Another driving advice question (1 Viewer)

Wizbangs

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Nov 8, 2011
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I'm a competent driver in a car with 70,000 miles a year not unusual. However I am struggling in the MH with pulling out into the middle lane on motorways. I seem to get stuck behind slow traffic, with other vehicles streaming by and no space for me to pull out to overtake. This also really worries me with large slow vehicles coming on from slip roads, if I have nowhere to go. :Eeek: I try to see how the lorries do it, but hey, who is going to argue with a lorry.

Mary
 

callumwa

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Jan 16, 2011
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If there is a good safe gap, pull out and overtake.

If not, just ease the pedal, go with the flow, even if it's a slow flow, chill and think of where you want to take the next pit stop...


It's just Fun, so no hurry, relax and enjoy...............:thumb::thumb:


::bigsmile:
 

vwalan

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Sep 23, 2008
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pay and have a day with a hgv instructor in your vehicle .
i think every m,homer should go on a driving course .
its not quite like driving a car .
look local there will be one close by .

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camocam1

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Aug 28, 2012
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I also do large milage in the car and have no problem on motorways but also find it difficult in the MH but do find that it is a different mind set in a MH so take your time and get wherever you are going safely
 
Feb 22, 2008
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You need to plan further ahead, don't wait until you close on the vehicle ahead, look for the gap and move out well in advance.
I drive an RV which is not as quick off the mark as a eurovan and rarely have a problem :thumb:
 
Jul 29, 2011
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Anticipation is the main thing. I am in cruise and dont want to come of cruise.
So i have to be watching ahead and behind, making my move to overtake well in advance. Try not to get hemmed in, depends on how heavy the traffic is.
But at the end of the day i drive more relaxed in the MH than i do in my car, no rush to get there.

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Carol

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Oct 2, 2007
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We find that we use a completely different approach in the van, we cruise in the inside lane at 55/60 mph quite happily letting every one else do the rushing, if we see a hill ahead we wait for a gap and pull out get past the slower vehicles, then pull back in, gives you a much more relaxed journey than doing battle in the outside lanes and in the end the time of the journey is not much different.

Now in the car that's a different story :Eeek:
 

old-mo

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When you need to pull out of the inside lane to get past slower vehicles..

As said above... and

I stick my indicator on and keep your eye on my mirror...

Some one will eventually flash their headlights at you so that you can pull out... or traffic will pull into the out side lane if clear to let you out..

Just keep an eye on your mirror... not all drivers are bad.. :thumb:
 

greygit

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Aug 11, 2009
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We find that we use a completely different approach in the van, we cruise in the inside lane at 55/60 mph quite happily letting every one else do the rushing, if we see a hill ahead we wait for a gap and pull out get past the slower vehicles, then pull back in, gives you a much more relaxed journey than doing battle in the outside lanes and in the end the time of the journey is not much different.

Now in the car that's a different story :Eeek:

And you use a lot less diesel, in the van anyway. :winky:

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Nov 6, 2008
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If you are gaining on slower traffic ahead in lane one, signal in plenty of time and keep a good eye on your mirrors, someone will let you out, or move over a lane.
Sometimes a gentle 'hint' that you are moving out will alert someone to give you space too.
Look far ahead and anticipate the traffic movements, i.e. a vehicle emerging from a slip road gives you plenty of time to assess his speed and what action you need to take. If he is markedly slower than you, will you be past him before he enters the main MW?
If your speeds are similar, start signalling to move over. If a long line of vehicles are on the slip, signal and be ready to move over, and if speedy man is flying, he will be long gone before you reach the end of the slip road.
Anticipation, and speed judgement are the key points. Knowing what is happening behind you is as important to knowing what is in front of you. If you have someone gaining on you from behind, you should be able to judge their speed and act accordingly.
Is he going to pass you before you need to move over? Is he going to be at the side of you? or is he going to be still well back? It's no good getting behind a slower vehicle and expecting to pull over at the last minute. You should know when you are gaining and plan well ahead. Equally you should know who is gaining from behind, either quickly, or slowly. No point getting behind a slower vehicle, then looking in your mirror and seeing a vehicle just behind you and slowing down to let him past, if he has been at the same speed as you for the last twenty miles.
A lot of these 'I cannot get into lane two' situations are caused by members of the middle lane owners club, who manage to get into lane two, and sit there, causing a mobile chicane, with no intentions of straying from that lane until it is time to come off the MW. With their selfish idea that they can overtake anything in lane one, and others can overtake me in lane three. And a gathering of few members of the MLOC, creates a caterpillar in the centre of the MW, resulting in the 'I cannot get into lane two' situation.
Members of the MLOC should be stopped, and shot on the spot!
I am a firm believer that motorway instruction, AND a test should be part of driving instruction, only available after 12 months from passing the initial driving test.

