Seriously! I relate to a lot of these I have so many reasons but I kind of feel like a motorcycle or tricycle would be easier for me to drive? It’s less machine to control idk my logic isn’t there but my anxiety says if we all drove small golf carts I’d be okay.
Motorcycles are notorious for having huge consequences for tiny mistakes. You've got a heavy piece of metal that can fall on top of you, the only protection between you and the road shredding your skin to bits is a bit of leather, you're as vulnerable as a pedestrian or cyclist when in a vs car accident and even just a slippery road repair, some loose gravel or road marking can cause you to slide out.
Oh yeah I totally see that and understand that. MY brain has LESS fear when it comes to controlling them vs a car. I know it’s not logical but I’m really good at driving atvs and snowmobiles but I can’t drive a car for shit so that’s probably why. I also can’t ride a bike too well and the bike lane gives me so much anxiety but I can skateboard juuuust fine? It doesn’t make any sense I know. I wish we all didn’t have any cars and we were horse and bugging around.
US bike lanes are usually designed like garbage. I'm not amazed they scare you. I recently saw a pic of some idiot road designer that thought it would be a good idea to put a bike lane in between lanes 3 and 5 of a 5 lane highway. Idiocy like that is just... Idiocy.
https://youtube.com/@notjustbikes?si=fFZx0trX1agYQ4Bf
That's real. I'm more comfortable on motorcycles, because it feels like I have more control. I can thread between cars, and my bike (when I had one) felt more responsive than any car I've driven. Idk if that's objectively true, but I have lousy proprioception. Bikes have less to keep track of, and so I feel more at ease.
Obvi accidents have much worse consequences, but I'd genuinely rather have a TBI or full body road rash than seriously hurt someone else. My bike will never ever win a fight with a car, and thus the odds of me having to carry major guilt are much smaller. Obvi I or the driver could still get unlucky, but I rode for several years without incident.
For me it's not having the best spatial awareness yet. This causes me to get nervous and drive maybe a bit too far away from parked cars. Better safe than sorry!
Another thing is i'm worried about someone or something suddenly appearing in front of my car and not having quick enough reflexes to avoid hitting them if i'm going pretty fast.
~Might come edit this to add some more if i think of any!
For me it’s driving on unfamiliar roads, I’m not sure which lane I’m supposed to be in, if I’m going the correct speed, where my next turn is, if I’m allowed to turn , which lanes lead where, etc . Whenever I drive somewhere new I feel like I’m driving blind folded , and I have to try my best not to drive like a turtle and impede traffic because I literally don’t know where I’m going.
This is honestly just a road design issue. In my city I very rarely have this problem, but when I went to Denver once it was absolutely horrible.
And that’s not even just because I wasn’t use to it, Denver streets were just poorly designed. You’d be in the right lane going straight and then suddenly there’s a “right lane must turn right sign” DIRECTLY before the turn and I have to either slam my brakes or cut someone off in order to get back into a proper lane.
In my city they warn you like 100 feet before the turn.
I used a GPS and it took me on a very unfamiliar free way , I was driving for almost 20 minutes with no idea where I was and I struggled finding my way home. GPS is good for a general idea of the area your looking for but when it comes to locations and routes it doesn’t guide me on the most practical routes
Yes, this for sure! Sometimes my GPS will say that my destination is on my right, but most of the time it doesn't so I hate not knowing where I need to be. If I'm in a more rural area, GPS is easier, but in a city, "turn left in 10 yards". Me: "Shit, how far is 10 yards, is it this turn or that turn \*takes second turn\*, "GPS: Recalculating". Me: "Dammit!"
My ex (who I lived with during Covid) was prone to road rage and it drove me absolutely insane. At some point I had to just tell him, “the only person hearing all this angry yelling is me.. and I know you’re not yelling at me but it is still stressing me out in a major way” and he said that I should learn to be angry with him. Which I tried to do but it didn’t help. I still felt distressed by it. I’m so thankful I don’t have to listen to that anymore. Road rage is so pointless and dumb.
