Riding on motorways
 

Long a weakness of mine, I decided that I needed to do something about it cos there is only one way east from here - the M54, which leads into the M6. And going south, you eventually get onto the M5. And I go to Liverpool a lot, which means the M53 or else crawling through Ellesmere Port. Don't like the feeling of being 'lost in space' on a 3 laner, don't like strong crosswinds, don't like idiots driving up behind me at 90 when I'm doing 70 and trying to force me off the road, don't like 3 lanes of solid traffic doing 60+. Have been practising a good bit recently and have discovered that they aren't so intimidating - thought 'self, you'd do this in the car without thinking, what's the difference'.

Took a bit of practice to crack it, still ain't perfect, far from in fact, but have discovered that a more strategic approach to road positioning, properly planned overtakes, greater awareness of which cars are bottyholes and refusing to be intimidated, better speed experience, and watching fields for changes in the grass/corn colour as the wind blows across to anticipate crosswind have helped a lot. Plus having a bike that has more than enough in store to get out of trouble if need be. It's turned from something to be avoided at all costs - I'd happily have done a lengthy detour - into something that whilst not exactly enjoyable is bearable and the detour is no longer an option.

Wouldn't want to ride the M6 every day though:rolleyes:

Re: Riding on motorways
 

My first ride of my bike was on the M6 when I picked it up from Manchester. In December in the rain.

Was a bit scary to start with but it's pretty easy really. If you want you can sit in the slow lane doing 60-70 but on a bike you can pretty much pull out into any gap you like as you have the power to get up to the same speed as the next lane really quickly.

Much better now I have mirror extenders as I can actually see when I want to pull out.

I recently rode all the way through Belgium in some of the strongest side winds I have ridden in every time I overtook a lorry I thought I was going to get blown into the barriers.

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its all in the planning ed. here comes the advertisement, have you ever thought of doing IAM training?

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Stick to 100mph+ then...

http://www.kusu.co.uk/files/simples.bmp

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if going from shrewsbury up to liverpool i would think your going the wrong way if your heading m54 m6 surley going a485? through wrexham would be your route
used to go this way myself in a wagon not bad roads either

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When you say people coming up from behind doing 90mph when you are doing 70mph then I hope you arent one of those annoying drivers/riders that sit in the middle or outer lane oblivious to your surrounding... These people cause accidents!

As for noticing the grass etc in fields... I wouldnt worry, you will know if its windy, ride to the conditions, its its ridiculously windy just ride slower and more cautiously. Dont distract yourself with looking at too much, stick to anticipating what other cars are doing and whats happening up ahead. If you start looking at fields and the cars ahead brake sharply (which is way too common on motorways) you'll end up dead.

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Motorways are my speciality. Don't bother me in the slightest. Sometimes I almost prefer them!

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:smt081

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motorway riding is simple until Mother Nature has her way. they it's no fun at all.

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I used to brick it on motorways until I put in a pair of earplugs (and, lately, custom-fit earphones). It's amazing how apprehensive the fatigue from wind noise can make you.

A decent pair of 'plugs or earphones (with the music on low) means you'll hear all the important sounds, but not the extraneous stuff - so you'll be able to concentrate more effectively.

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Ony done a bit so far, but i've maily stuck to 1st lane and kept to around 65-70. Think it's just like anything else, the more you do, hopefully the more you improve.

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+1. A very important part of my riding kit.

Sorry to butt in Ed but what bike have you got now?

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+1

I ride the motorway everyday, and until its heavy rain and strong winds i prefer it more than the A roads. As soon as the weather turns against you though its horrid, you realise very quickly just how exposed and vonerable you are.

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I dun like the M53, but it's only 20 miles ain't it before the tunnel? :p

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Still got the 675. It nearly got sold but I couldn't bear to part with it so I kept it.

