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TWR | 19:35 Sat 16th Jun 2012 | Motoring
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Driving on a Motorway! why?
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AH, when I first learnt to drive, about 40 years and half a million miles ago, defensive driving was in vogue so I still try and drive defensively. When driving in multiple traffic lanes I always make sure that there is a space on the inside lane next to me whenever possible. I also leave enough room in front of me for another car to dodge in if need be, OK people take...
21:58 Sat 16th Jun 2012
i love motorway driving although its a little more nerve-wracking on french roads as you are sat on the right hand side of the car and cars joining the motorway join alongside you but once you get use to it its ok, still makes you jump a bit tho.


Dave.
I dont think I have ever driven on the motorway
I dont have an issue with motorway driving, everyone is going in the same direction, big nice wide road, clear markings.
French motorways are well worth the tolls as they are mostly empty between towns. However the junctions can be far between, If I get on my local one going the wrong way I have to drive an extra 50 miles to get back to my starting point. The advantage is that you don't get people doing short trips clogging the motorway.
I am fine driving on motorways, apart from the fact that more and more drivers obviously have no idea of the differences in Mways from ordinary roads - they undertake, they swap lanes like dodgems, and signals are uknown.

Last year, on the M5 heading to Glastonbury, i came as close as i ever hope, to a fatal accident.

It was driving rain, I was in the middle lane, everyone was doing around 75, and the car in the overtaking lane suddenly came in front or me, so close, that I didn't dare brake for fear of a skid, so instinctively, I pulled into the left lane to avoid rear-ending him. A few seconds later, it occured to me that if anything had been that lane, i would have been tha cause, and victim, of a pile-up.

I spen the next ten minutes driving at 40 in the inside lane, shaking and saying 'Oh God ...' to myself over and over. I have never forgotten it, and it has made me even more vigilant in motorways because there are so many more cars, and proportionately more more morons driving them.

In my view, ninety per-cent of good driving is anticipation - having an eye on what's ahead, and what may happen, and that's far more important on modern motorways. i think the government should build motorway training into the Test - it is too important to leave to chance.
Just WHY do drivers of even the smallest cars think they are driving artics and swerve in to the left hand lane to turn right, and vice versa?
Because straight after passing the Driving Test, everyone goes out on their own, and no-one really guides them on the actual task of learning to drive - which is what occurs after that day.

The Driving Test does not say you are qualified to drive, it says you are qualified to carry on learning without supervision - sadly that learning stops in a lot of cases, and bad habits and lazy driving - which is what the 'swinging' is about, creep in and remain unchecked.
Don't have a choice as to get to my dads means either the evil M1..M-carpark or the more genteel M40..M42.. M-carpark.. 4 hours later, plonked in dad's back garden/in front of the telly, depending on the weather...
i agree jomifl, french toll road are brilliant hardly anybody uses them and the N roads are great, its just a liitle scary at first when you approach a junction and cars come flying down your left hand side.


Dave.
andy-hughes: It wasn't very pleasant to have somebody cut in front of you, but what were you doing in the middle lane of a motorway when the inside lane was clear? You talk of the outside lane as being the overtaking lane, but you were in an overtaking lane if the inside lane was clear.
It's no excuse, but have you thought that you were maybe annoying the driver of the car that cut suddenly in front of you. He or she may have been annoyed by your driving and stupidly thought that they would teach you a lesson?
I've been driving for 35 years and have never driven on a motorway in this country, by now the thought fills me with dread. I have driven on French motorways which are nice and quiet.
AH, when I first learnt to drive, about 40 years and half a million miles ago, defensive driving was in vogue so I still try and drive defensively. When driving in multiple traffic lanes I always make sure that there is a space on the inside lane next to me whenever possible. I also leave enough room in front of me for another car to dodge in if need be, OK people take advantage but what the hell it saves accidents.
Driving on a motorway should not frighten any half competent driver as they are statistically the safest roads in the UK !
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There is only one person that mentions "defensive" Good on you Jomifl.
i suppose there are odd occasions when it is momentarily frightening...when some berk cuts across or something... but generally no, they are not frightening... don't particularly like or dislike them though.

i suppose if you are going somewhere you havent been before and miss your exit or misread a sign or something - that could cause worry.

i can see how new drivers could be nervous first few times.
i find motorways ok!

short journeys, with hat-wearing granny's pulling out on me, have caused me more concern!
Unbelievable!!!!
wiltsman - it wasn't a matter of pleasantry, I was terrified!!

As far as driving in the centre lane, to drive in the left lane and constantly weave in and out to overtake traffice is in my mind more dangerous than using the middle lane until a sustained period of clear road dictates moving to the left safely.

I fail to see how I was 'annoying' the driver who cut in front of me - he cut in front of me because he deemed the driver in the overtaking lane to be driving too slowly, and he wanted to move into the centre to undertake him, which he duly did. My driving was not the issue, and I would simply have been an unfortunate fatality if I had not taken admitedly dangerous, but putely instinctive evasive action.
You should really have known if it was clear or not to move over without having to check (or at least had a pretty good idea), You should always be aware of where about all cars nearby are regardless of the lane they are in or if they are in front of you or behind you. Car's don't really sneak up on you on a motorway.
I hate driving on any road which has a no speed limit sign. I can only drive around town. I get panic attacks on long, straight, fast roads. Google maps is a godsend to me as I can always find a roundabout route.

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