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When following the highway code is dangerous


workpeter
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https://www.whatcar.com/news/who-has-right-of-way-at-slip-roads/n10633


The above article explains that vehicles joining motorway from slip road have to give way to vehicles already on motorway.

Today a van joins from the slip road right into the side of me. I had to swerve to avoid collision.


I knew well in advanced this could happen. He had his indicator on and his speed suggested he'd reach the end of the slip road just as i was passing it. However the highway code says i have right of way and adjusting my speed could be dangerous.


This guy assumed id slow down to let him in because thats the cultral norm the UK (or change into middle lane).


Im just wondering what you would all do in this situation?


FYI 9 times out of 10, i would have slowed down because my biker 6th sense knew this was gonna happen and it was safe for me to slow down (motorway was empty) but today I was curious to see how the situation would unfold knowing the risk but also knowing i had right of way.

Edited by workpeter
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let em out , even though it is your right of way , must admit if I was joining a motorway and some one didn't flash me and slow a touch to let me in forcing me to stop I'd think twat .

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Just because you have right of way doesn't mean you can't make space for someone to join the flow of traffic. If the van was at the end of the slip road and indicating where else could he go? If he slows down then he's on the hard shoulder and going slower than the traffic flow.


What bugs me is when you slow down to make space and then they slow down as well. Or you pull out into lane 2 and then the vehicle joining won't let you back in again.


But that's the risk you take sharing to road with some of the muppets who somehow passed their driving test.

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Would have either briefly booted it to clear him or have done same in middle lane, if clear I would have gone into lane 3 if available and passed, basically what ever makes you the safest, right of way is scant comfort if your road pizza

Edited by Bender
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oh wow! very interesting viewpoints. This thread is turning out more interesting than i expected.


To clarify a question asked, yes I had room to move into lane 2.


I find the comment made about my decision being a bit twaty to be an interesting viewpoint (i take no offence), and I supect this is how the van driver felt. So its as if there are these unspoken cultural rules we should adhere too instead of the highway code :)

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At the end of the slip road there are give way road markings therefore the van driver should have been aware of the traffic on the motorway and have adjusted his speed accordingly to be able to join the motorway WITHOUT causing vehicles on the motor way to alter course or speed. Not barge in and expect others to make room.

That said I do move over if possible or allow room for them to join if possible.


What would have happened above if the motorway was busy and you could not have moved over or slowed due to traffic behind?

[mention]Six30[/mention]

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simply put..


I treat slip roads as though they are the same as the inside lane. And if there is a vehicle on it. move over to overtake.


if i cant move over to overtake.. then i either slow down or.. if its ok. accellerate so i am in front of the vehicle joining.


But.. 99/100 this isnt a situation I allow to develop. when approaching a slip road Im nearly always moved over.


btw.. the highway code is very careful about language.. it says "Should give priority" it does not say "Must" and 99/100 when the highway code says "should" a lot of drivers simply ignore (or forget) that. If the highway code said "Must" then slip roads would be of the continental design.. very short. And often seen with cars at a full stop waiting to join.

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Oddly enough I was flagged into a lay-by outside Ashbourne by a stationary bike copper . Because he could find nothing wrong with my bike or my riding he then proceeded to deliver a friendly lecture on this very subject. Essentially what he said was that as soon as I became aware that I was approaching an on ramp OR an off ramp as indicated by the very large road sign , I should endeavour to move out of the left hand lane well in advance of the junction. In other words avoid the issue of vehicles joining my lane altogether . Of course it is not always apparent that there is an on ramp ahead but most are clearly signposted . The only downside of this is that if you move into the middle or right hand lane too early , some nobhead's piss is going to boil over because they think you are hogging "Their" lane . So although the safety lecture was somewhat inconvenient , there was some wisdom to be gained from it .

Edited by fastbob
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The van driver would have been struggling to get up to motorway speed, so why wouldn't you just be courteous and move into lane 2 to give him half a chance to pull out.

