Adults with a fear of driving?

kristinebolton5

I had my beginners when I was 18 and let it expire & I'm now 32 & truly have no interest in getting my DL. I cannot drive straight, I drive towards the right side curb lol and I admit I have road rage. My boyfriend is forever yelling at me to be quiet because I will curse at people. I'm scared of driving past school buses, transport trucks, cant look when we go over a bridge & I believe the highways are full of morons that have no sense of speed control. As I have road rage, fear of big moving vehicles, bridges & cant drive straight, I know I'm a danger

Ramberta

I was PETRIFIED to learn how to drive at 17, but I desperately wanted the freedom that came with it, and to prove to myself that I COULD do it. I can't imagine not being able to drive; it literally became a form of escapism for me for a while, when I was at my highest weight and didn't want to work out... /cough

Really, my best advice is to just bite the bullet and get on with it. You're going to be afraid-- it's natural. You're going to make mistakes-- that's natural too. I was scared sh!tless about driving on the interstates and large highways -- now I prefer them, because I think the most dangerous parts of driving are at stoplight intersections and residential areas where people think it's fine to just blow stop signs constantly. However, it's still draining to drive in heavy traffic, especially merging. You just develop more confidence with practice.

I remember waving 2, 3, 4 people on before me at 4-way stops (because I was so paranoid about cutting someone off)... even when it was clearly my time to go... ^_^; my mom would literally yell, "Amber, just GO! It's your turn!!" :laugh:

SweetestLibby

I didn't get my license until I was 25 (last year). I'd had my permit for 5 years but I kept putting it off because I was afraid. PRACTICE helps a lot. I was terified of getting into a situation where I would panic and end up causing an accident. Once I started driving regularly and I encountered those situations (bad weather, silly drivers, etc) I learned to trust my abilities and I learned how to keep calm!

jelk8881

I will be 25 soon and do not have my license. I have driven before everyone says I drive like an old lady I sit straight up and concentrate. I cant handle a car if it is going more than 45mph. I freak out on bridges so when I do get my license cause I am gonna have to soon, it will only be short distances that I drive.

KristysLosing

I have heard that getting you DL later makes it harder. My MIL is almost 60, and I'm not fully comfortable with her driving. She got her license later, too. I'm sorry, I don't really have any advice. All you can do is practice. Hopefully you will feel better over time. The only thing that is going to prepare you for those situations you fear and practice at driving. I love to drive and take road trips. I hope someday you reach a point like that. :flowerforyou: Good luck!

Ramberta

I'm 21 and have been driving for around five or so years. I'm pretty much the opposite to you it seems, as i'm quite afraid of not being in control of the car when someone else is driving.

This is me! I've been driving since I was 17 (and am now 25) and would much rather be the DD and take everyone else home than sit in the passenger seat-- the only exception to this is when I'm unfamiliar with the area (such as going on vacation out of state), or when I'm simply too exhausted to focus.

RumOne

I didn't get my learners till I was 21 (rarely drove) and then didn't get my actual licence till it almost expired 7 years later. I was afraid of the road test. My husband made me take it as we moved top a new area and I had to drive the kids to the bus stop every day. Now I couldn't imagine life without it. I actually enjoy driving. Being aware of the responsibility is a good thing. It will mean you won't take it for granted.

crystalflame

I was living overseas when I turned 16, so I didn't get my license until I was 18. Mostly I got it so I'd have some form of ID; I didn't drive alone for another year. It freaked me out SO badly, for the same reasons as you - I thought I'd get in a bad situation, not know how to handle it, and something terrible would happen. The only thing that changed that was time on the road. I got comfortable with driving to the grocery store, then to my summer job, then farther. I got comfortable with my car and how it handled; I learned its limitations. I studied defensive driving. Now, I'm a lot more scared when someone else is driving because I can point out about 10 things they do wrong in the space of 5 minutes. HATE IT. I wish I didn't have to ever be in a car, period, but being able to drive yourself gives you a lot more control than depending on other people.

paulalyons11

I didn't get my license until I was 44. I'd always been terrified to be in control of a car. I even used to have what I call "driving nightmares" where I would get my then 7 year old son to drive in my dream... telling him..."don't tell Daddy!!".

I do have my license now. Once I decided to finally do it, It took me 5 months of practicing. I started out very small... trips to the corner store to my home every day after work (my husband would pick me up and drive to the corner store). This was a simple trip, but involved one of my big fears... an intersection. LOL After a week I felt comfortable and moved on to my next fear... parking lots! Went to Walmart every night after supper for a week. You get the idea. I started off with short trips and each success gave me a little more confidence. It was basically forcing myself to keep doing it until it stopped being so terrifying. I still have anxiety (lane changing, merging and routes that I'm not familiar with) but each success makes it easier! Just keep at it and good luck!

jelk8881

I had my beginners when I was 18 and let it expire & I'm now 32 & truly have no interest in getting my DL. I cannot drive straight, I drive towards the right side curb lol and I admit I have road rage. My boyfriend is forever yelling at me to be quiet because I will curse at people. I'm scared of driving past school buses, transport trucks, cant look when we go over a bridge & I believe the highways are full of morons that have no sense of speed control. As I have road rage, fear of big moving vehicles, bridges & cant drive straight, I know I'm a danger

Lol that is so me too. I hate the huge trucks. I am always yelling at people. Hate bridges and dont like driving over 45mph. And a lot of people who have there license probably shouldnt. So my fiance does all the driving. But I will have to get mine soon to go to work and back. :noway:

BinaryPulsar

I have my license. I have driven a lot. But, I never liked it. It seems I drive less and less these days. I was injured in a car accident (with no seat belts), as a passenger, right before I got my license. Then I was riding my bike as my rehab and a women that could not see well enough to be driving, just drove right into me. My body and head bounced all across her car and across the street, and she almost ran over my head. I wasn't wearing a helmet, no one had ever taught me to wear a helmet. But, I did start wearing helmets after that. I was also in two other (less serious) car accidents and another bike accident (broken bones from that). I do feel worried about driving. And I do not even consider those car accidents to be "traumatic" in comparison to the other trauma I experience growing up (which was much much worse and much much more traumatic). I have ptsd and one of the symptoms is that when I am under stress my eye will blink and I have trouble controlling it. And honestly that is one of the reasons I don't feel safe driving right now because it has recently gotten worse (I am working on it, with stress reduction and relaxation).

