Back
to top
May have possibly driven in a red X lane on the motorway?
Watch this threadPage 1 of 1
Go to first unread
Skip to page:
Lrc2000
Badges:
3
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#1
I have recently passed my test and only had my car for about 5 weeks, I have a bit of driving anxiety and generally drive very safely but sometimes rely on guidance from other cars on the road on what to do if i’m unsure. I have only just built up the courage to start using motorways and will only go at certain times when it’s not too busy whilst I am trying to build up my confidence. Anyway, I dropped my friend off to chester from Liverpool the other night at about 9pm and I remember seeing a red X sign above the lane I was driving in on the gantry (can’t remember what motorway I was on), I know about variable speed limit signs and that the X’s mean you can’t drive in that lane but my mind plays tricks on me sometimes and creates false memories because of my anxiety and it keeps telling me that I saw a car ahead driving in the lane anyway so I just copied it. Logically, I think I wouldn’t have done this because I know not to and I always follow road signs because I’m petrified of getting points being a new driver, I’m the type to slow down doing 32 on a 30mph road even if there’s no obvious speed cameras, but I can’t help but worry what if I did. So I suppose what i’m asking is what are the chances that if I did there was a camera that will have caught me and is there a chance I could get a motorway awareness course offered to me being a new driver to avoid the points? I’m literally sick with anxiety and won’t be able to rest until 2 weeks time when I know if I was just making it all up in my head or if I’m an idiot that ****ed up
0
reply
Muttly
Badges:
17
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#2
Report
#2
If you are going to get a fixed penalty it will come through, there is absolutely nothing you can do. You can't 'undrive' it. There are live cameras now on sections of motorways to trap x offenders. Smart motorways have some cameras, other motorways have the gantries holding the x lights but they haven't all got the camera technology in place to capture offenders even though the ability to prosecute has been there since 2019
Hopefully you have no other points & if so you are still safe should the worst happen. You won't reach the magic 6 However it could increase your insurance premiums which are probably very bad anyway.
If you are really concerned, get someone else to drive you back on the M/way to where you thought the junction was - note exactly where it was when you get there (but do not stop on the hard shoulder or anywhere to look). Look for any cameras on the overhead gantry. If there are none you are ok. You dodged that bullet. Research if you want by contacting Highways England or local police force.
That said it might be worth your while finding a really good instructor for an hour or so just to try and get your confidence and observations improved for driving generally. Maybe a few hours doing motorways if that concerns you?
It sounds like you are fixating on the back of the car in front of you when you drive? Drop right back off in any follow position and try and look ahead beyond the car in front of you. Practice this day in day out. Look around the car in front of you to see what hazards, traffic lights, junctions the car in front is coming up against? Then you can react before they do - woohoo.
Seriously - just forget the whole thing and wait for the couple of days after the fortnight is over. Then you are in the clear. If there is a God the camera (if there was one) might have been out of action, down for maintenance etc etc or just not there. Then you have an ulcer as well from worrying needlessly for 2 weeks.
Even try ROSPA for free advanced driving lessons and become an all round better more confident driver - that is a win win
Hopefully you have no other points & if so you are still safe should the worst happen. You won't reach the magic 6 However it could increase your insurance premiums which are probably very bad anyway.
If you are really concerned, get someone else to drive you back on the M/way to where you thought the junction was - note exactly where it was when you get there (but do not stop on the hard shoulder or anywhere to look). Look for any cameras on the overhead gantry. If there are none you are ok. You dodged that bullet. Research if you want by contacting Highways England or local police force.
That said it might be worth your while finding a really good instructor for an hour or so just to try and get your confidence and observations improved for driving generally. Maybe a few hours doing motorways if that concerns you?
It sounds like you are fixating on the back of the car in front of you when you drive? Drop right back off in any follow position and try and look ahead beyond the car in front of you. Practice this day in day out. Look around the car in front of you to see what hazards, traffic lights, junctions the car in front is coming up against? Then you can react before they do - woohoo.
Seriously - just forget the whole thing and wait for the couple of days after the fortnight is over. Then you are in the clear. If there is a God the camera (if there was one) might have been out of action, down for maintenance etc etc or just not there. Then you have an ulcer as well from worrying needlessly for 2 weeks.
Even try ROSPA for free advanced driving lessons and become an all round better more confident driver - that is a win win
0
reply
Lrc2000
Badges:
3
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#3
(Original post by Muttly)
If you are going to get a fixed penalty it will come through, there is absolutely nothing you can do. You can't 'undrive' it. There are live cameras now on sections of motorways to trap x offenders. Smart motorways have some cameras, other motorways have the gantries holding the x lights but they haven't all got the camera technology in place to capture offenders even though the ability to prosecute has been there since 2019
Hopefully you have no other points & if so you are still safe should the worst happen. You won't reach the magic 6 However it could increase your insurance premiums which are probably very bad anyway.
