Joining the Southbound A34 this evening (dark, 5pm) via a short slip road (Bullington, if anyone is familiar). The slip road starts off a mini roundabout, with an immediate sharp left before the shortish slip road. Traffic was quite heavy but moving freely. Towards the end of the slip road was a Honda CRV, stationary, but indicating to join the carriageway. Traffic had enough gaps for me to join, but I didn't want to join the carriageway accelerating up to speed, with the chance that the CRV would jump out in front of me causing me to jump on the brakes in front of fast moving traffic. So I stopped on the slip way, leaving a decent gap behind the CRV. After what seemed an eternity, the Honda joined the carriageway and I was grateful I had 220 horses under the vRS' bonnet so I could get up to speed quickly! No incident, everyone safe and I consoled myself with a curse to the hesitant driver. 

 

I have to admit I hesitated too while waiting for the car in front to decide. So I had a couple of stop starts myself as the Honda dithered. I was concerned that someone else on the slip road might overtake me while I was at a halt. Thankfully, all is well. I'd appreciate any feedback on what you would do in the same situation..

 

 

We have a very very short slip road joining the A3 dual carriage way on a bend near me and it's a pain. I try to keep some speed, if only a crawl while on the slip road as the last thing you want to do is stop on the slip road. 

Difficult one without actually being there, your reasons for doing what you did are very valid as if the CRV did what crossed your mind then it could have be a hairy moment, I'm sure you did what you did with the way things played out.

Although nobody wants to actually stop on a slip road I thought that the dashed lines mean 'Give Way'. People joining don't have any right of way.

I seem to remember initially being a bit concerned the first time that I drove on Italian motorways as the slip roads are normally very short and with poor visability of current road traffic. Another issue I had was, I think, laybys on dual carraigeways in Italy that are extremely short and people just start moving and when they run out of space jump out into the carraigeway regardless of current traffic!

 

Back to UK slips, it does make you wonder what drivers are thinking about that cause that initial situation to occur, just moving smartly along the slip then take a look and stand on the brakes, nice!

I seem to remember initially being a bit concerned the first time that I drove on Italian motorways as the slip roads are normally very short and with poor visability of current road traffic. Another issue I had was, I think, laybys on dual carraigeways in Italy that are extremely short and people just start moving and when they run out of space jump out into the carraigeway regardless of current traffic!

 

Back to UK slips, it does make you wonder what drivers are thinking about that cause that initial situation to occur, just moving smartly along the slip then take a look and stand on the brakes, nice!

 

To be honest I found the majority of slip roads in Europe very short. In Italy they have tiny laybys on the motorway too  

Although nobody wants to actually stop on a slip road I thought that the dashed lines mean 'Give Way'. People joining don't have any right of way.

 

You are correct. What compounded the issue is I could have very easily and safely joined the A34, as the traffic was relatively free flowing. However my hesitant friend in the Honda wasn't so sure, which caused me concern!

I seem to remember initially being a bit concerned the first time that I drove on Italian motorways as the slip roads are normally very short and with poor visability of current road traffic. Another issue I had was, I think, laybys on dual carraigeways in Italy that are extremely short and people just start moving and when they run out of space jump out into the carraigeway regardless of current traffic!

 

Back to UK slips, it does make you wonder what drivers are thinking about that cause that initial situation to occur, just moving smartly along the slip then take a look and stand on the brakes, nice!

 

I've not driven in Italy, but I've found the same in France. Often a short entry slip road turns into a short exit road, sometimes starting and ending with a tight bend. 

To be honest I found the majority of slip roads in Europe very short. In Italy they have tiny laybys on the motorway too

 

 

I left my comment about laybys as  "dual carriageways" as I'd forgotten if it was in reality "motorways"  - you have confirmed that it is worse, ie short laybys on motorways, which I seem to remember finding a bit too exciting at times when driving along in a solid two lanes of traffic - then a truck slowly moves off and out of a layby.

I can't be sure, not knowing the junction or the exact traffic conditions, but I really don't want a Honda as a bonnet ornament!!

Do proper UK 'Motorway's have laybys'?

 

Scotland has many Motorways that really are Dual Carriageways that are called Motorways and get a M in the name, not really the same thing though.

Signs saying Motorway restrictions apply, then some mix and match 2 lanes and no hard shoulder in places, odd lighting etc.

Edited 19 December, 20168 yr by Offski

Do proper UK 'Motorway's have laybys'?

 

Scotland has many Motorways that really are Dual Carriageways that are called Motorways and get a M in the name, not really the same thing though.

Signs saying Motorway restrictions apply, then some mix and match 2 lanes and no hard shoulder in places, odd lighting etc.

Never seen what could be described as a layby on a motorway. AXX(M) can have a layby as I think technically they're still an A road.

Annoyingly they can have a (completely empty and utterly useless) bus lane.

