2017 Changes

The first test you do - organised by the government.
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akirk
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Re: 2017 Changes

Postby akirk » Sun Jun 04, 2017 7:29 am

my philosophy on slip roads is simply that it is my job to take responsibility for the coming together of cars - whether I am on the slip road or the main road - so creating space / adjusting my speed / etc. as dvenman says, there tends to be a very blinkered / focused thought in the mind of most people joining a main road, though the implementation of it can differ - anticipating the cars who will bumble on regardless - possibly forcing a lorry out into the next lane v. the racing driver who sees the straight line across into the outside lane regardless of what is there - need to adapt for each of them...
Alasdair

TheInsanity1234
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Re: 2017 Changes

Postby TheInsanity1234 » Sun Jun 04, 2017 8:32 pm

fungus wrote:
TheInsanity1234 wrote:... My technique (instilled in me from Pass Plus), is at the top of the slip road, floor it up to 60/65odd...


Only 65? :lol:

Nigel.

Well, I don't want to be going too fast and ending up in the back of a lorry ;)

dvenman wrote:
TheInsanity1234 wrote:My technique (instilled in me from Pass Plus), is at the top of the slip road, floor it up to 60/65odd, while taking the furthest right position possible, with my right indicator going


Physiologically speaking, it seems to make easier for someone already on the main carriage to notice you if you start indicating just after the point they should be able to see you - that is not at the start of the slip road, but some way down it when you become visible to them.

Unfortunately a lot of drivers don't seem to realise that a) a junction with a slip road off most likely has a slip road on, and b) that a car coming down a slip road in the direction of the main carriageway only has one real thought in mind.

Quite, and I did say that to him, but he said that flicking the indicator on at the top means it's out of the way and you can get on with just figuring out how to merge into traffic, as opposed to giving you another thing to think about when you're closer to the most hazardous bit of the whole sliproad. However, he went on to say that it's only something you need when the traffic is heavy on the motorway. When it's quiet, don't bother, the liklihood is, nobody will be around to gain any benefit from said indication.

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angus
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Re: 2017 Changes

Postby angus » Mon Jun 05, 2017 10:32 am

TheInsanity1234 wrote:The other kind of motorist I've seen on sliproads are the ones who join it at the top, very sedately speed up, with no regard to the traffic on the carriageway, and then suddenly panic when they realise they're 'running out of road' as it were, and they're alongside a lorry, with another one very close behind.


Or, as happened to me on Friday when driving our horsebox (7.5 tonne, limited to 56), joins immediately in front doing less than 50 and doesn't accelerate, despite headlights (which were already on) and horn

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Mr Cholmondeley-Warner
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Re: 2017 Changes

Postby Mr Cholmondeley-Warner » Thu Jun 08, 2017 3:26 pm

TheInsanity1234 wrote:Quite, and I did say that to him, but he said that flicking the indicator on at the top means it's out of the way and you can get on with just figuring out how to merge into traffic, as opposed to giving you another thing to think about when you're closer to the most hazardous bit of the whole sliproad. However, he went on to say that it's only something you need when the traffic is heavy on the motorway. When it's quiet, don't bother, the liklihood is, nobody will be around to gain any benefit from said indication.

... but now you're an "experienced" driver, you should be able to concentrate on more than one thing at a time, and give the signal when it's appropriate, rather than relying on that lowest common denominator method.

  • Nobody about - no need to signal at all
  • Traffic following you down the slip road - signal to them if you change lanes within the slip
  • Traffic on the main carriageway - signal to them when appropriate, that you're joining. The act of turning the signal on is more significant than just bombing down the slip road with it going permanently. It draws attention.
Another note on joining - I think I've posted this before, but it's much easier to choose a vehicle to merge behind, than trying to judge the right speed to join in front. That leads to acceleration into a closing gap (the ever narrowing slip road).
Nick

sussex2
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Re: 2017 Changes

Postby sussex2 » Wed Jun 14, 2017 6:36 pm

akirk wrote:my philosophy on slip roads is simply that it is my job to take responsibility for the coming together of cars - whether I am on the slip road or the main road - so creating space / adjusting my speed / etc. as dvenman says, there tends to be a very blinkered / focused thought in the mind of most people joining a main road, though the implementation of it can differ - anticipating the cars who will bumble on regardless - possibly forcing a lorry out into the next lane v. the racing driver who sees the straight line across into the outside lane regardless of what is there - need to adapt for each of them...
Alasdair


Adapt! the key word.

Pontoneer
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Re: 2017 Changes

Postby Pontoneer » Sun Mar 18, 2018 2:29 am

TheInsanity1234 wrote:The other kind of motorist I've seen on sliproads are the ones who join it at the top, very sedately speed up, with no regard to the traffic on the carriageway, and then suddenly panic when they realise they're 'running out of road' as it were, and they're alongside a lorry, with another one very close behind.

