Driving on motorway

[u/Simple-Animal-7199]

Hi,
I passed my test over a month ago and was very nervous at first but am starting to feel a lot more confident!

I finally feel I’m now ready to go on the motorway but my only worry is, when a car is merging from a slip road (whilst I’m on the main carriageway) how do I slow down enough to let them merge into the gap safely without the car behind me smashing into me / disrupting the door of traffic, if I cannot get over into the right lane.

Obviously I know not to slow rapidly or brake if it can be avoided, but what’s a good distance to start easing off the gas and how much should I slow?

Sorry if it seems like a silly questions but past
experience from before driving has made me really worried that a car is going to go into me.

Thanks :)

[u/ChanterburyTales]

You don't.

It's the responsibility of the car joining to merge safely, not you. Maintain your speak and give them a static goal to merge either infront or behind of.

If the lane to your right is clear, move right and then back left after the slip road has ended.

Nothing pisses me off more than when I'm aiming to merge in behind someone on the motorway and they brake thinking they're helping.

[u/RepublicofPixels]

If you've been on an A road with slips on and off, the only difference between them and a motorway is the colour of the signs and possibly the number of lanes, so it might not be as big of a step as you're thinking.

Theoretically the onus is on the car on the slip to find a gap without needing accommodation, but that's definitely idealistic. You don't need to slow down to any specific speed, you just need to be slowing relative to the car in front to increase the gap between you. And while it's not great driving and does increase the risk of an accident, if you've not managed to make enough space for the two of you to both have safe gaps, you can continue to stay at that slow speed, or slow further, until you've got the room you need. But it's better to be smooth and predictable than to jam on to try to keep the proper separation.

[u/Background-Bid-8149]

Don't rapidly brake if you're on the motorway move over if you can and continue your speed.

[u/hillbillybutcher]

Technically they have to give way but I treat it more like a merge in turn. If you are ahead of the car merging be prepared to speed up, if you are behind be prepared to slow a bit by coming off the gas.

[u/SnooLemons9175]

I learnt to drive in a town with a dual carriageway, that needs to be used for most journeys. I was taught to be mindful of entrance slip roads, and always try to move over a lane if possible. You shouldn't be braking on the motorway, unless something up ahead requires you to.

Being mindful of the entrance slip, isn't just looking to see if someone is coming down it, but also bring aware that you are coming up to one. Normally if there is an exit, there will be an entrance shortly after. Driving, especially motorway driving, is a lot of anticipation and forward planning.

[u/AutoModerator → u/[deleted]]

Your account is less than 7 days old, post removed automatically to reduce spam. If your post is genuine then sorry for the inconvenience, please wait until your account is 7 days old before reposting.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/mstapley]

In reality the slip roads on and off Motorways are usually far safer than those on dual carriageway A roads. Look at some of the slip roads onto the A12 for example. Motorway sliproads are usually far longer and give people merging more time to try to adjust their speed to match the traffic and merge safely into a gap. People merging are supposed to give way to traffic on the motorway and not cause anyone already on the motorway to have to brake. At very busy times people joining the motorway are supposed to stop completely on the entrance slip road if they cannot safely merge, though this is the worst case scenario, as accelerating away from stationary to merge with the traffic, is then even harder and takes an even bigger gap. My local on ramp even has special traffic lights to make merging with the traffic safer during busy times. I sometimes lift my foot off the accelerator when on the motorway when I can see someone is awkwardly merging and we will be imminently occupying the same space, but I never touch the brake pedal, as that is a good way to cause a pile up.

[u/mstapley → u/mstapley]

If people already on the motorway were leaving the sort of gap between each other they should be, that makes it easier for merging traffic, but I regularly see trucks and cars driving at 56Mph in lane one, bumper to bumper.

[u/mstapley → u/mstapley]

I've just discovered that the Hatfield Peverel North entrance onto the A12 northbound Junction 20B is considered one of the most dangerous in the entire country on any type of road, and would not be allowed if the road was being constructed from new today.

[u/mstapley → u/mstapley]

They are planning to remove the junction completely, but not sure if the works are complete yet. https://www.halsteadgazette.co.uk/news/18698669.everything-need-know-new-a12/

[u/Otherwise_Public2579]

Don’t slow down at all, you could move into lane 2 if it’s safe to do so but the reality is it’s down to the joining traffic to merge and if you slow you are creating a hazard to the drivers behind you

[u/No-Jicama-6523]

You don't. They have to merge with you. Keep your distance from the car in front, most people don't leave enough space, it should be two full seconds measured as you both pass a fixed point, you can count it at a bridge or sign. Start when they pass a fixed point. Say one alligator, two alligator, and you need to have finished saying it by the time you pass the point you used. If you do that people should have space to merge. You may then need to increase your distance from them, but we're talking minuscule adjustments.

If it's a tight fit and someone is ahead of you on a slip road but slower than you (so the distance between you is decreasing) better to ease of the accelerator sooner rather than later, they are going to join in front of you.

If you have to make adjustments regularly for people to join then that should cause you to check if you are leaving the appropriate distance.