Driving, Scariest. Thing. Ever.

[emeraldrafael]

It wasnt scary, but it was a bit nerve racking when you looked at the statistics.

But I got over it. Its not nearly as scary when you just take a deep breath, put on something relaxing and enjoyable music and give yourself a safe and comfortable environment. Just take it slow and easy and be aware of everything around you, and go easy at it. It becomes a lot less scary.

 

[WanderingFool]

Okay, i have an confession to make.

I'm 18 and today i tried my hand at driving for the first time. I don't think i have been that scared since i was a pre-teen. I felt so powerless. I didn't crash or anything, and the teacher told me i did alright but despite that i was mortified.

2 years ago i stood on a podium talking to 200 people, wasn't even 1/10th as scary as this was. Neither was the time i was chased by a large dog when im my mid-teens.

Was it this terrifying for anyone else? Admittedly the ground was quite icy and you had to manually change gears on the car, but still.....

It Gets easier the more you do it. Ive been driving since I was 17, havent had any trouble yet.

 

[ChaoticKraus]

...wasn't scary for me... but I learned to handle a vehicle on country roads as a child. I highly recommend starting out in the middle of nowhere and then easing yourself into city driving.

I was in an empty parking lot, the country around where i live are covered in woods. People keep saying Sweden is a great place to live, but the longer you live here the more downsides you find out.

 

[hopeneverdies]

I fell asleep at the wheel a month ago for maybe two seconds going up the freeway. Thank God I was in the far right lane because I started to drift off the road. The shaking woke me up thankfully and my family and I eventually made it home.

I haven't drove since.

 

[ChaoticKraus]

I love driving. I drive stick, but since I do not as of yet have my full licence (insurance is too much) I am stuck driving with someone else in the passenger seat. I have also driven machines and such since I was about 8.

I should also not my fastest speed ever was not in fact while operating a motor vehicle, but was skiing, 150km/h.

If you are scared behind the wheel DO NOT DRIVE.
That is all.

This was my first time ever attempting to move an vehicle that was not an moped. Do i get some kind of leeway? I ski quite a bit too, but i'm not very scared since it's me doing the steering.

 

[CharrHearted]

Driving's not really scary to me, just boring as all hell.

Puts me right to sleep. And that is why I try not to drive unless I absolutely have to. And even then its short distances.

Your icon pretty much sums up this entire topic.

 

[ChaoticKraus]

I fell asleep at the wheel a month ago for maybe two seconds going up the freeway. Thank God I was in the far right lane because I started to drift off the road. The shaking woke me up thankfully and my family and I eventually made it home.

I haven't drove since.

I feel for you man, i can just imagine what that would have felt like while having my family in the car.

 

[Quaxar]

I feel with you, I am so nervous when driving I feel like hitting the brakes and jumping out.

No idea why I chose to get a license...

 

[Giest4life]

I don't know what you quiet mean, but I do know a lass who DOES NOT want to drive at all. She'd rather ride in the shitty Washington area Metro rather than drive herself.

 

[spartan231490]

Okay, i have an confession to make.

I'm 18 and today i tried my hand at driving for the first time. I don't think i have been that scared since i was a pre-teen. I felt so powerless. I didn't crash or anything, and the teacher told me i did alright but despite that i was mortified.

2 years ago i stood on a podium talking to 200 people, wasn't even 1/10th as scary as this was. Neither was the time i was chased by a large dog when im my mid-teens.

Was it this terrifying for anyone else? Admittedly the ground was quite icy and you had to manually change gears on the car, but still.....

I love driving, always have. The only part about it I dislike is city driving, cities are designed pant's on face retarded(usually, especially the ones where I live which were never designed as cities but just grew in a sprawl). Also, New Jersey, I lived in NJ for a few months and it's like not one single driver in the state knew what they were doing. On my 15ish mile drive to work, I would see half-a-dozen minor traffic violations, at least one major traffic violation, and maybe a total of 3 other cars that understood right-of-way. No one signaled, no one drove less than 12 miles/hour over the speed limit, and I once saw a cop use his siren just so he could make a left turn. God I hate driving in that state.

 

[Danny Ocean]

Okay, i have an confession to make.

I'm 18 and today i tried my hand at driving for the first time. I don't think i have been that scared since i was a pre-teen. I felt so powerless. I didn't crash or anything, and the teacher told me i did alright but despite that i was mortified.

2 years ago i stood on a podium talking to 200 people, wasn't even 1/10th as scary as this was. Neither was the time i was chased by a large dog when im my mid-teens.

Was it this terrifying for anyone else? Admittedly the ground was quite icy and you had to manually change gears on the car, but still.....

Oh I know what you mean. I hate learning to drive.

 

[Daveman]

More annoying to me than anything. Some people... actually, MOST people are fucking idiots on the road and if you cock up because of them, you fail. And don't get me started on pedestrians... THEY'RE the ones who need a licence

My cousin teased me because she has a licence in america and I don't have one in the UK and she's 17 whereas I'm 19. I was embarrassed until she told me it was only for automatics... fucks sake, anyone can drive an automatic. What's more they don't have roundabouts and you can't say you know how to drive until you've had a lorry try to do an illegal manoeuvre on a roundabout and nearly cause a four car pile-up.

