[RAWRcarrie]

I'm 22 already, I need to get a job! I grew up in a small town, managed to avoid having to learn how to drive by my willingness to walk anywhere... Now I'm in Texas in a huge suburban town, no close jobs.... I don't know why I'm so anxious about it. When I was 14 or so my mom made me drive home, nothing bad happened.. I even kind of enjoyed it but I cannot bring myself to even sit in the drivers seat now.

Being nervous about driving is very common. Its one of those things that gets less scary the more you do it. Get as much time in the drivers seat under supervision as you can. Can you work up to it each day? Day one sit in the car somewhere, day 2 sit in the drivers seat, day 3 adjust mirrors to your requirements, day 4 keys in the ignition etc etc
Sometimes having smaller goals makes it easier to achieve.

Goodluck

[ayana95]

I used to be just like that. I grew up in a big city where you didnt have to drive and moved to a place that I had to learn. I remember being really afraid when I was young. I took driver ed and couldnt go through with road test. It helped me to take baby steps at first. It took lots of practice driving for me to get use to it. I am still a very anxious driver. I dont drive a lot. Take your time. Practice with someone with a lot of patience.

[RAWRcarrie]

Originally Posted by Supanova

Being nervous about driving is very common. Its one of those things that gets less scary the more you do it. Get as much time in the drivers seat under supervision as you can. Can you work up to it each day? Day one sit in the car somewhere, day 2 sit in the drivers seat, day 3 adjust mirrors to your requirements, day 4 keys in the ignition etc etc
Sometimes having smaller goals makes it easier to achieve.

Goodluck

That's amazing advice thank you

[RAWRcarrie]

Originally Posted by ayana95

I used to be just like that. I grew up in a big city where you didnt have to drive and moved to a place that I had to learn. I remember being really afraid when I was young. I took driver ed and couldnt go through with road test. It helped me to take baby steps at first. It took lots of practice driving for me to get use to it. I am still a very anxious driver. I dont drive a lot. Take your time. Practice with someone with a lot of patience.

I'm worried about being an anxious driver too, I don't want to panic and make a mistake, which is kind of odd because I'm always very clear headed when I panic... I don't understand why it scares me so much :/

[June55]

Just be patient and leave yourself time. Don't worry about other drivers, you do your best to be safe.

I don't know why driving scares me so much either. It just does.

Music, take breaths, plan your route, leave time, call a friend before and after the drive.

I just want to add that no matter how bad it seems now, this is an anxiety that is possible to eventually defeat.

I was terrified of driving when I was young. I never wanted to learn, so I had to be forced to. But now, 10 years later (I'm not saying it's necessarily going to take that long) I regularly drive on a major highway between two fairly good sized cities. I mean, it's not LA or Chicago, but it IS a major multi-lane highway with quite a bit of traffic going 80mph give or take.

So, my point is, if I can do it, so can you and anybody else. You just have to get out there and do it. Work yourself up to it. Figure out what makes you so anxious. For example, I had a lot of anxiety about getting lost and not knowing where I am, so I got a GPS, now I pretty much always know where I am.

[hvert]

I was also too anxious to drive - when I was learning at 16, my mother started screaming at me from the passenger seat. I got the brake and gas mixed up and bumped into a tree stump (no damage). That was the last time I tried driving until I was 24 and had to get a license or lose my job.

Get a very calm, supportive friend to teach you. Find an empty parking lot to practice in and stay there until you are comfortable. Find roads that get no traffic. I did a lot of driving in cemeteries. It will get better each time you get out there!

[ynwa1892]

I was in the same situation as little as 6 months or so ago. I had put off learning to drive for ages, as I knew I was terrible, and everyone around here could drive from an early age. If I feel I won't succeed in something, I don't do it. That's just me.

I had a car when I was 17, and waited until I was 20 to learn to drive. When I actually had my first lesson, I felt great after it. My instructor had me out driving on main roads & roundabouts.

If you do lessons, just remember, these instructors are literally trained to keep both you and others safe while you are in the car. They also go out their way to make you feel comfortable (well mine did anyway). They have someone new to deal with literally every other day.

Goodluck.

[jenniy122]

I'm a few weeks shy of 26 and in the same position. I was afraid to learn in high school when everyone else did, and it only got worse as I got older. I had two driving lessons when I was 19 on an empty college campus and ended up getting pulled over by campus police, so that shook my confidence further. Haven't been in the driver's seat since. Panic just thinking about it. But I moved back to the suburbs 6 months ago and the only way to get anywhere here is driving, so I'm going to have to.

[sheeppotionnumber9]

I'm 17 years old and I have my permit but not my license (we don't have enough money to add me to my mom's insurance right now), and my mom's trying to push me into driving as much as possible before I get my real license. However, almost every time I drive I have a bad experience (usually with other drivers' rudeness) and it's gotten to the point where I hate driving and I get really panicked and anxious. My mom has to literally force me to drive to church, the grocery store, etc., and I am upset for the rest of the day. A few times I've had panic attacks while driving and I had to pull over and get in the passenger seat instead.
I know I could drive well if only other people would leave me alone; I am still a beginner and like to go only 30 or 40 miles an hour. Other drivers will lay on their horns at me, pass me in no passing zones or where it isn't safe (I had one lady pass me in a roundabout once) or flip me off. I know I should just "get over it" because other people won't change (I live in a state where drivers are especially notorious) but I can't help freaking out.
I would be fine just not driving, but unfortunately I'll be going to college in August, I can't live in the dorms and I live 30 minutes away.
Are there any tips about adjusting to other people's attitudes on the road?