Stupidity - driver error! Options

[cadbury99]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this board and like so many on here have come to ask for help and advice.

At the weekend I committed a driving offence, I utterly regret, my decision making at the time and wish I hadn't been so dumb!

The offence was at a interjunction and I took the wrong lane which was going to filter me into another section of the motorway.
While I was waiting at the traffic light, I saw the road was clear behind me to move into the correct lane and I took the opportunity to reverse onto the correct lane. -
can I add that there was no oncoming traffic at that time.
I totally regret the offence and know it was due to me feeling overwhelmed and panicking on how I was going to get back on the right lane.
No excuses, it was a very stupid and ill-thought out thing to do.
My question is will this be viewed as dangerous driving or careless driving?
I am worrying myself sick over it and truly wish that I had thought it through before hand.

Many thanks.

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[The Slithy Tove]

My question is will this be viewed as dangerous driving or careless driving?

Only (potentially) if someone actually "viewed" it and thought it worth reporting. Seriously, don't worry about it unless you were actually stopped at the time.

[kernow2015]

Were you stopped by the police or have you been issued a NIP?

[Logician]

From your description it is not clear that there was an offence at all if there was no other traffic about, and it is certainly not worth worrying about if you were not challenged at the time.

[cadbury99]

No, I wasn't stopped by the police and to date no NIP but that could be due to the time scale. I didn't see any enforcement cameras but that's not to say they're not there. I know I can't undo what I've done but thinking if I am prosecuted that I'm hoping for careless driving and being inconsiderate to other drivers.


Thanks for your reply.

[DancingDad]

From your description not sure there was any offence anyway.
Put it out of your mind, use it as a learning experience to get into proper lane earlier but no point in worrying on it.
In the unlikely event something does come through post, worst case is points and a fine or if not done one, more likely a driver awareness course of some description. Neither worth losing any sleep over.
But I would feel very unjustly done for what simply seems like a corrective manoeuvre with no other traffic about, just cannot see any legal action coming from it.

[cadbury99]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply.

I was more anxious about the fact that it was on a motorway inter-junction and not for instance on a minor road.
I suppose the outcome is dependent on whether it was captured on camera and the perspective of the operator.


Your quite right, all I can do is not make the same error and await my fate.



With best wishes.

[DancingDad]

A lot depends on what you mean by a motorway inter-junction?
Police take a dim view of people reversing on slip roads and hard shoulders but off motorway with no traffic about ?
Gotta streeetview link ?

[cadbury99]

I came off at the junction off the motorway and took the wrong lane that filtered into another motorway.

I stopped in the left hand lane at the traffic lights before it streamed me onto the other lane for the motorway.
I reversed onto the lane adjoining the other lane that would take me onto the slip road for the motorway that I wished to join - there was no other vehicles merging onto that lane at the time of me driving onto it - so I'm not sure now!


Will see if I check google street maps as to whether I really did make a major violation! Oh, I really do feel sick now!


Thanks for your advice.

[StuartBu]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply.

I was more anxious about the fact that it was on a motorway inter-junction and not for instance on a minor road.
I suppose the outcome is dependent on whether it was captured on camera and the perspective of the operator.


Your quite right, all I can do is not make the same error and await my fate.



With best wishes.

Do you know if where you made this manoeuvre was still under Motorway " rules" - did you see a sign that says something like " Motorway Ends"

[cadbury99]

I honestly don't remember other than knowing that this was the junction that I needed to take in order to exit to join the lane that merges onto the slip road for the motorway that I intended to join.

Think, I need to prepare myself for the likelihood of a NIP and go from there …
I'm so cross with myself for getting into this pickle - just praying that it will be looked upon for what it was and that I'm not prosecuted for dangerous driving!


We live and learn!

[notmeatloaf]

It would help if you linked to Google Street view

If you changed lanes that has broken lines between them then it is probably okay, with the proviso that you aren't allowed to reverse on motorways including junctions between motorways.

If you reversed when there were solid chevrons or a physical divide between lanes then it is a different matter. As you weren't stopped at the time it is unlikely you will hear any more. Motorway CCTV tends to be just an overview of traffic rather than able to read numberplates. But in future, if a police car had come up behind, I suspect you would be in deep hot water.

[cadbury99]

I was on a junction and the lanes were divided into three sub-lanes, all sections had traffic lights to divide the traffic prior to entering the slip road to merge onto the motorway.
I didn't see the chevrons but agree that it is more likely that the lines were not broken and that I have committed a breach of the road traffic act, irrespective of my error of judgement.

This is something that I never intend to repeat and I'm praying that my foolishness is not punished to severely.


Thank you for your insight it has been most useful.

[KH_]

You could of course just say which motorway junction you were on and people here could take a look.
I know you specified 'the weekend' but that would be a long time for someone to trawl through cctv footage to try and find you.

[cadbury99]

With respect - I think the geography of the junction is a redundant question.

My original question, wasn't about my culpability but rather about the severity of the punishment for this kind of offence and I was trying to establish whether this fell into the category of careless driving or dangerous driving?

Thanks to those that have posted and given me insight into my actions and the potential ramifications. As I said before, I was confused as to how this offence could be treated if there was a pending prosecution.


Best Wishes.

[roythebus]

Are you sure it's a motorway if it has traffic lights controlling a junction? We can't really give you an answer with vague information.

We all take the wrong lane at times and have to do daft things to get back in the right lane for where we want to go. the other easy way is to continue in the wrong direction to the next junction, turn round using the slip roads and the opposite carriageway and go back to the right junction. simples.

[notmeatloaf]

To answer the last part of your question it would probably be careless driving. Dangerous driving tends more to be charged when the poor driving happens over some period rather than one error.

But by definition there is overlap, and no-one can say for a mystery manoeuvre on a mystery junction. Best not to become a test case as dangerous driving is a minimum year ban and double length driving test to get your licence back.

[cadbury99]

I am obliged to everyone who took the time to post and help me reflect on what was a spurious and stupid decision.
I think it fair to say that I've lost a fair few hours of sleep whittling over what the outcome of this might be but beating myself up won't change any ensuing action.

It's the wait and see game and back to the normality of just living life!

Many thanks to you all for your input.

With best wishes.