Not accelerating up to speed on slip roads to match traffic
Discussion
I don't know if this is a new trend or I'm just noticing it more, but there seems to be an endemic of drivers not getting up to speed on slip roads to match the speed of motorway traffic. Making the whole process more difficult for everyone, not least themselves. Instead of seamlessly joining the flow of traffic they will trundle down the slip road well below motorway speed which will cause vehicles on the motorway to needlessly change lanes or hit the brakes to allow them to join. Then once on the motorway after everyone has moved out the way for them, they will then decide to put their foot down and speed up.
Annoying when they join a motorway in front of you, and annoying when you have to follow them down the slip road and are forced to also join the motorway at slow speed.
Annoying when they join a motorway in front of you, and annoying when you have to follow them down the slip road and are forced to also join the motorway at slow speed.
I try to identify likely suspects before I get to the slip road. If necessary I then hold back at the top of the slip road to give myself a lot of room to accelerate hard and pick my own gap.
This possibly annoys others behind me, but at least they get the same chance as me when I put my foot down.
The worst scenario you can put yourself in is to be trundling along on the bumper of the idiot and rapidly approaching the end of the slip road.
This possibly annoys others behind me, but at least they get the same chance as me when I put my foot down.
The worst scenario you can put yourself in is to be trundling along on the bumper of the idiot and rapidly approaching the end of the slip road.
Foss62 said:
I try to identify likely suspects before I get to the slip road. If necessary I then hold back at the top of the slip road to give myself a lot of room to accelerate hard and pick my own gap.
This possibly annoys others behind me, but at least they get the same chance as me when I put my foot down.
The worst scenario you can put yourself in is to be trundling along on the bumper of the idiot and rapidly approaching the end of the slip road.
100% right.This possibly annoys others behind me, but at least they get the same chance as me when I put my foot down.
The worst scenario you can put yourself in is to be trundling along on the bumper of the idiot and rapidly approaching the end of the slip road.
Multiple examples of the above today, with the worst examples forcing into the nearside lane rapidly at a too sharp angle as if it were an empty road with faster moving traffic having nowhere to go, not a clue.
Wouldn't mind so much if they drove really sluggish vehicles, but the previously missing rapid acceleration once they've caused their usual mayhem is quite surprising.
I know its easy to think that everything in the world is getting worse but this has always been a thing-tentative drivers not confident enough to speed up sufficiently to make joining the main road an easy manoeuvre. Joining from a slip road is just about the only thing that an unconfident driver cannot do more easily at a super slow speed so its definitely a thing but not a new one.
PhilAsia said:
There is also a point that vehicles on the motorway could also be prepared to be helpfully in lane 2.
True, that would be helpful, but not always possible and the person joining should not rely on that to be the case.As always with road safety, it stems from drivers being insufficiently educated or prepared to drive. It's madness that motorway driving isn't a mandatory part of the learner process.
Smint said:
Foss62 said:
I try to identify likely suspects before I get to the slip road. If necessary I then hold back at the top of the slip road to give myself a lot of room to accelerate hard and pick my own gap.
This possibly annoys others behind me, but at least they get the same chance as me when I put my foot down.
The worst scenario you can put yourself in is to be trundling along on the bumper of the idiot and rapidly approaching the end of the slip road.
100% right.This possibly annoys others behind me, but at least they get the same chance as me when I put my foot down.
The worst scenario you can put yourself in is to be trundling along on the bumper of the idiot and rapidly approaching the end of the slip road.
Multiple examples of the above today, with the worst examples forcing into the nearside lane rapidly at a too sharp angle as if it were an empty road with faster moving traffic having nowhere to go, not a clue.
Wouldn't mind so much if they drove really sluggish vehicles, but the previously missing rapid acceleration once they've caused their usual mayhem is quite surprising.
There's another irritating group, if for some reason you are in lane 1 and for various reasons unable to move into 2. Those who do match speed exactly but position directly alongside and somehow also manage to obstruct any attempt to make space.