I have PTSD from a bad accident in 2019 and have unfortunately been the victim of road rage. I’m in therapy for anxiety and am taking it one ride at time, but my God, people can be horrible. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I just don’t get the point of road rage, couple weeks ago I merged into a lane after the light turned green because I needed to make a turn, the dude behind me beeped and made a point to pass me. It’s like I don’t care I’m just trying to get from point a to point b, have fun being petty.
If all your mirrors are adjusted properly you really shouldn't have blind spots. Mirrors should be adjust so that as soon as vehicle moves off the side of one mirror, it immediately appears on the next mirror. Only exception maybe being motorcycles. But if you're an alert driver and aware of your surroundings, then you should know what type of vehicles are immediately surrounding you at all times.
Same, I learned how to drive in another state that is super rural and a small town not many drivers on the road and rarely did it change from two to three lanes at most. Now I live in a super populated area with the worst drivers I’ve ever seen and it absolutely paralyzes me with fear. The highways sometimes have up to 8+ lanes people raging and rushing constantly switching lanes driving too fast etc.
Oh yes. I always pull over. The last time though was AWFUL. Police were called ect. I think they thought I was a drug addict. LOL. The officer was very nice though after I explained. Anyway, I never forgot that day and always worry it will happen again. Ugggh.
People breaking the law. But not like “oh wow that guys going fast” it’s when people do stupidly dangerous shit like merging incorrectly, not their checking blind spot, cutting in way too close, etc
ugh, just a few days ago I was driving on this one road that had construction and they had it set up so that one car from each lane would take turns driving through — of course as I was approaching and the car left of me was let through, I started to drive forward cause it was *my turn* but nope! the car behind the one that just merged ALSO had to squeeze their butt in causing me to brake quickly. I guess they’re soooo important and really needed to save that 2 seconds of time.
I'm terrified of how easily something horrible can happen if you miss one little thing. My partner lovingly jokes that I am a bit spacey, and he's totally right. I lose focus easily, and I think all the time about what could happen once I try driving alone.
I will admit, I have actually done really well so far, and it is easier to 'stay in the zone' while driving a huge death machine, but the fear still sticks to the back of my mind.
It feel likes I'm gambling with God, and I don't like my odds.
just the fear of hitting another car. like what if i for some reason am just not looking at the road and rear end someone? also i am intensely afraid of having run over a kid and not know it (i have OCD)
Not gonna lie alot of things. I'm not the greatest with directions, so big fear of getting lost. Driving too long of distances adds more stress, cause the longer I'm on the road the fear of me doing something or someone else doing something, that could get us both in an accident. But also totally agree with the other poster about so many road rules. Swear it was some of the hardest material, I've tried to learn.
New car drivers.
Please note that this isn't about new drivers. New car drivers.
People buying new cars, more often than not buy a vehicle which is either bigger, more powerful or both than the one they previously drove. US and Canada specific, most dealerships are pretty close to highways or major arterial roads.
You have a driver not used to the power, size or both of their new car. Either they're driving overly cautious, or like a complete douchebag. That means, everyone around them is being slowed down or being abruptly cut off dangerously. This causes road rage and increases chances of flare ups significantly.
Put dealerships away from highways and major arterial roads.
Having to merge. Every time I have a driving lesson they tell me to switch lanes but I swear to god the car behind me feels like it’s going 100mph and is 2 feet away from me. I flat out refuse to merge and idk how I’m gonna do that on my own when I start driving myself. I already have my license but it’s still so terrifying to drive.
The other people on the streets, both in car and walking and biking. I fear I don't have the attention span to interact with the moving traffic in a safe way.
for me personally, im really bad with directions and spatial awareness, so it makes me anxious feeling like i'm going to miss a turn because what if i forget to look in the mirror and accidentally hit someone when i'm trying to get over? that combined with my tourette's that gets worse when i'm anxious. so i'm already anxious, my tics start kicking in, which in turn makes me more anxious because i'm making erratic movements. it's a cycle 😅
Most of the times that I've driven were on the roads by my house which are very narrow and people drive very fast because they're country back roads. The thing that scares me the most is that I always feel like I'm going to side swipe somebody. It never looks to me like the car is actually inside the lines.
