Wish me luck - travelling on M25 alone

[tammybear]

Havent done this before. Bit nervous. Driving to dp's tonight on my own, and it will most likely be dark when Im driving. As Im on my own, Im going to have to be looking at directions too so quite nervous. Wish me luck! Bet Ill get lost!

check which junction you need before you go so you can just count the junctions and won't be lookign for directions

you'll be fine .. its not really that hellish a road honestly

Best of luck Tammybear. I've 'done' the M25 twice and it was at weekend. I don't like how the left hand lane keeps disappearring into a slip road and then reappearing. I'm an anti-middle-lane-hog and I didn't like having to change lanes every almost every junction.

You'll be fine - and take care!

M25 is normally fine - I drive on it every day because I cover sites in Surrey, Sussex and Kent. Do make sure you know which junction you are getting off (you know the junction no is in a little square at the bottom of the motorway signs) and they give you about 2 miles notice of the junction coming up so you will have plenty of time. Also, coz its Fri, try to avoid travelling between 5pm and 7pm - rush hour is much busier so try and leave earlier or later. HTH

ive wrote my directions on postids so i can just pull it off once ive done it. think ill get confused with a list! i was told ill end up going over a bridge that is really high above water. hope thats not true as i wont be driving in the left lane if i do! Ill be coming back sunday lunchtime which wont be so bad (i hope) Going to check on roadworks and traffic

don't stick in the left lane .. its far more stressful as people join and leave the motorway .. move into the 2nd lane for the vast proportion of your journey (parts of M25 have more than 3 lanes anyway)

and umm remember its only a motorway

ill be leaving at 3:15 as thats when my mum can pick dd up from me. the aa says itll take me an hour and a half to get there, but probably take me nearer 2 hours after ive had breaks and if i do hit any traffic as ill have to join at junction by heathrow and ill presume itll be a bit busy around there

are you going over Dartford Bridge? Its not that bad, just remember your £1 toll

yeah i am, didnt realise there was a toll thing there. better make sure i have some change then!

Agree with Twiglett - on the M25 you have to stay in the middle lane if you want a stress-free journey. They've made parts of the M60 (Manchester) like that too and I hate it.

on the way back you have to go under the tunnel

They are widening the M25 for Heathrow Terminal 5 - there is a contraflow from Jct 13 to Jct 15 in both directions so do expect heavy traffic. Its good you're leaving at 3.15 - you'll be well away from Heathrow by the time it gets really busy. Also, as Mieow said, if you are going thru Dartford (I think junction 1) then have a £1 coin ready.

If you are going from Heathrow could you not go round the bottom of the M25 as opposed to round the top (view of map - are you with me?). That would solve the tunnel and bridge worry. Where are you heading?

You'll be fine. I did my first motorway run earlier in the year. Have been driving for years but whenever we went away dh would always drive the long journeys. I felt really really nervous but the journey was fine. When I did it I was really really excited as I knew that I could travel anywhere and the options of places to visit with the kids was endless now I knew I could do it!

Just went over my directions, and I dont think I am going over the bridge now (phew!) I get off at Junction 5 heading to Tunbridge Wells so I get off before it, right?

Right - good luck - keep calm.