Loving the focus on switching glances rather than staying fixed on the mirror or one view for ages. It's key to always be aware of your surroundings and getting millisecond updates rather than after many seconds.
Been driving for 39yrs and obviously alot of experience, but I find watching and learning all over again with your very informative video's. Keep up the good work 👍
How to merge (according to people where I live) Turn round thing, Listen for horn noises Keep moving in direction of horn Raise middle finger as a thank you Slow down Return to using phone
I enjoy the longish videos, always full of info, everyone can take at least one point from this video. I really like it when you can include a little "trick" like the full width in the mirror. I kind of use this with my rear view mirror on the motorway, if I can see the full vehicle in my mirror after overtaking then I know there is more than enough space for me to move over no problem.
4:05 had a close one last week where I checked my mirror a couple of times (maybe a few too little) and begun to change lane. Luckily, I did a quick shoulder check and narrowly avoided a collision - a car was driving right alongside me in the adjacent lane (this was on a dual carriageway, 40mph, I was in right hand lane) and I swerved to prevent hitting the side of their car. Little close but lesson learnt. Found the full width of the car tip useful, will be considering that in future!
Wow - that mirror trick is fantastic. Been driving a long time and no-one ever taught me about how best to judge the speed of vehicles in the lane I want to merge into. Been winging it for years. Tried it today on a variety of motorways and A-roads. What a revelation - thank you so much. Always something new to learn. Cheers Ashley
too many folk don't even open their eyes to look at anything other than the bonnet and their phones/media screens, tbh I wonder if most of them even see the lines (of any type)
Happy April 1st Ashley! This video had me giggling, we all know the correct way to emerge onto a motorway is to check your left mirror then stick your hazards on and swing out to lane 3 and enjoy the action film you've just directed in your rear view mirror.
as a truck driver , I would remind people that when we pull out into centre lane to help those who merge from a slip road , to please be decent enough to not accelerate off leaving us stuck out in no man’s land , but rather ease off a little until we have pulled back in and then come round us
I'm not sure that's any issue. If I move out for someone and they accelerate more than I'm doing I'll just move back to the left lane. I don't see how you can ever be stuck in no man's land. It makes no sense, please let me know what you mean.
@@ashley_neal thanks for your reply and question . What happens is a truck will often see a car emerging and pull out to create the space for the smaller vehicle to get onto the carriageway . This very often then turns into a case of the car accelerating away in lane one and the truck now in lane two much longer than necessary due to everyone merging playing follow my leader ... had the first car just eased enough to allow truck back across then it flows better for everyone .
I have been wondering about this; I do feel a bit rude/rule-breaking essentially undertaking a lorry when joining the first lane. I think it’s often difficult to slow down enough to let the lorry back in front; if they’re doing 50, and I’m almost at 70, I often think I can do more by getting out their way quickly by speeding away so they can move back in? Obviously as you said, if there’s a queue of cars joining I would allow space for the lorry to return. I always let lorries move across when they need to as I respect them greatly and it helps traffic to flow. My dad is a lorry driver so I am aware of the difficulties you all encounter, so do my best to drive kindly.
@Lord Lucan It makes total sense now and I agree fully when there are multiple cars. If I'm alongside or slightly ahead I'd be happy to put my foot down and get out the way, but there is no way I would undertake anyone in Lane 2 once I've joined let alone a lorry. This is an excellent point for everyone to take note off. I'm sure I've shown this in a few videos I'll try and dig it out and send you a link.
Thanks for doing that but you shouldn't need to move lanes if folk join properly. Cars can change speed a lot easier than wagons so can pull ahead or tuck in behind as needs. What doesn't help is when a 2nd wagon is glued to the tail end of the truck in front and doesn't give room to let folk merge
Your videos just keep getting better with time Ash. This was a really good one. I must remember not to stare in my mirror too long. You've covered that very well not only in this video but also the viewer's video two videos ago with the pedestrian stepping out in front of the white Honda. Your sheer passion for today's topic really came through in the way you expressed yourself. See you next time. In the meantime, mirror, ahead, mirror ahead! 🙂
Blind spot check - critical. Nearly got caught by that one many years ago soon after passing my test. Never forget todo it now. Some cars have blind spot detectors- Volvo is one - would like that system as a backup.
Nice clear video - thanks Ashley. The slip road onto the the M6N at J15 is one example of a sharply curved slip road that limits both visibility for drivers joining M6N and the possible speed on the slip road. If I am approaching that junction via the motorway, I usually try to be in either lane 2 or 3 to help give joining traffic as much room as possible.
It is a bit out of my area but I have joined at that junction before. It is one of the few places where I feel that accelerating hard in 2nd gear is necessary instead of excessive. The M6 is often very busy around there too. I hope people appreciate you moving over for them.
I do struggle with lane changing a lot, especially on dual carriageways from 1st to 2nd lane. I feel like this is because I sometimes leave it too late or don't spot parked cars etc on the left early enough but I think having an L plate stuck to the back of my car causes the cocks on the roads to show! Great video Ashely, thanks.
Dual carriageways can sometimes be awkward but try to think a little further ahead. I promise this will get easier with practise. If you can't see a nice space, "put your signal on & ask" as Ashley did at 12:24 . The van reacted to this by passing as quickly as possible & the lorry backed off to create space. If the road has a 3rd lane & it is empty & the driver alert, then this does sometimes happen.
Was taught to signal early, take an initial look behind. Build speed, look ahead, check mirrors, look, mirrors and emerge if clear, cancel signal if needed and accelerate to full speed :) The switching between mirror and ahead is so important if there's a vehicle passing you that's in the mirrors you'll have to look ahead to see where it is if you're trying to emerge, has it fully passed, has it stopped infront, has it reduced it's speed etc
Another excellent video. Accelerating to 50 but no further on a slip road is very common & causes issues. I like they way you not only explain what to do but also why. Your videos are great refreshers for someone who has been driving a few years. I feel that not enough people re-evaluate situations & think about whether they did things well or not.
Hi from Queensland, Australia. Our driving laws are sufficiently similar to yours that your videos are relevant here. I thought I was a good driver, then I started watching you. I have come to the realisation that I am still a beginner (at 67 years old). I need some serious reflection after what you have done to my ego. The two things that I call "brown trouser moments" when entering a motorway (especially on a short slip road) is:- 1. When I get two gap closers in a row or one gap closer is what we call a "B-double". That is a semi-trailer with two trailers. 2. When I get a slow driver in front of me, on a short slip, who then stops. I have swerved over the cross hatching just to get away and onto the motorway safely. I know driving over the cross hatching is illegal, but I think I am allowed to drive anywhere to avoid an accident. If I get fined, I would argue later in court that I had to do that for me and my passengers' safety. It's a judgement thing that you have to be there in the car driving to reach that conclusion. What are your thoughts, Ashley?
Just after Volvo encounter when joining the traffic light controlled roundabout you did a blind spot / life safer glance over your right shoulder to check nobody had jumped their stop light. Effective observation and not fixating forward thereby allowing 360 awareness, was great to see it done so effortlessly 👍
What you were saying about cars coming up slip roads too slow really gets in my craw; I get it so often where they come up the slip doing maybe 35 to 40 and then I've got no exit; they have used up the gap and I'm now floundering and have to hope to goodness somebody in lane 1 is kind enough and able to move over. Far better to hit that gas and get the speed up; you can slow down far more easily in my experience than you can speed up.
Spot it early (it's normally part of a pattern of behaviour that can be identified long before a slip road - sluggish acceleration at lights/previous junctions, unnecessary braking etc), hang much further back at the beginnings of the slip road and create the space for you to accelerate to speed in to. You're not going to make the space you 'should' have been in, but you are at least going to be up to speed when you arrive looking for the next space. For example, if you're on a slip that goes from 30/40 -> 70 at the beginning, don't accelerate at all (or even slightly decelerate) at the limit change if you suspect the driver ahead isn't going to get fully up to speed - let them get well ahead before you accelerate. You're going to have to work harder to get up to speed in the now reduced amount of available road, but with a bit of practice most modern cars will be perfectly capable of doing it.
Great video! For merging onto busy motorways (and just dealing with others' erratic driving on motorways in general), maybe you could consider visiting the M60 around Stockport or J15/16 in rush hour 🤣 There are some reasonably tricky slip roads in places
Hi Ash, Great video as always. I know something that people struggle to understand and it might be worth doing a short video on is how to use both lanes on some slip roads. From talking to people I know, some people just stick in the first lane and usually get stuck behind those people, like you've touched upon in this video, that try to join the motorway at 40mph. Equally, I know people that have a nice German car that like to fly down the 2nd lane to try and clear everybody but then it causes issues at the merge point because they're not only battling to get in front on the slip road but they're also then trying to fit in a gap on the motorway. I think a quick video explaining what both lanes are used for, positives and negatives of using both, issues it can cause and probably the correct way to address common situations on the slip roads (and anything else you can think that would be handy to know). I know for some people it's common sense and they can figure it out but for others, including family members, I know that the slip roads are the most daunting part of motorway driving.
Thank you for this video, I'm quite hesitant with lane changes and had a close call getting fixated on my mirror and not seeing the car slowing down in front of me, really shook my confidence. The mirror-front-mirror-front is a habit I'm still working on but it's really important!
This is a great video. Some brilliant tips and practical advice to help people drive more safely. I learned loads from it (been driving for 35 years), and it has honestly changed the way I join motorways.
