Does Anyone Else Have Anxiety With Driving?

[girlinthecorner]

I have really bad anxiety when it comes to driving. I didn't realize how bad until recently when I finally started learning at age 23. I never cared to learn to drive before. It wasn't even about fear, I just knew it wasn't for me because I didn't feel like I could do it because of how I am. I mean, I could barely walk across streets without almost getting hit, so me behind the wheel didn't seem like a very good idea to me.

I took a drivers training class for three days and it was absolutely horrible. Everyone kept telling me how easy it would be, but, no. The teacher told me that I wasn't THE worst she's had but definitely one of the worst. She only told me that because I asked. I knew I was doing horrible. I just wasn't into it. While learning to drive, I learned that I'm super paranoid or I'm just too aware and I suck at multi-tasking. Also a big part of me not ever wanting to get behind the wheel is the weird problem I have sometimes of not being able to control myself. It happened only once while I was out driving, but it was horrible. The teacher was telling me to make a left turn and I wasn't ready to go (Left turns were my worst part of training, so I was scared to go). I just remember myself repeating "cars are coming." Next thing I know our car is stopped in the middle of the lanes blocking traffic with cars speeding toward us and the teacher is screaming at me to go but I couldn't so she hurried up and took over before we got hit. It's like I just blacked out. I have no memory of taking my foot off the break or turning the wheel. I didn't tell anyone about what happened. It was embarrassing.
On my last day of training my teacher told me I should consider doing more training because my parents wouldn't know how to handle me if they tried teaching me. That got my mom really angry for some reason. I agree with the teacher but my mom doesn't seem to ever want to think anything is wrong with me. She believes teaching me will be no different than teaching my siblings. I just looked at her like, Are you kidding? You don't see any difference between me and them? She's never even wanted to teach me before.

I've given up on learning now. I know I'm supposed to keep at it but I've lost my motivation. I just hate living in a place where everyone has to drive.

Does anyone else have this problem?

 

[NickyNacker]

I'm 19 and I have tons of anxiety about it. I can definitely relate. I've failed the written test for my permit 3 times and the last time I tried was months ago. My uncle takes me to practice on a country road every once in a while and that's not so bad and kinda fun. But I have terrible anxiety about driving here in the city where I live on the high ways and busy streets/intersections. I don't even see myself being able to handle it ever. :[

 

[Feathers]

Hey Girlinthecorner! You are not alone.. I only got the driving licence much later Described it in the other threads a bit already..

Maybe you have non-verbal learning difficulties like I do? & are a bit artsy& CREATIVE? When you learn, are you visual or more listening-oriented or kinaesthetic? I'm visual/kinaesthetic. So I wrote down EVERYTHING, made notes, made little sketches, practised 'dry' (not in the car) lol, learnt from the book etc.
I still don't like to drive much, and prefer to have someone in the car, getting a licence is doable anyway!!

Left turns are the most difficult for anyone anyway - so if you kinda can get those right (I had to look at pictures in the book & draw sketches!) other things will probably go into place too..

Your mom was maybe just trying to save some money (?) Or were the lessons free? You can get a friendly relative to teach you - either mom or dad or someone else if they're more patient... maybe a sibling or aunt?
Can you get like a video game or something to 'practise' or practise with small toy cars, with someone more experienced watching and helping you?

I live in an area where having/driving a car is important too.. even our 50+ year old neighbour passed the exam and got the licence, I'm sure you can too!!

 

[miss_amy]

I don't feel 100% confident driving but its nowhere near as bad as you describe for me.

At the beginning I had the multi tasking thing, felt like so much to do but as you get more practise much of it becomes automatic and doesnt have to be thought about any more.

 

[LostViking]

I'd suggest test driving with friends or relatives in areas with little traffic, or perhaps even wait for summer when it's not so dark and do some learning late at night when the roads are void of traffic. At least see if you can find a way to first learn how to handle a car, and then later on learn how to handle busy traffic.

If the problems are severe though, I urge you to consider just how important the driving permit happens to be. Keep in mind that there are tons of things that can end in absolutely horrible ways if you lose control, or heck, even if you just get too anxious to absord the info you have to while driving.

Sounds harsh, but I have both anxiety and a driving permit. And I try to avoid getting behind the steering wheel as much as I can, because just a few seconds of anxiety while I drive, and I might be the cause of a few orphans.

 

[Jimsie]

I have been trying to learn to drive off and on for about 5 years now. I passed my theory first time but failed my practical test 5 times quite badly for multiple reasons. I have recently started to take driving lessons again and have to retake my theory because my original one expired. I hate doing it and have wasted so much money on it but eventually i am going to need to know how to drive. But i can't see how i am ever going to pass my practical test.

Its mostly due to anxiety and a serious lack of confidence for me. But even without that i find it amazing that people manage to pass with ease since you can be failed on any little thing. (well in the uk anyway) I have had all instructors tell me i am the worst pupil they have ever had which makes me depressed especially when any idiot seems to be able to pass a driving test.

But yeh like someone else mentioned.. I am just better at creative things, even my job is a creative one and i can't do anything properly when someone is watching over me, just waiting to point out what ive done wrong.

 

[Phoenixx]

And I thought I was the only one who dealt with this. I passed my permit test back in July with no problem and I really wasn't that anxious taking it. But once I started to practice driving, I just got so tense. I'm too scared to even drive the city or anything. I can drive on country roads without a problem, as long as I'm the only one on the road. I've only drove through small towns a few times, but even driving through them I get sooo nervous. Because of this, I don't even have my license yet. It makes me feel ridiculous because 3/4 of my class drives to school while I'm still one of the few riding the bus. :/

 

[uncle]

I do, it's at it's worst when I drive in two way traffic. I always think there's a drunk coming at me and they are going to pass out and hit me head on. It started when I used to drive in this tunnel and they allowed traffic to go in both directions.

