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Original poster

Did anyone take motorway lessons after passing their driving test?

73 replies

Loka123 · 30/12/2018 11:18

I've had mixed opinions about this - some say that motorway driving is in fact a lot easier than normal driving (as no pedestrians, right turns, roundabouts, etc.) BUT obviously, accidents on the motorway can be much more severe, mainly due to the high speeds involved.

Is it mainly just getting onto the motorway from the slip road which is what needs practice? (I know overtaking requires moving into right lane and back with observations which is another thing but I guess at first, overtaking might not even be necessary, right?)

As a worst case scenario, what would happen if you get to the end of the slip road with no suitable gap in the motorway at all? Obviously, you can't merge if there's a lot of traffic coming up close behind so is it ever ok to stop at the end of the slip road if so and then join the motorway when a suitable gap appears and build up speed then? I know it'd be very difficult to match up speed quickly enough in that case and will need a bigger gap to join... Obviously, this is unlikely to happen but just imaging worst case scenario but has anyone ever needed to do this?

OP posts:

gamerchick · 31/12/2018 16:11

Stopping at the end of the slip road is extremely dangerous, and the chances of being hit are very high. The hard should is there to lessen that danger. It's not great to drive on the hard shoulder, but it is legal in order to avoid danger. Therefore, is you're daft enough to run out of slip road, don't stop....use the hard shoulder and merge at speed asap

So you repeatedly keep saying but with absolutely nothing wrong to back it up. Where official does it advise to do that please?

gamerchick · 31/12/2018 16:12

My phone out the wrong in.

NothingOnTellyAgain · 31/12/2018 16:15

Yes I don't get it either
I've never seen anyone do this

"Therefore, is you're daft enough to run out of slip road, don't stop....use the hard shoulder and merge at speed asap"

This doesn't make sense
If the traffic is moving you merge
If the traffic is slow, you slow and merge
If the traffic is stationary, you queue on the slip road and wish you'd checked the bloody traffic updates before you left!

Disfordarkchocolate · 31/12/2018 16:20

Had one and it was very useful. We worked on slip roads, overtaking when there are three or more lanes, large roundabouts and focusing on upcoming hazards. Agree it's very like a busy duel carriageway but it very useful.

gamerchick · 31/12/2018 16:23

If the traffic is stationary, you queue on the slip road and wish you'd checked the bloody traffic updates before you left!

See now that shit makes sense.

2019rubberband · 31/12/2018 16:25

I've never even heard of anyone saying to drive up the hard shoulder before so this is a total first for me!

I have only heard it on Mumsnet.

The hard shoulder exists for emergencies, to get yourself out of danger.

The rules are you do not stop on the hard shoulder except in an emergency. The 'to get yourself out of danger' bit is something you have made up to suit your point. Stick to what is real.

Faithless12 · 31/12/2018 16:26

All those saying use the hard shoulder are wrong. Slow down on the slip road, pay attention to the road you are joining. Sometimes it is not appropriate to join a motorway at 70 so flying down the slip road at 70 will lead to you having to hard brake. If the road is doing 10/20 and is slow traffic try joining at a similar speed people will generally give you space. I know of someone who failed their driving test due to not making space for someone and causing them to have to stop on the slip road.

The person who linked the Highway Code if you’d have clicked on the joining the motorway link it specifically says do not use the hard shoulder.

EmeraldBookshelf · 31/12/2018 16:45

DH (driving instructor) says these same arguments go on between instructors in online group all the time. There is much disagreement. His opinion is that the end of the slip road should be treated at a give way line. If you’re not able to get on (unlikely) then it is an emergency and you can use the hard shoulder. This scenario has only happened to him once in his previous career as a lorry driver. There was a gap for him that he was heading into and then a car from lane 2 came into lane 1 at the last minute. He had no choice but to use the hard shoulder for a few seconds until he got back on. He was on the horn letting everyone know. If he’d had stopped what was behind him would have gone into the back of him.

gamerchick · 31/12/2018 16:56

Well I can't be sure but most of us don't drive lorries.