Thank you for this Ashley, I have driven for over 17 years but have probably only ever been on a motorway less than a handful of times and mostly do city driving so I felt all nervous about going on one again (suddenly developed a fear of them for some unknown reason, probably since I had my son) I was worried mostly about the exiting and entering of motorways, years ago I took a bit too long to slow down when exiting the motorway and had to really push down on the brake to stop in time, so have learnt something from that.
Cracking upload there Ashley 👍. Although my driving style does already incorporate what you've portrayed, its great to see you putting it into an upload. Simply confirms I'm doing something right here. Your shoulder check (right) was a particularly good one. Leaning forward helps to eliminate the blind spot where the B pillar is situated. Top job there. The other important point raised was selecting the right gear..... Some vehicles have low power; others have a long gear ratio. Allow me to portray an example: A249/M2 junction has an uphill & long sweeping curve that can only be taken at 30-35mph..... Although 60mph can be achieved in, say, a 54 plate 1.3litre Corolla it would require a heavy right 🥾 in 3rd and 4th gears. Absolutely not worth considering a Citroen 2CV - lucky if you can hit 45mph! On the reverse side of the coin, a 3.0litre V6 auto Camry (previous car) was better off utilising 2nd gear.... it would "redline" at about 80mph although I would've been in 3rd by 65-70mph. That is why it pays dividends to know what your vehicle is capable of. I hope that someone finds this comment useful. Stay safe everyone 👍
The A249/M2 junction! I know it very well indeed Graham. With the very highly elevated section of M2. That's quite a tight left hand bend leading into the straight bit of slip road, isn't it! The other thing with that is leading up to that bend, it reduces from two lanes to one (plus hard shoulder) so quite a few drivers maintain speed just before the lane reduction in order to do some last minute overtaking. I can honestly imagine some drivers losing control altogether rounding that bend. Just outside the village of Bridge is a short slip road that leads onto what is already a slip road coming off the A2 to go into Canterbury. For some reason...and I think it's because of the way the road is banked, just as I need to lean forward in my seat to get a better view of anyone that's on the main slip road, my seatbelt always locks in position preventing me from leaning forward in the way that Ashley describes. I've started to anticipate this in advance now and actually pull my seatbelt forward out of it's reel a bit to give myself that forward leaning space before it locks. I'm pretty sure other drivers will have the same issue at that spot. Fortunately the main slip road (the one coming off the A2) has two lanes and hence gives drivers on it the opportunity to move out into lane 2 and make room for someone coming in off the secondary slip road...if that makes any sense!
6:15 it's surprising how few people get this. In the course of my job I've driven a lot of very mundane rental cars, and I don't think there has been a car built in the last 20 years that won't hit 70mph on a typical British uphill motorway sliproad, given correct use of gears and throttle. However, some people seem to be averse to using full throttle, getting close to redline, despite buying a slow car that really needs wringing out to join a moving motorway safely. Recently I was stopped for a coffee at a services on the A1, parked facing the sliproad out of the services. It was surprising just how many people, when leaving the services, caused drivers already on the road to take evasive action. I only saw a handful of people emerge at a decent speed, and that wasn't because they were driving turbo-nutter cars but rather because they gave it a good thrash down the sliproad.
I'm curious about your statement at 7:00 where you said use all of the slip road and don't try to get out too early. Why is this? I'd have thought of you are travelling the same speed as the traffic in the lane and you've lined up a safe space to emerge into, you should just take it. It would avoid having to deal with space closers keeping you stuck on the slip.
Yes I would like to see a video from the other side of the join. I see all sorts of chaos with people changing lanes (1 to 2) before they get to the slip road. I know it is polite to move across and give room to cars joining but only when it is safe to do so, and often it isn't done safely.
Around 3:50: you’re right about the risk of things changing lane right to left parallel to slip lanes onto motorways. One of the most awkward positions is when the truck in lane 1 (which it’s OK to move in front of) creates a ‘blind spot’ re lane 2. Came across that from time to time. Probably good practice not to move from 2 to 1 when passing a large vehicle next to a slip, because you can’t see what’s on the other side of it, but many do, unfortunately. W.r.t. slip lanes onto higher speed roads, there are quite a few with short slip lanes after a sharpish curve, and sometimes on a rising gradient, which limits the options somewhat, especially for HGVs, such as from the A417 to the M5 northbound at 11A. This one was ‘squeezed in’ when they built the Brockworth bypass with a new junction with the M5. Various tactics to help others - change lane out of the way, deliberately accelerate away to widen the gap (if you can), or slow down a bit if that makes it more obvious to them etc. Exit slip lanes from certain M services have a reputation for risks as well, e.g. there have been one or two lethal ones at Leigh Delamere on the M4, in the small hours with many trucks cruising along.
What about the situation where you're attempting to merge onto the motorway and lane one is full of closely spaced cars and not one of them is sensible enough to let you in? Also, in my area, there is a dual carriageway with very short slip roads meaning there isn't enough distance to accelerate up to a speed to match the traffic's speed.
If you can't get onto the motorway you must stop at the end of the slip lane, obeying the give-way markings. (You are not allowed to drive on the hard shoulder - if there is one). Not a good situation to be in!
This is a situation I meet all too often, sadly. Most drivers give no consideration to merging vehicles. It’s a dog eat dog world, very sad. We should all be leaving a 2+ seconds gap between yourself and the car in front at all times, but most drivers have the mindset of ‘an accident will never happen to me’.
Exactly the situation I struggle with, and have *touch wood* managed to somehow get away with so far You need to stop if necessary but if you've been accelerating to try and fit in that could be quite the brake slam!
I've also been on the other side of the argument. I have been in lane one and there is a busy lane two so difficult to change lanes and there is a car approaching down the slip road. I slow down slightly to allow them to merge but they don't take the offer and slow down. So, I carry on in the hope that they haven't made a late decision in taking up my offer and try to merge while I'm going past them.
in my 10 years of driving I have never encountered this, though I am not saying that means it doesn't happen. I find the thought of merging onto motorways is often more dramatic than actually doing it is.
Twice when entering a motorway from a slip road, I've chosen to cross solid white lines to my left due to being next to a lorry and not knowing if I can get ahead of it . The first time it was due to a lack of planning and the second time I simply didn't realise I had an age of runoff at my disposal and didn't need to panic. It's usually so easy, which makes it easy to get caught out when awkward situations arise.
The ultimate answer is practice practice practice. Even if you're emerging each time on the same slip road etc. Just keep trying. If you're learning with an instructor or parent ask for extra focus on emerging if you're worried
Nice video Ashley! It’ll be interesting to know your thoughts/advice on short slip roads where it’s not uncommon to come to a complete stop, and how, if appropriate, to merge safely.
Pretty sure in those cases you wait at the START of the slip road and accelerate when a gap appears. Too many folk start on to the slip road and then panic and brake at the end of it. Nightmare scenario likely to cause a collision.
Thanks for both of your inputs. @@markhamilton7289 that’s exactly my issue with short-slip roads and I cannot count how many times I’ve either nearly rear-ended someone who stops right at the end, or been rear-ended by someone else after being forced to stop at the end by a driver who panics, it’s terrifying. Then finding an appropriate gap at peak hours can be difficult from the end of the slip. I definitely think more light should be shed on this area.
It certainly is very important to look forward as many cars will slow down on the slip road and possibly stop. It could lead to an accident if one doesn't pay attention to cars in-front on the slip road. And joining the main road before the car in-front is obviously dangerous (they might not see you and jump out). I think if a car ahead stops, it's best to stop well behind them to ensure there is still some slip road available. These situations can be very difficult, especially as there are cars behind as well that may engage in dangerous driving in response to the hold up. Am I right?
the most difficult I find is looking -mirror, ahead, mirror, ahead - even though at 70 I've been driving since I was 18, but still willing to learn. One other comment, I always indicate; two reasons, so I don't get lazy like a lot of drivers and just in case I have not seen everyone who needs to know my upcoming manoeuvre.
I feel it's time to make a general comment here Ash. I have to say, your enthusiasm, positive mature attitude and of course your expertise and knowledge has really rubbed off on me. Even sitting in a traffic jam is an opportunity to observe and learn. I actually came across a quote today that read "Don't be a know it all, be a learn it all" and that is very much how I want to conduct my life, including very much with my driving. I've watched some of these so called "Dash cam" channels (and I know that's not what you are) and the bad attitudes on there are staggering. Full of cammers not taking appropriate action just because another road user made a mistake...and actually sometimes it's the cammer themselves that's at fault and they don't even realise it. Plus the old "I've got right of way there mate" & "It's all on camera!" being shouted out & lots of swearing / constant complaining to their passengers about other drivers. Extremely unprofessional. I would absolutely hate to be that way. You always encourage us to rise well above all of that and to constantly learn from your videos. Even folks comments on here are a cut above other channels with lots of intelligent dialog. Yes, we don't always all agree with one another but intelligent dialog / debate usually results. I also love the way you analyse situations in great detail and ask what could have been done to avoid the situation / what were some of the early warning signs. I've learned tons from you and I'm 60 & have been driving since I was 17! As an example, just the other day about the bus "Stop" illuminated sign inside the bus. There will always be more to learn and of course the perfect driver doesn't exist but it's that constant drive towards perfection that makes driving so much more enjoyable and interesting. Every time I see you post a new video I'm already excited in anticipation. And there is a certain comforting familiarity in the way you start your videos with an in car "Hi everyone" and finish with your trademark "Thanks a lot for watching & I'll see you all next time". It's a bit like Dixon of Dock Green with "Evening all". :) Keep up the great work Ash. Oh and...Thanks a lot for reading and I'll see you next time! (Hope I haven't infringed on any copywrite there!)
