26 Motorway Driving - UK motorway driving for advanced, new & learner drivers

[@mrannymus]

Thanks for this Reg. would love a short commentary video on the motorway. On urban roads I’m good at commentary and anticipation but on motorways I feel like I am a few seconds slower, reacting rather than anticipating sometimes. Maybe I need to learn a few observation links?

[@KiritKanaga1]

When will you upload the video on managed (smart) motorways ?

[@alistairbrown1846]

Another great video, and I look forward to seeing your tips for autobahn driving. I'd also really like to see a video on dual carriageway driving, as the speeds can be just as high but the hazards are greater. I find joining a busy, fast dual carriageway with a short slip lane to be one of the more challenging things in driving, something that the majority of drivers seem to struggle with.

[@claytonhayward5815]

Thanks Reg, always useful to have a reminder to everyone on lane discipline - seems to be a forgotten art.

[@mgprewett]

Another enjoyable and informative video, although I'd be interested to see a video made on motorways in the SE, perhaps on the M3, M4, or M25 where the weight of traffic is much, much heavier than shown here, and where undertaking, tailgating, and lane 2 and 3 use by vehicles doing significantly below the limit seem to be the norm.

[@lukekelly9616]

Undertaking is the norm and nothing illegal about it.

[@politedriver8794]

Good on Reg, pity about the 99% of driver out there who don't understand all this and don't bother to learn.

[@jakehammond7972]

Hello Reg. what is the advanced driving organisations point of view in regards to adaptive cruise control and blind spot monitoring kind regards

[@dashcamduo253]

Just opened up a Christmas present- Reg locals how not to crash and advanced driving ! Love it !

[@RegLocal]

Haha! Happy Christmas! Hope you enjoy the books!!

[@joelloyd2025]

I always indicate a lane change . Moving out and moving back in. If you change lanes indicate. It's just being curtious and is safer I feel.

[@kennethbanks6487]

thanks Reg excellent coverage but I don't recall you mentioning the two Chevron apart rule. Ken

[@RegLocal]

Thats because I didn’t mention it Ken.

[@richardclarke376]

wow do UK motorways still have emergency telephone boxes?

[@markogilvie5695]

Another excellent video Reg.👍👍

[@LeRoiDelaRue]

Once again, great stuff Reg, thank you. What about the problems with potholes and or pre pothole dips on mostly lane number one? I had to stop at Buttonwood a couple of months ago to report one that we narrowly avoided, must have been at least 6 inches deep. I find myself traveling just to the left of white lane marker line as it's better than having to make adjustments at the last second with it's potential for panicking other vehicles behind or alongside obviously. Do you think that maybe why many drivers elect to travel in lane two, especially on older motorways like the 6 and 62?

[@rngDeadEye]

Lane discipline of most other drivers is the primary reason for me going for my advanced driving license. M25 is 4 lanes and drivers sit in lane 3. That's 5 lanes I have to cross to get past. Question though, is it ever ok to stay and pass in lane 1 in this example?

[@stephenbagwell8275]

The distances on the blue signs on the M6 are not from the start of the motorway they carry on from the M1

[@lukekelly9616]

Hi Reg, what's the law on overtaking on left. In lane 1 car A is doing 65mph, lane 2 is slowing down to 55 - 60mph, can car A legally pass lane 2? Driving instructors seem to dodge this question.

[@lukekelly9616]

@@Stephen0988 Thanks for or your advice, (Do Not) . But I am looking for the law on passing on left, (Must Not)

[@billyporter1389]

@@Stephen0988 Link???

[@tomsixsix]

@@Stephen0988 Undertaking is acceptable if the individual in the right hand lane does not move over, in my opinion, but I always give them plenty of opportunity to do so (and if lane 3 is free, I use that; but on two lane dual carriageways, I *will* undertake if needed)

[@karan2shane]

Hi Reg. I had a smart motorway question I was hoping you could help with (variable speed limits). If I pass a gantry displaying a reduced speed limit of 50, but after that all future gantries for a few miles are blank/ so not display any sign (not even NSL) then do I continue at 50, or do I go up to NSL? I always prefer to stay at 50 but then everyone around me goes back to 70 and then I’m more of a hazard on the road going at the lower speed. In this scenario, could I be flashed by a blank gantry for going 60, Or does the gantry need to be displaying a visible speed limit for it to be able to flash me for 60. (This all assumes I’m not going over 70 at any point, as then of course I know I’m at a risk of being flashed). Thank you

[@bigcreator]

Would be more interesting to see a video on slower vehicles using the motorway, it in my oppinion it far harder, the lane changes have to be more acurate and planned, singals have to be earlier well seen and it overall uses alot more advanced techniques than at 70mph+.

[@lenwoodman9442]

Another good one - and Merry Christmas.Learners on motorways - good in UK that they can do so with an ADI. They are allowed on our excuses for Motorways here in Oz - but in NSW they are limited to 90 km/h (56mph). That limit also applies for one year after passing the driving test, then it's two years at 100 km/h. This is so stupid - try getting a learner to slip/fit into lane one when those already there are travelling at 110 km/h or 100 km/h for trucks. Also when in lane one at 90 km/h trucks (including B-Doubles, or double artics) take all day to get past - very scary for learners!Also passing on the left is legal where there are lanes marked - so trying to keep a safe following distance and preparing to overtake is forever exasperated by speeding undertakers.Len, Sydney

[@Flossie1985]

Learning how to drive should be about learning how to fit in with everyone else. In the UK you could fail your test for not making sufficient progress and that includes driving unnecessarily slowly as well as hesitance and not taking opportunities to move away at junctions. You have to show you can drive at higher speeds and not hold up traffic while not losing control of your car or making dangerous mistakes. There is an option to display green L or P plates when you've just passed your test but that encourages the "Must overtake" attitude that red L plates do. I think it's safer to blend in when you've passed your test and not mark yourself out for bullying, so I opted not to bother with the new driver plates. Compelling new drivers to display new driver plates and limiting them to lower speeds puts them at risk because it makes people feel compelled to take risks to overtake them.

