76 replies to this topic

[frog998]

Just get on and drive, its not any different to driving on any other road infact its easier and far more relaxing, there are no right hand turns going across traffic, no traffic lights, no roundabouts (except when leaving), no-one going to pull out in front of you (except when coming off a slip road but you can see this happening a few hundred yards in advance)
Just drive at a speed your happy with and let everyone else get on with whatever they want.

[Ethel]

That 2nd vid shows the truck hazard brilliantly. The trucker's fault, but the car driver could have helped himself by not getting alongside for any longer than necessary (hang back until it's fully clear and accelerate to pass quickly), he could also have escaped into the coned off lane once the truck started to pull out. It's also a good reason to let trucks out when they indicate.

[turbozutek]

A few pieces of advice;

1.Try not to refer to the 'fast' and 'slow' lanes of a motorway - this ISN'T America and there's no such thing as a 'fast lane' - there are overtaking lanes, sometimes two or three.

The clue to my next piece of advice is in the first piece!

2. If you are puttling along, get in the LEFT lane only. I'd like everyone who cruises along in the middle lane (the middle lane owners group) to just give up driving; and save the frustration and resultant accidents from their terrible 'driving'. Not passing = LEFT LANE, anyone who thinks otherwise needs a brick to the face.

3. Keep in mind when puttling along in the left lane, that you have to yeild to FASTER moving traffic. If someone wants to pull in front of you from the faster lanes (to exit the motorway for instance) let them, and don't ever (like some c0cks around Glasgow do) pull parallel to them or get shirty and flash their lights because you 'cut them off' when they failed to allow you to pull in!

4. Slip roads and junctions - don't swerve out into the middle lane like a t!t when someone wants to join the motorway; use speed matching to either overtake the merging car if it's a bit back from the junction or slow down to allow it to merge. Strike a balance between the two options based on the approaching cars speed and level of hesitancy.

5. Remember (and this applies when you are merging onto a motorway too) the end of a merge slip road is a GIVE WAY; people merging have to stop for any traffic in the carrigeway. This wouldn't happen often of course, if everyone stuck to point 4 above.

6. INDICATE when changing lane and use your mirrors before and after you do so.

7. See point 6, it's that important!

Stick to these pieces of advice and you can't go wrong, really! Have fun!

Chris...

Edited by turbozutek, 05 January 2011 - 03:10 AM.

[Andywade]

Motorway driving is a little daunting at first but its actually very easy. heres a few rules i follow.

1) give plenty of distance to the car in front, if you do this you'll find that the car behind you will copy what your doing and wont tailgate,
if the car in front brakes hard you'll have plenty of time to sslow down and be able to judge the gap between you and the car behind so they don't hit you.

2) Move over! - don't sit in the middle lane unless you are overtaking a queue of slower moving traffic on the inside lane. its annoying and dangerous.

3) Blind spots! Check yours when changing lane - and don't sit in other peoples, if your wanting to overtake somebody overtake them quickly, don't hang around in their blind spot

4) Keep a good view ahead, if your behind a lorry or a van pull back so you can see whats in front of the lorry and can anticipate if the cars ahead are going to slow down, you'll be able to adjust your speed gradually without having to use the brakes.

5) Mirrors - Use them often, even if you arn't wanting to change lanes check to see whats in your mirrors so you know whats around you.

If your still feeling a bit nervous about motorway driving see how much a 1 hour motorway lesson from your previous driving instructor. Most driving instructors offer pass plus or advanced driver training as well (advanced driving is NOT teaching you how to drive fast, more often they will teach you more economical driving and defensive driving techniques that will gain you confidence and cheaper fuel bills.

[and90cooper]

being your typical white van man bullying other motorists can be very amusing/entertaining, especially when its some moron in an Audi on his laptop, texting on his phone whist in the fast lane, (true story)
lorry driver too also enjoy making other road users life awkward,
best tip I can give for driving a Mini on the motorway would be stick with the lorries, most have to drive a 57 any,

also put your head lights on,

also make sure your wheel nuts arnt loose, mine were, realized just in time before the wheel came off

in what way do lorry drivers enjoy making other road users lives awkward? from someone who admits to fiding it amusing/entertaining to bully other road users? and your such a professional you nearly lost a wheel because the nuts were loose !!hhmmm a proper white van man obviously...

Bit touchy are we.....

not saying all lorry drivers are like that just from what Ive witnessed on the roads, some can be right ars*'s, didn't say it was a bad thing anyhoo,
as for finding it amusing to bully other driver if you check my quote, I only chose other road users who haven't the courtesy to drive with due care and attention (texting whist driving is very dangerous)
No I'm not a professional and don't claim to be, but the OP was asking for tips regarding his first trip down a motorway and i was only re-calling mine, was 17 just past new set alloys fitted that morning off i went, rookie mistake,


P.s whilst spell checking this post the suggestion for your user name was Handicapper (take what you will from that)

yes sorry i did seem to be a bit over the top lol- a little too much red wine! please dont be offended,it was meant to be tongue in cheek.
handicapper !! lol

[and90cooper]

That 2nd vid shows the truck hazard brilliantly. The trucker's fault, but the car driver could have helped himself by not getting alongside for any longer than necessary (hang back until it's fully clear and accelerate to pass quickly), he could also have escaped into the coned off lane once the truck started to pull out. It's also a good reason to let trucks out when they indicate.

the lorry driver was cleared of any blame in this incident when it went to court,as he had the right of way (the woman in the clio clipped the lorry not the other way round,and as she was in his blind spot it was proved he couldnt have known she was there)
i have a newspaper cutting of this as i was involved in a similar incident with a nissan micra that crept up my inside -i didnt even feel the bump !
they then spun round the front of my lorry and hit the drivers side.they then spun across four lanes of the m25 and smashed into the barrier.how another vehicle didnt hit them i'll never know.luckily they only had minor injuries.totally shook me up i can tell you!!