Never seen what could be described as a layby on a motorway. AXX(M) can have a layby as I think technically they're still an A road.

Annoyingly they can have a (completely empty and utterly useless) bus lane.

Motorways do not have to have any of:-

1. 3 lanes minimum each way.
2. street lighting.
3. hard shoulders; visit the Pathetic Motorways webside (member of SABRE) and check the entry for the M898 for an example that has none of these things!

But ones in Scotland do & not just the M898. 

eg M73, M74, M76, M77 , M8,  M80, M82, M823, M9,  2 lane black tops more often than not.

I think the reason why some motorists hesitate to join a Motorway down a slip road that they don't plan properly.  They just assume others will brake or move over so you can join.

 

As I'm going down the slip road I'm looking at the motor way to see who is where and pick my place to join by either slowing down or speeding up to merge into my selected slot.  I've tucked in between two wagons many a time. It's upto you to join, not them to let you in. There's nothing worse than sat at the end of the slip road with no road left to accelerate. 

Edited 19 December, 20168 yr by Auric Goldfinger

Looking at Streetview, I can understand the issue (https://goo.gl/NVT49T if anyone else wants a look)

 

It sounds like you did the right thing, by starting things off with a reasonable gap. From what you observed of the CR-V driver, lack of confidence and/or ability could have been a factor here and pulling up close to them is unlikely to be beneficial to you or them!

 

From your review of what you did, the only thing I can think would be based on your positioning. If you're occupying a central position on the slip-road, that looks to be around 1.5 car widths wide before the taper point, this might have assisted traffic behind you to take some information based on your position. If you were slightly offset to the CR-V as well, this might help the following traffic to see the CR-V in front of you, and therefor hopefully understand the situation at that point in time.

Steve, this should be in the  " Was it You " Section, Race Blue MKIII Octavia Vrs estate on the motorway at that junction

 

 

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.1732289,-1.3395228,3a,15y,240.14h,84.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqmwDLhiyAXMycBYTT7120w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

Edited 19 December, 20168 yr by Auric Goldfinger

It might spoil the vRS looks a little but fit one of these and push the daft old duffer off the end of the slip road in front of the next 18 wheeler...

Edited 19 December, 20168 yr by silver1011

We have a very very short slip road joining the A3 dual carriage way on a bend near me and it's a pain. I try to keep some speed, if only a crawl while on the slip road as the last thing you want to do is stop on the slip road. 

Hi Moley, is that the one south of the Coombe Lane flyover? Most drivers don't have a clue how to use that one.

When i had to do my driver improvement course many years back I was told under no circumstances should you stop on a slip road if unless the road you are joining is at a standstill.

And if there was a accident behind the stopped car it would be partly responsible for causing it.

?

Did the person telling you this tell you which specific law covers 'slip roads' which is different from the other parts of the public highway other than 'Clearways'.

What road side or road marking give different instructions on a slipway.

Some have vehicles leaving a 'Restricted Speed Carriageway and joining another Max Speed area but not yet enter it, so maybe 30, or 40, or 50 & joining a 60 or 70 mpg 

carriageway.

I had a similar one the other day. Downside is, I'd only got 68hp to play with, after me and another car had to mimic his emergency stop at the top of a slip road.

I passed the dribbling fool a couple of minutes later when I got to the front of the wave of traffic he was causing as he pottered along at 40, staring intently at the top of the steering wheel.

At the the slip road entry making the mistake of not taking it is going to be a 'Major Error'.

But here on the A90 the marking have always been rubbish, and a dangerous location.

Just not many keep going down the up lane.... She was in broad daylight, not nighttime, poor visibility, snow on the road markings and signs.

*She drove across the fly over and down towards the North Bound Traffic.*

 

Going down to the South Bound is dangerous as it is, confusion for those unfamiliar, signs very poor,

and much worse when there are pot holes on the slip road. 

http://fixmystreet.com/report/910113

 

Edited 26 December, 20168 yr by Offski

I've seen a related and very common problem.  Drivers that want to drive slowly in this situation but fail to grasp that it's not absolute speed that is going to kill them here, it's relative speed.  They try to join at 50mph whereas the traffic is doing 70mph+.  If they matched their speed the maneuver into a gap, is a essentially at low speed.  They don't, so are trying to thread a needle at 30mph. On top of which, they are triggering lane changes and other complications that are making the spatial side of the problem far more difficult than if all of the other vehicles just carried on at a steady state.

On 12/12/2016 at 18:40, Isocrem said:

 

You are correct. What compounded the issue is I could have very easily and safely joined the A34, as the traffic was relatively free flowing. However my hesitant friend in the Honda wasn't so sure, which caused me concern!

People who fail to get up to speed or at least attempt to before filtering into traffic are a PITA and not only do they put themselves in danger but also the people who are behind them on the slip road and/or people already on the road they are joining.