motorways than an unfamiliar city centre any day.

Enjoy driving on Scottish motorways. Compared to English ones they are deserted!