Ok so here it is ...

From the 4th June 2018, learners drivers have been allowed on motorways, as well as the usual rules L plates etc the following also applies,

It MUST be in a duel control car.

It must have a qualified driving instructor ( not a learner instructor )

Learner drivers on motorways from 4 June 2018 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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Yes, totally right, Traffic on the motorway MUST be given priority, which in practical terms means you have to speed up ( max 70 for a car, 60 for a car pulling a trailer ) to get in front without cutting them up, slow down so as to fold in behind, and if you can't do either then stop until a safe gap is available.

The Highway Code - Motorways (253 to 274) - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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I know that there seems little point in this, but, as I drive for a living I would be a rich man if I had a penny every time ( both cars and lorries ) a vehicle played chicken with the side of my truck, in a debate with someone I was working with I even phoned the non-emergency police and asked their advice, with the speaker on he listened and learnt a thing or 2 from what the police told us over the phone.

Part of the problem is they changed the wording for a little while and said traffic joining the motorway had to merge with other traffic, A large minority believed that to mean that it was a negotiation when joining a carriageway, even when seeing a high sided vehicle, they try to force us to move across without knowing what there is on the lane to our right, not having the intelligence to realise there could be a car, or a few motorbikes and there is nowhere for us to go.

Another point is, which no one picked up on, is that if the car was legal to be used as training vehicle on motorway, then it has to be dual control, so that being the case why did the instructor not use his brake when the driver failed to do so ? it is possible he/she was on the phone, doing paperwork or doing something else, any 1 of which is illegal.

The final point is, that drivers do not look at the first opportunity, preferring to wait until they are close to the line instead of looking when they first see the carriageway, and planning there move off the slip road.

Edited by HGV ~ P Valentine on 26/10/2022 at 11:10

This obviously 100% the fault of the red Merc driver*. They should never have attempted the overtake in the first place, and as a minimum (they easily had the room to do this) just filtered into the first lane and hung back to give the other driver slipping on the room to do so as well, especially as they had no hard shoulder to go and that the other driver (presumably who had L plates showing) was an inexperienced driver.

The only 'fault' on the learner driver's side was not filtering in as soon as they were safely able to (there were no vehicles blocking them fro that or too near for safety in that lane until the red car overtook), rather (as many people do) doing so as the lane reduces in width, i.e. by the end of the 'slip-on' lane. That being said, they were't doing anything illegal or, in my opinion, that would count against them in a fault claim against the other driver.

IMHO the Merc driver is at fault and possibly guilty of, at best, careless driving, perhaps reckless/danagerous driving, given the circumstances. They certainly weren't driving defensively.

* Edit - I am presuming that the learner's passenger was someone who meant the learner was allowed to drive on the motorway (by law / Highway Code and insurance cover).

Edited by Engineer Andy on 26/10/2022 at 13:29

When the A55 was dualled across Anglesey, a few drivers (who clearly hadn't been to the mainland), had never come across slip roads before. Instead of feeding into the traffic, they approached the main road at 90 degrees to the oncoming traffic. It didn't take long for them to adjust, but there were a few accidents.