Biggest problem I've found on far too many times is the drivers who trundle down the slip road at 40mph then accelerate only once they are on the dual carriageway or motorway or as far too often happens hit the brakes at the point where they should have joined the main carriageway and stop, I have taken the really dangerous option of actually going around these drivers as I feel the alternative is worse to stop behind them. After a while I started to assess the driver in front and would build a greater distance to them where possible if I felt they were the kind of driver that may be a problem on slip roads.
I’m staggered by the amount of people who just think they can force their way on to a carriageway and expect you to give way. What they should do is assess and adjust their speed with the traffic flow and join at the correct speed and in an available amount of space.
Especially on long slip roads and they emerge asap instead of using the whole slip road. We have one down by me where I’m guessing there’s a long slip road due to poor visibility but fast and slow drivers alike just emerge without proper observation instead of utilising the slip road, drives me nuts. I’d put my hand up and say I’m guilty of staring in my mirror too often
Matching the speed is so important, I've seen too many drivers joining the carriageway at the wrong speed. Too fast can be a problem, but the biggest one for me is those joining at too slow a speed and forcing drivers on the carriageway to brake.
It's the short slip roads I don't like, especially if you have a driver sat hogging the inside and not being aware. That one at 7:44 is made trickier cause it's also on a bend. In heavier traffic I'd be super focused on that one. Also, what are the opinions on the way to thank another driver? I do the left hand up for a second or two, but on busy roads and motorways in particular I do a couple of hazard light flashes. I realise hazards are only meant for, well, hazards, but it feels safe and more easily seen and acknowledged.
And to "put the shoe on the other foot ", as a wagon driver in lane one, approaching a slip way joining the motorway I used to love it when a driver was "businesslike ", dropped a gear ,accelerated and slipped safely into a gap. The ones in a high gear trying to join at 50 or 60mph after putting their little "winkie" thing on used to frighten me to death!
What REALLY hacks me off is people who are merging out but just "sail on out" despite there being traffic bearing down on them. There is one emerge near where I live which is a downhill emerge for the joiners, but also very close to the slip the 2 lanes of the dual carriageway become single lane. Very often if you are on the dual carriageway you get the situation where traffic in lane 2 prevents traffic in lane 1 from moving out, as it needs to do so, due to the numpties on the slip simply barging their way out. As I am familiar with this I am always prepared to move from lane 1 out to lane 2 as necessary, but this particular slip is close to Dover, carrying lots of traffic for the ferries, and judging by close calls I have seen non-local drivers are regularly caught out by those who simply wish to "force" their way onto the dual carriageway. They would do well to watch your video!
Been going through your videos and all really good techniques but I got a good hint of what I consider good driving and always thinking about what you're doing when you said ' I don't even need to signal'. My attitude has always been that a signal is for the benefit of someone else. If no one's there, then there's no need to signal. The people that signal' automatically are the ones who aren't thinking about what they're doing so invariably don't signal when they should, like when exiting roundabouts for example as well as signalling when they don't need to.. you can drive the same 15 minute journey to work for 30. Years and not one of those journeys will be identical.
On a motorway entry slip road, I use the same technique and when I am ON the motorway and in lane 1 and others are ON the slip road, I move to lane 2 so that those drivers wanting to enter the motorway on lane 1 can do so safely and without the need to speed match me. Once I have passed them, I can move back into lane 1.
A trend I've noticed recently among those with 2.0+ engined cars is crawling up the slip road at 30/40mph to join an NSL, then booting it a yard from the give-way line. It's a bit of a selfish moan but as someone with a 1.4 it has led to unnecessary stopping on the slip to wait for a gap on more than one occasion.
Be a little bit careful with not being caught out looking backwards whilst driving forwards. At 6:47 you look back past shoulder point. Blindspot beyond shoulder should be done whilst stationary,. Once on the move and especially at higher speeds the limit is shoulder..90 degrees.
That is useful , does help to explain . One near us is absolutely awful slip on a dual carriageway . No one hardly moves over for you , very short run on , have to be very assertive. Yet when there are multiple cars coming on at same time this is when it is dangerous . Maybe show how to merge if there are like three vehicles or more at one time merging . 👍
The biggest nightmare is a short slip with no side shoulder to support. There's a horrific short join to a 50mph busy dual carriageway in West Bromwich with a really annoying crash barrier that blocks your view approaching, especially if you're low down. Luckily I rarely travel in rush hour as my job spans from 7am to 9:30pm, however It's a road I tend to avoid using if I ever am in rush hour. 52.52225447672966, -1.9895929269430939
Motorway on ramp - S3 to manual mode - floor it and enjoy the acceleration until merging - then 70 mph - back to fully auto and engage cruise control 😂 re-mapped S-Tronic FTW.
If someone passes when you signal they are being aware of your intentions and are creating space and ensuring they don't risk sitting in your blindspot - they can do that by dropping back, or if speed limits allow moving forward briskly to create a better space behind them, either action is an acknowledgement of your signal and helps you by clearing a space. The worst thing a tailing car in the lane you want can do is just match your speed.
Hi great video recently I was trying to come off a slip road and got up to speed however there was a whole stream of cars and lorries in the left lane meaning I had no choice but to stop. Stopping in the slip lane seems quite bad however I didn’t see what else I could do. Any tips ?
I’ve waited years for this to be covered in detail and you’ve done a good job, Ashley. Great to see advanced motoring tips, too. One question: what is the best course of action if you need to decelerate to allow a vehicle to fully pass on a dual carriageway/ motorway if a vehicle is close behind you and also exiting the slip road at speed?
Hello KH. No I didn’t get a reply to this question. Reassuring to know I’m not alone in this respect. It’s been a bugbear when driving for years.🙏👍🇬🇧🌞🙏
My first encounter with a motorway (as a driver) was when I inadvertently continued onto one, start going down the slip road thinking "shit I'm not allowed to drive on this" it was too late at that point so I continued for 5 miles until the next exit. And that was my first time 🤣
Hi, Just to remind me, i can feel pressured that the end of the slip line may be approaching, but obviously if you're still unable to get out by the end of it, you just stop like you would at any dotted line junction point, yes? Ty
Hey Ashley! Please can we have videos about very short slip roads on to dual carriageways. I struggle with getting up to speed and having enough time to merge before the end of the slip road.
I never feel more vulnerable on the roads than when I'm stuck behind a driver who tries to merge onto a motorway at a low speed. Presumably they also feel vulnerable, so I don't understand why they don't increase their speed.
In my city of Sydney, Australia, when there is a traffic signal controlled junction of two roads, each with at least two lanes both ways, the slip lane after the left turn into the cross traffic road is bounded by a solid white line, that must not be crossed AND the turn is not a sharp 90 degrees, but a gentle wide radius curve. The technique one is supposed to use (and that I use) is to complete the left turn and continue straight ahead in the slip lane until the end of the solid white line where the slip lane merges with lane 1 of the cross traffic road. This gives one time to speed match the traffic that has crossed the junction on a green signal and to merge with them without causing them to slow or brake for me. Many drivers will stop behind the solid white line soon after turning left and wait for a gap in the fast moving traffic, then attempt to merge by crossing the solid white from a standing start without much success and whilst causing a tail back on the entry to the left turn.
I hate it when sometimes, the slip road is too short, especially when entering from a service area, to the point where I have to stop on the slip road itself
When coming out of a petrol station onto a dual carriageway where the acceleration lane is short it is advisable to stop at the beginning. If the road was extremely busy one should ask yourself why did I stop at this petrol station? If it is fairly busy one can wait for a gap and be timing your move off and acceleration such that when you reach the merge point the gap has arrived and you are travelling at the same or similar speed as the traffic.
Merging can be as easy as you'd like it if you know what your doing. Checking mirrors and quick blindspot checks. Even when your on the motorway and your approaching a slip i either move out to lane 2 or if no need i usually check my mirrors just to see of anyone is joining on from the slip so i'm fully aware of whats happening all around me
Sometimes there are dual carriageways with very short slip roads with not enough distance to speed up before pulling out. In these cases drivers in lane 1 should help the situation by moving over or leaving a merge gap. Not safe to pull into 70mph road from stationary, they would complain if you did that from a hard shoulder without building up speed first.
Completely agree about the changing lane bit. But those slips roads are terrible designs. The way I try to do them is to speed up coming round the bend so I'm doing 35 ish, in case there's a big enough gap and I can merge. This helps because you're halfway to the target speed. But if the road's busy, I'll often have to come to a complete stop before the end of the slip road and wait for a (now even bigger) gap
I had a discussion with a guy on this subject, it was in another vid where a HGV driver comes close to hitting an emerging transit van that was not going that fast down a slip road and emerging correctly. Truck has a car slowly overtaking in the middle lane and had about 175m visability to the slip road (overhead bridge). It was an interesting discussion, this guy said he drives thousands of miles on the motorway per year and that the truck should slow to let the emerging van out (who was still going slower than 50mph by the looks). The one thing you know is how fast a HGV goes (limited to 90kmh or 56mph +/- a couple), so merging infront of a HGV should be easy, truck does not need to slow but merging driver does need to match its speed, and it didn't. It was a good example of how not to merge and then road rage a HGV for their mistake.
