Do you get very nervous when driving?

[Anonymous]

Honestly, i really hate driving. I try to drive to drive only when i have too. But public transportation is dirty and filthy and would never touch it. Uber and lyft are quite pricey. Biking is quite dangerous when sharing the bike lane with cars. I love too walk and much prefer it over driving but it can be very time consuming especially if i have a task to accomplish. So it looks like i will have to get over my nervousness of driving eventually. But how can i do that?

[AmandaYVR]

The nerves come from inexperience and not feeling like you are in control. That comes with practice.

Maybe you could go to a driving school and tell them you've already got your license but you're looking for some instruction on how to make you feel more comfortable.

Do you know all the rules of the road? You could brush up on the driver handbook for people who are learning to drive.

What kind of area do you live in? Maybe it's the specific area that is nerve wracking for you. Maybe if you get out of the city, or town, and go on a scenic drive, some place nice, and remind yourself of the benefits of driving, it will balance out some of the fear.

If you have a friend or family member who's up for it, maybe you two could set up a small obstacle course in a parking lot or field or somewhere out of the way, and make a game out of getting very close to obstacles but not disturbing them. I remember when I was a teenager I heard kids would go to a shopping mall parking lot in the middle of the night and play 'Shopping Cart [something]' and they would push them around with their car. I'm not saying do that, but learning the dimensions of your car is an important part of feeling comfortable on the road.

You can also read my and others' responses on this:

Feel so stupid, Any advice would be great?

[dustybiker]

You should take a special defensive driving course. It will make you feel safer knowing what to do in an emergency. And they are fun.

[dustybiker]

You believe you can find them local through AAA if you live in the US.

[Anonymous]

I don't get nearly as nervous as I used to. I prefer driving for but I don't like doing it in a crowded confusing traffic city (Los Angeles or any other place in Cali, New York, Chicago, Boston, DC) or for hours at a time. I will take public transportation and have rarely had a problem with it. For long distance I go with multiple drivers and we take turns driving. I will also drink or eat something with caffeine and get good sleep before I take the wheel for a hours long driving shift. It is said the biggest mistake you can make while driving is assuming someone else won't make a mistake.

[surebruh]

Other drivers are what the problem is, the lengths I go through such as starting work very early on the morning when there is less traffic, driving on toll roads etc... anything to avoid other drivers. Otherwise I love to drive, I have had several jobs where I drive for a living in the past.

[Sparkie460]

I have never been nervous when I get behind the wheel. I took a defensive driving course which was a piece of cake. I can drive just about any type of vehicle in any situation. I taught both of my kids to drive. I took them out in all type of weather.
You just have to keep telling yourself " I got this ".

[boobliker]

then don't drive. as the other drivers around you hate you too.
but at your age go on a mod driving course to learn to do a J turn and how to get around that slow car or but
it cost about 1K but it one on one so you do get it.

[douride2]

I love to drive. What bothers me is the idiots that have no idea what they are doing. If you want to make it really bad just add snow.

[Redstang88]

All the idiots on the road piss me off, but otherwise I love driving

[Anonymous]

Just learn to drive defensively.

[BeMuse]

No...

[Kingofkings1992]

Nope.