Can he get his hands on any official rules on this use the hard shoulder business. I've asked more than once because I can't find anything.

I think because this is such a rare thing it's throwing people and massively opinion based rather than what the rules are.

brusselsproutfan · 31/12/2018 17:02

Yes I did but waste of money really. I was and still am fine on the motorway. I was worried about issues that weren't really there.

EmeraldBookshelf · 31/12/2018 17:12

Apparently it’s all about what should not and must not happen... 2 different things.

www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/introduction

So the highway code explicitly says you MUST NOT stop on the slip road, and doing so could leave you liable to prosecution. It then guides you to say you SHOULD NOT cross the solid line into the hard shoulder when joining the motorway.

The highway code itself states "should not" is advisory and "must not" is compulsory (see guidance notes in highway code on wording, as linked).

NothingOnTellyAgain · 31/12/2018 17:14

It is very rare >> I've never seen it done and never heard it as a suggestion before today.

EmeraldBookshelf · 31/12/2018 17:15

Apparently exiting the motorway is statistically more dangerous than entering.

gamerchick · 31/12/2018 18:11

Many thanks, so it's really a case by case as if the traffic was at a standstill on the motorway you would have to stop on the sliproad. There's no illegal or recommending using the hard shoulder to merge.

It's a good job this is a rare thing!

I really want to ask more people now to see what they would do

Craft1905 · 31/12/2018 21:44

The rules are you do not stop on the hard shoulder except in an emergency. The 'to get yourself out of danger' bit is something you have made up to suit your point. Stick to what is real.

I'm not saying stop on the hard shoulder. You should stay moving on the hard shoulder if you didn't merge from the slip road as you should have done.. If course you can use the hard shoulder to avoid danger. That's why it's there. For emergencies.

You must not stop on the slip road, unless everyone is stopped on the slip road because the motorway isn't moving. If the motorway is moving at its usual speed and you're such a bad driver that you've got to the end of the slip road without managing to merge, merge from the hard shoulder, don't stop at the end of the slip road.

30 seconds on google will confirm this.

2019rubberband · 31/12/2018 21:53

Silly me, didn't google.

FFS. Don't stop or drive on the fucking hard shoulder. Just MERGE.

Craft1905 · 01/01/2019 13:40

FFS. Don't stop or drive on the fucking hard shoulder. Just MERGE.

Wow...who knew???

FFS...we all know that. This is about what a bad driver who hasn't merged by the end of the slip road should do!!

2019rubberband · 01/01/2019 15:14

FFS...we all know that. This is about what a bad driver who hasn't merged by the end of the slip road should do!!

Well clearly we don't all know that judging by the amount of people who think the hard shoulder is fair game as extra slip road. Tbh I have never seen it and I do think it's one of those 'shite you only hear of on Mumsnet' things, but the sheer volume of people who think that's normal is shocking.

Fredathetortoise · 01/01/2019 15:30

I had a two hour motorway lesson a few years after passing my test, when I was starting to do more motorway driving. I definitely recommend it, just for experience with an instructor in the car, for finding out how to merge/ overtake, whether to stay in the middle lane or 'bounce' when there are lorries in the left lane and so on. On the westbound A13 this morning I think a lot of drivers were imagining the usual lorries, as they were all sitting in the middle lane. Or land mines had been planted in the left lane over NYE...

VictoriaFarmer · 01/01/2019 15:41

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Quickerthanavicar · 01/01/2019 15:41

I did, as I wanted to gain confidence driving and reacting at speed. I much prefer driving on motorways.

Ali1cedowntherabbithole · 01/01/2019 15:46

I actually think merging onto most motorways is easier than a busy dual carriageway with a short sliproad.

The A12 can be an awful road to join and I say that as someone who regularly drives on the M1,M6,M25.

Roomba · 01/01/2019 15:49

I did - that was 24 years ago. Very much worth it, as I learned to drive in a rural area with few dual carriageways etc to practice merging on, changing lanes and so on. I wouldn't have had the confidence to go anywhere near a motorway without that bit of practice and advice first.

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