Driving - Anxiety

[Lollipops23]

So bit of an odd situation here- I've had my full licence for nearly 15 years, zero accidents and only a handful of near misses in this time.

Had my first baby last year and since then I've developed huge anxiety around motorway driving. I cannot bring myself to drive as fast as the speed limit (say 70 km/ph when the limit is 100). I stick to the slow lane and make it as easy as poss for people to overtake me, but still get flashed and honked.

I don't know what's happened, I just feel so scared on the motorway. I have no issue driving normal local roads.

 

[Cosmo]

One thing that really improved my driving was watching Canada's Worst Driver. They go through how to park, drive at speed, how to hold the wheel, what to do on ice, if you're skidding on gravel - honestly I learnt more from watching that show than my driving lessons!

Every episode is in a playlist on youtube. The quality of the first few series is dreadful but it's still watchable. I wholeheartedly recommend it if you want to improve your knowledge of driving to ease anxiety.

Here's the link, if it doesn't work just search Canada's Worst Driver on youtube and it'll come up.

 

[Nicnak1]

I'm so glad I've found this thread I've been driving 8 years now and still only drive in the town I live (avoiding some roads thar confuse me) and maybe the next town one way and the other

 

[Millennial Pink]

One thing that really improved my driving was watching Canada's Worst Driver. They go through how to park, drive at speed, how to hold the wheel, what to do on ice, if you're skidding on gravel - honestly I learnt more from watching that show than my driving lessons!

Every episode is in a playlist on youtube. The quality of the first few series is dreadful but it's still watchable. I wholeheartedly recommend it if you want to improve your knowledge of driving to ease anxiety.

Here's the link, if it doesn't work just search Canada's Worst Driver on youtube and it'll come up.

I started watching a lot of driving instructors on youtube when I got back into driving last year. It's really helpful to have things explained while you aren't under pressure actually driving a car.

I've got an odd thing going at the moment where I'm fine going to a place where I've never been before, but I don't want to drive 7 mins across town. I think it's because I know how awkward the roads can be here. I can also parallel park some days and not others. No idea why. I think I get myself into a tizz too easily, especially when someone else is in the car with me.

 

[Rosie878]

My driving/ spatial awareness is definitely worse at that time of the month. Hate to be a cliche but it's true...

 

[StrawberryBanana90]

I've had my licence for over a year now and I've only driven once since (I drove with my mum and I kept stalling and she shouted so I cried and I've never sat in a drivers seat again )
My partner drives us around all the time and I'd love to just be able to share the burden and I've been toying with the idea of getting a cheap automatic but the thought of actually being on the road makes me sick Parking as well makes me nervous, on my test he started me with a reverse bay park and he said I was sooo close to failing there and then but I got it in the end. In addition to this, I feel like I have no spatial awareness!
Typing all this out make me think yeahhh I shouldn't drive I did get 13 minors too....

 

[Thank(space)you]

Drove somewhere new today. Took my child, my friend and her child on holiday was actually fine

 

[Dragon100]

I've had my licence for over a year now and I've only driven once since (I drove with my mum and I kept stalling and she shouted so I cried and I've never sat in a drivers seat again )
My partner drives us around all the time and I'd love to just be able to share the burden and I've been toying with the idea of getting a cheap automatic but the thought of actually being on the road makes me sick Parking as well makes me nervous, on my test he started me with a reverse bay park and he said I was sooo close to failing there and then but I got it in the end. In addition to this, I feel like I have no spatial awareness!
Typing all this out make me think yeahhh I shouldn't drive I did get 13 minors too....

maybe you need to consider a few refresher lessons to build up your confidence!

 

[37BBL]

Drove somewhere new today. Took my child, my friend and her child on holiday was actually fine

Well done!!!

 

[MsGilmore]

The aspect about the aggressive car is interesting!

We (or rather, my BF) has a bigger, aggressive car. I don't like driving it myself, it's too big and I'm genuinely scared of the acceleration. Otoh, I used to drive a Fiat Punto and we used to have a Fiesta before the current car and people really do the most stupid things because you drive a cute, small car and not a baddy aggressive one. BF says that quite often he was overtaken by a hair's width on the autobahn in the Fiesta, but with the BMW, they don't dare. So stupid!

I said I'd actually like to have a "driving shopping bag", like a VW Up. Cute, small enough to fit everywhere, I could use it for grocery shopping or just short errands. But we don't need two cars, we hardly need the one we have. My driving would benefit though.

I have a Ford Ka, but it’s a 1.3 diesel. I really have to keep my wits about me because so many people pull out on me. They assume I am going slow because it’s a small car! I’d love a newer car but I just don’t have the disposable income for the monthly installments.
The standard of driving these days is frightening. Some people drive so fast and take stupid risks. Some people seem to think that the law doesn’t apply to them since the pandemic.

