To find four lane motorways very stressful

[stressedout677]

I was driving into London the other day and found myself on a four lane motorway. I'm not the most confident of drivers (and don't drive very often either) and found it really difficult keeping an eye on four lanes of traffic rather than the usual three. I was really relieved when it dropped down to three lanes. Does anyone else find this or is it just me?

stressedout677
Missing hard shoulders are nothing. Have you heard about the motorway with no central reservation?
The direction of traffic in some lanes changefrom inbound to outbound traffic depending on the time of day, but it's OK because one lane is empty at all times.

For example: AM
Lane 1: inbound
Lane 2: inbound
Lane 3: inbound
Lane 4: inbound
Lane 5: empty in place of a central reservation
Lane 6: outbound
Lane 7: outbound

Then later in the day
Lanes 1-3: inbound
Lane 4: empty
Lane 5-7: outbound

And at evening rush hour
Lanes 1&2: inbound
Lane 3: empty
Lanes 4-7: outbound

I never want to drive it.

Four lanes isn't the issue. You need some sort of awareness of what's going on 2 lanes away if you're changing lanes, but only to make sure they're not changing lanes too. Other than that they space things out a bit, and you're less likely to get caught up in the 55mph back log of slow lorry trying to over take very very slightly slower lorry on a hill (I'm a patient driver can you tell!). The issue is these flaming smart motorways with no hard shoulder. My car died on the M25 in the snow a few months ago. Lucky just before J3 where there's hard shoulder. Half a mile down the road I'd have been in a live lane.

Ugh there's a stretch above the Tickled Trout in Preston, shiver. If you know you know.

Yes yes to city centres.. especially at night (shudders). Or anywhere unfamiliar.

I think motorway driving gets easier if you aim for 70mph or thereabouts, (traffic permitting obvs) as that’s what most people will be doing. When I was less experienced at it, I’d drive at maybe 55-60 but really that just means you’re in with the trucks, you’ll get overtaken at higher speeds and it’s harder to manoeuvre/change lanes. It’s more difficult if you go slower.

They take a bit of getting used to, especially the being shunted off in the left hand lane at some junctions. I drive on them a lot with no problem, but absolutely hate driving on winding country lanes because I hardly ever do it. I guess it's what you're used to that gives you the confidence.

Yes, this is it, it takes so much concentration, the constant slow down, speed up, no gaps, mental white BMW drivers doing crazy stuff, and then lorries too.

The sections I drive are 5 and 6 lanes. Hate it.

I do the dartford crossing fairly regularly, and am quite used to it (I prefer the bridge to the tunnel)but think the amount of info on separate signs is ridiculous
Congestion zone , end of motorway restrictions dont forget to pay Dart charge, dart charge applies during these hours, change in speed limit, lane closed for accompanied load, part time traffic lights, one tunnel closed etc etc!

I dont generally find 4 lane motorways any more stressful than 3 lane ones though.

I'm a bit nervous of smart motorways though

Joining the M60 at Bredbury is fun, you go down a really long sliproad and then merge into the fast lane. You have to fight your way across to the left while idiots in Audis are flying by on your inside.

I was so confused as a passenger on the M1 last week where the “drive in the left hand lane” rule didn’t seem to apply as the left hand lane was constantly shunting you off to some obscure town if you weren’t careful!

The biggest problem is driving on motorways you're not familiar with because there is often so much information to take in, and worries about finding the right lanes because you can go so far out of your way if you miss an exit or get forced onto one you didn't mean to take. I'm reminded of finding myself sailing down the M6 having missed the M42 turning in heavy rain and traffic and having to pick my way south to where i actually needed to be ...

I agree the M25 is difficult in lots of places. I know the Heathrow stretch a bit, when I go that way I either move the minimum amount to the right to make progress, or if I'm going a long way (infrequently) then I just get most of the way over and focus on the right two lanes until it calms down a bit.

I use the A34 fairly regularly and really dislike the bit just south of the M4 junction. What it feels like is two, two lane roads that basically join and go parallel for a while before separating. If you're staying on the A34 you essentially have to stay in lane 3 as the "slow lane" and not get put off by faster traffic on your left that is going somewhere else. Some traffic switches between the two routes but not the majority as far as I can tell. And it's not motorway so the lanes aren't always as wide as motorway standards (not sure about that particular stretch though).

Another not favourite stretch is the M42 just north of Birmingham. There's too many lanes and choices at a point where I think you have to take care not to get shunted onto the M6 toll road by mistake.

I spend half my life on motorways, the most difficult thing is the boredom.

Two things annoy me, middle Lane twats who are not overtaking and today those driving in heavy rain with no lights on making them almost invisible, including those with day light, front only lights, wipers on, lights on!!

I learned Motorway driving on the M8 through Glasgow so I'm sure I can manage any of them!
Seriously though, it can be a bit scary at times, pissing rain when I'm stuck behind a lorry in my wee Mini isn't the most fun, or stuck in between two of them, because one was in a lane he shouldn't have been in.
Crossing 5 lanes because the exit you need is not on the side you expected it to be on.
Eeeek.
I still do it though, Dd stays 15 junctions up the M8 and it's the quickest way to get to her.

You want to try the 6 lane bit of the M25 I have to travel on my way to see dd.

Oh, I see the M8 has been mentioned a few times!
I promise I did rtft -scanned it badly--

Motorway driving can be lots of fun too.
If it's quiet, time to put your foot down and the music up.
I really love doing that.