Driving

[Angelina]

Some time ago I was starting a thread about parallel parking for the licence (I have had troubles doing it so I could not get the licence). Well, practice, practice and now I have a licence almost for 2 months (or more, I am not sure even).


Well, I drive everyday, doing someerrands, going to nearby stores, activities, playgrounds, libraries-all within town limit. I am SOOOOOOOOO scared to go on the highway-expressway by myself and with the kids. I am scared. I have some driving experience (2 year), but can not go, just trembling.

Also, I am not so good in reading the maps and I can get lost easy, I've got a navigator GPS, but it's small and got me in trouble when I was driving to another town using the backroads-it just lost a satellite at first and then the batteries went off, I was there by myself, had to figure it out how to get home.

HOW can I overcome the scare of going to the expressways AND

HOW can I learn the directions? TIA

[Lyoshka]

:rahrah: Angelina, good for you for getting the license and driving!!! You go girl:rahrah: :rahrah: :rahrah: !!!

Now, as far as overcoming your fears...... I guess I would suggest going on the highways a few times in the least trafficky times (maybe really early in the morning), so it's not busy and you won't feel so panicky. I would maybe also take somebody with you, so it's not so scary, and if you do panic, you can pull over on the shoulder and they can take over for you. I bet if you do that a few times, you won't be so scared. Directions? Do you have a mapbook? I would work on reading it at home and finding specific streets/destinations, to familiarize yourself with it.... Or you can always put in the address on yahoo maps and print it out, with step by step directions. After you do it enough, it'll get easier. It will. Hang in there!

[Angelina]

I use mapquest printouts often. And hey, I have Garmin portable GPS!

As for driving with somebody... I prefer driving by myself at this point. This way if I suck there is nobody to start yapping "Told ya", and I can just relax and do better. If I am driving with my DH in the car it's crazy, he's always screaming and mentoring me a lot, bossing, me no like it. I am all tears and he is sorry.

Everybody else is busy. So, I'll try to go Saturday morning? 5-6 am? I was on the expressway once at 11 pm (got there by mistake), it was quite scary. I am afraid changing lanes too.

[stass]

I think you just have to try. Most express ways have off ramps every few miles so you could get on then get right off. then work your way up to waiting for 2 off ramps etc.

[Cami]

Congratulations on passing the test! That is awesome!!

I think it's like everyone said, you just have to do it over and over and you'll get more comfortable. Go alone (no kids to distract you) and when it's daylight and not as crowded.

I remember thinking I'd NEVER be comfortable driving a stick. I had to have the radio off, no one in the car could talk, I was soooo nervous. But I just kept doing it and eventually got used to it.

Maybe it would help to take a few driving lessons with an instructor? You could tell them you have your license and know how to drive, but you need help getting comfortable on the highways.

[Lyoshka]

Angelina, go early in the morning as opposed to late at night....you can see things much better in the morning, which will help your comfort level, for sure! Stay in the right lane on the expressway, then you can go slower (40-50 mph?) and not worry about people tailgating you to get out of the way. This way, you can also either pull over on the shoulder or get off on the exit, like Stacey said.... Really, after a few trips like this, you will feel TONS better! So don't fret about it too much, it's less scary than it actually seems.

[Alysia]

:nod: I used to refuse to get on the freeway. Anywhere that involved going on the freeway I would either make someone else drive or not go.

One night... I finally just did it... and never looked back!!

[AmyP]

Angelina, I'd try the beltway early in the morning. Just go from one exit and get off at the next. The beltway where you are has exits about a mile apart, so you'd only be on the beltway for a minute or two. Just stay in the right lane so you won't drive anyone nuts if you are a little slow at first.

As far as directions go, I'd at least learn some of the main routes near you. It would get you a lot of places, I think.

[magoo]

I'm not the one to answer this question. I'm terrified of driving. I know it's something that I HAVE got to learn to do, but it's hard to overcome my fear. Just the thought of sitting in the driver's seat scares me. :errr:

Congratulations on getting your license. Hopefully I'll follow in your footsteps soon.

[Angelina]

Angelina, I'd try the beltway early in the morning. Just go from one exit and get off at the next. The beltway where you are has exits about a mile apart, so you'd only be on the beltway for a minute or two. Just stay in the right lane so you won't drive anyone nuts if you are a little slow at first.

