joining motorway

SparrowTown · 11-09-2010 12:40AM #1

When joining a motorway do you have to drive all the way along the acceleration lane and enter motorway when that lane merges or can you join anwhere along the acceleration lane where it is safe to do so. i know you cannot drive across hatched markings. Is there a hatch all along the acceleration lane?

Gumbo · 11-09-2010 12:42AM

SparrowTown wrote: »

When joining a motorway do you have to drive all the way along the acceleration lane and enter motorway when that lane merges or can you join anwhere along the acceleration lane where it is safe to do so. i know you cannot drive across hatched markings. Is there a hatch all along the acceleration lane?

short answer, yes you have to travel the full length.
if theres a continuious white line then you have to wait for it to end and turn into a dashed line.

CiniO · 11-09-2010 12:47AM

kceire wrote: »

short answer, yes you have to travel the full length.
if theres a continuious white line then you have to wait for it to end and turn into a dashed line.

Where that answer came from? Does in has any support in rules of the road or road traffic act or regulations?

AFAIK you joining the motorway from acceleration lane, is just a normal "changing lane". Unless there's no continuous white line, you can change lane anytime you want.

djimi · 11-09-2010 12:51AM

kceire wrote: »

short answer, yes you have to travel the full length.
if theres a continuious white line then you have to wait for it to end and turn into a dashed line.

Eh, no you dont! You can merge once the white line is broken, and its usually broken shortly after the hatched area and long before the end of the slip road. Once its safe to merge, you can merge over the broken white line.

ytareh · 11-09-2010 12:52AM

...unless of course theres one of the ignorant twits (more often than not a 'lady')who insists on maintaining their position in 'left lane'...Mad to think in England they have barriers/walls at end of slip lanes after about 100-150metres...would just be a wall of crashed cars over here !

SparrowTown · 11-09-2010 12:56AM

djimi wrote: »

Eh, no you dont! You can merge once the white line is broken, and its usually broken shortly after the hatched area and long before the end of the slip road. Once its safe to merge, you can merge over the broken white line.

well i know you cannot cross the hatched area anyway. i was on a motorway today and indicated to join when hatched ended but a woman behind me then indicated , she was too close behind me too- and merged. If i had merged then ... well good thing we have mirrors

CiniO · 11-09-2010 01:01AM

SparrowTown wrote: »

well i know you cannot cross the hatched area anyway. i was on a motorway today and indicated to join when hatched ended but a woman behind me then indicated , she was too close behind me too- and merged. If i had merged then ... well good thing we have mirrors

Yeah, that's actually very poor driving, to join the motorway from acceleration lane, even if someone is trying to join it in front of you from the same acceleration lane.
Sadly that's legal.
While I'm driving a bus, it's very often the case. I try to join, but no - because the left motorway lane is already taken by someone who was just behind me few seconds ago.

CiniO · 11-09-2010 01:04AM

ytareh wrote: »

...unless of course theres one of the ignorant twits (more often than not a 'lady')who insists on maintaining their position in 'left lane'...Mad to think in England they have barriers/walls at end of slip lanes after about 100-150metres...would just be a wall of crashed cars over here !

It's perfectly legal for them to stay on the left lane.
Even more - it's illegal for them to change lane to right, to let you into the motorway.
I know it's good driving practice, but it's against the law.

Other thing is, it's quite easy to join motorway unless you are driving a truck or a bus (or extremally slow car).
I just think people have problems with it, just because they are affraid to accelerate.
On acceleration lane you should be putting you pedal to the metal.

SparrowTown · 11-09-2010 01:07AM

CiniO wrote: »

I just think people have problems with it, just because they are affraid to accelerate.
On acceleration lane you should be putting you pedal to the metal.

you have to watch behind too , people driving too close and not paying attention to what is in front of them

irishmotorist · 11-09-2010 01:12AM

It's the same as changing lanes. You cannot cross a solid white line and you can cross a broken white line.