 

[Thank(space)you]

I have a Ford Ka, but it’s a 1.3 diesel. I really have to keep my wits about me because so many people pull out on me. They assume I am going slow because it’s a small car! I’d love a newer car but I just don’t have the disposable income for the monthly installments.
The standard of driving these days is frightening. Some people drive so fast and take stupid risks. Some people seem to think that the law doesn’t apply to them since the pandemic.

This! I heard someone bragging they were doing over 100mph on the motorway the other day

People laugh at me for being such a cautious driver but why wouldn't you be?!

 

[Lorny]

Aww honestly so glad to have found this thread! I passed my test in 2009 and had never driven again until I took refresher lessons last year. I passed my test in a manual but chose to do my refresher lessons in an automatic which made such a difference. I got my car in December and do still get nervous before getting in it. I won’t go on the motorway until after 9:30pm so I can just easily drive on and not worry about merging too much. I can scoot myself about my town but fret over parking so have to time my drives to the supermarket just so I know I’ll get parked ok. My boyfriend still does the majority of driving as I just get so nervous but usually once I’m actually in the car and driving I’m absolutely fine. It’s all about confidence and had you said to me this time last year I would be driving a car I would have never believed it. Feel I’ve got a long way to go but knowing I’m not the only one with anxiety around it makes me feel so much better. I thought I was mental!

 

[Rosie878]

I have a Ford Ka, but it’s a 1.3 diesel. I really have to keep my wits about me because so many people pull out on me. They assume I am going slow because it’s a small car! I’d love a newer car but I just don’t have the disposable income for the monthly installments.
The standard of driving these days is frightening. Some people drive so fast and take stupid risks. Some people seem to think that the law doesn’t apply to them since the pandemic.

I had a ford ka until my first baby was a few months old - it just wasn’t compatible with a baby car seat. Still miss it to this day - was an awesome car they are nippy cars too - I would always be off quickly at lights etc compared to other cars.

 

[bxiley]

This! I heard someone bragging they were doing over 100mph on the motorway the other day

People laugh at me for being such a cautious driver but why wouldn't you be?!

I think this is the root of my driving anxiety. I can control my driving, but I can't control others, and you never know what idiotic move they might pull. When the roads are empty, I'm totally fine!

 

[37BBL]

I totally get the other drivers being aggressive thing. I drove to another town last week, its a fairly easy drive and I've done it loads of times so I'm not too anxious about it. There's basically one big straight road for about 5 miles with a 60mph limit. It was torrential raining, wipers on the fastest and backspray from other cars making it difficult. I was doing just over 50mph and was over taken by 3 cars doing 70-80 easily.
I just don't understand why people aren't cautious!
---

I think this is the root of my driving anxiety. I can control my driving, but I can't control others, and you never know what idiotic move they might pull. When the roads are empty, I'm totally fine!

This!!!! I would much rather drive with nothing around me, I've sometimes thought when I have been doing a long journey about pulling over for a few minutes and letting some cars past so its clearer.

 

[Codiaeum]

I think this is the root of my driving anxiety. I can control my driving, but I can't control others, and you never know what idiotic move they might pull. When the roads are empty, I'm totally fine!

This!!! Thank you, this perfectly sums up the root cause of my anxiety. If the roads were empty or I knew people would drive like normal people, I guess a lot of it would be much easier. But there are always idiots pulling out very close or driving at 200km/h...

 

[Betty-xoxox]

So glad I found this thread. I passed in 2011 and have not really driven since. I’ve had the opportunity to drive but my anxiety kicks in. I’ve been with my partner 9 years now and he only passed his test recently so if he or I wanted to do something we all had to go including the kids, I had to choose holidays based on how long it would take us to get there as we couldn’t go on motorways. He doesn’t get why I get anxious but I promised I would get it sorted this year. Our car is on a loan until next year still so I get anxious thinking if I crash we still have to pay for the car. I did ask my friend the other week if she would come out with me on a drive as she has done before and when I panicked she could drive our car on her own insurance. But it’s nice to know I’m not alone

 

[Millennial Pink]

I had a ford ka until my first baby was a few months old - it just wasn’t compatible with a baby car seat. Still miss it to this day - was an awesome car they are nippy cars too - I would always be off quickly at lights etc compared to other cars.

I had one of the old Ford Kas as my first car. They were tiny, so easy to park! Mine used to struggle above about 60, but they weren't really designed for that.

Did a bit of town driving today, didn't enjoy it. I hate having to emerge at junctions where there's loads of parked vans so you can see bugger all.

 

[Delia Smith]

I hate overtaking cyclists. I give them the full lane I can’t just pass normally like everyone else.

 

[Magnolia4]

I also hate when there’s a bus ahead of me. I never know whether to go around when it stops or just wait. Usually I just wait it out but then there’s more and more cars stopping behind me so stressful!!