 

Non of my vans of late would struggle to reach 70 by the end of slip road, more than capable of exceeding it on most motorway slips.



Re the worst case scenario, it's your job to know what could happen, you have to anticipate, you should have had a course of action as soon as you knew the slip was there and a vehicle was on it, if it's a slip with limited view treat it as if there is something there, you have limited options, go faster, go slower, move lane, hit something (obviously best avoided)


The last thing you can afford on a bike is a surprise.



[mention]fastbob[/mention]

I agree entirely with his advice.

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Would l be correct in saying that the highways agency or local authority would make every effort to remove all vegetation that obstructs the view from the area between merging carriageways ? I can't say I've ever come upon an on ramp and not been aware of it until it's too late to move over.

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The thing that pisses me off in this type of scenario is when someone uses the slip road to undertake a load of traffic & despite there being ample room to merge, steam ahead to the end of the slip road then try and force themselves out causing others to Take avoiding action.

This kind of special person invariably then swerves into the outermost lane and starts tailgating.

They are best avoided, as their angst due to having such a small penis causes them to compensate by being a dickhead.

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The thing that pisses me off in this type of scenario is when someone uses the slip road to undertake a load of traffic & despite there being ample room to merge, steam ahead to the end of the slip road then try and force themselves out causing others to Take avoiding action.

This kind of special person invariably then swerves into the outermost lane and starts tailgating.

They are best avoided, as their angst due to having such a small penis causes them to compensate by being a dickhead.

 

Probably racing to the next Coke drop off . I've seen so much " Furious " driving around Coventry lately that I'm beginning to wonder if we have any kind of Police Force at all . It always seems to be the same sort of f***wit in a baseball cap and invariably driving a Golf .

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Motorways are fun when you pass your test and haven't actually been on one. I suppose if it was compulsory then there wouldn't be any test centres in Norfolk, but then tractors probably aren't allowed on them anyway hur hur.


Maybe the highway code needs a few blank pages at the back where you can write in the unwritten rules.

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OK so even if the van could reach motorway speed up the slip road why not just be courteous anyway.

 

For the simple reason more and more people using our roads are complete knobs and don't give a f**k about anyone other than themselves.


[mention]fastbob[/mention]

Vegetation ain't the problem it's the ones that join from a height and have a sharp bend in them when your coming up to them you don't get a view of what's coming your way till its almost along side.


Again it's not the roads that's the issues it's the road users.

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If the motorway is chocker slowing down to let them merge is no big deal, you're not going to get to your destination any later. Chances are that you'll get there in one piece and less stressed. @management, We could do with a good karma smilie :D

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I would say that many drivers, are unable to judge another vehicles speed, when i come onto a motorway, by the time i reach the point where i can enter the nearside lane, i will be at the speed limit, then it's just a case of judging to either increase or decrease my speed depending on where the vehicles are, there have been many times when i have slowed to go behind a vehicle, then straight into the middle lane and floor it, but if the slip road has a long lead in, i would just floor it to get in front, but each situation is different, and all depends on your own driving ability and confidence or lack of, experience is the best teacher :cheers:

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First rule of driving is drive on the left. After that its up for grabs. My first rule of driving is don't get hit. That's in any vehicle. Ultimately its about give and take. If you saw some of the Sh!t some riders pull on the North Circular every morning you might think they owe a few favors. Balance that with people who give you space when the don't have to.


There is little point in insisting on the rules of the road, curtesy, or even not being a twat. Just look 10 seconds ahead and don't get hit.

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I would say that many drivers, are unable to judge another vehicles speed, when i come onto a motorway, by the time i reach the point where i can enter the nearside lane, i will be at the speed limit, then it's just a case of judging to either increase or decrease my speed depending on where the vehicles are, there have been many times when i have slowed to go behind a vehicle, then straight into the middle lane and floor it, but if the slip road has a long lead in, i would just floor it to get in front, but each situation is different, and all depends on your own driving ability and confidence or lack of, experience is the best teacher :cheers:

 

You're talking about your car here I presume , not Xena .

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