First Motorway Trip

Proxy

Hey, so after passing the test almost a month ago, I'm taking my first motorway trip on Monday. It's out of necessity (for work), and I'm not that nervous about it just yet, that will probably hit on Sunday evening/Monday morning

The longest trips i've taken yet was just a few 20-odd miles on national road. Any tips for a first-timer on the motorway? Will be travelling Galway to Dublin... cheers

Mister Jingles

Don't hog the overtaking lane for a starter, not saying you would but the amount of people that do it on motorways and dual carriageways is astonishing.

Well done on your test

Alanstrainor

Mister Jingles wrote: »

Don't hog the overtaking lane for a starter, not saying you would but the amount of people that do it on motorways and dual carriageways is astonishing.

Well done on your test

I think what you mean to say is, keep left.

OP, just take it easy, there's nothing terribly difficult about it. Keep the car between the lines, and quickly check over your right shoulder to check your blind spot before overtaking.

If you're overtaking, don't be afraid to drop down a gear to build up your speed.

Cill Dara Abu

Try to go out late some night or early on a Sunday morning when its quiet and get a feel of it, you'll soon get the hang of it.

Goodluck

pudzey101

Cill Dara Abu wrote: »

Try to go out late some night or early on a Sunday morning and get a feel of it, you'll soon get the hang of it.

Goodluck

was going to post the EXACT same :eek:
I observed how "my mom" drove on it very closely before i took to the motorway
Ya just dont hog the fast lane, indicate if your overtaking, and check your mirrors every so often(very important).

you'l be grand i feel motorway driving is way easier and hassle free than town-driving

RustyNut

Hey op, great to see you on here asking for advice.

Iv been a truck driver for over 25 years and if I was to give one piece of advice on motorway driving or any other driving for that matter its don't tailgait. You should have at least 2 seconds between you and the car in front, 4 is even better. It gives you time to recognise and react without having to panic to situations as they develope.

Motorways are the safest roads you can drive on so bring your fav music relax and enjoy the spin.

Kilmartins in athlone do nice coffee if you want a break.

goat2

make shure your wing mirrors are focused properly, because on the motorway they are your most important tool, stay on the left for the first time on motorway unless there is something going too slow and you have to overtake, and anytime you have to overtake watch your rear on all mirrors for cars about to overtake you, relax, keep steady, i find the motorway is easier than our back roads, people are far more careful, it is a lovely steady pace of driving.

Proxy

RustyNut wrote: »

Hey op, great to see you on here asking for advice.

Iv been a truck driver for over 25 years and if I was to give one piece of advice on motorway driving or any other driving for that matter its don't tailgait. You should have at least 2 seconds between you and the car in front, 4 is even better. It gives you time to recognise and react without having to panic to situations as they develope.

Motorways are the safest roads you can drive on so bring your fav music relax and enjoy the spin.

Kilmartins in athlone do nice coffee if you want a break.

I've been told about Kilmartin's alright, apparently they've a nice brekkie roll?

TheUsual

Right you don't have to drive at the 120kph limit the whole way, slow down gently if you are not happy in the wind or rain. And you are still learning so keep it handy.

Let traffic merging onto the motorway space to accelerate and join, even if it means you have to slow down. You can change lanes if it is really quiet to the over-taking lane to let them out.

Watch out for junctions coming into Dublin after Maynooth as they get really busy and you are all relaxed and not expecting aggressive drivers.

Same goes for when you reach Dublin, it can be tricky to adjust the speed in your head down to 80kph, 60kph and 50kph limits as you are used to going faster than that.
Just watch your speed limits.

Take a break ! Athlone is good as it's halfway.

the_syco

If this is your first long trip, stock up on the sugar-free Redbull, lucozade, coffee, whatever.

Driving can sap your energy, as you're concentrating on the road.

Have a CD/tape/radio station to listen to, but nothing soothing. Something upbeat is preferable.

