when there are no signs on slip roads to dual carridgeways..

[billy]

hello, im new to the forum.im 23 years old & iv spent 4 years in the centre of london doing the black cab london knoweldge. as a result, iv spent little time on motorways and dual carridgeways, and am about to do an advanced driving test!

anyway id like to ask some of you advanced drivers about somthing im unsure on and a little embarressed to ask..here goes.

when entering a dual carridgeway/motorway there are usually signs, indicating that the slip road ends, and you must merge with lane 1, or if it will continue into its own designated lane. iv noticed that a few slip roads dont have signs specifying this. the other day i merged straight into lane one assuming the slip would end, as there was no sign that it actually continued into its own lane(checked on gmaps; there was defo no sign). I did this on the assumption that if there is no sign that the slip continues, then the slip road ends, and you MUST give way...
so for my inexperience, would any of you more experienced drivers be able to enlighten me as to what i should have picked up on, so that when the sign doesnt tell me i will know in future; weather the slip becomes another lane or i have to merge with other traffic.... or is there no solution!
thanks for your time. and any replies appreciated. atb Billy

[Gareth]

Can you say where it was, so we can go look on Google Maps and better understand what you saw?

[CBRXX]

Hi Billy,

You mention that you're doing an advanced test; have you done any advanced traing in preparation for this test? If so, who with?

n

[billy]

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=South+Wo ... ut+(Stop+H)&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=51.60104,-0.017209&panoid=y-WUPYLZ2arUuIa3_g3S5Q&cbp=12,338.95,,0,4.05

this is a link to an example gareth, but i cant find THE example as im confused where it was now. it was on the a406 somwhere. anyway the example shows no sign that the slip onto the dual carriageway continues as its own lane, which is why i merged onto the next lane and ended up in the wrong lane.... have a feeling i really should know this and how to tell which is a slip and which is a contiuing lane, without the signs. hope it helps in clarifying what i mean.

crbxx- im due to do some advanced taxi training. i should mention its a test in a black cab which is probabyly a bit different from a standard advanced driving test... definately need it, i spent so much time in the city, but the test is out in the suburbs, hence my novice questions.

thanks for your replies

[kfae8959]

I think I'm missing something in your question. It's rare for slip roads not to afford a view onto the main road they're joining, otherwise they wouldn't do the job they're designed for. Even when they're uphill, the view generally opens up long before drivers of joining vehicles need to make any final decisions. Could you not have seen the road layout ahead before you made your decision?

David

[CBRXX]

Billy, I think the best thing you can do is employ the services of an Advanced Driving Instructor for a short while. Explain your difficulty and the ADI will take you out and show you how to best handle the situation. It'll not take long and it'll not cost you too much.

Alternatively, make contact with your local IAM or RoSPA group. They may try to sell you a course ;O) but it's worth having a chat and explaining your problem. If the group's a good one (they are all decent people) they will organise and conduct an 'assessment' and help you sort matters out.

[Jack Russell]

Motorways generally show signs for lane gain or merge, or if there's a 2 lane 'on slip' they may indicate a combination of one lane gaining and the other merging.

It does appear that your NCR example has no sign to say merge or gain.

So the key is observation and put in to your driving plan (what you intend to to next) a clause to check on approach 'gain or merge?', don't rely and seeing the sign but take in what you actually see. Try and handle it so you've space all round so can merge if the worst case should happen which is the gain suddenly ends.

....but to be frank if you are observing fully nothing should end or happen suddenly.

Good luck.

PS if you later find the actual road do post it. Living in East Barnet I often go on the NCR and think the subject of its affect on its users is deeper than 'Rocket Science'

[MikeG]

Hi Billy,

I've put some links for the M18 Thurscoe junction which may be the sort of thing you refer to.

1). The approach slip with the normal motorway merge signs. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=https:%2 ... 79.16,,0,0

2). Further along the same slip. In the distance you can see where L2 of the slip merges with the motorway. At this time there is no mention that L1of the slip becomes the 4th lane of the m/way up to the Worksop off slip. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=https:%2 ... 79.16,,0,0

3). L1 of the slip becomes L1 of m/way making 4 lanes. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=https:%2 ... 79.16,,0,0

4). Sign for the Worksop exit. If you look at the lane markings they are longer than normal lane markers indicating this lane ends after the next junction. These lane lines could be the info you are looking for. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=https:%2 ... ,,0,0&z=19


Mike

[PeterE]

Motorways generally show signs for lane gain or merge, or if there's a 2 lane 'on slip' they may indicate a combination of one lane gaining and the other merging.

Actually I would say that most "normal" motorway junctions where the slip road merges into Lane 1 don't have any kind of sign - see here, for example. If unfamiliar with the layout, I would always assume this to be the case unless signs say otherwise.

[billy]

thanks everyone for all your replies , thats really cleared a lot up for me in my mind.... lot more practice i guess, and perhaps an advanced driving course on the cards..great forum! thanks again all