Why do drivers come straight on to the carriageway without using the full slip? I use the full slip road too, it appears you and me are the only ones who do. Ex DSA( yes old) instructor, fleet trainer, instructor trainer and passed every advanced driving test thrown at me. Good videos Ashley, I agree with most of them👨⚕️
@@spacerockerlightyears I'm not saying it's not the correct thing to do or the wrong thing to teach in most scenarios, but not all situations should be set in stone.
@@Jonc25 Although I generally do use the full length of slip road to get up to speed, I think Jon has a point actually. For example, a situation where you spot a gap you can safely merge into BEFORE you use the full length of the slip road. It may very well be that if you don't slot into that gap "now", that opportunity will be lost and you won't get another one if you carry on using the full length of slip road. As Jon wrote, it's not totally written in stone, as good a practice as it is in general to use the full length of slip road to get up to speed.
@@Jonc25 Comments by Ib and Space duly noted but, as you say Jon.... not set in stone mate. Your van "might" need more time to accelerate up to speed when a *unspecified high performance* car or motorcycle could hit 70 in very short order..... My P5(B) - despite the V8 lump - is not one of them lol. Lots of hp gets "eaten" by the ancient auto 3 speed box. I'm seriously tempted to convert it to manual but that's, possibly, a modification that the DVLA would not approve. Worst case scenario - alternative route.
The way I see it is that the gaps are moving, they may be getting smaller or larger depending on whether space closers are coming along. They may be closed to no longer feasible on occasions. However if you accelerate to a speed slightly higher than that of the gap assessment need not be as accurate to safely move across into he gap and you can ease back down afterwards to the speed of the vehicle ahead to achieve a sensible following distance as soon as desirable.
I've spent a thousand pounds and done 30 hours just to now find out I wasn't taught how to merge properly, or at all even. My instructor would tell me when to move in but mostly just relied on me getting lucky with traffic. I can't get another instructor because the queue wait.
I used to teach people to drive in Germany many years ago. I am a great believer in we are always learning and never know everything. One question I would like clarified is motorway slip roads have 2 lanes that lead onto a motorway but just go into one and it is like a free for all at the end of or on the slip road. What is your advice on the correct use of 'dual' slip roads.
Extreme defensive driving needed, many bad drivers want to overtake the car in front in these scenarios, when you are adjusting your speed and space with motorway traffic
I would actually be interested to hear how you deal with being stuck behind someone who is merging too slowly that you think it's actually dangerous? If I know they're going to do 35-40mph on the slip road/it's evident they're not speeding up appropriately I do one of two things: 1. Overtake (obviously, I guess) 2. If it's single lane or not long enough to safely over take (i.e I would have to "race" them) I'll slow down and let a big enough gap be created so I can speed up to the appropriate speed (60-ish) safely.
Hi I don't know where you are but, I have used the A1 a lot over the last few years and on the non A1M sections many of the slip roads are very tight LH curves { maybe 30 max) followed by very short merge sections. The main carriageway is generally only 2 lanes which rarely means that vehiocles in the Left Lane can move out either in advance to aid the emergingh driver or ion an emergency if there is a problem with the emerging drivers actions. The troublee is they won't get their foot down lonce on the straight section, they could easily get from 30 in 3rd to 70 withouit getting close to the red line but will they? No. I suspect they have drifted round the c urve in 4 or even 5 and their vehicle just won't accelerate quickly enough in those gears. In case you are wondering I retired in 2014 from a 44 yr career instructing and I made a point of teaching really brisk acceleration when necessary.. If you are anywhere near some of themore rural section of the A1 do have a look, incidently one of those junctions near Ferrybridge is actuall;y on a test route and itt notonly has the sharp left hand curve it also has a high bank between it and the dual carriageway but the main section is also curving left so R shoulder R mirror etc give very little warning of traffic on the maincarriageway; thjere was a crash on a test there because the candidate was hesitant but the LGV behind her could of course see ov er them embankment and saw a clear gap coming. It is the last junction BEFORE the Northbound motorway starts. Streetview actuall makes it appear easier than it is. The northbound and southbound entrances ate South Witham near Cottesmore aren't bad examples. Please ignore any typos, I am typing in gloves to ease finger neuropathy due to being on c hemo at this time. John Lomas
Cheers Ashley. I come across loads of these videos for slip roads and they are all conveniently empty at entrance! Im scared when it's busy and I can't find space but there are no vids on it. Can you do one?! Luv.
One thing you forgot to mention is the dotted line on the edge of the slip road merging onto the main carriageway means 'GIVE WAY' to the traffic on the carriageway, NOT 'You have priority to anyone on the carriageway and you can also just signal last minute and push out in front of anyone never mind the danger you are putting yourself and everyone else you are cutting up into'
Some people merging onto a motorway think that they have the right of way and expect the vehicles on the Motorway already to get out of their way. Motorway users swapping lanes to let in someone joining the Motorway are bloody dangerous.
Very informative and helpful video sir👍👍by the way pls do a video regarding how to judge a vehicle beside lane whether it speeding up or not by just quick looking on it....it makes quite difficult to find safe gap to change lane when there is heavy traffic
Not sure if you'll read a comment this new on an old video, but I do have a question. When already on the motorway or dual carriageway, and there's a sliproad coming up, how do you know when it's appropriate to accomodate someone trying to join? Sometimes I feel like speeding up for someone to create a gap, or slowing down for the same purpose. Sometimes I'd rather move right, but there are cars in the right lane who are going much faster than me. And then if I do end up in lane 2, it can be hard to get back to lane 1 with all the people undertaking me.
How to emerge from a 2 lane slip road, (which doesn't merge into one), onto a motorway in busy traffic would be a helpful video for me. There's a particular case I know where the lanes are staggered at a short distance from each other before they join the m'way and sometimes it can be a "bum-squeak" moment when driving onto the main road. EXAMPLE: I'm on a slip road lane 1, doing about 50 to 60 mph, and about to join the busy motorway, but a fast-moving queue of vehicles that are in slip road lane 2 pass me and join the m'way. They, however, stay in m'way lane 1 because they're prevented from moving to another lane by the busy fast traffic already on the m'way. They then block my entrance to the m'way and problems occur.
wow ashley was nice about a taxi, lol all joking aside, you should, (if you get the chance to) ask some motorists if they will do an interview on why they drive the way they do, making a promise you won't be mean or nasty, it's just for education
That’s a good idea to be honest. At least we then get to see things from someone else’s point of view and get a bit more understanding of their situation rather than just assume their a being a prat. When I’m back at work next week I’ll see if I can get a video like that recorded whilst I’m out in the truck.
Sort of, but you’ve also got to be prepared to stop if there’s no space for you to emerge. The people already on the road have right of way, not the person joining.
@James Stewart The quicker you are up to speed matching the traffic on the road you are merging into, the more time and distance of slip road to fine tune your speed and placement to merge into the traffic.
What if .. trying to merge into a platoon of speedsters? Should you go with the flow (illegal speed) to merge, or attempt merge at the maximum speed limit which makes them try to dangerously close down any gap and making them like an angry hive because interrupting their flow as they wanted to keep their speed, or halt/attempt drive extremely slowly in merge lane until they pass, or drive not extremely slow in the hard shoulder until they pass? Please do a video
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That lean forward was something my instructor mentioned many times years ago. It can be a life saver.
Loving the focus on switching glances rather than staying fixed on the mirror or one view for ages. It's key to always be aware of your surroundings and getting millisecond updates rather than after many seconds.
The ‘full width’ tip is one I’ve never come across before despite having had a licence for 25 years! One to practice next time I’m out. 👍
Been driving for 39yrs and obviously alot of experience, but I find watching and learning all over again with your very informative video's. Keep up the good work 👍
Thanks 👍
How to merge (according to people where I live)
Turn round thing,
Listen for horn noises
Keep moving in direction of horn
Raise middle finger as a thank you
Slow down
Return to using phone
I enjoy the longish videos, always full of info, everyone can take at least one point from this video.
I really like it when you can include a little "trick" like the full width in the mirror. I kind of use this with my rear view mirror on the motorway, if I can see the full vehicle in my mirror after overtaking then I know there is more than enough space for me to move over no problem.
4:05 had a close one last week where I checked my mirror a couple of times (maybe a few too little) and begun to change lane. Luckily, I did a quick shoulder check and narrowly avoided a collision - a car was driving right alongside me in the adjacent lane (this was on a dual carriageway, 40mph, I was in right hand lane) and I swerved to prevent hitting the side of their car. Little close but lesson learnt.
Found the full width of the car tip useful, will be considering that in future!
Wow - that mirror trick is fantastic. Been driving a long time and no-one ever taught me about how best to judge the speed of vehicles in the lane I want to merge into. Been winging it for years. Tried it today on a variety of motorways and A-roads. What a revelation - thank you so much. Always something new to learn. Cheers Ashley
I always appreciate it when the other driver notices I'm trying to be courteous, and acknowledges it.