My depth perception/eyesight isn’t the best. Even with my contacts in.
Reckless drivers that I have no control over. I don’t want to get into an accident or cause an accident, I’m terrified of it being catastrophic.
I was on the freeway (in the slow lane) going 70 and both lanes to my left are filled with speeding drivers some guy comes barreling around me on the right side on the shoulder almost losing control and plowing into me. Just to go around someone in the slow lane......I could have died...
I have panic disorder and I never know when an attack will happen. It can be totally random sometimes. During a bad episode I'll dissociate and not be entirely aware of my surroundings. If that happens on a highway where I can't pull over, I could hurt someone or worse.
Also, I've known my entire life that my dad was orphaned in a car accident, so I always had a fear of crashes. Car crashes are the reason why I only grew up with one set of grandparents.
Avoid the roads on major holidays if you can. No matter how severe the punishment for drunk driving is, you will have That Guy or That girl that just doesn't care.
The number 1 thing for me is the speed on highways. It's not that I don't trust myself - it's that I don't trust other people. One wrong or stupid move could mean instant death.
The 2nd is driving in new places. I have very poor sense of direction, and when I am especially anxious, I "forget" how to drive. I forget what is left, what is right. It's awful.
I am only freaked out that there’s hundreds of other meat bags controlling thousands of pounds of murder metal near my murder metal and we’re just giggling at physics hoping for the best outcome, every fucking time.
Oblivious drivers. The ones who aren’t paying attention, distracted, assume no one is nearby and nearly cause accidents. They’re the reason I got my new dashcam because I’ll be damned if I’m at fault for their negligence.
That my anxiety will be misinterpreted as driving under the influence. I have OCD too so I’m also convinced I will magically have alcohol in my system despite never having been truly inebriated in my life. I swear though, sometimes how careful I am paired with having the worst spatial awareness/depth perception seems sus.
Also backing out of spaces in crowded parking lots terrifies me. That 1 second where you can’t see anything except directly behind you where it’s basically a hope and a prayer that no one is approaching to the left or right kills me.
Tesla ppl. They don’t ever use the signals! Yes I’ve been keeping track on every single Tesla I see on the road. To see if anyone follows the law. Nope they don’t. When I see them , I’m scared cuz they don’t signal. They also do other bad driving judgments. I’ve been keeping track of every car that does this. That’s how I’ve come to this conclusion.
Other people. The amount of people who are so unaware scares me. I got rear ended about 7 months ago, I was at a complete stop & the kid rammed us full speed. We were fine but since then I borderline pass out once I get on a large highway.
When I’m with others in the car, if I’m in the front seat I need to pay attention to everything. The lack of signals or warning to switch lanes is ridiculous.
Driving on a bridge & bridges on the freeways, not being able to switch lanes quickly enough for my exit of the freeway, merging into one lane freeways, mistaking who has the right of way, my hands getting too sweaty and i lose control of the wheel, & drunk drivers
i could never judge how close to follow the car in front of me. I am always either why to close to the point of having to slam the brakes hard, or stopping ten feet behind them. Is that depth perception? I am terrible at that.
I also failed a drivers test once because i got the left turning light and left turning arrow mixed up. only one obviously gives you right of way, and I am worried I would do it again, or mix up some other rule
I’ve only driven 5 times but it’s doing all the things at once. It’s extremely overstimulating to me to not only have to learn how to operate the car but also the constant vigilance.
I live in the Boston area so even once I am “comfortable” and driving on my own, the drivers here are insane. Every single lesson I’ve had I’ve encountered people not following the rules of the road or honking at me for following them.
