Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

AIBU to not feel safe driving an unreliable car on a 'smart' motorway?

68 replies

whiteroseredrose · 12/08/2023 21:56

Our current car is 15 years old. We bought it 2 years ago to replace an identical model that was written off when someone drove into it. It is a Honda FRV which is an ideal car for us in terms of space and flexibility but sadly they stopped being made in 2008.

Our original car we had from 4 years old and it had been serviced and taken care of properly. Even though it had done 120,000 miles it was still going strong. Current car has 80,000 on the clock but has clearly been hammered. It has been to and fro to the garage with one thing or another. We currently only have this one car as DH has been waiting for months for a new company salary sacrifice scheme to happen so that he can order a new car. This could be another 6 months or more.

Last week it had to go into the garage yet again because the engine sounded strained and it was knocking. As we then potentially had no car we started looking at buying a replacement.

It has been 'fixed' so DH sees no reason to look for a newer one, but I really don't trust it not to fail again.

We have a few long journeys coming up, one that will be DD and I alone, and quite frankly I am not happy driving an unreliable banger along a motorway with no hard shoulder.

DH thinks I am being overly emotional about it. Am I?

OP posts:

Causewithoutarebel · 12/08/2023 21:58

You are absolutely NBU, I’m the same. I have an old, fairly unreliable car too and hate taking it on smart motorways. They’re just dangerous.

rubyslippers · 12/08/2023 21:59

YANBU

i have a relatively old car and I do a lot of long journeys sometimes with the kids or on my own

cpuld you get a second opinion from another mechanic or garage - would that reassure you that the issue was fixed?

CopperSeahorses · 12/08/2023 22:00

I'd go as far as to say not feel safe driving an unreliable car on any road, especially not a not so smart motorway. YANBU.

Summerwashout · 12/08/2023 22:00

Op, I love mn. Someone is always thinking the same!!.. Ikea is a mere 30 mins but down a smart motorway.

I'm fucking terrified of it my car is 20 years old, someone has already died on it...

OK I don't need to drive to ikea but there are some bits I want and it frustrates me that I could have gone safely and now I'm bloody scared.

Summerwashout · 12/08/2023 22:01

@CopperSeahorses

My fan belt went.

It was in the fast lane of a dual carriageway.

I was able to safely pull up on the hard shoulder.

Original poster

whiteroseredrose · 12/08/2023 22:03

I'm glad I'm not alone. I've read about people dying recently after being struck while stuck in the near side lane.

The current problem possibly is fixed, but I'm sure yet another thing will go wrong with it.

OP posts:

BrindleAbyssinianGuinea · 12/08/2023 22:05

YANBU. Smart motorways are of satan!

rhino12345 · 12/08/2023 22:05

YANBU. I refuse point blank to drive one of our older cars on any road over 40mph - I have a fear that it will suddenly break down and someone could smash into the back of me with the kids (it's a hatchback). Equally, one of my friends' old car once set on fire on the motorway and it was really scary as they were in the middle lane and had to navigate across to the hard shoulder -- luckily there was one!!

Original poster

whiteroseredrose · 12/08/2023 22:08

Rhino123 that sounds like a nightmare.

OP posts:

Moveoverdarlin · 12/08/2023 22:09

I wouldn’t want to drive an unreliable car anywhere. Of course you’re not unreasonable.

feeona123 · 12/08/2023 22:24

I hate driving on them with a car full stop. So dangerous.

Copperoliverbear · 12/08/2023 22:41

You are 100% right I don't trust smart motorways in a new car, I think they're dangerous

nocoolnamesleft · 12/08/2023 22:44

Smart motorways terrify me. I try to plan routes to avoid them. It's especially scary when you think that the original trials implying they were reasonably safe were done with much, much, more frequent safety bays.

BertieBotts · 12/08/2023 22:45

Why not take the German approach and ensure that you have enough hi Vis vests in the car for every passenger? You keep them in the drivers door pocket.

If you ever do break down, get out of the car and stand behind the crash barrier with your vests on while you call the breakdown service.

I wouldn't want to risk it with small kids in car seats but with an 11 year old I don't think it's too bad, just don't stay in the car.

SquishyGloopyBum · 12/08/2023 22:53

I wouldn't have bought a 13 year old car in the first place, just because you had the same make/model previously. It's odd logic to me.

But aside from that, if you don't feel safe then fair enough.

LanaDelBoy · 12/08/2023 22:55

If the car is at risk of conking out you could kill someone/ yourself on any high-speed road - please don't risk it. It's not a game.

FrivolousTreeDuck · 12/08/2023 23:01

I don't feel safe on a smart motorway even in a reliable car.

overprepper · 12/08/2023 23:05

No you’re not unreasonable at all. I deliberately stay off the motorways because all of the ones around us have sections of smart motorways. I trust my car and I trust my driving but there are some crap drivers out there & smart motorways need abolishing.

DuesToTheDirt · 12/08/2023 23:16

I have a reliable car, but I hate them. (And reliable only goes so far, something random could happen). If you do have to pull over on one - or indeed on a real hard shoulder - get out immediate on the left side, whether it's pouring, dark, or whatever, just get out.

Ohmygiddyauntie · 13/08/2023 08:53

It's not safe to drive an unreliable car at any time on any road.
Yesterday upto 20000 fans missed the challenge cup final because someone had a blow out on the M1. A passenger was also injured.
Motoring comes with responsibility.
Wake up.

FlamingYam · 13/08/2023 09:56

Ohmygiddyauntie · 13/08/2023 08:53

Blow outs can happen at any time and whilst they are rare, they are not definitely caused by reliability. Lorries are more prone to have them because they have retreads. Was it a lorry or a car yesterday?

FlamingYam · 13/08/2023 09:59

The car is fixed? New cars can equally fuck up. If you want a new car then buy one but don't magically expect that it won't also fuck up. DP has a 12 year old car that's solid as a rock. Mine is 7 years and my work car is less than 6 months. Any of them could break down and cause an issue.

This thread is a bit alarmist. Old cars can be fine. Just maintain, service and MOT them.

Smart motorways are most definitely the devil and should be banned but that's because most of the people on them are not smart.

overprepper · 13/08/2023 10:41

FlamingYam · 13/08/2023 09:56

Show quote history

It was a fiesta

Ohmygiddyauntie · 13/08/2023 12:44

FlamingYam · 13/08/2023 09:59

This thread is a bit alarmist. Old cars can be fine. Just maintain, service and MOT them.

Smart motorways are most definitely the devil and should be banned but that's because most of the people on them are not smart.

I don't believe that blow outs can happen at anytime. Likelihood is the car tyres were in poor condition.
Tyre manufacturers wouldn't be able to sell a product that failed at any moment.

Smart motorways are staying. The idea is eventually to have computers taking over the driving.

Vehicle maintenance is a minimum requirement to drive.
Billions are lost because of poor maintenance on vehicles.

megletthesecond · 13/08/2023 12:53

Yanbu. Smart motorways are too risky. I avoid them.
They'd probably work if everyone was a good driver. Unfortunately too many people are bad drivers, on their phones or drugs.

Flip

1 2 3