Too many folk don't even look at the traffic flow until they're on the dotted line
too many folk don't even open their eyes to look at anything other than the bonnet and their phones/media screens, tbh I wonder if most of them even see the lines (of any type)
Happy April 1st Ashley! This video had me giggling, we all know the correct way to emerge onto a motorway is to check your left mirror then stick your hazards on and swing out to lane 3 and enjoy the action film you've just directed in your rear view mirror.
as a truck driver , I would remind people that when we pull out into centre lane to help those who merge from a slip road , to please be decent enough to not accelerate off leaving us stuck out in no man’s land , but rather ease off a little until we have pulled back in and then come round us
I'm not sure that's any issue. If I move out for someone and they accelerate more than I'm doing I'll just move back to the left lane. I don't see how you can ever be stuck in no man's land. It makes no sense, please let me know what you mean.
@@ashley_neal thanks for your reply and question . What happens is a truck will often see a car emerging and pull out to create the space for the smaller vehicle to get onto the carriageway . This very often then turns into a case of the car accelerating away in lane one and the truck now in lane two much longer than necessary due to everyone merging playing follow my leader ... had the first car just eased enough to allow truck back across then it flows better for everyone .
I have been wondering about this; I do feel a bit rude/rule-breaking essentially undertaking a lorry when joining the first lane. I think it’s often difficult to slow down enough to let the lorry back in front; if they’re doing 50, and I’m almost at 70, I often think I can do more by getting out their way quickly by speeding away so they can move back in? Obviously as you said, if there’s a queue of cars joining I would allow space for the lorry to return. I always let lorries move across when they need to as I respect them greatly and it helps traffic to flow. My dad is a lorry driver so I am aware of the difficulties you all encounter, so do my best to drive kindly.
@Lord Lucan It makes total sense now and I agree fully when there are multiple cars. If I'm alongside or slightly ahead I'd be happy to put my foot down and get out the way, but there is no way I would undertake anyone in Lane 2 once I've joined let alone a lorry. This is an excellent point for everyone to take note off. I'm sure I've shown this in a few videos I'll try and dig it out and send you a link.
Thanks for doing that but you shouldn't need to move lanes if folk join properly. Cars can change speed a lot easier than wagons so can pull ahead or tuck in behind as needs. What doesn't help is when a 2nd wagon is glued to the tail end of the truck in front and doesn't give room to let folk merge
I remember I used to watch these videos. Went on the motorway and it is actually quite easy. Motorway driving is fun 😂 so much space.
Your videos just keep getting better with time Ash. This was a really good one. I must remember not to stare in my mirror too long. You've covered that very well not only in this video but also the viewer's video two videos ago with the pedestrian stepping out in front of the white Honda.
Your sheer passion for today's topic really came through in the way you expressed yourself.
See you next time. In the meantime, mirror, ahead, mirror ahead! 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it!
Lane change is the time where most accidents happen and ignoring vehicle in the blind spot has the biggest proportion.
I've made that point on numerous occasions and that is why I wouldn't make multi lanes changes to pass a hogger.
Blind spot check - critical.
Nearly got caught by that one many years ago soon after passing my test. Never forget todo it now.
Some cars have blind spot detectors- Volvo is one - would like that system as a backup.
Nice clear video - thanks Ashley.
The slip road onto the the M6N at J15 is one example of a sharply curved slip road that limits both visibility for drivers joining M6N and the possible speed on the slip road. If I am approaching that junction via the motorway, I usually try to be in either lane 2 or 3 to help give joining traffic as much room as possible.
It is a bit out of my area but I have joined at that junction before. It is one of the few places where I feel that accelerating hard in 2nd gear is necessary instead of excessive. The M6 is often very busy around there too. I hope people appreciate you moving over for them.
I do struggle with lane changing a lot, especially on dual carriageways from 1st to 2nd lane. I feel like this is because I sometimes leave it too late or don't spot parked cars etc on the left early enough but I think having an L plate stuck to the back of my car causes the cocks on the roads to show! Great video Ashely, thanks.
Dual carriageways can sometimes be awkward but try to think a little further ahead. I promise this will get easier with practise. If you can't see a nice space, "put your signal on & ask" as Ashley did at 12:24 . The van reacted to this by passing as quickly as possible & the lorry backed off to create space. If the road has a 3rd lane & it is empty & the driver alert, then this does sometimes happen.
Was taught to signal early, take an initial look behind. Build speed, look ahead, check mirrors, look, mirrors and emerge if clear, cancel signal if needed and accelerate to full speed :)
The switching between mirror and ahead is so important if there's a vehicle passing you that's in the mirrors you'll have to look ahead to see where it is if you're trying to emerge, has it fully passed, has it stopped infront, has it reduced it's speed etc
Your videos are brilliant Ash, even though I've been driving for 8 years it doesn't hurt to refresh every now and then. Honestly you're a great help.
Thanks Ben! Nice to see your comment as I've just been working today with a video you sent in!
@@ashley_neal Oh cool nice one, it'll be good to hear your feedback on it.
Another excellent video. Accelerating to 50 but no further on a slip road is very common & causes issues. I like they way you not only explain what to do but also why. Your videos are great refreshers for someone who has been driving a few years. I feel that not enough people re-evaluate situations & think about whether they did things well or not.
Love the simple instruction, mirror and ahead whilst leaning forward.
Hi from Queensland, Australia. Our driving laws are sufficiently similar to yours that your videos are relevant here. I thought I was a good driver, then I started watching you. I have come to the realisation that I am still a beginner (at 67 years old). I need some serious reflection after what you have done to my ego.
The two things that I call "brown trouser moments" when entering a motorway (especially on a short slip road) is:- 1. When I get two gap closers in a row or one gap closer is what we call a "B-double". That is a semi-trailer with two trailers. 2. When I get a slow driver in front of me, on a short slip, who then stops. I have swerved over the cross hatching just to get away and onto the motorway safely.
I know driving over the cross hatching is illegal, but I think I am allowed to drive anywhere to avoid an accident. If I get fined, I would argue later in court that I had to do that for me and my passengers' safety. It's a judgement thing that you have to be there in the car driving to reach that conclusion.
What are your thoughts, Ashley?
Just after Volvo encounter when joining the traffic light controlled roundabout you did a blind spot / life safer glance over your right shoulder to check nobody had jumped their stop light. Effective observation and not fixating forward thereby allowing 360 awareness, was great to see it done so effortlessly 👍
What you were saying about cars coming up slip roads too slow really gets in my craw; I get it so often where they come up the slip doing maybe 35 to 40 and then I've got no exit; they have used up the gap and I'm now floundering and have to hope to goodness somebody in lane 1 is kind enough and able to move over. Far better to hit that gas and get the speed up; you can slow down far more easily in my experience than you can speed up.
Spot it early (it's normally part of a pattern of behaviour that can be identified long before a slip road - sluggish acceleration at lights/previous junctions, unnecessary braking etc), hang much further back at the beginnings of the slip road and create the space for you to accelerate to speed in to.
You're not going to make the space you 'should' have been in, but you are at least going to be up to speed when you arrive looking for the next space.
For example, if you're on a slip that goes from 30/40 -> 70 at the beginning, don't accelerate at all (or even slightly decelerate) at the limit change if you suspect the driver ahead isn't going to get fully up to speed - let them get well ahead before you accelerate. You're going to have to work harder to get up to speed in the now reduced amount of available road, but with a bit of practice most modern cars will be perfectly capable of doing it.
Great video! For merging onto busy motorways (and just dealing with others' erratic driving on motorways in general), maybe you could consider visiting the M60 around Stockport or J15/16 in rush hour 🤣 There are some reasonably tricky slip roads in places
Haydock Island J23 southbound M6 entrance, short steep incline and busy get some good examples from that junction.
Junct 26 emerging into lane 3. Scary the first time.
Perfect timing of this video Ashley, I’ve got another 2 clips to send you that I got yesterday that go perfectly with this.
Hi Ash,
Great video as always. I know something that people struggle to understand and it might be worth doing a short video on is how to use both lanes on some slip roads. From talking to people I know, some people just stick in the first lane and usually get stuck behind those people, like you've touched upon in this video, that try to join the motorway at 40mph. Equally, I know people that have a nice German car that like to fly down the 2nd lane to try and clear everybody but then it causes issues at the merge point because they're not only battling to get in front on the slip road but they're also then trying to fit in a gap on the motorway.
I think a quick video explaining what both lanes are used for, positives and negatives of using both, issues it can cause and probably the correct way to address common situations on the slip roads (and anything else you can think that would be handy to know). I know for some people it's common sense and they can figure it out but for others, including family members, I know that the slip roads are the most daunting part of motorway driving.
Thank you for this video, I'm quite hesitant with lane changes and had a close call getting fixated on my mirror and not seeing the car slowing down in front of me, really shook my confidence. The mirror-front-mirror-front is a habit I'm still working on but it's really important!
You can do it!
This is a great video. Some brilliant tips and practical advice to help people drive more safely. I learned loads from it (been driving for 35 years), and it has honestly changed the way I join motorways.
Thank you for this Ashley, I have driven for over 17 years but have probably only ever been on a motorway less than a handful of times and mostly do city driving so I felt all nervous about going on one again (suddenly developed a fear of them for some unknown reason, probably since I had my son) I was worried mostly about the exiting and entering of motorways, years ago I took a bit too long to slow down when exiting the motorway and had to really push down on the brake to stop in time, so have learnt something from that.
