fredthered:
Getting on or off any fast road by these numpties is a total disaster. They’re one of the reasons for all the tailbacks and queuing at rush hour because they don’t grasp the concept of filtering and the tossers on the main carriageway are as bad for not leaving room for them to get on.
And the racers that cross all the carriageway to dart in for a junction! Well I could rant forever about those pillocks!
I feel the same about the lorries, sorry, “trucks”, that drive for mile after mile in lane 1 when the big orange sign says " congestion, use hard shoulder".
Physician heal thyself…
I stay in the 1st lane and don’t use the hard shoulder on the M6 around Birminghsm/Walsall and on the M42 from the M6 toll down to the M40 split because otherwise you are just pulling out into lane 1 and then going back onto the hard shoulder every 1-2 mile which could cause problems however on the likes of the M1 around Luton I will use the hard shoulder.
I think that’s the main reason why some truck drivers don’t bother using them. A mile after you are in it, the sign then flashes " for junction ■■ only '.
I have been on the GOV.UK smart motorway jobby and it only confirms the fact that its a ’ direction '. It is hard to find anything that states it ’ must ’ be used.
I would say the most compelling argument is that, when the shoulder is an ’ active and open ’ lane, it must be used because you are required to keep left unless overtaking.
eagerbeaver:
I think that’s the main reason why some truck drivers don’t bother using them. A mile after you are in it, the sign then flashes " for junction ■■ only '.
I have been on the GOV.UK smart motorway jobby and it only confirms the fact that its a ’ direction '. It is hard to find anything that states it ’ must ’ be used.
I would say the most compelling argument is that, when the shoulder is an ’ active and open ’ lane, it must be used because you are required to keep left unless overtaking.
Also a few week ago around Spaghetti Junction on the M6 going southbound I was in the hard shoulder with other traffic and a truck in front of me when suddenly we come to a stop. Turns out a car had broken down on the hard shoulder but the signs still had 50mph on them and no red x on the hard shoulder running lane
Like the blurt in in a van on the m6 north, a car coming out of Keele services so Mr blurt in the van slows to 10mph from 60mp to let him out, I was behind fully loaded weight wise and nearly had a ■■■ with shock, I smowed to about 3mph with a harmony of loud horn and swearing, he meanwhile sped up and left with me crawling back to speed
And there was a flurry of cars behind me swearving to miss me…
Had this several times this week they come down slip road then pull onto road you have to slow after a few minuet of messing about they then speed up & go give you the coffee bean hand shake mind I now just blow a kiss at them as they never think a woman is driving out of the window or try to pull in as they want to be off & onto that slip road now but car in front of you the move over but good forbid if you do that to them
What about the plums that appear on the slip level with the cab, matching your speed or sometimes going faster than you. Then, rather than putting their foot down and getting on with it, they carp themselves, brake and pull out behind you.
I have no time for these idiots.
Sprinter Si:
It really is time that the driving test incorporated some sort of mandatory motorway driving. Fair enough I appreciate that in some parts of the UK where test centres are many miles from a motorway this may not be possible, but such places must at least have dual carriageways nearby where some element of lane obedience and slip-road common sense can be taught. I’ve only been driving for a living for 10 years but even in this time I have noticed the standard of motorway driving falling. A Polish lad that works at our place who has driven all over Europe tells me that we’re the only country that tolerates this sort of buffoonery on the motorways. I suppose it doesn’t help when there’s fewer police than ever on the road to enforce the rules though.
I used to be a car instructor instructor and one of the test centres in Pwllheli didn’t have a dual carriageway. The nearest one is almost an hour away. I used to try and get the pupils to do at least one lesson where we went there just for their experience but an awful lot would pass there with no experience. To make it worse the test centre in Bala has no dual carriageway or roundabouts.
I was westbound on the A14 last week by Cambridge. Numpty white van man comes screaming down the last 20 metres of the slip road to get into the space in front of me, then promptly slams on his brakes. I swerved to avoid him (couldn’t pull out before he joined because of the car outside me). Horn blasted and lights flashed and he then proceeds to give me the bird. I then,childishly , slowly overtake the truck in lane one, keeping the van penned in lane one.
I hate having too try and second guess the traffic lights on slip roads ,you’re thinking do I floor it too beat the masses realeased down the slip road or hang back and hope there gone and the next lot are on a red light and held long enough for for me too pass .
I was telling my mate about this ,and how the traffic lights cause more problems than solve them ,and he said he just moves out a lane ,as if it’s that easy
It is so obvious to me that there is a real need for driving instructors to train new drivers on how to join a major trunk road via the slip road or “ramp” as my TomTom calls it My pet hate is the very dangerous actions by some drivers who actually STOP on a sliproad treating it as a T junction. Worse is the car driver in front who flashes these people out and causes you to take severe evasive action.
alder:
It is so obvious to me that there is a real need for driving instructors to train new drivers on how to join a major trunk road via the slip road or “ramp” as my TomTom calls it My pet hate is the very dangerous actions by some drivers who actually STOP on a sliproad treating it as a T junction. Worse is the car driver in front who flashes these people out and causes you to take severe evasive action.
