Motorway driving course

Some great advice here - makes me think as I often think I prefer M-ways as you don't have to worry about directions, as long as you know which junction to get off at, but I agree about "bullying" HGV drivers. I know they have deadlines to meet and I know that they are experienced (I think) but I do worry about their field of vision when they are LH drive vehicles and I hate it when one of them tries to overtake another on a hill (!)and the only way past is to brave the fast lane and floor the accelerator! I really don't like going too fast and left to my own devices would be quite happy to tootle along in the inside lane at 60mph which would also be economical on fuel! It is wonderful when there are no or very few lorries as happened at Christmas. In Germany commercial HGVs can't use the Autobahn on Sundays, I understand, what a good idea that would be here.

IAM Skill for Life course is spread over six months - all for £139!

DriveCheck55 is £35

phoenix - the answer to your question as to how much it costs is .........wait for it........£329! - for a day course - I don't think so!!!

Ah! phoenix, I hadn't thought of that excuse reason for my little scrapes and scratches...

I used to be a brilliant reverser (not just my opinion, I was often complemented on my reversing, although the compliment was sometimes tempered by "for a woman" type remarks ) but I have found that since wearing varifocals I do find it much, much harder.

Good idea Tegan. As often it's reassuring and helpful to find others have similar problems. For me it's not motorways but reversing and parking which seem to have become really scary.

I was wondering about a car equivalent of those dap diffusers that you use for dogs to calm them down. In fact, there seem to be so many of us with the same problem maybe we should patent it, make a fortune and then employ a chauffeur; it's a cunning plan but it might just work .

Not a rubbish suggestion at all phoenix - I'll think about this.

My DD1 became almost phobic about driving and she had to for her job, so she did some hypnotherapy and it seems to have worked. She is also on an antidepressant and this reduces her anxiety.

phoenix I'm sure it's just a matter of practice. For orthopaedic reasons I couldn't drive for about a year and the thought of motorways made me quiver. I've screwd up my courage so as to visit dd and DGD 47miles away up the M5 and I'm getting used to it again. I still haven't faced driving in Bristol though!

Mishap just a thought, is there someone that could go with you and practice just joining the motorway and leaving at the next junction?

Sorry, probably a rubbish suggestion, esp. coming from me in view of my last post!

I feel it's time for a confession.

As many know, I was made redundant last March, have been job hunting ever since.

Unfortunately most of the jobs that I have felt able to apply for have been field sales, i.e. involving lots of driving!

I used to drive a lot, for example from Staines to Devon every week when house hunting, and thought little of it.

Unfortunately I have since lost a lot of confidence re. driving (caused in part by my ex husband) but have found that if I want to get another job (which I do) I am going to have to give myself a very severe kick up the bottom.

I'm feeling very scared, partly at the prospect of starting over again in a new role, but also the driving aspect.

There is another thing too, a lot of these jobs (should I be fortunate to get one) come with a company car. For the last 11 years I have only driven automatics!

Thank you for the link feetlebaum - I did once start an IMA course many years ago but it was full of driving enthusiasts and I felt like a fish out of water. Thye alkso kept asking trick questions which irritated me - I wanted positive advice about safer driving. They also assumed that you wished to drive as fast as possible which is not where I am coming form at all.

However I will contact the local branch - my OH is a member - and give them a chance to redeem themselves with their motorway course.

I am very interested at the responses on here - I am clearly not alone!!

Why not plan a journey that does not require you to go on motorways? DH and I have a number of frequent journeys we make that are usually on motorways. Neither of us has any problems over motorway driving but it does get very boring so we have found a number of alternative non-motorway routes, some are a bit longer in time or miles. It is not always possible to avoid motorways, but, as we say in our family, that way be quicker but this way be prettier.

Check out the Institute of Advanced Motorists web-site, at
www.iam.org.uk

I recently drove from Portsmouth to Birmingham in the rain with fleets of trucks on either side My Mini did feel very small. I just gritted my teeth and battled on.

It was horrible I too hate motorways. I hate joining them in case no one gives way and relish coming off and getting to a reasonable speed again.

The pantechnicon steering wheel that is, I think the driver didn't see me. Bit like what happens with cyclists.

