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Driving Lessons Partick- The Clydeside Expressway

When i first started teaching people to drive, the driving test took about 30 minutes. A candidate would be unlikely to drive at more than 30mph and usually the tests routes stayed within Knightswood, Jordanhill and Whiteinch. Nowadays, expect to travel on faster roads for further distances! One popular route is on the Clydeside Expressway between Finnieston and Jordanhill.

Any reputable driving instructor should train their pupils to drive on all types of road, and even back in the day i ensured my pupils could handle areas outwith driving test routes. Personally, i believe that by training my learners to be observant and “read the road” they will be best prepared for all eventualities – not just a test route. That said, the Clydeside Expressway is an excellent area to teach any learners getting driving lessons in Partick and surrounding areas, how to join and leave a busy dual carriageway.

At various locations on the Expressway a driver would enter it from a slip road . On most slip roads  drivers should build their speed to match that of traffic on the carriageway, check mirrors, signal, and merge into the main carriageway  without causing any other road user to slow down, stop, or swerve to avoid them. This is how we “harmonise” with traffic. Sometimes though, the  slip road may be quite short – like at Thornwood- and it could be unsafe to build up too much speed only to have to brake hard if no gap exists! At peak times it may even be necessary to stop on the  slip road and wait for a gap. This can happen often at the Clydebank/Clyde Tunnel shared merging point.

Once on the dual carriageway leave a gap of 2 seconds in dry weather, and 4 seconds in wet weather, between yourself and the driver in front at speeds of 40mph and above. This will eliminate much of the risk of running into the vehicle in front, or the following vehicle running into you!

When leaving the Expressway, remember to use mirrors and signal in good time before reaching the  slip road. On the slip road  watch for a reduction in the speed limit and use your speedometer to check your speed. You may be faster than you think.

All Really Good Driving School instructors are expert in training their pupils in the negotiation of these procedures so rest assured, learners will be in safe hands.

If you are thinking of driving lessons in Glasgow West, give us a call or email. You can find even more information on our homepage.