[mab01uk]

That 2nd vid shows the truck hazard brilliantly. The trucker's fault, but the car driver could have helped himself by not getting alongside for any longer than necessary (hang back until it's fully clear and accelerate to pass quickly), he could also have escaped into the coned off lane once the truck started to pull out. It's also a good reason to let trucks out when they indicate.

the lorry driver was cleared of any blame in this incident when it went to court,as he had the right of way (the woman in the clio clipped the lorry not the other way round,and as she was in his blind spot it was proved he couldnt have known she was there)
i have a newspaper cutting of this as i was involved in a similar incident with a nissan micra that crept up my inside -i didnt even feel the bump !
they then spun round the front of my lorry and hit the drivers side.they then spun across four lanes of the m25 and smashed into the barrier.how another vehicle didnt hit them i'll never know.luckily they only had minor injuries.totally shook me up i can tell you!!

I think you mean the 1st video with the Clio and tanker?..............2nd video shows a 'side swipe'

Edited by mab01uk, 05 January 2011 - 08:19 PM.

[charie t]

Plant your foot on the entry slip and get in the fast lane asap (its clearly faster look at its name) and keep it floored. Flash your lights and tail gate to get people out the way and persist with the horn if they dont move.
Give them the finger back if they offer it to you, its only curtesy
good luck

[WRLondon]

ironically called GTI alex

just get out there and give it a go

if youve got a local stretch of motorway join it for one junction and turn around and do it again
that'll get you over the initial rush

how fast have you been on an A-road?
try and get up to 70 (On a private Long dual carriage way type track of course )

had a 998 that did 90 for miles!

oh yeah and enjoy!

its not too bad

[littlemissmagic]

Dont want to end up like that Clio that got pushed down the motorway sideways by a lorry

There’s a traffic cops (or something along those lines) were truck drive was mucking around with a mobile, failed to see the stationary que in front and ploughed into a young woman in a 206.

The 206’s front and rear wheels were pretty much touching, with the driver unfortunately being killed instantly. Although the truck driver was more concerned with the car in front of the 206, as that’s the only one that was still car shaped.

i saw that and it made me cry, so sad
and THAT was why i was so scared when the lorry was so close behind me


i think everyones pretty much given the best advice you could get nice to see so many logical motorway drivers (but of course mini drivers would be the best ^.^)

[samsfern]

Plant your foot on the entry slip and get in the fast lane asap (its clearly faster look at its name) and keep it floored. Flash your lights and tail gate to get people out the way and persist with the horn if they dont move.
Give them the finger back if they offer it to you, its only curtesy
good luck

great advice mate, but i dont fancy killing myself and others, nor do i want to lose my licence, although if i even had thoughts of doing this i shouldnt have a licence, or end up paralyzed or brain damaged for the rest of my life, nor do i want someone to follow me to my destination and beat the crud out of me when i stop.

Edited by samsfern, 05 January 2011 - 09:02 PM.

[1984mini25]

Dont want to end up like that Clio that got pushed down the motorway sideways by a lorry

There’s a traffic cops (or something along those lines) were truck drive was mucking around with a mobile, failed to see the stationary que in front and ploughed into a young woman in a 206.

The 206’s front and rear wheels were pretty much touching, with the driver unfortunately being killed instantly. Although the truck driver was more concerned with the car in front of the 206, as that’s the only one that was still car shaped.

i saw that and it made me cry, so sad
and THAT was why i was so scared when the lorry was so close behind me


i think everyones pretty much given the best advice you could get nice to see so many logical motorway drivers (but of course mini drivers would be the best ^.^)

It’s also why its good practice to not sit up the arse of the car in front and always plan an escape route and even when station beware of vehicles coming up from behind.

I was rear ended (was waiting on the car in front) while stationary at a busy roundabout 2 days after receiving my licence, on only my fist time out since passing. But ever since I’ve always been more aware of what the driver not concentrating and coming up behind is doing.

[danrock101]

I was also crashed into from behind on my 1st day of driving, really did effect me for a while and still it makes me think!

[GTIAlex06]

ironically called GTI alex

just get out there and give it a go

if youve got a local stretch of motorway join it for one junction and turn around and do it again
that'll get you over the initial rush

how fast have you been on an A-road?
try and get up to 70 (On a private Long dual carriage way type track of course )

had a 998 that did 90 for miles!

oh yeah and enjoy!

its not too bad

I dont see the irony?

[Mini Cheddars]

My first time on a motorway was purely an accident lol!

I was on an A road that merged into the M3. It was scary at first because I wasn't quite sure where I was and had no idea how the Mini I had only owned for a few weeks would cope at 70. It coped just fine and I'm still alive! So they aren't that bad

Motorways aren't all that different to dual carriageways. They're just much longer.