Learning to drive: would you make changes?

There are also some places that are quite far from the nearest motorway, so making everyone do lessons on motorways might not be practical.

That is the problem. However there are often dual carriageways that can be more challenging than motorways and a good place to get experience with a qualified instructor.

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I agree with Malcolm on the advantages of learning to drive on dual carriageways. While they have the same speed limits as motorways they are more difficult in a number of ways: they allow several other classes of vehicles to use them [including mobility scooters and bicycles] so additional observation and driving skills are required; the lanes are often narrower and fewer so there is less space to move in; the slip roads are usually shorter and have more difficult geometry and gradients; there are occasional right-turns involving crossing the contra carriageway; there are fewer multi-level grade-separated interchanges meaning more surface-level roundabouts; direction signs are smaller or closer to the exits; and they also have lay-bys from which vehicles can suddenly emerge. I consider dual-carriageway driving more demanding than motorway driving,

Living in a rural area with many long miles of single carriageway major roads the part I like least is overtaking slower moving vehicles, like trucks and caravans, especially when they see it as a challenge. Compared with that, driving on a fairly straight and level motorway with long visibility is comfortable.

All driving tests now include a section on a 70 mph dual carriageway; this has only become practical recently as test centres have been relocated away from town and city centres to places near by-passes and dual carriageway trunk roads.

About two or three years ago [I think] the Driving Standards Agency stopped publishing the test routes on their driving test centre websites and introduced more independent driving [self navigation by following the road signs] as a component of the test. I do not know how this affected the pass rate but it probably caused the driving instructors to rework their tuition methods substantially with less of the “take the third exit” – that is available on satnav nowadays but we still have to be able to drive with confidence and self-assurance without such aids.

Since making a three-point turn is virtually impossible on most roads nowadays – because of increased traffic and the presence of parked vehicles – this forms a much less significant feature of the test. Parallel parking is no longer a test imperative and advances in vehicle technology, even in small and cheap cars, are making it a less essential technique.

@wavechange I agree with you here. I am currently a learner and my driving test is coming up soon. I am terrified to even think about going on a motorway. If a motorway route was incorporated into my lessons then I don’t think I’d have this kind of fear.

Anika, have no fear. Motorways may seem daunting but in fact they’re a great deal easier than the average road in a city to drive. The speed is the one thing that concerns folks, but you can rive in the nearside lane until you become habituated to the speed and, as your confidence increases, you’ll happily want to try overtaking and other sundry manoeuvres.

Anika – If your instructor gives you plenty of experience on dual carriageway trunk roads where the speed limit is 70 mph you will gain all the experience you need to drive confidently on a motorway. The alignments and junctions on motorways are so much better, the signs, markings and indicators are so much clearer, and in general I would say that the other traffic is more disciplined. If you can cope with [and pass your driving test on] a two-lane dual carriageway with no hard shoulder and almost everything going at its maximum permitted speed there’s not much more that a motorway can throw at you. You don’t have to make your first motorway trip in the rush hour on a wet night! I am sure your instructor would be pleased to give you some motorway experience after you have passed your test – if not before if you can fit it in. Best of luck.

Hi Anika – The best time to make your first ventures onto motorways are when they are quiet. The signs are much better than on many roads and each junction has a number, so it’s difficult to take the wrong turning, though it’s important to get into the correct lane as soon as possible.

At busy times you are likely to be ‘tailgated’ and being closely followed by a car is quite intimidating. The risk can be minimised is to move to the left and allow other vehicles to overtake.

I hope your test goes well.

Thank you Ian and John. I appreciate the words of advice. Luckily, after years of searching, I have found a driving instructor that is calm and teaches me how to calm my anxiety on going 70mph. I didn’t realise that going on a motorway would be quite similar to a dual carriage way. Ian, I have tried overtaking on a couple of lessons and have overtaken a number of learner drivers too (I’m sure they were as anxious as me)

On every road at the moment I’m tailgated which has actually helped me on my road awareness, Wavechange. I will definitely try to go on a motorway during quiet periods. I’m going to try and avoid it the best I can at first and use John’s suggestion of going on dual carriage ways more first.

Thanks for the advice. Hopefully I pass my test in no time. 🙂

If I do have to travel on a motorway at busy times I sometimes head for the nearside lane, in convoy with the HGVs. As long as you are travelling at the same speed as them you are unlikely to be tailgated. You can then watch those in the other lanes exceed the speed limit and overtake on the left. 🙁

Please be aware that the maximum on a dual carriage way is 70 mph but is not always the speed allowed. we have a dual carriage way between Stafford and Stoke on Trent that is only maximum 60 mph posted for most of its length but with sections of 50 mph And 40 mph as the posted speed.

There are many dual carriageways with speed limits lower than the national maximum speed, usually because they are in urban areas or along residential roads, on the approach to roundabouts, or where there are T-junctions without entry and exit ramps. Gradients and curvature also determine maximum speeds. The most important point to remember is that dual-carriageways cater for all classes of traffic unless any particular type [e.g. bicycles] is specifically prohibited and provided with an alternative route.

A good instructor will ensure that the pupil has a range of experiences as you suggest, although if the tuition takes place in the summer time it is unlikely to include any night driving.

I agree with your points, Fran. The more experience you can gain the better prepared you will be, both for the test and when you venture onto the roads alone. I have often wondered if having ridden a bike or motorcycle does make you a safer car driver but I’m sure it helped me.

As John says, it would be difficult to get experience of night driving in the dark during summer, but once you have had some tuition from an instructor it’s worth getting some driving practice with someone who has been driving for a few years. It’s also a way of gaining experience driving other cars. To supervise a Learner, a driver has to be over 21 and anyone planning to do this should check their insurance cover since the ‘excess’ is likely to be greater.

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I had been driving for a few years before buying a motorbike but riding the bike made me much more aware of the need to look out for those on two wheels.

It was the other way round for me, Duncan. I failed my first car test at the age of 17 because neither me nor my father* was aware of new rules for roundabouts, which were not covered in my copy of the Highway Code. After failing me, the examiner pointed out a notice pinned up in the waiting room. The motorbike test went well and the examiner was complimentary.

*In the late 60s it was not necessary to have lessons from a driving instructor and like many people at the time I was taught by a member of my family.

Another biker here. I took my motorbike tests almost 20 years after obtaining my car licence and it gave me a whole new perspective on being on the road. I would thoroughly support any proposal to make the CBT part of the Driving Test.

My instructor was an ex-Police motorcycle instructor and he gave me a book called ‘Motorcycle Roadcraft – The Police Riders Handbook’, which I would recommend to anyone looking to enhance their technique. I believe there is a version for car drivers too.

…never mind 18, how about 21 or 25?

The only lessons I had were with my father but most people seem to agree that it’s a good idea to have some lessons with a driving instructor.

Welcome back Bishbut.