FiF said:
There's another irritating group, if for some reason you are in lane 1 and for various reasons unable to move into 2. Those who do match speed exactly but position directly alongside and somehow also manage to obstruct any attempt to make space.
Pack mentality! I think it's the same as having to catch up with the car ahead to sit on their arse! My favorite is the "5 o'clock shadow". They sit in the lane to your right and hold back in your 5 o'clock position. I always make sure I've enough space ahead, that I can accelerate ahead and out if necessary.On a positive note; there are quite a few drivers out there who do see what's going on and pre-empt the needs of the vehicle to their left and move out for them. I always make sure to thank them when they do that for me
Its usually Jessie from the Beauticians in her dirty white financed A Class who not only goes slow down the slip road but then thinks its her god given right to pull out to Lane 1 on the DC / Mway without even looking
this may / may not have happened to me a couple of years back and i still get irritated about it even to this day
this may / may not have happened to me a couple of years back and i still get irritated about it even to this day
7mike said:
Pack mentality! I think it's the same as having to catch up with the car ahead to sit on their arse! My favorite is the "5 o'clock shadow". They sit in the lane to your right and hold back in your 5 o'clock position. I always make sure I've enough space ahead, that I can accelerate ahead and out if necessary.
On a positive note; there are quite a few drivers out there who do see what's going on and pre-empt the needs of the vehicle to their left and move out for them. I always make sure to thank them when they do that for me
Managing space properly and actively around your vehicle is what has always made busy motorways hard work, but it's getting worse. Sometimes I despair reading comments on here of people praising active cruise control as it allows them to "sit back, relax and switch off".On a positive note; there are quite a few drivers out there who do see what's going on and pre-empt the needs of the vehicle to their left and move out for them. I always make sure to thank them when they do that for me
Thankful there are still some who are awake and do their best to assist flow.
Getting way off topic now but during the long running road works years ago through Notts/ Derbyshire/ S Yorks discovered another deliberately annoying crew. 50mph average cam sections these cretins would look for someone driving properly, ie keeping to the limit, moving back to the left after overtaking slower vehicles. They would then target their victim and deliberately position right in the "5 o clock shadow" to block their victim in, slowing down and speeding up to create as much trouble and presumably amusement for themselves. Only way I found to deal with it was to wait for a situation where there was a lot of space behind, no real need to change speed, then brake sharply so they would sail by.
That's enough off topic from me, back to those who use no more than 2mm of accelerator travel.
Season's Greetings to all, keep it shiny side up everyone.
We tend to drive in France most years and one thing is very noticeable from the start.
The traffic already on the autoroute/dual carriageway will move out of the nearside lane when there is a vehicle coming down the slip road.
With the reduced trafic densirty in France that is easier to do but I still manage it in UK by paying attention and taking pride in my driving.
Also I don't use my phone whilst driving, even hands free
The traffic already on the autoroute/dual carriageway will move out of the nearside lane when there is a vehicle coming down the slip road.
With the reduced trafic densirty in France that is easier to do but I still manage it in UK by paying attention and taking pride in my driving.
Also I don't use my phone whilst driving, even hands free
FiF said:
They would then target their victim and deliberately position right in the "5 o clock shadow" to block their victim in, slowing down and speeding up to create as much trouble and presumably amusement for themselves.
I know someone who told me he does this to drivers with blind spot warning lights in the off-side mirror; see how long he can keep the light on 
I think he was joking thoughhurstg01 said:
Its usually Jessie from the Beauticians in her dirty white financed A Class who not only goes slow down the slip road but then thinks its her god given right to pull out to Lane 1 on the DC / Mway without even looking
this may / may not have happened to me a couple of years back and i still get irritated about it even to this day
Do you need a hug? Probably time to move on from this…this may / may not have happened to me a couple of years back and i still get irritated about it even to this day
The pulling straight out into lane 1 without looking is one that winds me up too. Oh, I’ve run out of slip lane, never mind.
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