Ensure your trousers are comfortable, and that you have a comfortable "stance". You'll be in it for quite a while.

Oh, and keep an eye out for the "rest stops", as usualy when you se the sign, you'll have 10 seconds before you see the entrance. If you stop in one, pull your car in as far to the left as possible, as a lot of cars that stop there use most of the "rest stop" as a runway to slow down

Get out, and stretch the legs every two hours - it makes a big difference.

Around enfield, there is a "Green" petrol station. It also has a burger king, coffee shop, newsagents, and toilets. I'd advise going in, if for nothing but to have a walk

Oh, and ensure you have change for the toll stops. I encounter two going from Dublin to Tuam, but only one going from Tuam to Dublin even if taking the same route

=-=

Oh, and if there's no traffic in the overtaking lane, and you're passing an on-ramp that has traffic coming down it, you'll see people go into the over-taking lane. It'll ensure that the mergeing traffic don't suddenly merge a meter in front of you. I see others do this, and often do it myself to allow the people joining the motorway an easier join.

Proxy

the_syco wrote:

Oh, and ensure you have change for the toll stops. I encounter two going from Dublin to Tuam, but only one going from Tuam to Dublin even if taking the same route

Are you sure you didn't go back via Mountbellew/Athlone, hence skipping the Ballinasloe toll? Funnily enough I'm leaving from Tuam and was told to go that way, but I don't know it so I'm going the way I know for now, via Claregalway. For the sake of €1.80 or so, I don't mind!

Mint Sauce

Not sure where you'll be joining the motorway from, but if at the start of the N6, you wont have the worry of merging on to it for your first trip, as it goes automatically goes from N6 to M6 at the N18 junction with the only thing changing is the speed limit.

Take care on the M4/M6 merge, and make sure you have change for both tolls if heading that way. Have a look at the signs in advance so you know which booth to head for.

Try and get some experience on the N6 duel carriage way outside Galway City with joining and leaving the DC via the N18 slip roads if not done so already, will be same rules as Motorway joining and leaving, but hopefully slightly slower if heading back into the city.

Good luck with it.

**Timbuk2**

Match the speed of traffic on the motorway while merging - beginners tend to err on the side of caution and merge too slowly, but it is safer (and easier) to merge when you are doing the same speed as traffic on the motorway.

Make sure to check all your mirrors at least twice before performing any action - checking it once gives you an idea about position of other cars but not much idea of speed - checking twice or more gives you an idea of how fast cars behind you are going - you don't want to pull into the overtaking lane when there's a car not too far behind going 30km/h faster than you!

Proxy

Thanks all, I really appreciate the advice given, especially regarding lanes and speed. Once again the LTD forum shows its value, should be linked to from the RSA site!

RustyNut

Proxy wrote: »

Thanks all, I really appreciate the advice given, especially regarding lanes and speed. Once again the LTD forum shows its value, should be linked to from the RSA site!

And don't forget to let us know how the adventure goes...

challengemaster

Try not fall asleep... it can easily happen, motorways are rather boring places, especially if you're on them from Galway-Dublin straight for 2 and a bit hours. I've done it many times! (the drive, not falling asleep!)

It's fairly straight forward going from Galway really, joining either from roundabout or slip road (depending on approach direction), as said, it goes from the N6 to the M6 automatically after one or two exits, only change is 100 -> 120km/h speed limit

There's the toll at ballinasloe, correct change baskets are to the right, cahsiers to the left - very good signage there anyway. That's €1.80

Athlone is the next change - coming into athlone the motorway ends (dual carraigeway / athlone bypass - 100km/h) which lasts the full length of athlone. Watch for people merging at the first slip road you come across, generally safer to keep right while passing it, people are idiots and don't give right of way when merging.

