First time on Motorway after passing driving test any tips ?

Firestar_3x · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:36

Have a read of this:

http://www.rsa.ie/Documents/Road Safety/Leaflets/Leaf_booklets/motorway_driving.pdf

Most of it holds true for our roads.

Matt82 · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:36

Firestar_3x said:
It's ok, the police will give him points for poor lane discipline, and give you a medal for doing the public a favour.

in my experience it is only possible for points to be issued to someone speeding. the police are just not interested in people driving like retards

Morbius · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:37

Stay in the left lane. Drive your own speed. If you come across a slower car in your lane, move one lane to the right and go past (obviously with indicating, observation etc).

Janesy B · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:39

ViRuS2k said:
I figure driving on the motorway is a lot easier than driving on the streets.....
left lane for 50-55mph
middle for 60+
right for 70mph

any tips for someone that has not driven on one yet by themselfs. i cant wait lol

I have been getting this lately aswell and its ****ing me off, White van drivers gluing to my ass within less than a car lenth, been a few times where if i had to have slammed on the breaks they would have been into the back of me lol

You've JUST passed your test, and you are asking questions like that!? Please considering taking a pass plus course, you will reveive motorway driving instructions and greatly reduce your risk of being murdered by other drivers.

https://www.gov.uk/pass-plus/overview

LiE · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:39

ViRuS2k said:
I figure driving on the motorway is a lot easier than driving on the streets.....
left lane for 50-55mph
middle for 60+
right for 70mph

No.
Use some common sense, do you really think there would be a road where each lane has a speed guideline?! Did you read the highway code at all? Motorways are 70mph, unless stated otherwise on the road.

rhysduck · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:40

I think I've found the OP:

Matt82 · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:42

100mph by the end of the slip road makes merging much easier

Ahleckz · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:42

Increase distance in poor conditions, and put your lights on when it's raining. It's amazing how quickly vehicles can vanish in some conditions.

Amount of morons that I see driving around in the dark/rain with no lights on is staggering.

LiE · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:44

Ahleckz said:
Increase distance in poor conditions, and put your lights out when it's raining. It's amazing how quickly vehicles can vanish in some conditions.

Amount of morons that I see driving around in the dark/rain with no lights on is staggering.

Don't do this

Morbius · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:45

Ahleckz said:
Amount of morons that I see driving around in the dark/rain with no lights on is staggering.

Or even fog. I've seen cars appear out of the fog with no lights on. That's bloomin' scary because you get no advance warning.

Firestar_3x · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:46

Matt82 said:
in my experience it is only possible for points to be issued to someone speeding. the police are just not interested in people driving like retards

I've seen a few people pulled over, what prizes they ended up with is anyones guess, i can only hope it involved a traditional 60's police beating.

Matt82 said:
100mph by the end of the slip road makes merging much easier

As a minimum i want to be going quicker than a HGV when i'm ready to merge, but usually end up at the full motorway speed, it's just easier.

death_looms · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:48

My biggest pet peeve is people waiting until they merge to speed up. Make sure you get as close to 70 as you can on the slip road, and as soon as you can, keep a watch on the inside lane for a place to merge into - remember you don't have right of way joining the motorway, nobody has to 'let you in' so don't expect it.

Enjoy, I love driving motorways.

PMKeates · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:51

Firestar_3x said:
As a minimum i want to be going quicker than a HGV when i'm ready to merge, but usually end upat the full motorway speed, it's just easier.

This. I do hate it when people crawl up to 40 MPH and attempt to merge in to a busy motorway. They cause the jams that waste my time :Z

LiE · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:51

Matt82 said:
100mph by the end of the slip road makes merging much easier

Unless the traffic is slow and congested. I personally like to come down the slip making sure I'm doing about 60mph on boil, so if I want to I can pick up speed quickly to enter the lane.

Matt82 · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:53

Firestar_3x said:
I've seen a few people pulled over, what prizes they ended up with is anyones guess, i can only hope it involved a traditional 60's police beating.

the worst ive seen was donkeys years ago on the M6, back when i had a B6 A4 tdi, driving along at 25-30 mph due to half an inch of snow covering

25-30 was about the only speed that felt safe, most cars were in lane 1 and there was a copper 3-4 cars ahead of me

we had the typical morons passing, seemingly oblivious to the snow, 50MPH+ easily and the cars passing at similar speeds with a similar moron a couple foot from their rear bumper

nobody was pulled, copper didnt seem to bat an eyelid, presumably because they werent actually speeding (and the snow was coming down hard enough to seriously reduce visibility too)

Firestar_3x · 23 Nov 2012 at 10:55

PMKeates said:
This. I do hate it when people crawl up to 40 MPH and attempt to merge in to a busy motorway. They cause the jams that waste my time :Z

Indeed, it's also easier if you get the car sideways before merging, gives you better visibility out the drivers window.

Ahleckz · 23 Nov 2012 at 11:05

LiE said:
Don't do this

Haha, oops! Need another coffee I suppose.

grimm · 23 Nov 2012 at 11:12

Floor the gas pedal and stay in the right hand lane. Do not brake, ever, as this causes accidents.

Seriously though just try to do 70 and stay in whichever lane is appropriate (usually the middle one, as all the plonkers that want to do 50, lorries, camper vans etc. usually stay in the left lane). If you see in the distance a lot of brake lights be ready to brake yourself.

The most dangerous thing that happens on the motorway is someone changing lanes when they shouldn't, causing everyone to brake hard. Don't be that guy. If you know that your junction is coming up try to allow yourself plenty of time to change lanes.

Philz0r · 23 Nov 2012 at 11:21

Eugh,

Did you really pass your driving test?.

!bluetonic! · 23 Nov 2012 at 11:29

Don't forget all the relevant stuff you've learnt from your lessons.

Dipped lights to on at the start of any deteriorating light conditions
Use fog lights sensibly. E.g. if you have a car behind you, and you can see the car in front, you probably don't need them.
Be courteous.. If you see a lorry wanting to overtake another lorry, either slow down or safely get into Lane3 without holding up others
Don't be courteous at the expense of others.. e.g. slowing and holding up traffic in Lane3 to let some blondie enter Lane3
People WILL drive too close and too fast together on a motorway. It's not your job to police it. But if the traffic is slower moving across 3 lanes and someone is on your backside or annoying you, move into Lane2 or 1 and relax behind a lorry
Read the road ahead. From a distance you'll see traffic flow and brake lights. Use this to your advantage
On my stretch of the M4, Lane1 seems to move quicker if there's been a hold up
For Jeebus' sake, DON'T become a middle lane moron