Driving - Anxiety

[mousse]

I’m glad I found this thread although I’m nowhere near as bad as I was 10 years ago (when I had a panic attack when I couldn’t park somewhere for a work thing and quit the job on the spot for similar reasons days later).

Some of the things which have helped me:
This book: https://amzn.eu/d/hahzsv1
Driving an automatic
Beta blockers
Driving a smaller car
Anti depressants
Nervous humming
My husband breaking his leg so I had no choice but to drive
All of the parking sensors and cameras
Driving a faster car
Avoiding places where the car parks are too busy even if it means walking further
Always listening to the same music
Never parallel parking
I can’t drive with an audience
Shouting at other drivers

 

[mousse]

It’s only been in the last couple of years I’ve been sufficiently adrenaline free that I’ve sneezed while driving

 

[ThatB***hCarolBaskin]

I’m glad I found this thread although I’m nowhere near as bad as I was 10 years ago (when I had a panic attack when I couldn’t park somewhere for a work thing and quit the job on the spot for similar reasons days later).

Some of the things which have helped me:
This book: https://amzn.eu/d/hahzsv1
Driving an automatic
Beta blockers
Driving a smaller car
Anti depressants
Nervous humming
My husband breaking his leg so I had no choice but to drive
All of the parking sensors and cameras
Driving a faster car
Avoiding places where the car parks are too busy even if it means walking further
Always listening to the same music
Never parallel parking
I can’t drive with an audience
Shouting at other drivers

Me and OH swap and change what car we use, we don’t have his and hers if you get what I mean, basically whoever has the kids with them gets the big car (mostly me). One of the cars is a little car and the other is a big 4x4.

at first I point blank refused to drive the big car and would squish both kids, car seats and prams into the smaller car. It was so stressful cos everything had to be a certain way to fit and when you have two kids screaming at you it’s hard so one day I was like I can’t do it anymore I’m going to have to take the big one.

now I’ll do whatever it takes to not end up with the small car for the day! . I feel so much more confident in the big one!

one thing that helped me was going to a busy carpark with my OH in the car and him making me repeatedly park in all types of spaces. Now when I’m panicking he tells me I’ve done it before I can do it again!

 

[Pesky Tarian]

Every Christmas I take my parents to their childhood church then around relatives, it's 3 hours driving all motorways and tiny B roads (my least favourite). I was dreading it so much this year I nearly asked my husband to do the run but I knew if I did I would never do it again. So I did it and it was ok, the buzz afterwards was immense. Keep persevering ladies (and gents?) 🫶

 

[Chocolategoggler]

There's an official video in the last 4 minutes of this, telling you what to do in various road scenarios if you hear a siren:

 

[Pinkfoxxie]

Had my driving test on Thursday!! I only went and passed!! I was so nervous but the examiner was lovely, I did end up on very unfamiliar roads and sort of had it in my mind I wouldn’t pass so just sort of used it as a lesson!! Got a couple of minors but that was it

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

I decided that I will try and build up my confidence, and set myself a goal of driving to work. I only have to go once a week, and usually just get the train 3 stops.

I decided to take a practice drive this morning, with a goal of getting to work and back, and then maybe having a little drive around the area. I thought it was the perfect time as it was quiet.

I got out of my suburb and started heading along Broadway/A6 towards Manchester as I work in the centre. As soon as I hit 40mph car starts making a horrible noise and loads of random lights come on indicating problems. I have to pull over as car is going slower and slower and eventually will not ho any further.

I ended up waiting 90 minutes in heavy rain ( the first time it has rained in weeks), getting soaked through and shivering at the side of the road as I wasn't sure it was safe to wait inside the car. Cars could pass safely, but some were to close for comfort.

RAC turn up. They fiddle with car for 5 minutes and tell me nothing is wrong with it. They think it was ' confused' due to lack of use. They clear the codes and leave me to drive home. They say I need to drive more to keep car working in good order.

Only I could end up breaking down due to lack of use, when attempting to build up confidence to prevent lack of use.

My anxiety is not really fixed, but now I have more incentive to drive more i guess.

 

[Chocolategoggler]

I decided that I will try and build up my confidence, and set myself a goal of driving to work. I only have to go once a week, and usually just get the train 3 stops.

I decided to take a practice drive this morning, with a goal of getting to work and back, and then maybe having a little drive around the area. I thought it was the perfect time as it was quiet.

I got out of my suburb and started heading along Broadway/A6 towards Manchester as I work in the centre. As soon as I hit 40mph car starts making a horrible noise and loads of random lights come on indicating problems. I have to pull over as car is going slower and slower and eventually will not ho any further.

I ended up waiting 90 minutes in heavy rain ( the first time it has rained in weeks), getting soaked through and shivering at the side of the road as I wasn't sure it was safe to wait inside the car. Cars could pass safely, but some were to close for comfort.

RAC turn up. They fiddle with car for 5 minutes and tell me nothing is wrong with it. They think it was ' confused' due to lack of use. They clear the codes and leave me to drive home. They say I need to drive more to keep car working in good order.

Only I could end up breaking down due to lack of use, when attempting to build up confidence to prevent lack of use.

My anxiety is not really fixed, but now I have more incentive to drive more i guess.

How do you stop the battery going flat if you don't use it much?

 

[TheStrawberryThief]

I do drive, but mostly short trips to supermarket or gym. I haven't been somewhere that takes more than a 15 minutes for ages.

I used to be a lot better before I moved here.

I am keeping hold of car as long as I can, because i feel that if I stop driving completely I will never start again.

 

[Pesky Tarian]

I decided that I will try and build up my confidence, and set myself a goal of driving to work. I only have to go once a week, and usually just get the train 3 stops.

I decided to take a practice drive this morning, with a goal of getting to work and back, and then maybe having a little drive around the area. I thought it was the perfect time as it was quiet.

I got out of my suburb and started heading along Broadway/A6 towards Manchester as I work in the centre. As soon as I hit 40mph car starts making a horrible noise and loads of random lights come on indicating problems. I have to pull over as car is going slower and slower and eventually will not ho any further.

I ended up waiting 90 minutes in heavy rain ( the first time it has rained in weeks), getting soaked through and shivering at the side of the road as I wasn't sure it was safe to wait inside the car. Cars could pass safely, but some were to close for comfort.

RAC turn up. They fiddle with car for 5 minutes and tell me nothing is wrong with it. They think it was ' confused' due to lack of use. They clear the codes and leave me to drive home. They say I need to drive more to keep car working in good order.

Only I could end up breaking down due to lack of use, when attempting to build up confidence to prevent lack of use.

My anxiety is not really fixed, but now I have more incentive to drive more i guess.

That must have been really stressful , kudos to you for giving it a go!.

Is your car a diesel by any chance?. I have problems with my filter as I only do short runs. Once a month I run it up and down the bypass in low revs or I start getting all the tunes and disco lights on the dash.

 

[Chocolategoggler]

I do drive, but mostly short trips to supermarket or gym. I haven't been somewhere that takes more than a 15 minutes for ages.

I used to be a lot better before I moved here.

I am keeping hold of car as long as I can, because i feel that if I stop driving completely I will never start again.

When I went to the garage a few months ago they questioned me on how long a drive I do when I take the car out.
When I said I take it out for at least 30 minutes they said that's alright then, as you're allowing the car to warm up.
I think they were talking about the head gasket, but I'm not sure.
My brother has put something on the battery, so that when I know I won't be driving it for a while due to illness, bad sleep or bad weather I can switch off the battery as my not driving much seems to be wrecking it.