Anyway, I gave up learning because I realised I didn't enjoy it, I didn't need it and it's fucking FAR too expensive. The cheapest a new driver can get insurance is like £1000 a year on the shittiest car imaginable and that alone is way more than any travel expenses I have. Yeah people take the piss out of me sometimes but I really don't care

 

[ChaoticKraus]

Thanks to the guys and girls showing support! I will (hopefully) get my liscense sooner or later, but still.....

Who came up with idea to put a person in a metal cage able to do 150-200 km/h?

 

[ProfessorLayton]

Um... no. I don't know, maybe it's because I was so used to driving in video games, but I just wasn't that scared when I first started driving. I actually really wanted to go places. Sure it was tough at first and I was a bit nervous, but after my second time out it wasn't tough at all. And when I could drive by myself, I loved it. I hear my friends talk about how scared they are when they merge onto the interstate and such, but I never really had a problem.

 

[Raikov]

Okay, i have an confession to make.

I'm 18 and today i tried my hand at driving for the first time. I don't think i have been that scared since i was a pre-teen. I felt so powerless. I didn't crash or anything, and the teacher told me i did alright but despite that i was mortified.

2 years ago i stood on a podium talking to 200 people, wasn't even 1/10th as scary as this was. Neither was the time i was chased by a large dog when im my mid-teens.

Was it this terrifying for anyone else? Admittedly the ground was quite icy and you had to manually change gears on the car, but still.....

Sounds like you have a healthy bit of fear in you. Which is good, considering how bad ppl are at driving in certain areas here in Sweden. I'm from the vicinity of Örebro, and we probably have the worst drivers in the country.

You keep that fear alive mate. Not for your own sake, but think about all the ppl that don't have gaming reflexes, or those that got their licence some 40 years ago. And all the rules that are added or changed that most peeps have no clue about.

For even if you drive by the rules and common sense, it may come a moment where you have to dodge a retard in an old Volvo 740 skidding towards you on the ice.

Many needs to learn that driving does not make you invincible, and that any mistake they make can be fatal to others.

 

[jrubal1462]

I love driving. I drive stick, but since I do not as of yet have my full licence (insurance is too much) I am stuck driving with someone else in the passenger seat. I have also driven machines and such since I was about 8.

I should also not my fastest speed ever was not in fact while operating a motor vehicle, but was skiing, 150km/h.

If you are scared behind the wheel DO NOT DRIVE.
That is all.

1st. Holy shit! 90 mph on ski's!? that's fuckin' nuts! I brought a handheld gps with me once, hit 50 and thought I was really cookin. Much props.

2nd. I completely disagree with "If you are scared, DO NOT DRIVE" Granted you don't want to be terrified, or anxious, but everybody should be a little scared. The biggest problem I see on the road are people that don't take driving serious enough. They just need to get from one place to another, and think that means they've got 20 minutes of free time to finish breakfast, make some phone calls, text lol's, and do make up.

OP: I'm sure you'll get more comfortable driving, just give it time. Right now you have to worry about every little motion and control that goes into driving, but sooner than you think a lot of those actions (like feathering the clutch, and smoothly coming out of a turn) will be ingrained in your muscle memory, leaving your brain free to scour the road ahead for potential idiots, and think to yourself, "why was I so worried about this driving thing?" But don't let that stop you from being a little afraid. Every time you get in the car make it your #1 priority to get to where you're going, doing as little collateral damage as possible. (reasonably...of course. Somethings are beyond your control. Sometimes people put bushes and/or children in the damndest locations). Be safe, and oh....watch for motorcycles!

 

[Wintermoot]

you had to manually change gears on the car

in some countries they only have Automatic gears

 

[The Afrodactyl]

My fear of plowing through pedestrians or rear-ending someone is the main thing that's stopping me from applying for my provisional license.

 

[ChaoticKraus]

Sounds like you have a healthy bit of fear in you. Which is good, considering how bad ppl are at driving in certain areas here in Sweden. I'm from the vicinity of Örebro, and we probably have the worst drivers in the country.

You keep that fear alive mate. Not for your own sake, but think about all the ppl that don't have gaming reflexes, or those that got their licence some 40 years ago. And all the rules that are added or changed that most peeps have no clue about.

For even if you drive by the rules and common sense, it may come a moment where you have to dodge a retard in an old Volvo 740 skidding towards you on the ice.

Many needs to learn that driving does not make you invincible, and that any mistake they make can be fatal to others.

You know what? You're right, driving is dangerous buisness even if you happen to be a Formula-1 master. A pal of mine got rammed in the side by an old granny at an intersection, and he is a fucking master at driving. Kind of scary when you think about it.

I guess you have heard about "Sveriges Värsta Bilförare"? That one of those morons will get a license and let loose on the streets makes me really concerned.

I guess a bit of fear will be good since it keeps you on the edge. That's when i tend to operate at my best anyways.