As far as directions go, I'd at least learn some of the main routes near you. It would get you a lot of places, I think.

Well, I do go there and drive one exit-to the post office. It's easy. But I don't even want to think about going further and coming to the left lane, or a middle lane.

Where I really want to get-Webers farm, they have Johnny Appleseed festival and kids activities. Plus they have the best apple cider EVER. I haven't been there a while (husband doesn't have time to go there now)

[Angelina]

I'm not the one to answer this question. I'm terrified of driving. I know it's something that I HAVE got to learn to do, but it's hard to overcome my fear. Just the thought of sitting in the driver's seat scares me. :errr:

Congratulations on getting your license. Hopefully I'll follow in your footsteps soon.

sarah,

Just think about all the good things you can achieve and get to if you drive. You can go by yourself to the stores and playgrounds and no need to wait for your hubby to come home, you can listen to your own music in the car, and you will be more confident and independent. No need to be scared, just look-tons of people over 70 and under 16 are driving, some are brilliant, some are not so smart-everybody can learn to drive! Just everybody! It's just like operating a dishwasher...but more responsibilities.

Read the MVA book, go to the driving school and get an instructor OR drive with somebody who is not nervous and who can cheer you up (in my case, it was DH' brother, he is a police officer, was nice to drive with him and nobody was beeping the horn if I made some mistakes, they all could see the police officer in the car, he was wearing the uniform, driving with me after work).

Cheer up! It's not difficult! You are not the first one to be scared and not the last one, certainly.

I will try to overcome my highway fears, just because it's something I HAVE to do, I must.

[Bev]

Angelina, congratulations on getting your licence! :cheer:

I agree with the others, start slowly and work your way up. I've been driving for years so expressways don't bother me, but I moved to this city about 3 years ago. I had to drive a lot for work. What I did was just drive and not worry if I got lost. I had a map in the car and I wasn't going to leave the town, so I learned a lot of the city that way, just randomly driving around. There is still a lot I don't know but my SIL says I know more than her and she's lived here all her life! :lol:

[Clare]

I used to be a nervous driver but with a lot of experience, I now really enjoy driving. It just takes time and practice.

Both my SIL and sister recently got their drivers licences at the ripe old ages of 49 and 47!

[MrsPeacefrog]

It is such a foreign concept to me to be scared of driving, I couldn't wait to get my licence, and I must admit that even the first time I hopped into a car I was ready for the instructor to take me anywhere. I had a girlfriend that was the opposite and she was terrified, she didn't get her licence till her late 20's and even now she only drives very short trips. I encourage her to try doing longer ones but she is just too scared. Ultimatley I say to her, that if she is really that scared it's probably better off she waits till she is ready or else she will cause an accident by being so fearful.

So I feel if you are really that on edge, you need to really take it slowly and build up your confidence, or else your jitters will cause what you fear the most to come true. So yes give it a go, but only do it if you are ready to face your fear, don't feel pressured by anybody to do it!

As for the map reading I think that sitting at home with a street directory and finding random address's on there is a great way to learn how to read a map.

:hug99:

[Clare]

It is such a foreign concept to me to be scared of driving,

My nervousness was caused by my sister being involved in a serious car accident when I was 17 and my brother being killed in a car accident the following year :( (neither was the driver). If I didn't have first-hand experience of how dangerous driving can be, I probably would have jumped in head first as well :dunno: As it was, I didn't learn to drive till I was 23 and didn't own a car till I was 31. I agree that you need to take it slowly if you are nervous, as I did and eventually you will become more comfortable with experience.

[MrsPeacefrog]

Clare: I was actually going to ask Angelina in my post whether she had been traumatized by a previous accident. I can definatley see how that would cause fear of driving! and knowing what you went through it makes complete sense it took you so long to be comfortable with it all. I could also imagine being on the roads in Italy would have enhanced your fear :crazy: :lol:

[Melissa in Italy]

As for getting lost, it's one of the best ways to learn your way around. The more areas you have been in, the more familiar they will seem the next time you find yourself lost there! Sometimes it's about the journey, not the destination. Remember you can always stop at a gas station and explain to the clerk that you are lost and ask for directions.