I need help

Malcolm_X

I'm gonna be 25 this year and I'm planning on getting my drivers liscence. Yes, I'm sure your probably thinking What the fuck??? But I guess its something my parents never really encouraged for me.

Anyway the thing is, I have this fear of driving......like seriously I'm terrified...A girl I went to college with was killed ths past thanksgiving when her car hit a tree, its just things like that. I'm scared I'm gonna hurt someone or myself

JaneNY

I think the best thing to do would be to educate yourself. Maybe you can find a driving school so that you can reassure yourself that you'll learn properly.

HushBull

Getting behind the wheel will be the only way to overcome your anxiety. Face fear head on!

Vedderlution_Baby

I had the same problem. I put off getting my license for a long time because I was terrified of driving. Eventually I had to just do it. Just realize this, you have more control over what happens to you than you think. Do NOT let other drivers intimidate you to do something stupid (someone tail gating you into speeding up...etc) and always, always, always drive defensively. Always be alert and in control. Good luck to you. And the license test isn't that hard. Not as hard as it should be anyway.

small town beck

I didn't get my license until I was around that age either. Then I ALWAYS drove... now that I sold my car before I moved here I am going NUTS!! I can't wait to drive again. I think after NYC I will look at getting one and getting a second job if need be.

Once you start driving you will feel SO much more comfortable every time. You will NOT regret doing it, but you will regret not doing it. Just takes practice. I can't imagine now not driving ... well I guess I haven't been driving but let me say it is frustrating as hell.

lukin2006

Malcolm_X wrote:

I'm gonna be 25 this year and I'm planning on getting my drivers liscence. Yes, I'm sure your probably thinking What the fuck??? But I guess its something my parents never really encouraged for me.

Anyway the thing is, I have this fear of driving......like seriously I'm terrified...A girl I went to college with was killed ths past thanksgiving when her car hit a tree, its just things like that. I'm scared I'm gonna hurt someone or myself

Look for a driving and just go for it, good luck.

LONGRD

I've been driving since I was 17 and to be honest, I'm kinda sick and tired of driving. I sometimes wished I lived in NYC or London or anywhere there's a sweet subway or transportation system.

BTW, I'm a good driver, 8 years now and ZERO accidents...though everytime I drove to NYC I always get parking tickets. I think the Mass plate have a lot to do with it! :rolleyes:

GreenTeaDisease

Malcolm_X wrote:

I'm gonna be 25 this year and I'm planning on getting my drivers liscence. Yes, I'm sure your probably thinking What the fuck??? But I guess its something my parents never really encouraged for me.

Anyway the thing is, I have this fear of driving......like seriously I'm terrified...A girl I went to college with was killed ths past thanksgiving when her car hit a tree, its just things like that. I'm scared I'm gonna hurt someone or myself

my friend is planning on getting her first license at age 31.

I think the reason you're afraid is because you're an adult and you're not going through with all your friends at the same time and it's more a decision than just something you do without thinking about.

really, driving *IS* scary at first, I'm not going to lie. but I think that driving is really ALL about experience. just practice, practice, practice. start out slow and go at your own pace. you become less scared with every milestone you pass. and think about it, you get into cars with other people and trust them, now you can have the control.

I've been driving for 14 years, and a couple years ago a guy I was dating tried to get me to learn standard. I couldn't do it! I was terrified!

westsidepie

Malcolm_X wrote:

I'm gonna be 25 this year and I'm planning on getting my drivers liscence. Yes, I'm sure your probably thinking What the fuck??? But I guess its something my parents never really encouraged for me.

Anyway the thing is, I have this fear of driving......like seriously I'm terrified...A girl I went to college with was killed ths past thanksgiving when her car hit a tree, its just things like that. I'm scared I'm gonna hurt someone or myself

If you start thinking like that you will never leave the house. You sound like a responsible person, trust yourself. You won't hurt yourself or anyone else, as long as you take driving seriously. That is, you don't treat your car like a rolling living room, but you focus on your driving. Driving will set you free. You can go where you want, when you want to go. It is too bad your family did not devote the necessary attention to this part of your upbringing. Driving is a rite of passage, and there are very few meaningful rites of passage left. I understand your frustration, because I had a son-of-a-bitch of a father who neglected all those important moments with his son. The best piece of advice I every received was "what you do not get from your family give to yourself." Find a good driving school and learn to drive. Then, when you get your license, put Radar Love in the CD player and get out on the highway. Good luck.

small town beck

GreenTeaDisease wrote:

my friend is planning on getting her first license at age 31.

I think the reason you're afraid is because you're an adult and you're not going through with all your friends at the same time and it's more a decision than just something you do without thinking about.

really, driving *IS* scary at first, I'm not going to lie. but I think that driving is really ALL about experience. just practice, practice, practice. start out slow and go at your own pace. you become less scared with every milestone you pass. and think about it, you get into cars with other people and trust them, now you can have the control.