Best plan is to accelerate towards the speed limit, bearing in mind the speed of the traffic that you're trying to merge with.

Crucially, indicate early. When a driver in the driving lane sees a car indicating to the right in a merging lane, he knows you're going to merge so *should* adjust speed for you or move out of the lane you will be joining. It takes common sense and cooperation from both sides, so just keep a look out. I usually aim for a gap...accelerating to be level with it and join it. It's very rare that I'd have to re-evaluate and choose another gap.

Mycroft H · 11-09-2010 01:19AM

Rules of the Road

When entering the motorway, exercise care and attention, and yield to traffic on the motorway. You must follow the steps below when joining a motorway.

- Use the acceleration lane to build up your speed before merging into traffic on the motorway.

- Signal early to other motorists that you intend to merge.

- As you approach on the slip road, check in your mirrors and your blind spot for a safe gap in traffic in the left-hand lane of the motorway.

- Obey road signs and road markings.

- Do not drive on hatch markings before merging into traffic on the motorway.

- Give way to traffic already on the motorway.

- Adjust your speed as you join the motorway so you match, as near as possible, the general speed of traffic in that lane.

- Treat each lane change as a seperate manoeuvre. Stay in the left-hand lane long enough to adjust to the speed of traffic before attempting to overtake.

Pretty Simple really

Lemming · 11-09-2010 01:22AM

CiniO wrote: »

It's perfectly legal for them to stay on the left lane.
Even more - it's illegal for them to change lane to right, to let you into the motorway.
I know it's good driving practice, but it's against the law.

Where is it written that changing lane on a motorway to facilitate traffic merging with your lane is illegal?

Typically, any moving right that I have witnessed in the UK (my daily commute is the M1 ... ) with merging traffic has been said traffic moving slower than you; ergo not only are you changing lane to facilitate t heir merging but anticipating overtaking slower moving traffic to your left.

mathepac · 11-09-2010 01:30AM

CiniO wrote: »

... Even more - it's illegal for them to change lane to right, to let you into the motorway.
I know it's good driving practice, but it's against the law. ...

It most certainly is not against the law and in fact failing to change lanes to accommodate traffic merging from the left, where it is possible to do so, may be classed as careless driving.

Your statement also contradicts the information and guidance given by the RSA in their Rules of the Road booklet under the heading "Section 11: Motorways and tunnels".

jaffa20 · 11-09-2010 01:31AM

I wish people would put their foot down and join the motorway at the appropriate speed. The amount of people i see slowing down when merging onto the lane with other cars travelling 100-120kph is ridiculous.

CiniO · 11-09-2010 02:05AM

Lemming wrote: »

Where is it written that changing lane on a motorway to facilitate traffic merging with your lane is illegal?

OK, I just went through ROTR, and found a point about changing lane to allow to accomodate traffic entering the motorway.
I'll check tomorrow what the Road Traffic act and Road Traffic Regulations say about it.
Because sometimes it happens, that ROTR say something different then the acts. And that's the Acts and regulations that apply, not ROTR.

CiniO · 11-09-2010 02:07AM

mathepac wrote: »

It most certainly is not against the law and in fact failing to change lanes to accommodate traffic merging from the left, where it is possible to do so, may be classed as careless driving.

What about trucks and vehicles towing trailers?
They are not legally allowed to travel on right lane (if there's two).

stoneill · 11-09-2010 02:17AM

You should see the antics at the junction of the N4 to M50 south, two lanes sweep around and join onto the M50, with cross hatch makings - nobody pays any heed to them! The amount of times you see cars crossing two, three or even four lanes in one maneuver, it's unbelievable.

mathepac · 11-09-2010 03:21AM

CiniO wrote: »

What about trucks and vehicles towing trailers?
They are not legally allowed to travel on left lane (if there's two).

I'm not sure where you drive or what rules apply there, but for Irish roads this is nonsense.

