Worried

Keith

banger9365 wrote: »

look to your left to see whats on the motorway

And that's why HGV's cause accidents

banger9365

left your right silly me,even we get it wrong some times and we have taken 2 or more driving tests

Inactive

The slip road leads to a give way line, treat it exactly the same as any other give way line, proceed safely if you can, if not " Give Way " to traffic on the Motorway, if that means stopping, so be it.

I would go back to your Driving Instructor and ask him/her for a partial refund, they obviously didn't teach you to drive, just pass a basic driving test.:rolleyes:

A Dual Carriagway slip road is virtually identical to a M/Way slip road, so no excuses.

tsstss7

Quietgirl wrote: »

Hi There,

I am a new driver, past my test a month ago. I like to think I am a careful driver. I am 35 so not a young girl racer.

On sunday, I went on the motorway for the first time. I took my daughter to the seaside. On the way home, I was on the slip road to join the motorway, I was indicating to pull out onto the motorway. However, it was busy and this lorry would not move into the next lane to let me in. In the end I ended up running out of road. In my mind I thought well I can't stop, and then join the motorway, I can't pull out as that would cause and accident. So instead, I foolishly went onto the hard shoulder, accelorated and pulled out in front of this lorry. Perhaps I should have stopped on the hard shoulder instead. I don't know, unfortunately being a new driver I have yet to get the experience in how to deal with this sort of situation.

Now I am worried if there was CCTV on the motorway, or if there was a police car around that I might get a letter to prosecute me for this.

What should I have done ?

If you have to you should stop - don't expect lorries to move over it's harder for them to do that than for you to slow down slightly and slot in behind (ooeer!!):D

Quietgirl

Thanks for the replies that offer good solid advice rather than the ones that are offensive. I am sure all you self rightous ones made mistakes when you first started driving and unfortunately whilst a learner driver you are not allowed to go on motorways.

I only did what I did due to lack of experience which I don't mind admitting. The mistake I have made is perhaps I should have asked my driving instructor to take me out on motorways after passing my test. It took me a while to actually pluck up the courage to actually do it. Its completely different to driving locally. At least I shall have learnt should I ever dare to venture onto the motorways again.

Thankyou again to those who actually tried to help in a nice way and explain what I should have done.

cyclonebri1

Just a few observations and advice, some good advice given already and some not so good, and some just plain offensive..

As said most experienced drivers will move to the 2nd lane if slower traffic is entering a quiet motorway. They don't have to, and dont ever expect a HGV to do so as they cannot change direction and speed anything like as easily as lighter traffic.
You must use the slipway to match your speed to that of the motorway traffic. Get to a speed where you can either speed up or slow to fit into the first suitably sized gap in the traffic.

DO NOT STOP on the slipway, unless it is an emergency, you will be putting yourself and anyone behind you in great danger as they will also be paying more attention looking over there shoulders or in the mirror. This is why motorways are for experienced drivers only.

Get an experienced driver in the car with you and practise a few on/offs on a local motorway between a couple of close junctions.

Lastly don't worry, it will all become automatic very soon:money:

mymatebob

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Just a few observations and advice, some good advice given already and some not so good, and some just plain offensive..

As said most experienced drivers will move to the 2nd lane if slower traffic is entering a quiet motorway. They don't have to, and dont ever expect a HGV to do so as they cannot change direction and speed anything like as easily as lighter traffic.
You must use the slipway to match your speed to that of the motorway traffic. Get to a speed where you can either speed up or slow to fit into the first suitably sized gap in the traffic.

DO NOT STOP on the slipway, unless you cannot join the main carriageway - don't use the hard shoulder unless it is an emergency, you will be putting yourself and anyone behind you in great danger as they will also be paying more attention looking over there shoulders or in the mirror. This is why motorways are for experienced drivers only. Since when? And how experienced do you have to be?

Get an experienced driver in the car with you and practise a few on/offs on a local motorway between a couple of close junctions.

Lastly don't worry, it will all become automatic very soon:money:

As they say once you pass your test you then learn how to drive.

There was an accident on the Motorway near me yesterday and the police had to put out a warning on the radio for people to stop using the hard shoulder to avoid it. There were, on this occasion, CCTV cameras at the scene and everyone who had gone on the shoulder was told to expect a fine in the post. I am sure the OP will be okay and has learned from the experience

Hintza

I find there are a lot of folk who try and join the motorway at too low a speed. You want to approach it at speed comparable to the motorway traffic and probably around 50-60mph. You can then adjust slightly, so in this instance you would have noted the lorry and worked out whether to accelerate to get in front or dropped back slightly to join behind it.

Only with experience will you get this manouevre correct. Personally if I was in your situation I think you did the right thing. I reckon stopping on a slip road is far more dangerous especially if there are cars behind you.

In some countries vehicles on the motorway need to give way to oncoming traffic but with practice and experience you will soon have the hang of it.

Good luck and don't give up the more you drive the better you will get.

cyclonebri1

Quote:
Originally Posted by cyclonebri1
Just a few observations and advice, some good advice given already and some not so good, and some just plain offensive..

As said most experienced drivers will move to the 2nd lane if slower traffic is entering a quiet motorway. They don't have to, and dont ever expect a HGV to do so as they cannot change direction and speed anything like as easily as lighter traffic.
You must use the slipway to match your speed to that of the motorway traffic. Get to a speed where you can either speed up or slow to fit into the first suitably sized gap in the traffic.

DO NOT STOP on the slipway, unless you cannot join the main carriageway - don't use the hard shoulder unless it is an emergency, you will be putting yourself and anyone behind you in great danger as they will also be paying more attention looking over there shoulders or in the mirror. This is why motorways are for experienced drivers only.Since when? And how experienced do you have to be?

Get an experienced driver in the car with you and practise a few on/offs on a local motorway between a couple of close junctions.

Lastly don't worry, it will all become automatic very soon:money:

As they say once you pass your test you then learn how to drive.

There was an accident on the Motorway near me yesterday and the police had to put out a warning on the radio for people to stop using the hard shoulder to avoid it. There were, on this occasion, CCTV cameras at the scene and everyone who had gone on the shoulder was told to expect a fine in the post. I am sure the OP will be okay and has learned from the experience

Bob if you are going to quote someone please dont alter what they said, and to answer your point about why are motorways for experienced drivers I mean that learners are prohibited from them not because of the greater danger,(they are statistically safer), but because of the higher speeds that they are unlikely to have experienced

iolanthe07

OP - are you displaying the green 'P' plate for new drivers? They're a good idea and people will understand that you are inexperienced and make allowances.