I've been driving for 14 years, and a couple years ago a guy I was dating tried to get me to learn standard. I couldn't do it! I was terrified!

I hate driving anything but standard. Whenever I drive automatic I am like wtf is everything. Plus standard is more fun

LONGRD

LongRd. wrote:

I've been driving since I was 17 and to be honest, I'm kinda sick and tired of driving. I sometimes wished I lived in NYC or London or anywhere there's a sweet subway or transportation system.

BTW, I'm a good driver, 8 years now and ZERO accidents...though everytime I drove to NYC I always get parking tickets. I think the Mass plate have a lot to do with it! :rolleyes:

Actually I should admit that my parking skills are shitty as fuck. Can't parallel park at all.

westsidepie

LongRd. wrote:

Actually I should admit that my parking skills are shitty as fuck. Can't parallel park at all.

Parallel parking was the park of the New York City driving test that caused everyone to freak out. You had to do it in two moves, without touching either the car in front or in back of you, and you had to be 12 inches or less from the curb. First time I took the test at seventeen, I failed the parking part. I practiced, and next time I aced it. To this day, I can do two move parallel park very fast. I often impress my wife

GreenTeaDisease

small town beck wrote:

I hate driving anything but standard. Whenever I drive automatic I am like wtf is everything. Plus standard is more fun

I just never learned. when I learned to drive my parents had two automatic cars. then I bought a car at 22 and my dad talked me into an automatic because I'd be stuck in city traffic every day. Now I almost never drive at all, so it doesn't really matter.

small town beck

LongRd. wrote:

Actually I should admit that my parking skills are shitty as fuck. Can't parallel park at all.

I can parallel for you if you like Love it. I am such a NERD... I LOVE, LOVE backing into a parking spot :cool:

Now I am looking at cars

GreenTeaDisease

LongRd. wrote:

Actually I should admit that my parking skills are shitty as fuck. Can't parallel park at all.

I used to be an amazing parallel parker. no one ever taught me either, I just learned under fire (it's not on the MA driving test). Then I spent two years in Raleigh-Durham and I now I park like an idiot back in boston.

LONGRD

westsidepie wrote:

Parallel parking was the park of the New York City driving test that caused everyone to freak out. You had to do it in two moves, without touching either the car in front or in back of you, and you had to be 12 inches or less from the curb. First time I took the test at seventeen, I failed the parking part. I practiced, and next time I aced it. To this day, I can do two move parallel park very fast. I often impress my wife

The trooper that I took my driving test with didn't even make me do parallel parking at all. All we did was drive around town, then back to the station.

It was so simple!

LONGRD

small town beck wrote:

I can parallel for you if you like Love it. I am such a NERD... I LOVE, LOVE backing into a parking spot :cool:

Now I am looking at cars

:eek: You can drive a stick and parallel park?

I feel less of a man now. I can't do neither.

Brain of J.Lo

Malcolm_X wrote:

I'm gonna be 25 this year and I'm planning on getting my drivers liscence. Yes, I'm sure your probably thinking What the fuck??? But I guess its something my parents never really encouraged for me.

Anyway the thing is, I have this fear of driving......like seriously I'm terrified...A girl I went to college with was killed ths past thanksgiving when her car hit a tree, its just things like that. I'm scared I'm gonna hurt someone or myself

Don't let the fear of driving keep you from it, or from driving well. My mom and mother-in-law are nervous drivers, and it's nerve-wracking to ride along with them sometimes! I used to be a nervous driver...a girl from my school was killed in a one car accident the same day I got my driver's license. But the more I do it, the more comfortable I get and the better I get.

GreenTeaDisease

LongRd. wrote:

The trooper that I took my driving test with didn't even make me do parallel parking at all. All we did was drive around town, then back to the station.

It was so simple!

I had to pull over and then do a 3-point turn. I could pretty much do this in my sleep at this point, but I was so nervous, when I pulled over I hit the curb. hard. the tester actually got out to check the car. All I could think about was going home and telling my parents I failed the driving test. yet, I still passed.

then on the way back to the driving school, with my driving instructor/history teacher giving me hell about hitting the curb, the tire completely exploded. man, he was sooooo pissed. he hated me that whole year in class.

small town beck

LongRd. wrote:

:eek: You can drive a stick and parallel park?

I feel less of a man now. I can't do neither.

Hard to believe I am still single hey?

Don't feel like less of a man!!! I don't mind driving I can teach you to drive stick... a man driving stick is sexy


Seriously as Brain of J Lo said do not be a nervous driver... I have a friend ( I love her) but totally nervous driver and sometimes even a nervous passenger. I don't like overly cocky drivers but nervous drivers can be just as much of a menace on the road.

Brain of J.Lo

small town beck wrote:

and sometimes even a nervous passenger.

Oh my mom is like that, too! I hate driving when she's in the car, because she always assumes that I don't see a car coming in my direction, or something, and says "Oh watch out!!" which makes ME panic, and think that there's something coming that I don't see. (Does that make sense? lol) Anyway, it drives me nuts.