Motorway slip roads and middle lanes .

I know how hard it is for lorries to build speed back up once they have slowed down, so I'll never deliberately cause one to brake just because I can't get my toe down fast enough.

Most of the time I like to be doing over 60 and preferably 70* by the time I leave the slip road.



*This of course does not apply to the Bay, where doing 60 off the slip road and not cutting up a lorry is enough.

 

I hate middle lane hoggers. No need of it.
Just wish I had rocket launchers fitted to blast them put of the way.
Joining the motorway get speed up as quick as you can and get out there.

I used to drive a small White van for a living doing 70k miles a year at one stage. Havnt done it for quite a few yrs now, I hate driving now.

 

I'm a perfect driver, do it all by the book, just faster than the book says unless I'm in the camper in which case I'm slower, but still by the book

 

I merge in turn when joining from a slip. I think alot of people think you (on the main road) have to give way to them joining from the slip. If they read the highway code they would realise those lines mean give way to the right. As for middle lane hoggers, they do my head in! If you are on a motorway, trucks in the slow lane and you are towing, you can't get by as you can't use the inside lane to overtake. And when you do get past they seem oblivious as to the hassle they are causing.

 

Add motorway driving to the test. Much as I hate extra burocracy, maybe it is time to introduce a 10 yearly referesher course as part of the driving licence requirements, since 90% of the population seem to have forgotten most of what they learned.

 

Whether in a car or on my bike i nail it on the slip road to enter the motorway. I especially nail it on the bike. Its easier to get on the motorway the faster i am going (within reason obviously). With the bus i may have to take a different approach but have been avoiding them really.


On some slip roads where i have good visibility and the way ahead is clear i really nail it on the bike. I especially like the entrance onto the M25 going clockwise from the A21. Nice bend on the A21 then a long entrance slip which is chevroned off.


But in general i like to be up to the speed of the traffic. I do wonder at the mentality of people who think they can jump into oncoming traffic at 45mph when they can clearly be doing a more reasonable 60-65mph. Obviously some vehicles cannot do this (our buses) and you give them the exception to the rule and give them room.

 

I hate lane hoggers. and people who dont check their mirrors. I always check my mirrors and know exactly whats behind me. and how fast theyre going. I like to move outta the way for faster vehicles.

 

And how many people do you see failing to indicate when changing lanes, moving out or back in

 

I've done my fair share of driving in my job...I also drive on the continent a lot and find driving there so much less stressful as people drive far more courteously and sit in the inside lane for most of their journey only pulling out at the last minute to overtake and then moving straight back in.

A few bugbears...

1) Middle lane drivers, if they just moved over into the empty inside lane as they should, as per the driving code, then the road would flow much better and we would have less traffic jams

2) When someone sitting in the outside lane moves over to let you pass but speeds up as you try to pass, often to over 90mph just to 'prove their car can go fast if they want to'. I don't care how fast they can drive, I just care about how fast they are driving. If you are driving faster than me for more than 100 yards then I won't be trying to over take you...

3) People who assume that putting their indicator on gives them the right to just pull out. You are doing 60mph in the middle lane, I'm doing 90mph in the fast lane, I am 3 meters away from the back of your car...Do the maths, there isn't a space there for you to just pull into!

4) People pulling onto a motorway assuming they have right of way, you don't. You are supposed to adjust your speed and join the motorway according to the traffic already on it.

5) I could go on...

 

I like to avoid motorways wherever possible but if i have to i go out early, i try and sit in the left lane as much as possible but i don't like to go in the "loony bmw with lights on lane" to be fair i don't get out much from my 20 mile radius unless i'm off on holiday.

 

A few weeks ago I was in the fast lane doing approx 90-100mph on my bike riding down from York, i looked in my mirrors as i often do and there was the obligatory BMW M5 right up my arse, and i mean right up. A rizla from my rear wheel. I pulled over to let him pass. He passed and then proceeded to brake test me. Now i have no idea why. I was minding my own business cruising down peacefully if not a little quickly. I had not passed him previously as i had only just pulled out of the services. So i backed off. But he then went into the slow lane as traffic had cleared a bit and there were 3 clear lanes ahead and he slowed right down. I continued as normal. As I pulled level he accelerated to try to out accelerate me. Why do people do this. I dont care what car you drive you are not going to out accelerate a 170bhp 168kg superbike in a car not even a ferrari. So i sped off and tried to put some distance between me and him (it was a him, middle aged, shirt and tie). I encountered some traffic which was a relief as i put some cars between me and him. I kept an eye on my mirrors and espied him undertaking swerving cutting up etc. So I decided enough was enough and pulled off onto the hard shoulder expecting him to follow and for him to do something like assault me. He carried on and didnt stop. So i decided to wait, have a fag or two then continue. Its things like these you cannot cater for when on a bike. I have incidents like this several times and dont know why. There are morons on our roads who just go out looking for aggro. Dont get me wrong i am no angel but i dont behave like this and i see this thing happening to others too. This is what we need to get rid off. Loutish bullyboy aggro morons. My only consolation is that i am a great believer in karma, what goes around comes around and this nut will no doubt wrap himself around a lampost. But then again who will he take with him?

 

I build up speed to match the motorway traffic and slip in.

If I'm on the m'way and see a busy slip road I will often move to the middle lane just to help their entry.