Someone sugested IAM and LP fell about laughing - I did IAM 3 years ago but there wasn't any motorway stuff in the piece that i did, probably because it's a few miles from here to the motorway and there never seemed to be enough time. On the test I did two junctions of the M54, thankfully the motorway was the quietest I've ever known it. What I particularly hate is when cars merge from slip roads and you have to pull out into faster traffic, whch invariably means an 'oh poop' moment.

...and no I don't lane hog:smt019

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Motorway riding :

I rode my first Motorway a week after passing my test and that was the M54 that lead onto the M6 then onto the M1 then M25 . On the M54 it was nice and easy , the M6 taught me that even old ladies will GRRRR!!!! at you doing 70 in the first lane . The M1 taught me the value of sitting in the outside lane doing 90 and eyeballing what was in front of me , behind me and what was about to come into my lane from the left . The M25 taught me that the ratio of knobs on the road was even greater than I tought and most of them were in something souped up or German and just looking for a bike to hassle or razz off with ------- Ignore them and go about your journey safely .

All of the above Motorways at the dark hours of the morning taught me many things on the return journey , stay warm , alert , take breaks when you can . If you have the tiny inkling you may need to stop , stop at the very next station , don`t push on another 15 to 20 miles to the next one as mere seconds later your legs will cramp once you pass the station you should have gone into . The knobs in the souped up cars/German ones will come out of nowhere at a ludicrous speed at 2 in the morning , despite there being no service station or sliproad in sight for miles , one will appear and go past you at 140 mph despite not being in your mirrors a nano-second ago .

Re: Riding on motorways
 

Never been much of an issue for me. It's mostly changing lanes that I find the bike is a bit vulnerable, extender blocks on the mirrors would probably help, I don't like doing long 'take a good look' style shoulder checks on the motorway in heavy M6 traffic 'cos I know how quickly it can stop in front of you. The SV mirrors are not good enough, so I usually do two or more 'quick glance' style shoulder checks. Bad weather is a nightmare because of the amount of spray more than doubles the heaviness of the rain, it's like having a jet wash pointed at the front of your bike. I'm always watching my peripheral vision on motorways for cars that haven't seen me changing lanes. Motorway filtering needs very good observations too.

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Vot ist wrong viz der German owtomobeeeeeel? It has regularly got across poland at great speed vizowt getting a ticket!

Anymore of dis anti germanism and you vill be shot twice daily at dawn for ze rest of der veek!:smt072

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I despise motorways and avoid them as much as possible.
I hate to be boxed in by cars doing 80 mph.
Give me a nice road winding through the mountains or countryside.

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I've never really had a huge problem with motorways but I have got to admit IAM training did smooth it out. Planning, early manoevres to avoid vulnerable positioning, general awareness.
Agree with what ralph n' badger have said too...

Infact something from yesterday just occured to me; you know when you encounter one of the nobs that sit in the outer lane at 69mph and the other two lanes are choccablock with 60mphish drivers... I know it's usually highly inadviseable to make your own 'fourth lane' for overtaking. But technically if you don't cross any solid lines and perform the manouvre safely; is it legal? I can't remember ever reading/hearing anything other than it being inadviseable. Possibly answering my own question but I know it's legal to do on normal A/B roads but are motorways any different?

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I eat motorways for breakfast.

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Ed

My motorway advice is :-

1) you should have plenty of time for all manoeuvres. Therefore forget quick glances behind. Turn your head and look.

2) enforce your road position. Ride in the middle of your lane, not to the side. that way you are telling the gits behind you I am no different from a car you cannot come past me until I am prepared to safely move over. Obviously the outside lanes are for overtaking. I hate people who refer to fast/slow lanes of motorways.

3) Expect to be blasted sideways after you overtake large trucks. that way you can be prepared for it if it happens.

4) you are higher than cage drivers. You have better visibility. Use it, plan ahead.

5) take rest breaks, but avoid motorway cafes. bad guts and bikes don't mix

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It's because you have your IAM badge that I found the suggestion of IAM training funny :smt077

Motorways do not worry me, early planning and 'being big' by dominating your lane avoid most issues. I agree with Ralph about long over the shoulder looks being a little perilous, but you do need them at times. My VFR mirrors make looking behind an easier proposition than on the SV, but chewys mirror extenders helped a lot on my SV.

