Fear of Driving with someone else

[Matilda]

Hi

I have a fear which has only developed over the last few years and it is becoming a real problem; mainly when travelling.

I am petrified of getting in a car with someone else driving, especially taxis. If we go away on holiday I am all prepared with train or ferry transport as I don't want to use the taxis.

When I was in Rome, I was absolutely beside myself in the taxi, the speed limit is something ridiculous and there were so many cars on the motorway and I thought if one of them jumps lanes now they will hit us and at that speed it would be all over. It absolutely terrifies me.

I don't know if there is a solution to this problem as the fact is "driving is dangerous"

I am going to see my daughter in Dubai next week and they have only just got the first section of their train system up and running, so unfortunately it won't take me everywhere I need to go. My daughter is in Abu Dhabi and although she will drive me; the speed limit on the highway can be up to 170 kph :o That would just do me in :cry:

Is there anyway of overcoming this ... sorry if this is too long

Matilda

[elderwanda]

I know what you mean. It's not a big problem for me because I'm rarely in a car with any other driver besides my husband, and he's a very good driver. I went somewhere with a friend last year, and she's one of those people who likes to make eye contact with you when she talks to you, and she talked to me the whole way, instead of looking at the dense traffic she was in.

I've never been to where you are, but your description reminded me of a trip to the Phillipenes. A bus took us through some mountains, and it was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. The driver seemed to have no qualms about going really fast on all these sharp bends, on a road that seemed to be crumbling away with a 1000 foot drop. You'd look out the window and see little houses way, way, WAY down below, and there was nothing between the bus and the cliff except, well, nothing. It was like something from a Roadrunner cartoon. Then in the city, apparently there were no traffic rules. It's just a free-for-all, and if you die, oh well.

So...I don't have any advice, but having been to a few places around the world, it doesn't sound like your fears are totally irrational. It's kind of the same on the freeways here, although people almost always are following some variation of a traffic rule. But the traffic is so dense, and people go way faster than is safe. And half the people on the road are like my friend, looking anywhere but the road. The thing that amazes me is that other people are NOT afraid. Some of my driving fears truly are irrational, but these freeways are very unsafe. I wonder about the people who are not afraid. :shock:

[Matilda]

Hi Elderwanda

Your trip on the bus in the Phillipines sounds horrific. There is no way I would get on a bus or any transport over there. It must have been terrifying.

I don't understand why they have to drive like that no matter what country it is. The fact is driving is dangerous and you need to take extra care ... so why do they have this lunatic mentality on the road ... it is such a shame. I was in Paris and Rome a couple of years ago and it was pretty bad over there too.

I live in Australia and although the roads are pretty good here; I still wouldn't get in a taxi, they just drive so erratic and fast.

I leave for Dubai on Thursday and I don't know how things are going to go but I will be a total mess if I have to get in a taxi or drive in maniac traffic and to top it all off I don't like flying either :?