Ironically my favourite motorway in the UK is the M6 expressway toll that bypasses Birmingham. It is always quiet, not having to negotiate heavy goods and there is still a hard shoulder lane. The latter I find trully astonishing is being removed from almost every other motorway in the UK under the name of "smart" motorway. It seems incredibly dangerous and completely stupid, just to save a buck instead of building more proper lanes and keeping the safety lane in place for emergencies and emergency vehicles.
Last time I was back in the UK I hopped on the M4 and it was scary how narrow the lanes are. I'm sure they're no narrower than when I lived there but you kind-of get used to not being able to count the nose-hairs of the guy driving the car in the next lane.