My technique (instilled in me from Pass Plus), is at the top of the slip road, floor it up to 60/65odd, while taking the furthest right position possible, with my right indicator going, and from the moment I can see the traffic situation in L1, I then select a space, and modulate my speed to merge into said space with no need for any action from the car behind the space I merge into. He also said that whilst it's not offical advice, if there is a car in front of me, and I have the room and ability to pass them on the slip-road, that I should do so, as to ensure that I'm not behind them if they end up being the sort of driver who panic brakes at the last moment because they haven't paid any mind to the traffic they intend to merge into.


Hmmm , I’d say 60/65 is a bit fast ; 50 is generally enough . Oftentimes, you will find L1 occupied by lorries doing 50/60 and would have to slow again to merge - accelerating too much then slowing isn’t so good . If traffic is flowing at 70 , another 20 mph isn’t much to make up .

Slip roads aren’t places for overtaking , leave that for the carriageway . You have limited space , and the other driver may take offence and react badly - not what you need on a closing gap .

Why trafficate at all ? Where else can you possibly be going but onto the carriageway ? The signal serves no purpose.

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jont-
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Re: 2017 Changes

Postby jont- » Sun Mar 18, 2018 7:12 am

Pontoneer wrote:Hmmm , I’d say 60/65 is a bit fast ; 50 is generally enough . Oftentimes, you will find L1 occupied by lorries doing 50/60 and would have to slow again to merge - accelerating too much then slowing isn’t so good . If traffic is flowing at 70 , another 20 mph isn’t much to make up .

Depends on your vehicle, but most [all?] have more powerful brakes than engine, so it's easier to lose speed than gain it, particularly in the underpowered ecoshitboxes that so many young drivers will end up in.

Gareth
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Re: 2017 Changes

Postby Gareth » Sun Mar 18, 2018 7:54 am

Agreed, it's much easier to lose speed to merge than to gain, notwithstanding that there's often very little time to make the adjustment.

I despair of those who join a live lane at significantly below the speed of prevailing vehicles.
there is only the road, nothing but the road ...

Pontoneer
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Re: 2017 Changes

Postby Pontoneer » Sun Mar 18, 2018 8:00 am

They’d have to be pretty bad not to manage it , and while I’ve had plenty of cars with decent performance, I’ve also had plenty of more modest ones , in no particular order : Triumph Herald 1200 , several air cooled Beetles , my 1957 Mercedes 219 ( 85bhp ) , 895cc Mk1 Polo , several Mk2 Polos both 1.05L and 1.3L , currently have a Mk3 Polo with the 8V 1.4L engine . None of these , and others , have set the road on fire .

I can’t say that I’ve ever found any of them wanting for joining motorways , and I’d still consider it poor driving , and planning , to build up an excess of speed then brake it off again , although a small adjustment either way by means of the throttle to match other traffic is fine .

Now that I think of it , back in the late 70’s when I did an Advanced course at Tulliallan , I was pulled up for accelerating to 70 on a slip road ( even though the M9 was practically empty then ) and reminded that often you will find much slower traffic in L1 , especially if it is uphill and some heavies will be pulling the flow down to 40mph .

Similarly , if I’m the one already on the carriageway , If I can conveniently move out to lane 2 without inconveniencing others , I will do so to allow people to join ; and while I wouldn’t brake to allow someone to come on in front of me , if that someone is ahead of me and doing a similar speed to me on the slip , I will lift off slightly to avoid conflict with them , or if they are behind/alongside as they come into sight , I may increase speed slightly , if permissible , if that will help them join .

fungus
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Re: 2017 Changes

Postby fungus » Sun Mar 18, 2018 8:43 am

Depending on the speed of vehicles in lane one, speed should be matched, having identified a suitable gap, with a flexible gear engaged, which in my 1.4 Fiesta is 3rd. The problem with many learners is that they use too high a gear and do not build up speed to match that of vehicles in lane one. This is a problem identified by a couple of our local (Poole) examiners. To quote one, "They drive along at 25mph in 4th trying to join traffic doing 70. I blame this on the over insistance on eco driving." And as another said to one of my now ex pupils,"It's nice to sit next to some one who will get going." Again the blame was laid fairly and squarely with the emphasis on eco driving.

As for signaling to join, it's something that I rarely do as you're going nowhere else other than join the carriageway. But when moving out from lane one I sighnal if there is avehicle in lane three which might move back to lane two or, if there is one closing in lane two that could move into lane three. Similarly when moving back to lane two from lane three having made sure that there is not one going to move to lane two from lane one.

Nigel.


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