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my worst ever experience on a motorway was on the m1, back in june when the weather was really bad. was coming up towards sheffield, when a downpour started. didn't have water proofs. within 10 minutes there wwas a good 2 inches of water on the road. ended up doing about 30mph, coz i couldn't see anything and the rear wheel was everywhere.

Eventually i gave up and stopped under a bridge on the hard shoulder. when i eventually got home, i couldn't feel anything in my legs or arms. Had a friend who is a nurse come and check on me, coz large portions of my skin had gone various unusual colours... orange, black, purple, etc

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Priceless! Must try it with a rather tasty nurse I know :smt096

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You don't have orange, black and purple coloured leathers do ya? :p

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sadly not lol. i dont have water prrof ones either im afraid

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My IAM course covered motorway riding, and every time went out for a ride we were covering 60-100 miles, suppose that depends on observer you're with though.
If you haven't noticed a slip road coming up and already checked whether you can pull out safely at least 1/2 a mile beforehand (and done so if needed), your observation skills need a lot more work.

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That, is just bad planning...

I hate the way that it has become standard that approaching a junction everything automatically pulls into the middle lane, leaving the "slow lane" empty, even of Artics.

The knock on effect being that EVERYTHING slows down.

However by cheekily staying in the outside lane, you can get past a load of stuff, and its not undertaking if the other lanes are going slower then your lane.

You just need to keep a eye on the merging lane, and then moderate your speed to avoid reaching the merge point at the same time as any merging vehicles.

If thats going to be a problem, then there is usually some kind of gap you can slip into in the middle lane.

To me, Motorway riding is like a big, 3D game of Tetris or Frogger, where its all about matching speed, anticipating gaps and just having fun - I still remember riding with Devil Biccy to AR07 on the M1, now THAT was fun.

On my recent trip to Aberdeen I was dreading the boredom of the M1/M6 etc but in the end there was enough traffic to make it a laugh.

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Gotta agree with Ralph here. As Bigape will tell ya, turning your head and not seeing the traffic braking in front of you is a very bad thing. Adjust riding according to conditions - obviously if the motorway isn't so busy, you can afford to do longer shoulder checks. Otherwise, rely on mirrors and very fast lifesaver. I also do 2 if there's any doubt or something I haven't seen properly.

do you mean inside lane? you can't undertake in the outside lane

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I hate motorway riding, particularly overtakes in the fast lane, as you are prone to idiots in the moddle lane pulling out without indicating.

I get back to the inside lane as quickly as possible, but motorways are just tedious, much prefer a nice twisty road.

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Motorway riding has never bothere me as its just like in the car, Boring and idiots dont see you.
Take an mp3 player to relieve boredom and away you go.

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Also try not to sit in cars' blindspots and look as far ahead as possible for any changes that may affect you.

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Maybe ... :p

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I dislike Motorways on the Bike. Just so Boring. Ear plugs a must.

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I do most of my miles at the minute on the M40 and it is mind numbingly boring, but p*ss easy compared to driving through London when I get there. It really is just a confidence and experience issue. I'm used to doing loads of motorway miles but less used to London traffic, hence I feel more secure doing a ton on the motorway than 15mph through London. Motorways are pretty safe IMO compared to most roads. You know exactly where people can emerge and exit the road and only have one direction of traffic flow to look out for. Like everything in biking, there no substitute for just putting in the miles...

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+1 for 'motorways are boring' .

+1 for 'earplugs are essential'

+1 for 'I hate motorways in the rain'

Just treat the other drivers as homicidal idiots with no clue which lane they should be in (or how indicators work) and you won't be too far away from the truth.

Keith

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Cross winds that are so bad you can get your knee down leaning into them. Joy I tell you! Other than that no real issues, ive done thousands of miles commuting on them.

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Until you ride under a bridge :p

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:eye: That would make a brilliant video