Craig
 

june123

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Jul 12, 2012
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I drive our Burstner with no problem in England even though it's a manual and I'm now more used to an automatic. But when I drove in France recently I was giving my partner a nervous breakdown so after about 50 miles I gave up and he took over all the driving from then on. He seemed to thinkI was always driving over the central white line. I think he just felt more vulnerable in the passenger seat in a right hand drive. You do get the feeling that all the oncoming traffic is driving right at you and you are going to clip mirrors at least..

To prevent ww3 breaking out I am no longer a motorhome driver. (Didn 't enjoy it much anyway.)

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voyagerstan

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Aug 7, 2011
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be carefull with headlight flashing in europe it indicates the exact oposite to what it meen in the uk . as has been stated signal mirror manouver . :pray: simples .:Doh: stan
 

Scout

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Apr 4, 2009
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get used to using the bottom mirror as well as the main one, takes a while to realise how much info you get from it thats differant to the upper one
 

pappajohn

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drive like a London cabbie.......No indicators, no mirrors, just pull out :winky:

But seriously, think ahead, you don't need to be just 1 meter behind the slower vehicle to pull out
Start planning your move, and indicating, 100 meters or more in advance and you stand more chance of pulling out before having to reduce speed.

As for traffic joining the road, they are responsible for finding a gap to join safely, not you having to allow a gap.
 

Shuggy68

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Apr 25, 2012
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cant believe the question

sorry mary u say u do 70000 miles in a car but u don't know the procedures on a motorway?there should be no different in driving a car or a motorhome.to answer your question if your on the motorway and a truck car or any other machine wants to come on the motorway u have the right of way but it is courteous to pull over if safe to do so if u still don't know maybe u need an refresher course but u say u do 70000 miles in the car a year.be safe.:Doh:

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Wizbangs

Wizbangs

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Nov 8, 2011
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Thanks all for your brilliant input once again. Forward planning it is and maybe being a bit more selfish. It's my road too.

BMW, here's a true story. Back in 2006 is, a friend here in MK asked me to help her out in her lorry driver agency. One of the drivers I met from there seemed like a nice guy and as I passed lorries I would wonder if it was him. We all met socially and I discovered something horrifying about this guy.

He regularly spent 5 or 6 concurrent 24 hour shifts behind the wheel and openly bragged about it. He had several cards to cheat the tacos, not that I understood anything about that. He took catnaps and had trained himself to wake up to the sound of his tires hitting the road paint or cats eyes. After that, whenever I passed a lorry I would think OMG I wonder if it's him! Needless to say I walked away from the business and the friendship. To this day I regret not reporting him to the police.
 

sdc77

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Jan 28, 2013
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Some great advice here for people unfamiliar with larger vehicles and as was pointed out the underlying principles of vision, acceleration sense and lane discipline are the same no matter what vehicle you are in. My better half isn't keen on driving ours and I'm no good at helping her as she sees my advice as meddling and she looses concentration.
Wouldn't it be good if the c&cc offered short familiarisation courses like they do with towing.
Hgv instruction would be good but very expensive at Hgv rates tbh
 
