wowandflutter
03-29-2009, 07:38 PM
I am new to the boards, and I joined because I find driving to be an absolutely horrifying experience. I haven't driven in a several years and have never had my license.
As to what scares me specifically ... well, it's actually driving in general. I'm afraid either I'll be hit by someone, which could end up hurting me or killing me, or that I'll run into someone else or something else, damaging the car, another person and then having to be out all the money for it. I also get nervous about swerving into lanes (lane changes) and turning. I just feel (in general) I have absolutely NO control over the car - that, rather, it controls me. This is a fear I've had for over 10 years now, and I'm at a point in my life and in a situation where it's absolutely essential (now more than ever before) that I really do this, despite the fact that I am so scared. I have always seen driving as something really dangerous and probably ended up psyching myself out from a very young age thinking this.
When I started (sort of) getting the hang of driving, I found it easier to drive a car without automatic steering. The reason for this is because then I couldn't "overturn" my turns. I felt I had more control over the car. But, then, my fears started to creep up on me, and mind you, I was just driving in a school parking lot during this time, not on the road or anything. I've only driven on the road a couple of times (and they were for driving instruction only). The freeway (believe it or not) seemed to be the easiest for me.
I have confidence and a care-free attitude in everything else I do. But, when I get behind the wheel, I completely shut down and lose all that confidence. Outside of that, nothing else seems impossible to me. This really has to stop, it's put a strain on me for so many years so far. Of all the things I've ever been afraid of, this has been the thing I've feared the most.
As to what scares me specifically ... well, it's actually driving in general. I'm afraid either I'll be hit by someone, which could end up hurting me or killing me, or that I'll run into someone else or something else, damaging the car, another person and then having to be out all the money for it. I also get nervous about swerving into lanes (lane changes) and turning. I just feel (in general) I have absolutely NO control over the car - that, rather, it controls me. This is a fear I've had for over 10 years now, and I'm at a point in my life and in a situation where it's absolutely essential (now more than ever before) that I really do this, despite the fact that I am so scared. I have always seen driving as something really dangerous and probably ended up psyching myself out from a very young age thinking this.
When I started (sort of) getting the hang of driving, I found it easier to drive a car without automatic steering. The reason for this is because then I couldn't "overturn" my turns. I felt I had more control over the car. But, then, my fears started to creep up on me, and mind you, I was just driving in a school parking lot during this time, not on the road or anything. I've only driven on the road a couple of times (and they were for driving instruction only). The freeway (believe it or not) seemed to be the easiest for me.
I have confidence and a care-free attitude in everything else I do. But, when I get behind the wheel, I completely shut down and lose all that confidence. Outside of that, nothing else seems impossible to me. This really has to stop, it's put a strain on me for so many years so far. Of all the things I've ever been afraid of, this has been the thing I've feared the most.