Almost Got Sideswiped Joining The Motorway

[Tom Butler]

Joining the Mancunian Way via the slip road, indicating early. Large truck kindly moves over. Prior to accelerating and moving into the inside lane, I do a another quick shoulder glance. Spot a Ford Ranger Pickup in the outside land indicating.

I hold back suspecting the numpty is wanting to leave to via the upcoming exit. Sure enough he swings from the outside lane across to the exit slip road.

Pi$$ poor driving it has to be said.

 

[flank]

This is why I don't merge until I pass the car or after the car passes me.

 

[Tom Butler]

This is why I don't merge until I pass the car or after the car passes me.

Alright mate,

I take your point and I don't join unless it's safe to do so. However in the incident above the lane I was joining was clear. Numbnuts in the pickup was in the outer most lane and swung over as I starting "merging" . It was reasonable for me to expect him to maintain his position as I moved across into the first lane.

If we all had to wait until the cars in the middle or outside lanes pass us, we'd never join the motorway

 

[SteveJ]

Alright mate,

I take your point and I don't join unless it's safe to do so. However in the incident above the lane I was joining was clear. Numbnuts in the pickup was in the outer most lane and swung over as I starting "merging" . It was reasonable for me to expect him to maintain his position as I moved across into the first lane.

If we all had to wait until the cars in the middle or outside lanes pass us, we'd never join the motorway

Quite right. What was the idiot doing in the outside lane anyway, when he obviously knew he was going to take the approaching exit?
He's obviously an accident waiting to happen!

 

[Nigel]

If we all had to wait until the cars in the middle or outside lanes pass us, we'd never join the motorway

Those lanes are for overtaking, when someone overtakes you should expect them to move back to the left lane once they are clear of what they were overtaking. If you are joining then you should give way to them, especially if they are already indicating to move back left. You could have slowed a little so that he passed you and you then knew it was safe to pull out.

Looks to me like the pickup driver knew exactly what he was doing and what you were doing so the only issue is that he left you less space then you feel comfortable with. He probably feels invincible in his big pickup and perfectly happy with the space he left you - I'll agree with the previous post!

 

[Tom Butler]

Those lanes are for overtaking, when someone overtakes you should expect them to move back to the left lane once they are clear of what they were overtaking. If you are joining then you should give way to them, especially if they are already indicating to move back left. You could have slowed a little so that he passed you and you then knew it was safe to pull out.

Looks to me like the pickup driver knew exactly what he was doing and what you were doing so the only issue is that he left you less space then you feel comfortable with. He probably feels invincible in his big pickup and perfectly happy with the space he left you - I'll agree with the previous post!

Nigel,

It wasn't you driving the pickup was it mate?

Don't wish to labour the point but he left the exit manoeuvre too late. On approaching the exit he should have been in the first lane in good time, perhaps tucking in behind the white truck.

I had to slow down and was forced to straddle two lanes behind the taxi as he moved from the outside lane, otherwise there would have been a coming together.

Notice he had to slam his brakes on once on the slip road to avoid going in to the back of the grey van. Those Ford Rangers are big mothers. You're probably right in that he knew what he was doing in the sense it was deliberate and not giving much consideration to other with this big bully driving attitude.

 

[Nigel]

Don't wish to labour the point but he left the exit manoeuvre too late. On approaching the exit he should have been in the first lane in good time, perhaps tucking in behind the white truck.

Notice he had to slam his brakes on once on the slip road to avoid going in to the back of the grey van. Those Ford Rangers are big mothers. You're probably right in that he knew what he was doing in the sense it was deliberate and not giving much consideration to other with this big bully driving attitude.

I completely agree with all that, but still from his point of view traffic joining the road should give way to traffic already on the road so I'm not sure that he would have thought he was doing anything wrong.

From my point of view watching the video I think it's another case of a dashcam with wide angle lens making things look less dramatic than they were in real life, which is always something to consider when using footage as evidence!

I'll give full marks to the lorry driver, very considerate, doing his best to ensure everyone's safety and setting an example of how to drive properly

 

[CTSVOWNER]

In the video you can clearly see both ramps have alot of traffic. If the driver of the Ranger has been thru this section before he should be aware of this. He's just being a jerk. Did you notice the black sedan behind the lorry taking the same exit? Of course not because he was driving properly and caused no issues, just as the driver of the Ranger should have done.

And yes I agree on the wide angle lens issue making things appear farther away and therefore less dramatic. Not sure how to overcome that issue as I want to get both windshield pillars in the camera view.

 

[Error7]

The Mancunian Way is notorius for it's short entry and exit ramps, some of which double up as both an entry and and exit ramp which forces vehicles to switch lanes with very little warning. Many years ago while exiting the Mancunian Way, (Upper Brook Street I think it was) I was met, head on, by a young lady driver going in the wrong direction!

 

[Nigel]

And yes I agree on the wide angle lens issue making things appear farther away and therefore less dramatic. Not sure how to overcome that issue as I want to get both windshield pillars in the camera view.

Record it at 1296 resolution and then watch it at 1080, then it looks correct, if you need to see what's happening at the sides then pan sideways, or maybe zoom out.