Forums

Posts: 47
Rank: Plastic Bag
My other topics

REPLY QUOTE Posted :
Subject: Hate the motorway

Help, I need to use the motorway tonight and I am so scared.

I have been driving 7 years and only ever use the motorway when it is essential, must have used it about 2 or 3 times apart from late at night where it was quiet and I did it a lot.

What can I do to calm down? It will be rush hour too.

Any tips on how to drive calmly and safely? I just hate the idiots that cut you up and go too fast.

REPORT TO MODERATOR

bexsimpson
Send message

Posts: 8
Rank: Paper Bag
My other topics

REPLY QUOTE Posted :
Subject: Hate the motorway

Hello,
I know its easy to say but you don't need to worry as people will move over for you especially as there are 3 lanes or 4 depending on where you are joining, this is what I always think and it works for me. You can also just listen to lots of music and forget they are there and just sing to yourself. =]
But you can also buy some herbal things which you can smell or rub on your temples which can help to calm you down.
Just remember people will move over for you! Hope this helps.

REPORT TO MODERATOR

Mr_Mannering
Send message

Posts: 2426
Rank: Clutch Bag
My other topics

REPLY QUOTE Posted :
Subject: Hate the motorway

Blimey - get a motorway lesson, if you are so unsure - its the clowns that are unconfident and uncertain, fannying about, that cause problems - def get used to it, don;t just go from nothing to rush hour, in 7 years !!!!

Well dang, I found my original profile and sign in ! Tis me !

I may not always be right.... but I'm never wrong.

REPORT TO MODERATOR

Gemthestar
Send message

Posts: 4220
Rank: Clutch Bag
My other topics

REPLY QUOTE Posted :
Subject: Hate the motorway

i had a separate lesson after my test with my instructor specifically for motorways.if you can do something like that id thorougly recommend it just for nerves.

people do move over for you and in general i find them a lot easier to drive on than any other roads - less surprises. if youre feeling unsure stay in the slow/middle lane and dont overtake until you feel confident to do so. i find less people cut me up on them and you can pootle along at your own pace if you want, not so on other roads.

remember there are three lanes so if you dont want to go too fast dont - people can (and will!) overtake you and there really is no need to worry about holding anyone up.

<p><font color="#ff00ff">Fake designer bag</font></p>

REPORT TO MODERATOR

coled3
Send message

Posts: 7
Rank: Paper Bag
My other topics

REPLY QUOTE Posted :
Subject: Hate the motorway

I know this post is old but to anyone else who is feeling like this, I totally understand.
Stay in your left lane as that is the slow lane and try to drive at a steady pace, don't worry about anyone flashing if you are going too slow, they can take over in the middle lane as that is what it is for.

REPORT TO MODERATOR

sunshinebells
Send message

Posts: 6
Rank: Paper Bag
My other topics

REPLY QUOTE Posted :
Subject: Hate the motorway

I'm not a huge fan of motorways either but the more I have driven on them, the less worried I feel.
I would recommend driving on them as often as possible. The best way to overcome your fears is to face them. The more you drive on motorways the more comfortable and less scared you will feel.
As bexsimpson says, when you're joining a motorway, 99% of the time people will move over for you, and if it's busy, they will slow down and let you in a gap. You rarely see anyone stranded on a slip road...although I once did have a scary experience when I was coming down a slip road and the person refused to move over and I had to break quite hard...but that was their stupid fault, not mine lol.
My biggest pet hate are those huge, multi-lane roundabouts on motorways...it's really hard getting in the right lane, and switching lanes, when you've got about a million mad drivers whizzing past you.
Anyway, my motorway nerves got much better after just forcing myself to drive on them lots of times. Something else that helps is having a sat nav, because that takes away the added worry of trying to work out where you're going and following signs, and your brain is more free to concentrate on the road and on what other drivers are doing...
good luck

REPORT TO MODERATOR

TrevorM1
Send message

Posts: 4
Rank: Paper Bag
My other topics

REPLY QUOTE Posted :
Subject: Re: Hate the motorway

I don't blame you, I hate the motorway in particular but the drivers in London on a whole. Everyone drives way too fast and is so aggressive.

I'm like hello...speed kills. simple test: run into a car as fast as you can, you can really injure yourself maybe break a couple of bones, now imagine a car at its full speed hitting you....even if you're in a car the velocity of the other car does amazing damage.

Best advice, keep cool, keep an eye out for idiots (there are lots of them) and give way to these idiots.

REPORT TO MODERATOR

Nina_in_the_bathroom
Send message

Posts: 317
Rank: Slouch Bag
My other topics

REPLY QUOTE Posted :
Subject: Re: Hate the motorway

Honestly - what is people's problems with motorways?
I think if you can't drive with a reasonable level of confidence on any type of road then you probably shouldn't have passed your test and at least should take extra lessons. TBH there is something fudementally wrong with the system in that a learner driver can't go on the motorways and that motorway driving isn't part of the test.

There only seem to be two types of driver on the road these day - the aforementioned aggressive idiots who drive like they want to kill someone and then the rubbishly underconfident ones who drive everywhere at 2mph and get in everyone's way. Where's the middle ground?

Although maybe the annoyance caused by the latter is what's making the former aggressive?

In all seriousness though, a motorway is just a road and you're only scared of it because you've talked yourself into thinking it's something terrible. I had my first motorway driving experience two days after passing me test and I did it alone (drove from N'hampton to Coventry city center) with no problem because I didn't allow it to daunt me. If you can drive on a dual carriageway without a problem then a motorway isn't really that different.

EDIT: Oh balls! Sorry - I didn't notice this was an ancient one!