Esel · 11-09-2010 04:45AM

CiniO wrote: »

What about trucks and vehicles towing trailers?
They are not legally allowed to travel on left lane (if there's two).

mathepac wrote: »

I'm not sure where you drive or what rules apply there, but for Irish roads this is nonsense.

CiniO obviously meant to say 'right lane'.

corktina · 11-09-2010 08:00AM

jeez, its quite simple why do people talk such crap on here?

You accelerate (clue in the name:rolleyes:) to match your speed to the traffic already on the motorway and move into a suitable gap. If you are already on the motorway and have any manners or roadcraft, you make allowances for anyone wishing to merge, adjusting your speed or position if necessary.

Padraig Mor · 11-09-2010 09:02AM

kceire wrote: »

short answer, yes you have to travel the full length.
.

CiniO wrote: »

it's illegal for them to change lane to right, to let you into the motorway.
.

mathepac wrote: »

in fact failing to change lanes to accommodate traffic merging from the left, where it is possible to do so, may be classed as careless driving.".

Wow. One page - so much ignorance.

It ain't that ****ing hard TBH. Mash accelerator, merge across dashed lines at first safe opportunity. Hardly rocket science. You DO NOT wait until the end of the acceleration to barge your way in (unless necessary, and always yielding) - this is your 'last chance' to merge. Traffic in the left lane DOES NOT have to adjust their speed to accomodate you - they have right of way. They also DO NOT have to chhange lanes to give you space - although this is good driving practice where they do not interfere with traffic already in the right hand lane.

Mycroft H · 11-09-2010 09:08AM

TBH its the bullsh!t over two these two pages that makes you wonder if Irish people can drive on the motorway.

Follow the rules of the road - dead simple. There is nothing else to worry about. If your still confused, go talk to a driving instructor and get lessons.

Watch this. It applies to Dual carrigeways and is in england but the same rules and practice applies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX7BFeOCgAQ

**Timbuk2** · 11-09-2010 09:20AM

I found the above video helpful! However, has anybody ever needed to stop because they couldn't see a gap? As a newly qualified driver (full licence for about 4 months) I have driven on many motorways, but usually when I drive on motorways they are large and have very long merging lanes (i.e. there is a long section of the road with a broken white line to merge across) e.g. on the M1 and M4.

However, I was a passenger in the car the other day around Dublin City. The M50 merging lanes are a lot shorter. Even on the M1, some merging lanes are very short, e.g. the airport slip-road heading northbound. It's not that the acceleration lane itself is short, but rather they only have broken white lines at the end for a few metres, so you have to adjust your speed to make sure you arrive there when a gap arrives.

Has anybody ever had any difficult merging on before, either having to stop or continue onto the emergency lane (or hard shoulder in the case of a dual carraigeway)? My thought is that if you stop, it would be very difficult to merge on as traffic on the carraigeway is moving so you would have to look for a very large gap and boot it once you join the dual carraigeway.

11-09-2010 09:29AM

CiniO wrote: »

It's perfectly legal for them to stay on the left lane.
Even more - it's illegal for them to change lane to right, to let you into the motorway.
I know it's good driving practice, but it's against the law.

You must be joking

Where do people get this stuff

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I found the above video helpful! However, has anybody ever needed to stop because they couldn't see a gap? As a newly qualified driver (full licence for about 4 months) I have driven on many motorways, but usually when I drive on motorways they are large and have very long merging lanes (i.e. there is a long section of the road with a broken white line to merge across) e.g. on the M1 and M4.

However, I was a passenger in the car the other day around Dublin City. The M50 merging lanes are a lot shorter. Even on the M1, some merging lanes are very short, e.g. the airport slip-road heading northbound. It's not that the acceleration lane itself is short, but rather they only have broken white lines at the end for a few metres, so you have to adjust your speed to make sure you arrive there when a gap arrives.

