Anybody else find four lane motorways scary?

i had a frightening incident returning across london onto the four lane m40 motorway - i know that cars can overtake both sides in the states and elsewhere but here with lanes each faster than the next, you are supposed to pass on the side which has the faster lane.

an mpv, joining the road maybe, pushed out fast right in front from the wrong/illegal side, - something you just don't do normally but worse he was wreckless, close and at considerable speed.

came across him further up the road, curious to see who had nearly terminated me, i pulled near and signalled to the effect that his behaviour was dangerous and he seemed to apologise but at the same time laugh it off.

i know this sounds like another typical road joust but it was a narrow margin, so tight that i'm looking for other routes that don't involve fast motorway sections where these lane switching characters seem to lurk.

It puts you off riding, on motorways i reckon it is safer to go as fast as you are allowed to keep clear of the lane changing that goes on when people leave at the last minute or join in an impatient way.

well, rant over -comments welcome, oh i'm a careful motorcyclist incidentally not a car driver myself.

Re: Anybody else find four lane motorways scary?

Any motorway is scary to me Ian .......

Re: Anybody else find four lane motorways scary?

I don't mind motorways, at least everyone is going in the same direction........well, usually !

Re: Anybody else find four lane motorways scary?

I hate motorways with a passion too many people not understanding they are driving a lethal weapon.

Re: Anybody else find four lane motorways scary?

I can manage the straight bits of motorway, even the 4 lane sections, and simple slip roads & roundabouts, but those large multi - lane roundabouts terrify me. And they seem to be getting more common.

When I have a long distance to drive I try to go at night. It's quieter and you can always have a rest/coffee/pee at a service station
Because I know I'll be out all night anyway there's no rush or pressure. I just cruise along in the inside lane minding my own business

I have yet to encounter the tidal or managed sections if the motorways around Birmingham, and I must admit, I'm not looking forward to it

Re: Anybody else find four lane motorways scary?

my general impression of the m25, of which i do about 180 degrees regularly on a motorbike is...

expect no signals, random lane switching, last minute decisions to exit the motorway, joining traffic to abruptly push out or drive very slow

if i cut through london it isn't much better, worse is the old kent road where anything goes and things can get competitive

i suppose the fact is that the roads are crowded. people are in a hurry or under pressure and really it can become a cut throat free for all where mad behaviour rules because others back off

contrast this to trips to the south west across country and the only real worry there are those that drift out of side roads but i can live with that

on those big roundabouts it is difficult to know what lane to go for, i say out as much as sensibly and practically possible even though turning right, this seems to take some of the angst out of it. i often reinforce intentions with hand signals.

Re: Anybody else find four lane motorways scary?

Any motorway driving is likely to be a poo making pastime but my "local" one is the M20. Its always awash with foreign artics. Croatian, Spanish, Polish and many more. All just arrived from or returning to Dover. So many times I have been almost wiped out when overtaking one of these trucks as he decides to swerve out into the centre lane without signalling and probably without looking in the mirrors. For sheer volume of traffic the M25 but for the majority of lunatic lorry drivers it has to be the M20.

Re: Anybody else find four lane motorways scary?

Ian you are not alone, I rarely venture onto the motorways these days I find them too stressful .

There was a time when at certain times of the day the motorways were almost empty. When I used to drive my son to Uni in Nottingham at 5am not that many years ago all I saw was the occasional large delivery lorry and a few cars.
Now they are always full day or night and it is like being on the dogem cars with motorists steering around each other in and out of lanes at high speed.

Re: Anybody else find four lane motorways scary?

I learned to drive in London so theres not a lot that scares me but the Paris ring road is an exception,, cars join at 80mph across four lanes and exit again 200yrds further up the criss crossing at speed with only the horn as indicator of movement, direction change and annoyance is mindboggeling.

Re: Anybody else find four lane motorways scary?

I watched a show on Catch Up last night called Car Crash Britain. Most of the dash cam videos seemed to come from Russia, cos the narrator Chris Barrie was 'totting' up crash damages in Roubles. Well, at the same time as being spooked I was laughing hysterically!!

For bad drivers, I would like to put forward the nomination of Russians!