My husband did not get his license until he was 24. He is a physicist and wanted to invent a car that did not need a combustion engine (he works in alternative energy development). But, I told him he needed to get a license because I couldn't do all the driving (especially when we were in New York City, we lived in New York at the time).

ladymiseryali

And I thought I was the only one who is afraid to drive. I'm 28. I got my permit when I was 18, even took extra driving lessons over the summer. But I can't shake the anxiety I got behind the wheel though. I don't know if I ever will......

Sapporo

I'm 36 and have my beginners for the 3rd time in my life, have never completed a road test to get my full license. I'm also scared to drive. I'm a space cadet, always out to lunch and not paying attention so I find driving nerve wracking, I get all tense and don't feel in control. I have only driven once in the last year since I got my beginners again.
Luckily I live somewhere with good transit so I don't need to drive.

MsEmmy

I'm 42 and only took my driving test when I was 31. i put it off for years because I just didn't want the responsibility, especially with my kids in the back. But then I got a new job and, time-wise, taking the kids to school on the bus (we don't have proper school buses in the UK) wasn't practical so I had to bite the bullet and learn to drive. I hated every second of my driving lessons. I used to pray that the instructor would cancel. I couldn't sleep the night before. It was torture to me (not only driving, but being watched by someone else.)
However, when I passed my test I was so proud of myself. It's one of the biggest challenges I've overcome. I still don't like driving on motorways (it's better now I have a safer car but in my old one if I'd been hit I would've been a goner.) I am a confident and safe driver now, not too slow, not a speeder and I love the freedom I have to go where I want, when I want and be independent. I can pile my dogs in the car and take them somewhere nice for a walk, go shopping without having to wait til my husband wants to go, decide to go to the cinema with my sons at the last minute. I even started my own business which I wouldn't have been able to do if I didn't drive.

It is a weird thing to learn. It requires different skills to those we normally use when we learn something new so you often find that the more academic people can have a bigger fear of learning. I have a friend the same age as me and I don't think she will ever take her test despite holding a learner's license and having lessons for 15 years - she has never failed anything in her life and I think she is scared of failure. Take it from me, it does get easier as you get more experience and after a few months you don't think anything of jumping in the car to go somewhere :flowerforyou:

jpuderbaugh

And I thought I was bad with my fear of driving into the city or driving where I don't know the route by heart. I, as someone else said on here, am much more afraid of someone else driving me than me driving myself. You can't control how well someone else pays attention, and lots of people like to look around as they drive. This drives me crazy. Watch the freaking road, not the stupid building on the side of the road!

I started driving short distances and around my grandfathers fields at 13. I'm a truck drivers daughter and the granddaughter of a farmer, I basically grew up driving.

JusticeGirl25

I do have a fear of driving during winter weather. That is always tough.

BflSaberfan

I'm 42 and only took my driving test when I was 31. i put it off for years because I just didn't want the responsibility, especially with my kids in the back. But then I got a new job and, time-wise, taking the kids to school on the bus (we don't have proper school buses in the UK) wasn't practical so I had to bite the bullet and learn to drive. I hated every second of my driving lessons. I used to pray that the instructor would cancel. I couldn't sleep the night before. It was torture to me (not only driving, but being watched by someone else.)
However, when I passed my test I was so proud of myself. It's one of the biggest challenges I've overcome. I still don't like driving on motorways (it's better now I have a safer car but in my old one if I'd been hit I would've been a goner.) I am a confident and safe driver now, not too slow, not a speeder and I love the freedom I have to go where I want, when I want and be independent. I can pile my dogs in the car and take them somewhere nice for a walk, go shopping without having to wait til my husband wants to go, decide to go to the cinema with my sons at the last minute. I even started my own business which I wouldn't have been able to do if I didn't drive.

It is a weird thing to learn. It requires different skills to those we normally use when we learn something new so you often find that the more academic people can have a bigger fear of learning. I have a friend the same age as me and I don't think she will ever take her test despite holding a learner's license and having lessons for 15 years - she has never failed anything in her life and I think she is scared of failure. Take it from me, it does get easier as you get more experience and after a few months you don't think anything of jumping in the car to go somewhere :flowerforyou:

Very interesting you say that. I did go see a professional and he asked if I had been a straight A student and if I was a control freak (yes and yes) he kind of laughed and said typically people who have a fear of driving are ones that NEED to have control, driving I realize I wont always be the one in control and will constantly have to try and determine what others are doing or going to do. His best advice was to just go and do it. That was 4 years ago. lol

I am afraid of parking lots too but I wont have to worry about that too much if I am just getting myself to and from work. I am also afraid of pulling up to the gas pump =( well I do feel so much better realizing I am not the only adult out there with this fear. I get made fun of quite a bit for it (mostly by my step dad). I'm not a sensitive person but it can bring me almost to tears because he doesn't understand.