Mishap thanks for starting this thread. I also seem to have lost my nerve for motorway driving, particularly when the (little) car I was driving was nearly squashed by a huge pantechnicon vehicle going around a big round-about, and I only realised after that the steering wheel was for left hand side. Eek! I still get the shivers thinking about it.

It never occurred to me that I could 'upskill'. I am happy driving in traffic because it is quite orderly and everyone gets a turn. On the motorway, I feel as if I am sucked into a jetstream until it is my turn to leave. Hate them. Even as a passenger.

And we are faced with a 7 hour journey from London to remote part of Cornwall and back in a 3 day weekend soon, I am seriously thinking of taking the train and telling people I'll see you there.

Tegan thats such a shame, to be able to drive but have the whole thing make you nervous its almost worse than be unable to drive at all.. as I said before practice practice practice.. matching the speed other drivers are doing on the motorway makes it so easy to just slip into the traffic without any fuss. If someone is sitting on the inside lane coming up to a slip road they are already expecting traffic to merge with them from the right so just match the speed and you'll be able to slip in with ease its when a car hesitates or starts to slow that problems arise you need to speed up. I know thats easier said than done but once you've got the knack you'll never lose it.

My gut instinct on a slip road [as I feel I'm approaching a dangerous situation] is to slow down not speed up as is the case when joining a motorway/A road. And therein lies the problem. My brain feels that it's doing the opposite of what it should and goes into meltdown. What annoys me is that there are so many things I don't do because of my fear; visiting friends/relatives etc. My life would open up enormously if I was a confident driver. Also, having saved up to buy a good safe reliable car after a lifetime of old bangers I'm scared of damaging the car. Oh for my old Fiesta when it was reliable but not worth much. I think that being nervous makes one a dangerous driver but there's a fine line between confidence and overconfidence when driving. I would never ever advocate drinking and driving but sometimes have felt that something to just take the edge off my nerves when I'm driving would help; I'm even feeling queasy writing about driving on motorways .

I do a lot of long journeys on motorways and am appalled at the behaviour of many drivers. I think it should be compulsory, having passed the initial driving test, to undergo a motorway driving course/ test and also one for night driving. Drivers joining a motorway seem to think it's their given right to barge in at speed and drivers on the near side lane don't seem to look far ahead enough when approaching an on junction in order to pullout into the middle lane or alternatively to slow down a tad to allow room for the oncoming traffic.

On the rare occasion that I do drive on a motorway I tend to be a 'middle lane hog'. I know people despise them but at least I know that, when I approach a sliproad I won't panic about letting people in [should I slow down for them, speed up or, if I move into the midle lane will I not notice a car alongside me etc etc]. I'm always amazed by people that, the second they get onto a motorway, immediately move across into the middle or outside lane. And, of course people tend to overtake on the inside more these days as well, so I worry about both sides.

I meant to say, good for you that you are prepared to say you think you need some extra help with this aspect of driving. It takes courage to admit that you need support. Good luck and safe journeys

My daughter was a driving instructor and tells me that all schools offer a motorway driving course and will gear it to your needs. She always wished more of her students would take the course once they passed their driving test.

Yes - it is the joining that I hate. I wear varifocals and I am always worried that I will lose a whole car in a blind spot when doing a shoulder check.

I was once forced to stop at the end of a slip road because there really was no way of joining - chock full of cars doing 70. I am always fearful of this.

I do not like it much when on the mway and I am coming up to incoming slip roads. In France it is illegal to overtake a specified and indicated number of yards before and after junctions, but in the UK we do not have that law unfortunately. I think that it is very dangerous.

The other problem is the other idiots on the road! My brother is a maniac on the road - mchecks where the speed cameras will be and takes his chances on a "burn out" whenever the road is clear of them. He is otherwise a charming person. He is not alone.

Another thing to throw in the mix is that I spent 10 years working in a brain injury service - boy does that concentrate the mind on road dangers!

I've found that people grow in motorway driving confidence the more the more experience they get. A few confidance boosting lessons can only be good.. its a shame that the thought of motorway driving is so stressful as it doesn't make it a pleasant experience. I enjoy motorway driving its actually less stressful than the stop and start, and changes in speed required on ordinary roads. If you have a motorway near could you practice joining, driving a junction or two then turn round and drive back I know a lot of people who are nervous about joining the motorway. I hope the lessons work out for you Mishap.