I should say I have been driving for over 30 years now and this anxiety does not happen often. I think some of the triggers are when it gets dark and the oncoming lights seem brighter. Also strange roads.

 

[JamesSmith]

Considering I have SAD, I'm surprised I don't have more anxiety w/ driving. The only thing that kind of makes me nervous is when people are behind me and I have this old '94 pickup truck that is a stick shift, so I can't accelerate as fast as other drivers can with their nicer cars and automatic transmissions. Or when I have to change lanes in heavy traffic and check blind spots, sometimes i get some nerves. Besides that, I feel pretty comfortable behind the wheel, probably cuz I'm inside my truck and safe socially. It's not like I have to talk to anyone when I'm inside my truck cuz I'm always alone.

 

[Zacsta]

Although I got my licence first go, I'm still really quite anxious about driving, to the extent that I avoid it and just walk everywhere (if possible). I don't mind just driving round the streets (I live in a smallish town anyway), but doing technical, close, things like parking, especially parallel parking in the main street, as well as driving in a supermarket carpark, gets me nervous and flustered.

Even though my parents say I drive well, it doesn't stop me from feeling intimidated by most other people on the road, as if they're all watching me and thinking what an incompetent driver I am. I also don't like filling up with petrol or using ticket machines and other things related to driving.

I would recommend being persistent with your learning to drive. I was a very awkward and clumsy driver while learning, and it wasn't until much closer to the test that I actually felt I could drive relatively naturally.
All that said, it's still a very useful thing in some situations, even if you don't end up driving much.
Try not to put yourself in big busy road situations straight off (I didn't do anything like that for ages!) because it'll just scare the hell out of you and make you dread it even more. Driving is a very baby-steps type thing. If your mum was going to teach you, just start off in a vey quiet back-street, and get used to things like pulling out, driving around the streets (indicating etc.) and take it slowly, only gradually going to slightly more busy roads when you feel ready.

It can take a long time to feel comfortable driving (I still don't completely! I've had my license for nearly a year) and starting to learn is very nerve-racking, I understand completely. It's pretty much all confidence, so like I said, start in very small, quiet situations until you feel confident and gradually build up from there.
Hopefully all goes well! Good luck.

 

[Liam17]

Not drived yet.

But the thought of driving gives me anxiety.

If that makes sense.

 

[choochoocharlee]

somehow i did a bunch of driving lessons and got my license when i was 17 but im 21, almost 22 and havent really driven since i got it.. i could count the amount of times ive driven on one hand. i guess i dont drive due to anxiety, i always feel tense and worried im going to make a mistake and not know what to do and that someone i know might see it happen.. i just dont feel comfortable.

i cant help but think that if i persisted and started driving frequently it'd probably get easier and id become more confident but i just dont have the confidence to start.. if you can find the determination to be persistent with it i think you'll slowly become more comfortable with driving.

 

[stardreamer]

I got my license over a year ago, and still have only driven a few times. I get anxious when in traffic, so I try to avoid it. I know I'll have to drive sometime soon, I just don't know how I'll get over the fear and anxiety I have.

 

[LazyHermitCrab]

yes each time its a red light i pretend im adjusting the station and stuff like that

 

[Deus_Ex_Lemur]

I used to, and still do. I didnt go to a certain college (which I ended up transferring too) large part the commute fear long freeway drive and then partway in the city. But I did transfer and after now a few years - now that I've done it for so long barely think about it. More just a pain to commute lol.

HOWEVER - I still fear driving in big city. The traffic, weird turning, right of ways, etc. (place like San Francisco, etc.). I've avoided driving much in city. Yet I've conquered the rest of my driving fears - just takes actual doing - but I have to be forced to do it initially.

 

[WeirdyMcGee]

I do well in cars-- driving or just as a passenger.
My dad used to drive my sister and I around the block (as children) until we fell asleep, since it was the easiest way to get us to settle down and doze off... so I think that contributes to why I am comfortable in cars as an adult.

I am confident in my ability to drive, but I do know that car windows are not a magical barrier and people can SEE me; so my insecurity and paranoia around people is still there indefinitely.

In general, I stay in my room- away from people. I don't like being outside but I do feel fairly comfortable in a car rather than walking on the sidewalk for everyone to look at while they drive past. -__-

 

[Remus]

Yeah I do but I'm fine on motorbikes

 

[GhoulsNightOut]

I still get anxious while driving but not as badly as before, and for different reasons now too.... When I first started out I was just afraid of hitting or getting hit by other cars, now I get paranoid of being watched. Like when I'm waiting behind a car and if the driver so much as glances at me from the rear view mirror, I get really uncomfortable and avoid looking up.

 

[ILovePocky]

It's nice to know I'm not the only one afraid to drive. I'm 19 and in high school during drivers ed I got so freaked out I had to quit. Since then my family has really urged me to keep trying but I can't get over my fear. It's really sucked when I have to go somewhere though and I have to depend on other people :/

 

[Rose_Red]

I've had about 2 or 3 practise lessons driving, but I almost ran over my cat and fell off a cliff at the back of my house :/
I'm too scared to go in and take my learner's test, and the idea of actually driving, and being on the road with hundreds of other drivers makes me fell uneasy.
I guess that and the paranoid feeling of causing an accident stop me.

I know I have to get my learner's license this year, but it's hard plucking up the courage to do it.
Public transport is even more frightening because you have to talk to the driver to pay for the transport, and if it's a bus then you're siting with other people around you.
It makes driving look alot easier :/