How to overcome driving anxiety?

Please read this thread as a background into my driving history.

I've now got a job that is 42mins away from home but I can just about get there on public transport which would take about 1hr 30minutes, give or take 10-15mins here and there for walking from train to bus stations etc.

I'm still wracked with driving anxiety. I don't know how to overcome it.

With this job, I'm going to have to start driving as it'll involve travel within a certain area. I guess, I could use public transport but it might look abit weird when people find out I'm passed to drive, got a car but uses public transport?

I can't seem to take my car out in my local town as I'm fearing people I know seeing me driving and laughing or ridiculing me and I'll make a mistake as I'm not entirely comfortable with my driving.

Help please!

my biggest driving issue is getting lost (i live in a new area). what helps for me is playing my favorite music through my ipod headphones (not through my car speakers cause then ppl might hear it and think ew he's listening to that?) also, when i miss a turn or something i just make four rights.

sounds like your quandry involves being seen by friends/co-workers more than getting lost or stuck in intersections and being to scared to jump into crazy traffic, which happens to me all the time. i would say trick your car out with little accessories - car seat covers, steering wheel cover with a cool design on it. make your car your domain, just focus on enjoying the ride.

oh and music selection of course is the most important thing :bigsmile:

the best advice to you is to drive to work everyday, and you'll gain confidence the more you drive. the more you put it off, the more apprehensive you'll feel about your driving ability. but i understand your concerns. i've never had a bad experience driving (no accidents, breakdowns etc) but i still have very little confidence in my abilities. i'm at home pretty much all the time, so i don't need to drive and that's why i have so little confidence. the more you convince yourself you're good at it, the better.

I am also a bit anxious when i drive, I had a couple of accidents that were not my fault, and now I think that its gonna happen again at every corner. I know its not gonna happen but cant stop thinking about it.