Cracking upload there Ashley 👍.
Although my driving style does already incorporate what you've portrayed, its great to see you putting it into an upload. Simply confirms I'm doing something right here.
Your shoulder check (right) was a particularly good one. Leaning forward helps to eliminate the blind spot where the B pillar is situated. Top job there.
The other important point raised was selecting the right gear.....
Some vehicles have low power; others have a long gear ratio.
Allow me to portray an example:
A249/M2 junction has an uphill & long sweeping curve that can only be taken at 30-35mph.....
Although 60mph can be achieved in, say, a 54 plate 1.3litre Corolla it would require a heavy right 🥾 in 3rd and 4th gears. Absolutely not worth considering a Citroen 2CV - lucky if you can hit 45mph!
On the reverse side of the coin, a 3.0litre V6 auto Camry (previous car) was better off utilising 2nd gear.... it would "redline" at about 80mph although I would've been in 3rd by 65-70mph. That is why it pays dividends to know what your vehicle is capable of.
I hope that someone finds this comment useful.
Stay safe everyone 👍
The A249/M2 junction! I know it very well indeed Graham. With the very highly elevated section of M2. That's quite a tight left hand bend leading into the straight bit of slip road, isn't it! The other thing with that is leading up to that bend, it reduces from two lanes to one (plus hard shoulder) so quite a few drivers maintain speed just before the lane reduction in order to do some last minute overtaking. I can honestly imagine some drivers losing control altogether rounding that bend.
Just outside the village of Bridge is a short slip road that leads onto what is already a slip road coming off the A2 to go into Canterbury. For some reason...and I think it's because of the way the road is banked, just as I need to lean forward in my seat to get a better view of anyone that's on the main slip road, my seatbelt always locks in position preventing me from leaning forward in the way that Ashley describes. I've started to anticipate this in advance now and actually pull my seatbelt forward out of it's reel a bit to give myself that forward leaning space before it locks. I'm pretty sure other drivers will have the same issue at that spot. Fortunately the main slip road (the one coming off the A2) has two lanes and hence gives drivers on it the opportunity to move out into lane 2 and make room for someone coming in off the secondary slip road...if that makes any sense!
@@ibs5080 Yes.... it makes sense. I vaguely recall that junction pal 👍
Great educational video.....Always pick something up on the channel
6:15 it's surprising how few people get this. In the course of my job I've driven a lot of very mundane rental cars, and I don't think there has been a car built in the last 20 years that won't hit 70mph on a typical British uphill motorway sliproad, given correct use of gears and throttle. However, some people seem to be averse to using full throttle, getting close to redline, despite buying a slow car that really needs wringing out to join a moving motorway safely.
Recently I was stopped for a coffee at a services on the A1, parked facing the sliproad out of the services. It was surprising just how many people, when leaving the services, caused drivers already on the road to take evasive action. I only saw a handful of people emerge at a decent speed, and that wasn't because they were driving turbo-nutter cars but rather because they gave it a good thrash down the sliproad.
This was spot on. Thank you. I really benefited from seeing the right mirror. God bless ❤
I'm curious about your statement at 7:00 where you said use all of the slip road and don't try to get out too early.
Why is this?
I'd have thought of you are travelling the same speed as the traffic in the lane and you've lined up a safe space to emerge into, you should just take it. It would avoid having to deal with space closers keeping you stuck on the slip.
Good point.
Yes I would like to see a video from the other side of the join. I see all sorts of chaos with people changing lanes (1 to 2) before they get to the slip road. I know it is polite to move across and give room to cars joining but only when it is safe to do so, and often it isn't done safely.
Around 3:50: you’re right about the risk of things changing lane right to left parallel to slip lanes onto motorways. One of the most awkward positions is when the truck in lane 1 (which it’s OK to move in front of) creates a ‘blind spot’ re lane 2. Came across that from time to time. Probably good practice not to move from 2 to 1 when passing a large vehicle next to a slip, because you can’t see what’s on the other side of it, but many do, unfortunately.
W.r.t. slip lanes onto higher speed roads, there are quite a few with short slip lanes after a sharpish curve, and sometimes on a rising gradient, which limits the options somewhat, especially for HGVs, such as from the A417 to the M5 northbound at 11A. This one was ‘squeezed in’ when they built the Brockworth bypass with a new junction with the M5. Various tactics to help others - change lane out of the way, deliberately accelerate away to widen the gap (if you can), or slow down a bit if that makes it more obvious to them etc. Exit slip lanes from certain M services have a reputation for risks as well, e.g. there have been one or two lethal ones at Leigh Delamere on the M4, in the small hours with many trucks cruising along.
What about the situation where you're attempting to merge onto the motorway and lane one is full of closely spaced cars and not one of them is sensible enough to let you in? Also, in my area, there is a dual carriageway with very short slip roads meaning there isn't enough distance to accelerate up to a speed to match the traffic's speed.
If you can't get onto the motorway you must stop at the end of the slip lane, obeying the give-way markings. (You are not allowed to drive on the hard shoulder - if there is one). Not a good situation to be in!
This is a situation I meet all too often, sadly. Most drivers give no consideration to merging vehicles. It’s a dog eat dog world, very sad. We should all be leaving a 2+ seconds gap between yourself and the car in front at all times, but most drivers have the mindset of ‘an accident will never happen to me’.
Exactly the situation I struggle with, and have *touch wood* managed to somehow get away with so far
You need to stop if necessary but if you've been accelerating to try and fit in that could be quite the brake slam!
I've also been on the other side of the argument. I have been in lane one and there is a busy lane two so difficult to change lanes and there is a car approaching down the slip road. I slow down slightly to allow them to merge but they don't take the offer and slow down. So, I carry on in the hope that they haven't made a late decision in taking up my offer and try to merge while I'm going past them.
in my 10 years of driving I have never encountered this, though I am not saying that means it doesn't happen. I find the thought of merging onto motorways is often more dramatic than actually doing it is.
Fantastic video ashley..Thank you.
Twice when entering a motorway from a slip road, I've chosen to cross solid white lines to my left due to being next to a lorry and not knowing if I can get ahead of it . The first time it was due to a lack of planning and the second time I simply didn't realise I had an age of runoff at my disposal and didn't need to panic. It's usually so easy, which makes it easy to get caught out when awkward situations arise.
The ultimate answer is practice practice practice. Even if you're emerging each time on the same slip road etc. Just keep trying. If you're learning with an instructor or parent ask for extra focus on emerging if you're worried
I think that cab driver clocked who was driving the car there - you can see him looking at you each time he goes by haha
Cab driver probably thought he saw Jason Statham haha
Then proceeds to do twice the speed limit once past.
Brillian teaching. Many thanks!!
Cheers Ashley. This one was actually a great topic!
Nice video Ashley! It’ll be interesting to know your thoughts/advice on short slip roads where it’s not uncommon to come to a complete stop, and how, if appropriate, to merge safely.
Be ready to slow quickly or accelerate quickly if required
Pretty sure in those cases you wait at the START of the slip road and accelerate when a gap appears. Too many folk start on to the slip road and then panic and brake at the end of it. Nightmare scenario likely to cause a collision.
Thanks for both of your inputs.
@@markhamilton7289 that’s exactly my issue with short-slip roads and I cannot count how many times I’ve either nearly rear-ended someone who stops right at the end, or been rear-ended by someone else after being forced to stop at the end by a driver who panics, it’s terrifying. Then finding an appropriate gap at peak hours can be difficult from the end of the slip.
I definitely think more light should be shed on this area.
It certainly is very important to look forward as many cars will slow down on the slip road and possibly stop. It could lead to an accident if one doesn't pay attention to cars in-front on the slip road. And joining the main road before the car in-front is obviously dangerous (they might not see you and jump out). I think if a car ahead stops, it's best to stop well behind them to ensure there is still some slip road available. These situations can be very difficult, especially as there are cars behind as well that may engage in dangerous driving in response to the hold up. Am I right?
the most difficult I find is looking -mirror, ahead, mirror, ahead - even though at 70 I've been driving since I was 18, but still willing to learn. One other comment, I always indicate; two reasons, so I don't get lazy like a lot of drivers and just in case I have not seen everyone who needs to know my upcoming manoeuvre.
I feel it's time to make a general comment here Ash. I have to say, your enthusiasm, positive mature attitude and of course your expertise and knowledge has really rubbed off on me. Even sitting in a traffic jam is an opportunity to observe and learn. I actually came across a quote today that read "Don't be a know it all, be a learn it all" and that is very much how I want to conduct my life, including very much with my driving.
I've watched some of these so called "Dash cam" channels (and I know that's not what you are) and the bad attitudes on there are staggering. Full of cammers not taking appropriate action just because another road user made a mistake...and actually sometimes it's the cammer themselves that's at fault and they don't even realise it. Plus the old "I've got right of way there mate" & "It's all on camera!" being shouted out & lots of swearing / constant complaining to their passengers about other drivers. Extremely unprofessional. I would absolutely hate to be that way. You always encourage us to rise well above all of that and to constantly learn from your videos. Even folks comments on here are a cut above other channels with lots of intelligent dialog. Yes, we don't always all agree with one another but intelligent dialog / debate usually results.