[@lenwoodman9442]

Exactly - and here we have a living example - P 'platers' are also targeted by some police and they can lose their licence for three months for one speeding offence! But some road safety ex-spurt sold the idea to the government!

[@Flossie1985]

In the UK it only takes half the number of licence points to lose your licence for the first two years. Two speeding offences or one mobile phone offence. Someone I went to school with got caught in a speed check on her way to school only a couple of days after passing her driving test. Lots of new drivers now are wasting their licences by losing them through one mobile phone offence, which is silly on their part really because they know they shouldn't be using their phones while driving.

[@billfisken9401]

Thanks Reg, excellent as always. Just one question - what's your thoughts on shoulder checks just prior to changing lanes? I always thought they should be carried out but that wasn't apparent from the POV camera shots.

[@RegLocal]

Hi Bill, I like to carry out shoulder checks on entering the motorway, when changing lanes to the right for the FIRST time on your journey and just before moving left into an off-slip. I don’t think they’re always necessary once you’re on the motorway if your mirror checks are frequent enough and thorough enough. If you’re not confident with your rear observations, however, a shoulder check is always an option & absolutely necessary on a motorbike.

[@billfisken9401]

Okay, that's helpful - thank you. Hope you enjoyed Amsterdam!

[@notmaireelneim]

Thanks for another great video, Reg. I'm looking forward to seeing how fast that BMW goes on the autobahn. Do you reckon you'll crack 180mph?

[@aviationlba747]

Are you mad? This is a BMW M135i, it wouldn’t get any where near 180mph!

[@richardclarke376]

nope

[@bp19870]

Sorry, but why no signal on lane changes?

[@dom24363]

Suppose you are in Lane 1 doing 70mph. Motorway is clear ahead of you in Lane 1 but Lane 2 has a vehicle travelling at a steady 60-65. The traditional middle-lane hogger. The Highway Code does not say you MUST NOT undertake so is it ok to do so or better to move into Lane 3 to overtake?

[@pingu393]

Interested in Reg's reply. I was once told that an "overtake" involves a lane change [wink].

[@jerrygardner2473]

you would carry on making good progress in lane 1,pay careful attention to the car & driver in lane 2,looking out for head movements or any sign of the driver making a direction change, as they could react to you passing inside in lane 1, no need to move into lane 3 to overtake,this is all perfectly legal & proper. although driver in lane 2 is possibly guilty of using lane 2 improperly.

[@lukekelly9616]

dombo63 Stay in lane one. It is not an offence and don't believe the b's you will get from self appointed expert's.

[@lukekelly9616]

@@Stephen0988 if theres a hogger in lane 4 doing 50mph are you saying I'll be done for dangerous or careless driving if I pass the hogger in lane 1? Congested or not there is no law that says I am breaking any rule by passing on inside.. ALL of Rule 268 is advisory. In certain situations it is good advise. Having to make multi lane changes is bad advise.

[@lukekelly9616]

@@Stephen0988 Yes I have used a 4 lane motorway. Don't you have them in UK? I believe you even have 4 lane duel carraigeways ( non motorways) You said .... " How about a three-lane motorway and the usual three lane sitter you should move out and use lane three. As you've used "should" rather than "must" you are only giving advise. When you come on here and make a comment yet cannot back it up maybe you shouldn't be arguing. www.bikerandbike.co.uk/undertaking-is-not-illegal/

[@SerenaBluee]

Hi Reg, is there any chance you could cover driving in very densely populated areas such as larger cities? I have recently moved to London from the north west and would very much appreciate some coverage of busy city driving. x

[@TR4man]

Why do you not use your indicators when changing lane on the motorway?

[@johnhawkes5375]

Drives a BMW regularly :D In fairness, In many cases a signal can be dispensed with, simply by providing yourself with enough space around other traffic - essentially creating a large enough area that you actions shouldn't matter to other drivers. I find in most cases where people don't use the indicator, both observing as a driver and a passenger, they allow / there is more space between them and others, not counting idiots. Personally, I dislike the habit of not using indicators - especially as many cars now come with single click indicators that just give 3 or 4 blinks without needing to manually cancel for signalling lane changes.

[@lenwoodman9442]

In NSW signals are always required by law - so almost all drivers fail to give proper signals because there's no law to say a driver must look and think before changing course! I did 2800 miles in England and Wales in October - what a relief and a pleasure to drive in places where even the idiots are good drivers!

[@Flossie1985]

For a nation of people who are supposed to be laid back, the Australians are surprisingly uptight about petty laws. Step by step laws on the process of driving take away the imperative for people to actually think about what's around them and what they themselves are doing.

[@CUsoonOK]

Actually in Reg's video there several instances where he should have signalled his intentions for the benefit of other road users but didn't. This is a very common failing of motorway users - particularly the "Speed Merchants". Surely much preferable to make your intentions clear to everyone than occasionally signal on an empty road at midnight !!

[@SuperVitz]

Typical BMW driver! The notion that "it won't benefit other road users" is rubbish. If there is a chance of even just ONE road user nearby, you should indicate. Helps them plan what they are doing and also shows that you are making an intentional lane change, not just drifting over. Just my opinion.