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Wizbangs

Wizbangs

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Nov 8, 2011
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Four years
sorry mary u say u do 70000 miles in a car but u don't know the procedures on a motorway?there should be no different in driving a car or a motorhome.to answer your question if your on the motorway and a truck car or any other machine wants to come on the motorway u have the right of way but it is courteous to pull over if safe to do so if u still don't know maybe u need an refresher course but u say u do 70000 miles in the car a year.be safe.:Doh:

I know the procedures. However, to me there is a vast difference between driving a car which has much greater acceleration and maneuverability and driving a large MH. In a car, should I need to get out of trouble fast, (god forbid) I know I can. A MH takes me a longer time to thought process, more to calculate and assess, whereas in my car it is totally instinctive. The skill will come in time, I am sure. I no longer do high mileage, but at least I am not what I call a Sunday driver, toodling along at 45-50 everywhere.... now they drive me absolutely mad.

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vwalan

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Sep 23, 2008
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i,m sure a day or two could be arranged at most hgv schools . be the best money you have ever spent . ask anyone that as done a course . you learn so much . after all you can drive . you only need a different thought process.
 
Aug 30, 2012
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Driving a motorhome is not like driving a modern car at all a bloody modern car is easy loads of power low centre of gravity reactive steering good vision all round
A motor home is a sluggish tank and you have to actually drive with your wits
No hard look forward look backwards listen anticipate
Just like a old car or for us lot a old truck
It's just a different style of driving and sometime you have to push to get what you want not easy if you nervous of scratching your pride and joy
Time and practise is all it takes
Or stick your hand in your pocket and get a few lesions you just may surprise yourself and learn something

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Mar 22, 2011
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Since Feb 2013….2nd Van
As previously mentioned keeping your distance from the vehicle in front. By increasing the distance between you and the vehicle in front, you extend your forward view, this then allows you to plan your manoeuvres in good time and thus prevents you having to react in panic.

Every time a vehicle overtakes you and slots into that gap, adjust your speed to allow the gap to open again. Do it in a gradual, natural way, so that your not causing vehicles to brake behind you. That gap is your safety zone and your way out of danger if something happens ahead.

Also note the 1 mile and 1/2 mile marker boards on M/Ways. Each time you see them, you should start preparing for that upcoming hazard.

Safe Driving

Jmn
 
Aug 27, 2009
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Anticipation is the main thing. I am in cruise and dont want to come of cruise.
So i have to be watching ahead and behind, [HI]making my move to overtake well in advance.[/HI] Try not to get hemmed in, depends on how heavy the traffic is.
But at the end of the day i drive more relaxed in the MH than i do in my car, no rush to get there.
Dont get me wrong, I totally agree with your driving philosophy but do you sometimes find that the lane marshals object to you moving out into the middle lane "in there opinion" too soon. :winky:
 
Aug 27, 2009
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Hertfordshire
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drive like a London cabbie.......No indicators, no mirrors, just pull out :winky:

But seriously, think ahead, you don't need to be just 1 meter behind the slower vehicle to pull out
Start planning your move, and indicating, 100 meters or more in advance and you stand more chance of pulling out before having to reduce speed.

As for traffic joining the road, they are responsible for finding a gap to join safely, not you having to allow a gap.
Not too soon though or you will become a middle lane hog:Smile:

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Aug 27, 2009
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Hertfordshire
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And risk a fine. :Sad:
The law is an ass....would you believe the new danger on motorways since the law was broadcast is idiot drivers now to scared to stay in the middle lane for fear of being nicked, is to cut into the inside lane far to soon then slow down:Doh:
I have recently driven on the M25 and the M1 and experience the same problem. Drivers who would normally stay in the middle lane now swerve in far too soon then ease off the gas while they check if anyone noticed them in the middle lane. I wouldn't allow them to sit on my lawnmower.:RollEyes:

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