I also love the way you analyse situations in great detail and ask what could have been done to avoid the situation / what were some of the early warning signs. I've learned tons from you and I'm 60 & have been driving since I was 17! As an example, just the other day about the bus "Stop" illuminated sign inside the bus. There will always be more to learn and of course the perfect driver doesn't exist but it's that constant drive towards perfection that makes driving so much more enjoyable and interesting.
Every time I see you post a new video I'm already excited in anticipation. And there is a certain comforting familiarity in the way you start your videos with an in car "Hi everyone" and finish with your trademark "Thanks a lot for watching & I'll see you all next time". It's a bit like Dixon of Dock Green with "Evening all". :) Keep up the great work Ash. Oh and...Thanks a lot for reading and I'll see you next time! (Hope I haven't infringed on any copywrite there!)
Even the time it must have taken to write you comment let alone the kind words and positivity speak volumes. Respect ✊ and thanks 🙏 Ashley
@@ashley_neal You're more than welcome Ash. I raise my hand up to thank you. Though rest assured I won't flash my headlights! 🙂
Biggest problem I've found on far too many times is the drivers who trundle down the slip road at 40mph then accelerate only once they are on the dual carriageway or motorway or as far too often happens hit the brakes at the point where they should have joined the main carriageway and stop, I have taken the really dangerous option of actually going around these drivers as I feel the alternative is worse to stop behind them. After a while I started to assess the driver in front and would build a greater distance to them where possible if I felt they were the kind of driver that may be a problem on slip roads.
I’m staggered by the amount of people who just think they can force their way on to a carriageway and expect you to give way. What they should do is assess and adjust their speed with the traffic flow and join at the correct speed and in an available amount of space.
Especially on long slip roads and they emerge asap instead of using the whole slip road. We have one down by me where I’m guessing there’s a long slip road due to poor visibility but fast and slow drivers alike just emerge without proper observation instead of utilising the slip road, drives me nuts. I’d put my hand up and say I’m guilty of staring in my mirror too often
This is so incredibly helpful, thank you so much
Matching the speed is so important, I've seen too many drivers joining the carriageway at the wrong speed. Too fast can be a problem, but the biggest one for me is those joining at too slow a speed and forcing drivers on the carriageway to brake.
U explained that really well test this month pray I pass xxx thankyou so much for the vid and actually trying to help xxx
It's the short slip roads I don't like, especially if you have a driver sat hogging the inside and not being aware. That one at 7:44 is made trickier cause it's also on a bend. In heavier traffic I'd be super focused on that one. Also, what are the opinions on the way to thank another driver? I do the left hand up for a second or two, but on busy roads and motorways in particular I do a couple of hazard light flashes. I realise hazards are only meant for, well, hazards, but it feels safe and more easily seen and acknowledged.
And to "put the shoe on the other foot ", as a wagon driver in lane one, approaching a slip way joining the motorway I used to love it when a driver was "businesslike ", dropped a gear ,accelerated and slipped safely into a gap. The ones in a high gear trying to join at 50 or 60mph after putting their little "winkie" thing on used to frighten me to death!
I'm one of the "businesslike" ones when the occassion demands!
What REALLY hacks me off is people who are merging out but just "sail on out" despite there being traffic bearing down on them. There is one emerge near where I live which is a downhill emerge for the joiners, but also very close to the slip the 2 lanes of the dual carriageway become single lane. Very often if you are on the dual carriageway you get the situation where traffic in lane 2 prevents traffic in lane 1 from moving out, as it needs to do so, due to the numpties on the slip simply barging their way out. As I am familiar with this I am always prepared to move from lane 1 out to lane 2 as necessary, but this particular slip is close to Dover, carrying lots of traffic for the ferries, and judging by close calls I have seen non-local drivers are regularly caught out by those who simply wish to "force" their way onto the dual carriageway. They would do well to watch your video!
Been going through your videos and all really good techniques but I got a good hint of what I consider good driving and always thinking about what you're doing when you said ' I don't even need to signal'. My attitude has always been that a signal is for the benefit of someone else. If no one's there, then there's no need to signal. The people that signal' automatically are the ones who aren't thinking about what they're doing so invariably don't signal when they should, like when exiting roundabouts for example as well as signalling when they don't need to.. you can drive the same 15 minute journey to work for 30. Years and not one of those journeys will be identical.
On a motorway entry slip road, I use the same technique and when I am ON the motorway and in lane 1 and others are ON the slip road, I move to lane 2 so that those drivers wanting to enter the motorway on lane 1 can do so safely and without the need to speed match me. Once I have passed them, I can move back into lane 1.
A trend I've noticed recently among those with 2.0+ engined cars is crawling up the slip road at 30/40mph to join an NSL, then booting it a yard from the give-way line. It's a bit of a selfish moan but as someone with a 1.4 it has led to unnecessary stopping on the slip to wait for a gap on more than one occasion.
Be a little bit careful with not being caught out looking backwards whilst driving forwards. At 6:47 you look back past shoulder point. Blindspot beyond shoulder should be done whilst stationary,. Once on the move and especially at higher speeds the limit is shoulder..90 degrees.
That is useful , does help to explain . One near us is absolutely awful slip on a dual carriageway . No one hardly moves over for you , very short run on , have to be very assertive. Yet when there are multiple cars coming on at same time this is when it is dangerous . Maybe show how to merge if there are like three vehicles or more at one time merging . 👍
The biggest nightmare is a short slip with no side shoulder to support.
There's a horrific short join to a 50mph busy dual carriageway in West Bromwich with a really annoying crash barrier that blocks your view approaching, especially if you're low down.
Luckily I rarely travel in rush hour as my job spans from 7am to 9:30pm, however It's a road I tend to avoid using if I ever am in rush hour.
52.52225447672966, -1.9895929269430939
Motorway on ramp - S3 to manual mode - floor it and enjoy the acceleration until merging - then 70 mph - back to fully auto and engage cruise control 😂 re-mapped S-Tronic FTW.
If someone passes when you signal they are being aware of your intentions and are creating space and ensuring they don't risk sitting in your blindspot - they can do that by dropping back, or if speed limits allow moving forward briskly to create a better space behind them, either action is an acknowledgement of your signal and helps you by clearing a space. The worst thing a tailing car in the lane you want can do is just match your speed.
Hi great video recently I was trying to come off a slip road and got up to speed however there was a whole stream of cars and lorries in the left lane meaning I had no choice but to stop. Stopping in the slip lane seems quite bad however I didn’t see what else I could do. Any tips ?
I’ve waited years for this to be covered in detail and you’ve done a good job, Ashley. Great to see advanced motoring tips, too. One question: what is the best course of action if you need to decelerate to allow a vehicle to fully pass on a dual carriageway/ motorway if a vehicle is close behind you and also exiting the slip road at speed?
Did you ever get an answer for this anywhere because this is the thing I hate most and I have the same question.
Hello KH. No I didn’t get a reply to this question. Reassuring to know I’m not alone in this respect. It’s been a bugbear when driving for years.🙏👍🇬🇧🌞🙏
Very helpful thank you!
My first encounter with a motorway (as a driver) was when I inadvertently continued onto one, start going down the slip road thinking "shit I'm not allowed to drive on this" it was too late at that point so I continued for 5 miles until the next exit. And that was my first time 🤣
Hi, Just to remind me, i can feel pressured that the end of the slip line may be approaching, but obviously if you're still unable to get out by the end of it, you just stop like you would at any dotted line junction point, yes? Ty
Hey Ashley! Please can we have videos about very short slip roads on to dual carriageways. I struggle with getting up to speed and having enough time to merge before the end of the slip road.
I never feel more vulnerable on the roads than when I'm stuck behind a driver who tries to merge onto a motorway at a low speed. Presumably they also feel vulnerable, so I don't understand why they don't increase their speed.
In my city of Sydney, Australia, when there is a traffic signal controlled junction of two roads, each with at least two lanes both ways, the slip lane after the left turn into the cross traffic road is bounded by a solid white line, that must not be crossed AND the turn is not a sharp 90 degrees, but a gentle wide radius curve.
The technique one is supposed to use (and that I use) is to complete the left turn and continue straight ahead in the slip lane until the end of the solid white line where the slip lane merges with lane 1 of the cross traffic road. This gives one time to speed match the traffic that has crossed the junction on a green signal and to merge with them without causing them to slow or brake for me.
Many drivers will stop behind the solid white line soon after turning left and wait for a gap in the fast moving traffic, then attempt to merge by crossing the solid white from a standing start without much success and whilst causing a tail back on the entry to the left turn.
I hate it when sometimes, the slip road is too short, especially when entering from a service area, to the point where I have to stop on the slip road itself
When coming out of a petrol station onto a dual carriageway where the acceleration lane is short it is advisable to stop at the beginning. If the road was extremely busy one should ask yourself why did I stop at this petrol station? If it is fairly busy one can wait for a gap and be timing your move off and acceleration such that when you reach the merge point the gap has arrived and you are travelling at the same or similar speed as the traffic.
Merging can be as easy as you'd like it if you know what your doing. Checking mirrors and quick blindspot checks. Even when your on the motorway and your approaching a slip i either move out to lane 2 or if no need i usually check my mirrors just to see of anyone is joining on from the slip so i'm fully aware of whats happening all around me
Yasss! Finally! Thanks so much!
Edit: Do you have any tips for sliproads where the visibility is limited, @Ashley?
Be ready to slow quickly or go quickly!
Sometimes there are dual carriageways with very short slip roads with not enough distance to speed up before pulling out.
