Managing slip roads merging onto a motorway
Discussion
Not really an advanced driving thing, but slip roads that join a motorway where the slip road terminates is something I've never fully felt comfortable with (despite encountering hundreds of these without problems).
My worry is that I am on a slip road that is short and there may be a car just behind in the slow lane that will not give way. Is it best to stop on the slip road? Usually the driver in the slow lane would slow down or give way by going into the faster lane.
Thanks!
My worry is that I am on a slip road that is short and there may be a car just behind in the slow lane that will not give way. Is it best to stop on the slip road? Usually the driver in the slow lane would slow down or give way by going into the faster lane.
Thanks!
I've come across this many times myself, and I would certainly caution against stopping on the slip road.
In the case of a stubborn motorist doggedly sticking to 51.5mph in the inside lane, you have two options.
1) Spank the gas pedal, and get in front of the rolling road block. If this means encroaching onto the hard shoulder a little, so be it.
2) If you don't have the sort of car that can accelerate quickly, slow down to 49.3mph, and tuck in behind the rolling road block.
As mentioned above, I really would not want to come to a dead stop at the side of a motorway.
In the case of a stubborn motorist doggedly sticking to 51.5mph in the inside lane, you have two options.
1) Spank the gas pedal, and get in front of the rolling road block. If this means encroaching onto the hard shoulder a little, so be it.
2) If you don't have the sort of car that can accelerate quickly, slow down to 49.3mph, and tuck in behind the rolling road block.
As mentioned above, I really would not want to come to a dead stop at the side of a motorway.
MorganP104 said:
I've come across this many times myself, and I would certainly caution against stopping on the slip road.
In the case of a stubborn motorist doggedly sticking to 51.5mph in the inside lane, you have two options.
1) Spank the gas pedal, and get in front of the rolling road block. If this means encroaching onto the hard shoulder a little, so be it.
2) If you don't have the sort of car that can accelerate quickly, slow down to 49.3mph, and tuck in behind the rolling road block.
As mentioned above, I really would not want to come to a dead stop at the side of a motorway.
Thanks. I've never really had an issue and I try to "speed match" by slowing down to get behind a car on the slow lane or speed up to get in front.In the case of a stubborn motorist doggedly sticking to 51.5mph in the inside lane, you have two options.
1) Spank the gas pedal, and get in front of the rolling road block. If this means encroaching onto the hard shoulder a little, so be it.
2) If you don't have the sort of car that can accelerate quickly, slow down to 49.3mph, and tuck in behind the rolling road block.
As mentioned above, I really would not want to come to a dead stop at the side of a motorway.
There's one A Road which has a slip road that merges from a hairpin turn and has a short run-off. People do stop there and it's not an issue as the merging cars are not carrying much speed but yeah I would try not to do this (and it is illegal?).
Interested in any other techniques too.
Look at the traffic, make sure it's flowing freely, then if it looks ok spank it down the slip lane (65-70), look for a gap, adjust speed to line up with gap, done.
Slips lanes are more than long enough and the vast majority are down hill to make it easier, just don't be one of those clueless idiots that drives almost to the end of it BEFORE they look at the traffic, you want to be eyeing up a gap as soon as you can see the other traffic.
In the situation joining a busy lane 1 with nobody in front of you on the slip road then I would advocate accelerating to faster than the speed of the lane 1 traffic as it's easier to lose 10mph to match a gap than add 10mph. There is always at least a car length gap in the traffic unless it's at crawling speed so I think it's always safer to slot in then ease back to create a safe stopping distance than stop on the slip road and try and join from a standstill.
Of course if there is somebody in front of you dawdling down the slip road then speeding up is not an option, in that situation I actually slow down to drop back and give me some room to accelerate just before the merge.
Of course if there is somebody in front of you dawdling down the slip road then speeding up is not an option, in that situation I actually slow down to drop back and give me some room to accelerate just before the merge.
Z064life said:
Thanks. I've never really had an issue and I try to "speed match" by slowing down to get behind a car on the slow lane or speed up to get in front.
There's one A Road which has a slip road that merges from a hairpin turn and has a short run-off. People do stop there and it's not an issue as the merging cars are not carrying much speed but yeah I would try not to do this (and it is illegal?).
Interested in any other techniques too.
That is rather different than a motorway slip, I'll admit my solution is to have a car that can accelerate quickly, though even that is not always the fix.There's one A Road which has a slip road that merges from a hairpin turn and has a short run-off. People do stop there and it's not an issue as the merging cars are not carrying much speed but yeah I would try not to do this (and it is illegal?).
Interested in any other techniques too.
I'd say you need to be looking at the traffic before you commit to the turn onto the short slip, if there is no gap you may want to stop at the earliest opportunity that gives you a clear view of the traffic. Knowing your own car's performance you just have to look for a long enough gap to allow you to accelerate along the slip and join the road still pedal to the metal so you reach the lane speed before the gap runs out. At the very worst if you have sat there for several minutes without a big enough gap for that then you may just need to wait for a gap that is big enough so the oncoming vehicle has enough time to slow a little or change lane.
Toltec said:
That is rather different than a motorway slip, I'll admit my solution is to have a car that can accelerate quickly, though even that is not always the fix.
I'd say you need to be looking at the traffic before you commit to the turn onto the short slip, if there is no gap you may want to stop at the earliest opportunity that gives you a clear view of the traffic. Knowing your own car's performance you just have to look for a long enough gap to allow you to accelerate along the slip and join the road still pedal to the metal so you reach the lane speed before the gap runs out. At the very worst if you have sat there for several minutes without a big enough gap for that then you may just need to wait for a gap that is big enough so the oncoming vehicle has enough time to slow a little or change lane.
I think that is good advice. From the way the turn is, you can get a view of the oncoming traffic (but a short one).I'd say you need to be looking at the traffic before you commit to the turn onto the short slip, if there is no gap you may want to stop at the earliest opportunity that gives you a clear view of the traffic. Knowing your own car's performance you just have to look for a long enough gap to allow you to accelerate along the slip and join the road still pedal to the metal so you reach the lane speed before the gap runs out. At the very worst if you have sat there for several minutes without a big enough gap for that then you may just need to wait for a gap that is big enough so the oncoming vehicle has enough time to slow a little or change lane.
If the cars are too close, yep it would probably be standstill or near-standstill traffic. Cars doing 50-60mph and not far apart is not a normal way to drive.
If you are in lane 1 and doing 50-60mph and just approaching the slip road and a car turns out, how would you handle this? Right of way is to just continue and the other car has to slow down or wait?
Another slip road on the A40 is very short with cars doing 40-50mph and in rush hour, is very busy. You actually see cars stop here all the time and then merge, but it means the gap must be bigger.
I can't find the sliproad in google street view but here it is in a youtube vid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5jfma3Rxuc
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5061507,-0.40562...
A40 sliproad:
https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x4...
Edited by Z064life on Thursday 11th January 20:01
If the slip road is relatively straight and has two lanes I always go in to the right hand lane as it runs parallel to the motorway for longest and gives a better view of the traffic. I then try and speed match what's already on the motorway and slot in. If I see something holding everything else up and unwilling to move over, I will just stick my foot down and go for it.
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