Driving phobia please help

yeahyeah73

Hello all, as the title suggests I suffer from a driving phobia. I have been taking driving lessons for 2 years and things only started really improving after I started taking lessons with an instructor who deals specifically with people with driving phobia.
I have recently plucked up the courage to drive on my own something that I never thought I would be able to do but now my main goal is being able to drive to work in september. I cannot face the humiliation of being a car owner and getting the bus to work or hanging around waiting for lifts off my kind work mates.
I really want to achieve my goal and I practice everyday in hopes of achieving it but my main concern that my anxiety will be too overwhelming and I will make mistakes (like pulling myself into the wrong gear and stalling) and have to pull in. At this point I know its imperative for me to be able to rely on myself and have faith that Im in control but I still don't believe that about myself even though I am a good driver and have all the necessary skills. Any tips or advice would be extremely welcome. Thank you

mrcheez

Wow pretty non-responsive group. I've been driving for years and still get a little nervous, especially if I have passengers or on the motorway, so it's perfectly normal.

Just take it easy, stay in the slow lane, and remember you can always pull over if you need to take a breather.

Neyite

Well done on confronting your fears.

The thing is, that even experienced, good drivers stall occasionally, or being in the wrong gear. I'm 11 years on a full licence and 2 more on a provisional, and you know the last time I made a crunching noise with the gears? Yesterday. I'm not kidding (now in fairness its a borrowed car I'm getting used to, but still)

I still get apprehensive when navigating a town I don't know, or looking for the correct exits/ junctions. One trick is to prepare well for your journey. Know the route, write directions out nice and big so you can glance at it. Or get a good sat nav.

Since you'll probably be driving to work, the first few times, set off much earlier than normal. Firstly, you'll avoid heavier traffic, and if you do need to pull in anywhere to stop for a minute or two, you don't have the added anxiety of being potentially late for work. Maybe even plan to stop off for a coffee halfway?

Similarly on the way home, hold off for an hour or two for the traffic to ease off and set off then at your own pace. But I'd recommend you do the route in daylight at first, as its much easier to see your surroundings.

It would be a good idea not to have any passengers on the route until you are absolutely comfortable with it, they can distract you a lot or make you more nervous. Plenty of time to car pool and lift-share when you are fully confident.

Finally, you can pull in anytime to get your bearings or if you feel overwhelmed. People pull in all the time - if the smell or hear something in the car, take or make a phone call, deal with a screaming child.

Take deep breaths, a sip of water if you need, relax your hands on the steering wheel, and take off again whenever you are ready.

arsenal1991

yeahyeah73 wrote: »

Hello all, as the title suggests I suffer from a driving phobia. I have been taking driving lessons for 2 years and things only started really improving after I started taking lessons with an instructor who deals specifically with people with driving phobia.
I have recently plucked up the courage to drive on my own something that I never thought I would be able to do but now my main goal is being able to drive to work in september. I cannot face the humiliation of being a car owner and getting the bus to work or hanging around waiting for lifts off my kind work mates.
I really want to achieve my goal and I practice everyday in hopes of achieving it but my main concern that my anxiety will be too overwhelming and I will make mistakes (like pulling myself into the wrong gear and stalling) and have to pull in. At this point I know its imperative for me to be able to rely on myself and have faith that Im in control but I still don't believe that about myself even though I am a good driver and have all the necessary skills. Any tips or advice would be extremely welcome. Thank you

Rescue remedy worked for me with driving anxiety

sawdoubters

try hypnoses

Juan More Time

As a driver with over twenty years of accident free driving experience under my ass, I think your fear of driving is a perfectly rational one. You can use this fear to your advantage though, It will keep you alive if ever you find yourself becoming too complacent about your driving.

The open road can be a very dangerous place at times, and a split second lapse in ones concentration can and does result in the needless senseless road carnage we see reported on the evening news most days of the week..

Some tips that will help keep you safe on the open road....

1. Car radios should always be switched off while driving, as they are just an unnecessary distraction. When you are driving your only task is to concentrate fully on piloting/ navigating yourself safely to your destination in your overpriced pressed steel box. You can blast the tunes or listen to that important news broadcast all you want when you arrive. Yes a car is just a pressed steel box on wheels, regardless of how much money you paid for it.... I see a lot of people in expensive cars driving like idiots who have a false sense of security..

2. The same goes for mobile phones. If your phone rings while you're driving, just let it ring and find a safe place to pull over so you can return the call in safety. No telephone call is more important that your life...

3. Sat -Navs are great for finding your way in unfamiliar towns and cities. Only use them as a guide though, and never follow their instructions blindly... The road layout may have been changed since your sat-navs onboard maps were last updated...

4. If you ever feel tired while driving, don't be afraid to just pull your car over somewhere that is safe to stop and take a twenty minute cat nap. Tiredness kills more drivers every year than drink driving does... Just a split second micro sleep can result in a fatal accident....

5. Passengers can pose you and your vehicle a greater risk on the open road than any of the above, as they can't be switched off ... If a passenger tries to engage you in a deep or emotive conversation, don't be afraid to tell them bluntly to "PLEASE STOP" I'm trying to concentrate on my driving here!!!! Personally I just tend to zone out of long winded conversations with passengers...and respond to any of their direct questions in monosyllables....Most will get the message soon enough... Any who beg to differ can easily be dropped off at the next bus stop:D