Has anybody ever had any difficult merging on before, either having to stop or continue onto the emergency lane (or hard shoulder in the case of a dual carraigeway)? My thought is that if you stop, it would be very difficult to merge on as traffic on the carraigeway is moving so you would have to look for a very large gap and boot it once you join the dual carraigeway.

Yeah it's happened in heavy traffic where a bunch of us were stuck nearly stopped on the slip road trying to merge. Though if the traffic is that heavy, the motorway traffic is generally probably slower anyway so you can merge a bit better. I start looking over my shoulder a bit once I'm on the slip road to gauge what's happening and do I have a better chance if I do xyz
I hit the accelerator to the floor where I can otherwise
And finally, people may be generally stupid on the motorway but a lot of them thankfully seem to have enough etiquette to pull over where they can to let you on

Anan1 · 11-09-2010 09:37AM

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I found the above video helpful! However, has anybody ever needed to stop because they couldn't see a gap? As a newly qualified driver (full licence for about 4 months) I have driven on many motorways, but usually when I drive on motorways they are large and have very long merging lanes (i.e. there is a long section of the road with a broken white line to merge across) e.g. on the M1 and M4.

However, I was a passenger in the car the other day around Dublin City. The M50 merging lanes are a lot shorter. Even on the M1, some merging lanes are very short, e.g. the airport slip-road heading northbound. It's not that the acceleration lane itself is short, but rather they only have broken white lines at the end for a few metres, so you have to adjust your speed to make sure you arrive there when a gap arrives.

Has anybody ever had any difficult merging on before, either having to stop or continue onto the emergency lane (or hard shoulder in the case of a dual carraigeway)? My thought is that if you stop, it would be very difficult to merge on as traffic on the carraigeway is moving so you would have to look for a very large gap and boot it once you join the dual carraigeway.

It's all about advance planning - you have to pick your gap well in advance, and be aware of what is and will be going on all around the car. I'm constantly amazed at the number of people who think they can safely merge without moving their heads at all!

Guy:Incognito · 11-09-2010 09:41AM

irishmotorist wrote: »

Crucially, indicate early. When a driver in the driving lane sees a car indicating to the right in a merging lane, he knows you're going to merge so *should* adjust speed for you or move out of the lane you will be joining. .

The traffic on the motorway should not have to adjust speed or do anything in fact. The driver looking to join should be at the correct speed to merge with tthe traffic .

djimi · 11-09-2010 10:54AM

I see a lot of people say the traffic on the motorway should not have to move, which is technically true. However, I will move into the right hand lane when possible to allow traffic to merge onto a dual carraigeway/motorway; I consider it common courtesy. Is this not considered to be the done thing? Right or wrong, I always consider someone to be a right prick if they persist in driving in the left hand lane with the right hand lane free when Im trying to merge.

Seth Brundle · 11-09-2010 11:19AM

esel wrote: »

CiniO wrote: »

What about trucks and vehicles towing trailers?
They are not legally allowed to travel on left lane (if there's two).

CiniO obviously meant to say 'right lane'.

Even if he did, he is still wrong.
Certain vehicles are not allowed into lane 3 on a 3+ lane motorway (IIRC it doesn't apply to regular dual carriageways)

CiniO · 11-09-2010 11:43AM

esel wrote: »

CiniO obviously meant to say 'right lane'.

Yeah, thats right. Corrected now.
My mistake.

CiniO · 11-09-2010 11:45AM

kbannon wrote: »

Even if he did, he is still wrong.
Certain vehicles are not allowed into lane 3 on a 3+ lane motorway (IIRC it doesn't apply to regular dual carriageways)

They are not allowed on most right lane of the motorway.
If it's 2 lane motorway, so they are only allowed on the left lane.
It's clearly said in rules of the road and road traffic act.

mathepac · 11-09-2010 11:52AM

kbannon wrote: »

Even if he did, he is still wrong...

+1 Section 11 ROTR (see above) details the circumstances when certain vehicles may use the lane(s) closest to the the central median on motorways / dual-carriageways

joining motorway

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