If you are really concerned, get someone else to drive you back on the M/way to where you thought the junction was - note exactly where it was when you get there (but do not stop on the hard shoulder or anywhere to look). Look for any cameras on the overhead gantry. If there are none you are ok. You dodged that bullet. Research if you want by contacting Highways England or local police force.
That said it might be worth your while finding a really good instructor for an hour or so just to try and get your confidence and observations improved for driving generally. Maybe a few hours doing motorways if that concerns you?
It sounds like you are fixating on the back of the car in front of you when you drive? Drop right back off in any follow position and try and look ahead beyond the car in front of you. Practice this day in day out. Look around the car in front of you to see what hazards, traffic lights, junctions the car in front is coming up against? Then you can react before they do - woohoo.
Seriously - just forget the whole thing and wait for the couple of days after the fortnight is over. Then you are in the clear. If there is a God the camera (if there was one) might have been out of action, down for maintenance etc etc or just not there. Then you have an ulcer as well from worrying needlessly for 2 weeks.
Even try ROSPA for free advanced driving lessons and become an all round better more confident driver - that is a win win
If you are going to get a fixed penalty it will come through, there is absolutely nothing you can do. You can't 'undrive' it. There are live cameras now on sections of motorways to trap x offenders. Smart motorways have some cameras, other motorways have the gantries holding the x lights but they haven't all got the camera technology in place to capture offenders even though the ability to prosecute has been there since 2019
Hopefully you have no other points & if so you are still safe should the worst happen. You won't reach the magic 6 However it could increase your insurance premiums which are probably very bad anyway.
If you are really concerned, get someone else to drive you back on the M/way to where you thought the junction was - note exactly where it was when you get there (but do not stop on the hard shoulder or anywhere to look). Look for any cameras on the overhead gantry. If there are none you are ok. You dodged that bullet. Research if you want by contacting Highways England or local police force.
That said it might be worth your while finding a really good instructor for an hour or so just to try and get your confidence and observations improved for driving generally. Maybe a few hours doing motorways if that concerns you?
It sounds like you are fixating on the back of the car in front of you when you drive? Drop right back off in any follow position and try and look ahead beyond the car in front of you. Practice this day in day out. Look around the car in front of you to see what hazards, traffic lights, junctions the car in front is coming up against? Then you can react before they do - woohoo.
Seriously - just forget the whole thing and wait for the couple of days after the fortnight is over. Then you are in the clear. If there is a God the camera (if there was one) might have been out of action, down for maintenance etc etc or just not there. Then you have an ulcer as well from worrying needlessly for 2 weeks.
Even try ROSPA for free advanced driving lessons and become an all round better more confident driver - that is a win win
0
reply
Muttly
Badges:
17
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#4
Report
#4
There is such a thing as a National Motorway Awareness Course which might be able to include x lanes - but I don't know anyone who's done one - you might be the first?. If you do - you don't get points but the course costs a lot
I haven't seen any extra signs to warn of x lane cameras but haven't been down there for a while - just the usual average speed camera warnings
I haven't seen any extra signs to warn of x lane cameras but haven't been down there for a while - just the usual average speed camera warnings
0
reply
Admit-One
Badges:
21
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#5
Report
#5
(Original post by Lrc2000)
I’m the type to slow down doing 32 on a 30mph road even if there’s no obvious speed cameras,
I’m the type to slow down doing 32 on a 30mph road even if there’s no obvious speed cameras,
0
reply
Lrc2000
Badges:
3
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#6
(Original post by Admit-One)
Just to pick up on this point, why are you speeding on any roads if you suffer from overwhelming anxiety about receiving penalties?
Just to pick up on this point, why are you speeding on any roads if you suffer from overwhelming anxiety about receiving penalties?
0
reply
Admit-One
Badges:
21
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#7
Report
#7
(Original post by Lrc2000)
This comes across as a bit condescending, my eyes can’t constantly be peeled on the speedo otherwise I wouldnt be able to be aware of my surroundings on the road and drive safely, it’s very easy for your speed to creep up by a few mph. The point I was trying to make is that I will go back down to 30mph in a 30 zone if I do creep over slightly to be safe and ease my anxiety surrounding getting points, when most other drivers would probably stay at this speed because cameras have a tolerance of 10% and 1mph anyway and wouldn’t get flashed.
This comes across as a bit condescending, my eyes can’t constantly be peeled on the speedo otherwise I wouldnt be able to be aware of my surroundings on the road and drive safely, it’s very easy for your speed to creep up by a few mph. The point I was trying to make is that I will go back down to 30mph in a 30 zone if I do creep over slightly to be safe and ease my anxiety surrounding getting points, when most other drivers would probably stay at this speed because cameras have a tolerance of 10% and 1mph anyway and wouldn’t get flashed.
0
reply
anisahussaiinx
Badges:
1
Rep:
?
You'll earn badges for being active around the site. Rep gems come when your posts are rated by other community members.
#8
X
Page 1 of 1
Go to first unread
Skip to page:
Quick Reply