I’ve often wondered why there are no adverts on TV (and other media) for these kinds of driving rules/tips, like those about drink driving or mobile phone use.
Adding it to the instructor requirement in theory, is probably a good idea. But it doesn’t combat drivers developing bad habits, or are already in those habits.
Traffic would flow better, there would be increased productivity and profit. But I guess it comes down to who will pay for it…
The other side of the coin is that some slip roads don’t allow you to merge into the traffic safely.
One in Hull, the Smith and nephew roundabout slip onto the A63 that has just come over the flyover is one.
Even if you accelerate to the speed limit (40) the traffic over the flyover is usually nose to tail without any large gaps and you are stuck with the choice of either , forcing your way into someones braking distance or slowing down and hoping for a larger gap. Speeding up above the limit is not often an option as this is a favourite spot for the cameras to be.
sadly in many cases the safety of merging is compromised by drivers refusing to leave a gap enough for entering traffic, be they cars or HGV’s and we read posters on here who openly brag that they will not give way, or move over simply because they have the “right” not to.
The same applies when trying to leave a motorway, if you have been in the centre or outside lane you sometimes need to move over miles before a junction simply because some drivers in the left hand lane refuse to leave a sufficiently large gap for traffic to manouevre.
It’s really time that some people realised that, like it or not, the roads have to be shared with others.
del949:
The other side of the coin is that some slip roads don’t allow you to merge into the traffic safely.
One in Hull, the Smith and nephew roundabout slip onto the A63 that has just come over the flyover is one.
Even if you accelerate to the speed limit (40) the traffic over the flyover is usually nose to tail without any large gaps and you are stuck with the choice of either , forcing your way into someones braking distance or slowing down and hoping for a larger gap. Speeding up above the limit is not often an option as this is a favourite spot for the cameras to be.
sadly in many cases the safety of merging is compromised by drivers refusing to leave a gap enough for entering traffic, be they cars or HGV’s and we read posters on here who openly brag that they will not give way, or move over simply because they have the “right” not to.
The same applies when trying to leave a motorway, if you have been in the centre or outside lane you sometimes need to move over miles before a junction simply because some drivers in the left hand lane refuse to leave a sufficiently large gap for traffic to manouevre.
It’s really time that some people realised that, like it or not, the roads have to be shared with others.
I find in many cases the safety of merging is comprised by idiots who don’t know how to enter the motorway from a slip road. I will move over if safe to do so, if I’m approaching a slip road and I can’t move over and say There is traffic in front of me and behind me then I’m not going to slow down to leave a gap for them coming onto the motorway as the onus is on them to join the motorway merging with the flow of traffic.
Also I could cause all sorts of chaos behind me if I slow down to allow a gap if those behind me are not aware what I am doing. I’ve had it in the past where my unit and a quarter or half of my Trailer is passing the slip road when I see some ■■■■■■ in my mirror who is sat at the side of me expecting me to move over it ain’t happening. My vehicle takes longer to slow down and to accelerate than it does for doseile Doris in her shopping trolley or Mr salesman in his Audi A6.
I’m not going to slow down to leave a gap for them coming onto the motorway as the onus is on them to join the motorway merging with the flow of traffic
SteveBarnsleytrucker:
I find in many cases the safety of merging is comprised by idiots who don’t know how to enter the motorway from a slip road.
They’re not going to stand much chance of being able to join with people like you who refuse to even drop back a little to allow them in. Another ‘driver’ who think that the piece of tarmac in front of him is his own personal property.
I’ll stick my neck out and give Steve the benefit of the doubt that he means after one has already pulled into the safe gap he left. However, if he means he travels too close to the vehicle in front, where even a car couldn’t fit in the gap, then he’s probably doing them a favour by not letting them get in front of him
you need to leave a gap that is a safe braking distance , plus enough room for a car to merge and not impede your braking distance. How many can say with hand on heart that they leave that kind of distance, especialy in heavy traffic, not many I’ll bet. If you’re not prepared to try and leave that kind of distance then you need to be prepared to adjust your speed and/ or road position , otherwise you will continue to get car drivers making silly moves because you are leaving them no choice.
I’m not going to slow down to leave a gap for them coming onto the motorway as the onus is on them to join the motorway merging with the flow of traffic
.
says it all really!
Also bearing in mind that the excuse seems to be that the driver/s behind will automatically be using the same mindset. When it is a reasonable bet that not increasing seperation distance on the approach to a merge type situation would fail the driving test and/or any decent company assessment.
, slowly overtake the truck in lane one, keeping the van penned in lane one.
My pet hate is the very dangerous actions by some drivers who actually STOP on a sliproad treating it as a T junction. Worse is the car driver in front who flashes these people out and causes you to take severe evasive action.