In these cases drivers in lane 1 should help the situation by moving over or leaving a merge gap. Not safe to pull into 70mph road from stationary, they would complain if you did that from a hard shoulder without building up speed first.
The same applies to some parking/ rest areas on A roads. Unless others around can help you out by moving over, you could be there for some time.
Completely agree about the changing lane bit. But those slips roads are terrible designs. The way I try to do them is to speed up coming round the bend so I'm doing 35 ish, in case there's a big enough gap and I can merge. This helps because you're halfway to the target speed. But if the road's busy, I'll often have to come to a complete stop before the end of the slip road and wait for a (now even bigger) gap
I had a discussion with a guy on this subject, it was in another vid where a HGV driver comes close to hitting an emerging transit van that was not going that fast down a slip road and emerging correctly.
Truck has a car slowly overtaking in the middle lane and had about 175m visability to the slip road (overhead bridge).
It was an interesting discussion, this guy said he drives thousands of miles on the motorway per year and that the truck should slow to let the emerging van out (who was still going slower than 50mph by the looks).
The one thing you know is how fast a HGV goes (limited to 90kmh or 56mph +/- a couple), so merging infront of a HGV should be easy, truck does not need to slow but merging driver does need to match its speed, and it didn't.
It was a good example of how not to merge and then road rage a HGV for their mistake.
Very helpful video as always :)
Really enjoying videos, very informative
Glad you like them!
No problem :)
Why do drivers come straight on to the carriageway without using the full slip? I use the full slip road too, it appears you and me are the only ones who do. Ex DSA( yes old) instructor, fleet trainer, instructor trainer and passed every advanced driving test thrown at me. Good videos Ashley, I agree with most of them👨⚕️
Not to sure i would use the full length of the slip everytime depends whats going on.
@@Jonc25 like what?
@@spacerockerlightyears I'm not saying it's not the correct thing to do or the wrong thing to teach in most scenarios, but not all situations should be set in stone.
@@Jonc25 Although I generally do use the full length of slip road to get up to speed, I think Jon has a point actually. For example, a situation where you spot a gap you can safely merge into BEFORE you use the full length of the slip road. It may very well be that if you don't slot into that gap "now", that opportunity will be lost and you won't get another one if you carry on using the full length of slip road. As Jon wrote, it's not totally written in stone, as good a practice as it is in general to use the full length of slip road to get up to speed.
@@Jonc25 Comments by Ib and Space duly noted but, as you say Jon.... not set in stone mate.
Your van "might" need more time to accelerate up to speed when a *unspecified high performance* car or motorcycle could hit 70 in very short order.....
My P5(B) - despite the V8 lump - is not one of them lol. Lots of hp gets "eaten" by the ancient auto 3 speed box. I'm seriously tempted to convert it to manual but that's, possibly, a modification that the DVLA would not approve. Worst case scenario - alternative route.
The way I see it is that the gaps are moving, they may be getting smaller or larger depending on whether space closers are coming along. They may be closed to no longer feasible on occasions. However if you accelerate to a speed slightly higher than that of the gap assessment need not be as accurate to safely move across into he gap and you can ease back down afterwards to the speed of the vehicle ahead to achieve a sensible following distance as soon as desirable.
I've spent a thousand pounds and done 30 hours just to now find out I wasn't taught how to merge properly, or at all even. My instructor would tell me when to move in but mostly just relied on me getting lucky with traffic. I can't get another instructor because the queue wait.
I used to teach people to drive in Germany many years ago. I am a great believer in we are always learning and never know everything. One question I would like clarified is motorway slip roads have 2 lanes that lead onto a motorway but just go into one and it is like a free for all at the end of or on the slip road. What is your advice on the correct use of 'dual' slip roads.
Extreme defensive driving needed, many bad drivers want to overtake the car in front in these scenarios, when you are adjusting your speed and space with motorway traffic
I would actually be interested to hear how you deal with being stuck behind someone who is merging too slowly that you think it's actually dangerous?
If I know they're going to do 35-40mph on the slip road/it's evident they're not speeding up appropriately I do one of two things:
1. Overtake (obviously, I guess)
2. If it's single lane or not long enough to safely over take (i.e I would have to "race" them) I'll slow down and let a big enough gap be created so I can speed up to the appropriate speed (60-ish) safely.
Hi
I don't know where you are but, I have used the A1 a lot over the last few years and on the non A1M sections many of the slip roads are very tight LH curves { maybe 30 max) followed by very short merge sections. The main carriageway is generally only 2 lanes which rarely means that vehiocles in the Left Lane can move out either in advance to aid the emergingh driver or ion an emergency if there is a problem with the emerging drivers actions.
The troublee is they won't get their foot down lonce on the straight section, they could easily get from 30 in 3rd to 70 withouit getting close to the red line but will they? No. I suspect they have drifted round the c urve in 4 or even 5 and their vehicle just won't accelerate quickly enough in those gears.
In case you are wondering I retired in 2014 from a 44 yr career instructing and I made a point of teaching really brisk acceleration when necessary..
If you are anywhere near some of themore rural section of the A1 do have a look, incidently one of those junctions near Ferrybridge is actuall;y on a test route and itt notonly has the sharp left hand curve it also has a high bank between it and the dual carriageway but the main section is also curving left so R shoulder R mirror etc give very little warning of traffic on the maincarriageway; thjere was a crash on a test there because the candidate was hesitant but the LGV behind her could of course see ov er them embankment and saw a clear gap coming. It is the last junction BEFORE the Northbound motorway starts. Streetview actuall makes it appear easier than it is. The northbound and southbound entrances ate South Witham near Cottesmore aren't bad examples.
Please ignore any typos, I am typing in gloves to ease finger neuropathy due to being on c hemo at this time.
John Lomas
once got stuck behind a guy heading onto a motorway at 30mph. that was fun and in no way a terrifying experience
Cheers Ashley. I come across loads of these videos for slip roads and they are all conveniently empty at entrance! Im scared when it's busy and I can't find space but there are no vids on it. Can you do one?! Luv.
One thing you forgot to mention is the dotted line on the edge of the slip road merging onto the main carriageway means 'GIVE WAY' to the traffic on the carriageway, NOT 'You have priority to anyone on the carriageway and you can also just signal last minute and push out in front of anyone never mind the danger you are putting yourself and everyone else you are cutting up into'
Some people merging onto a motorway think that they have the right of way and expect the vehicles on the Motorway already to get out of their way. Motorway users swapping lanes to let in someone joining the Motorway are bloody dangerous.
I drive for a living and notice that so so many people struggle with this.
Very informative and helpful video sir👍👍by the way pls do a video regarding how to judge a vehicle beside lane whether it speeding up or not by just quick looking on it....it makes quite difficult to find safe gap to change lane when there is heavy traffic
Not sure if you'll read a comment this new on an old video, but I do have a question.
When already on the motorway or dual carriageway, and there's a sliproad coming up, how do you know when it's appropriate to accomodate someone trying to join? Sometimes I feel like speeding up for someone to create a gap, or slowing down for the same purpose.
Sometimes I'd rather move right, but there are cars in the right lane who are going much faster than me. And then if I do end up in lane 2, it can be hard to get back to lane 1 with all the people undertaking me.
How to emerge from a 2 lane slip road, (which doesn't merge into one), onto a motorway in busy traffic would be a helpful video for me. There's a particular case I know where the lanes are staggered at a short distance from each other before they join the m'way and sometimes it can be a "bum-squeak" moment when driving onto the main road.
EXAMPLE: I'm on a slip road lane 1, doing about 50 to 60 mph, and about to join the busy motorway, but a fast-moving queue of vehicles that are in slip road lane 2 pass me and join the m'way. They, however, stay in m'way lane 1 because they're prevented from moving to another lane by the busy fast traffic already on the m'way. They then block my entrance to the m'way and problems occur.
Is there a dead animal on the road (time: 07:51)?
wow ashley was nice about a taxi, lol
all joking aside, you should, (if you get the chance to) ask some motorists if they will do an interview on why they drive the way they do, making a promise you won't be mean or nasty, it's just for education
That’s a good idea to be honest. At least we then get to see things from someone else’s point of view and get a bit more understanding of their situation rather than just assume their a being a prat. When I’m back at work next week I’ll see if I can get a video like that recorded whilst I’m out in the truck.
On sliproads I can't emphasize enough to put your foot down to match the adjoining roads speed!
Sort of, but you’ve also got to be prepared to stop if there’s no space for you to emerge. The people already on the road have right of way, not the person joining.
@James Stewart The quicker you are up to speed matching the traffic on the road you are merging into, the more time and distance of slip road to fine tune your speed and placement to merge into the traffic.
There is always this fear that it's just going to be bumper to bumper lorries until you run out of road, but that rarely happens.
If only drivers would follow this excellent advice. Too many believe the driver in lane one has to give way so they do zero planning on the slip road.
Knowing when or when not to do a full glance over the shoulder before merging or changing lanes.
What if .. trying to merge into a platoon of speedsters? Should you go with the flow (illegal speed) to merge, or attempt merge at the maximum speed limit which makes them try to dangerously close down any gap and making them like an angry hive because interrupting their flow as they wanted to keep their speed, or halt/attempt drive extremely slowly in merge lane until they pass, or drive not extremely slow in the hard shoulder until they pass? Please do a video