because I think I'm being sensible and courteous when..

[MARGOsBeenPlayingWithMyNooNoo]

driving on the motorway.

Dh was designated driver on Sunday and had to brake (albeit only slightly) to let someone on to the motorway from the sliproad.

I think that you should make an effort to get into the 2nd lane before you reach the sliproad. He thinks not.

He had to do exactly the same thing on the way home.

IMO it's dangerous driving. There are signs on the motorway to indicate the approaching sliproad so you have plenty of time to indicate into the 2nd lane.

I appreciate there are nervous drivers who would prefer to stay on the left hand lane. These drivers are usually slower than my dh, it's no hardship for him to go into the next lane.

(I must add that I am particularly edgy when it comes to sliproads as my great aunt and uncle died in a car accident when they came off a sliproad and collided with another vehicle)

I always move if I can.

always move if you can - the IAM stipulate that, I'm sure

It's just plain common sense to make space - keeps you at a regular speed instead of wasting petrol braking, if nothing else!

The only time I would move into the middle lane to allow people from the slip road on is if
a) there is a queue on the slip road or
b) if I am likely to career into the back of some idiot who thinks its ok to get on the motorway doing 50mph

There should be no reason for anyone to brake at the sliproad in normal traffic, the people on the sliproad should be roughly matching the people in the outside lane so that they can slip in trouple free!

ALso in the US (I think, correct me if I am wrong) they have brought in special videos to show people how to do it. Aparently your supposed to wait until the very end of the sliproad and just follow the line into the outside lane. Makes sense!

I would move over if there was a gap in the middle lane. If not, I would not bother but might brake to allow them a decent gap, or even speed up to allow them a decent gap behind me. Don't think "slight braking" as per the OP is that much of a biggie though.

i do if necessary but not if there's enough space for the persn to get out in front or behind me by altering their speed!
IMO people are far to keen to drive in the middle lane

I can't stand Middle Lane Hoggers either. However, even if the road is clear and there is enough room for someone to come out of the slip, I will often go into the middle lane so that the person coming on knows I've seen them - well that's provided they've actually looked in their mirrors and done a shoulder check which seems to happen less and less.

YABU
it's the responsibility of the driver coming off the slip road to drive at a safe speed and find a significant break in traffic when joining the motorway.
your husbands driving was not dangerous, it was whatever driver cut him up coming off the slip road forcing him to break who was at fault

hm...I am with handlemecareful...that si pretty much what I do...it is common sense, surely...yes, in theory the responsibility lays with those joining...but we all know how frightening it can be to join traffic on Motorways...and my personal nightmare scenario would be to have to stop because of no gap....shudder....

I do think it is safer all around this way, tbh...

"but we all know how frightening it can be to join traffic on Motorways"

sorry but i sincerely believe that anyone who truely thinks that should not be driving on a motorway.

I do try to avoid them

although, I am actually a good and couteous driver...I trust myself...it is the other drivers I don't trust...

One sliproad near me scares me. It goes onto a dual carriage way (so slower traffic than on motorway - but heavier and closer together) The sliproad is really short and folk rarely give space to get in , which mean almost having to stop on sliproad - so how are you meant to get up to speed?

margo i dont drive but even i know your talking sense.its safe driving.

I always move if I can. Realistically it would mean a hell of a lot of people sitting on the slip roads trying to get onto busy motorways If no one ever did. Its also a lot safer to switch lanes and let people join motorways at a reasonable speed safely rather than have to make a dash for it or stop altogether.

I can think of one particular slip road onto the the A30 near me which is a really sharp right angle and very short so its just safer to allow people to have space and time rather. There was another similar one on the A38 which was closed because it was so dangerous.

Littlelapin, I hate to say it but, wrt your post of Mon 08-Sep-08 22:50:58, it sounds to me as though your close shave was caused by your assumption that the other driver would pull over to let you in. It might have been courteous of them to do so but they were not obliged to. It would have been up to you to adjust your speed to move across either ahead of or behind the other driver. Surely that wouldn't have been a problem if the road really was "empty"?

Disagree with OP. Onus is definitely on the driver joining the motorway and in many instances it would be more dangerous for people in the slow lane to all be trying to move over, thus making middle lane more congested, and then moving back again - changing lanes all the time is actually a major cause of accidents on motorways. If it's really busy and there lots of lorries in the slow lane for example, they generally brake slightly and flash you to let you on anyway.