If you're looking for Kilmartins, it's the very last slip road off before the dual carraigeway ends - so just before the exit, all the signs will have reverted to blue motorway ones, it's also an overhead exit, so the ramp goes up to the left, then across the bridge. Then it's still a dual carraigeway down as far as a roundabout, you want to be in the right lane approaching, you can't miss the place. 3rd exit straight into the forecourts.

Getting back on the motorway, just do the reverse! Pay attention to signs if you get confused Build up speed on the on-ramp, there's plenty of time / lane to merge, make sure to check your blindspot before moving in.

After that, it's straight sailing until the next toll €2.70, and fairly straightforward after that until you hit dublin. Speed drops again around Lucan. I can't remember if the Motorway services are before or after the toll, but the_syco covered them above. Cheap petrol (usually 5c+ cheaper), burger king, coffee place, toilets, etc etc

On the way back, the only thing to watch out for is where the M4/M6 split and go different ways at Kinnegad (M6-Galway, M4-Sligo), again, pay attention to the signs and there'll be no problems

General tips that have probably been covered already:

Lights on - it's getting dark earlier and even in daytime, its easier to see cars

Keep left unless overtaking

Don't be afraid to overtake - no point sitting behind someone doing 80km/h all the way, the overtaking lane is there for a reason! Just make sure it's clear before moving out.

Take care - Motorways are open spaces, wind speeds can be much higher and more noticable than on other routes, and in very heavy rain, there can be some standing water, so watch for aquaplaning.

Do not, unless it's an emergency, use the hard shoulder.

And just a general be careful, there's idiots everywhere. TBH I'd be more worried about driving in Dublin! :eek:

TheUsual

challengemaster wrote: »

And just a general be careful, there's idiots everywhere. TBH I'd be more worried about driving in Dublin! :eek:

You should try driving in Galway and Cork.

I just laugh at the madness now. Getting angry just shortens your life.

challengemaster

TheUsual wrote: »

You should try driving in Galway and Cork.

I just laugh at the madness now. Getting angry just shortens your life.

You mean the ridiculous one way systems all around galway? Regularly do it

maxfresh

Good idea when your changing lane have a quick look over the shoulder and check blind spot , the speed of cars on the motorway can catch you out

Captain Havoc

Don't think I can add anything new. Motorway driving is the easiest but the most boring you can do, if you feel tired pull into the next lay-by and take a snooze for half an hour or an hour. When I'm driving back from Dublin, I usually stop at a Topaz as they do those really nice donuts with jam or custard inside. I merge onto the motorway at 100kph. Make sure to check blind spots and mirrors, stay well behind any vehicles, pull out to overtake in good time, indicate early, pull over into the overtaking lane to allow traffic to merge if safe to do so. Well done on the test.

challengemaster

Captain Havoc wrote: »

pull over into the overtaking lane to allow traffic to merge if safe to do so. Well done on the test.

Actually, it's worth noting that you're not obliged to do this, traffic joining the motorway has to yield to any traffic already on the motorway, so if it's not safe to move over to let them merge easier (which you don't have to do), don't.

Proxy

I made the trip!

No real incidents to report. I decided to take a break once I got to Applegreen before the M4 toll and on the way in, the (deceptively short) slip road, I was slowing down quite quickly, and before I knew it I was at the apex of the curve heading for the mini-roundabout in there, and stalled the car. Kind of freaked me out a bit, but there was nobody around (TG) and I guess i'll know for again to slow down WELL in advance.

Once I got to my own street in Dublin someone driving a van almost clipped the side of me, I guess that'll happen from time to time in city driving. Other than that, the advice above DID stick with me and paid off well. Thanks very much everybody. 2nd (return) trip is this Saturday morning/afternoon.

A mild annoyance that has nothing to do with the trip (but I'm just having a rant) was, once I got up to speed, I noticed my steering wheel was vibrating quite a bit. Now I'm after getting a new wheel/alloy and rebalancing, so this shouldn't happen, so I'm thinking of just getting it done locally in Dublin and having some (more) angry words with the garage I've been dealing with once I get back.