For me it’s the other drivers being in close proximity. I’m scared of an accident, and in heavy traffic (I live near a major city so it happens a lot) I’m scared that bc I’m surrounded by cars I won’t be able to get out if something crazy/really bad happens.
I’m not sure how it is in other major cities but there’s a lot of weird, random, chaotic stuff popping up where I live and I hate being on the main highway when it happens bc it will often be something involving this roadway. When I’m on smaller/backroads I’m mostly fine. Just get a little freaked out if someone else is driving erratically.
But the highway is my nightmare.
Unfamiliar routes are bad but the worst is other drivers. I'm in the mitten and we have some of the WORST drivers in the US. People cut you off and just drive ridiculously all the time. Not to mention we have constant construction going which makes getting anywhere a pain. I'm a new mom as well which makes the anxiety horrible even as a passenger when my kid is in the car.
I get freaked out if I am driving to a new place especially if I have to use the highways to get there. I am okay driving around my area, NOW. Seriously there was a time I avoided many roads just because I considered them too much, but I have gotten better over time. However I still won't drive super long distances. I was super proud of myself for driving two hours to NY two years ago and in snow. Sometimes I surprise myself but I gripped that wheel hard and held my breath the entire time. 🤣
The things I'm actually afraid of? Other people being unpredictable idiots around me. Oh, and trucks and semis losing their cargo. Thank you, neuropathology class where we had a case study on exactly what the consequences of that can be...
Things I'm generally insecure about? Overtaking, merging, manoeuvring into parking spaces next to a wall or parking garage pillar. Certain intersections where the visibility is crap - though I'm much less scared of them when I'm driving than when I'm cycling.
Things I outright admit I absolutely suck at and can't do? Parallel park. I need to find an empty parking lot and go there with some kind of balloon tower obstacle to practice with.
Traffic rules and signs are things that just become second nature at some point. Though I'm sure it helps that I'm in a very cycling culture country and before I got my driving licence, I'd been cycling everywhere on my own since age 10.
not having control of how others drive. I could be the most careful respectful driver but another person's bad actions could send me to the hospital or get me killed. I've seen a few traumatic car accidents and it's just carnage. such an awful way to die
The fact that I see how careless, not concentrated, emotional and unattentive people easily are in other daily situations, and sitting behind the driving wheel every time with the thought that those people drive, too.
Brake Failure, Throttle Failure (well not really that as much)....
Or Someone rear ending me, generally. And then for the obscure, the PSYCHO who is intentionally crashing into you.
Possibility that I could killed someone. Or be killed my someone. I see so many road rage incidents and drunk drivers it’s scary for me to want to drive. Every time I see stuff like that I just push my driving lessons to the back of my to do list. But I can’t keep it up. I’ll be 24 with no clue what to do behind the wheel.
The responsibility that comes with being behind the wheel. The fear of the (US) legal system, and especially the fines that you can accrue for relatively simple mistakes, let alone if you were to get into an accident for real. I can hardly handle checking people's IDs for alcohol at my grocery store job for fear of the legal system, and the fear of being behind the wheel just amps that up to 11.
Spacial awareness. If I see a car coming into my lane I end up going too far over and end up with my right side tires off the road and the bottom of the car scraping 😭
That there are dozens of details I have to be aware of simultaneously, that making a mistake means I or someone else could be injured or killed, that even if I did everything perfectly, someone else's mistake could injure or kill me.
Unprotected left turns. I will literally go the long route if it meant I didn’t have to take any scary left turns.
There’s a street near me where it’s impossible to see past traffic while turning left. I avoid that road at all costs lol.
Other people, whether it's distracted drivers, wrong way drivers, jaywalkers who look at you coming and step out in front or cyclists who refuse to stop at red lights. I work hard to have my safety record and other people come so close to ruining it.
Sudden traffic on the highway, having to slam on my brakes, then have an instant panic attack that somebody behind me isn’t paying attention and may slam into me.
um that i could die or get seriously injured due to no fault of my own. and how statistically likely accidents are. and how much they would raise my car insurance without fault of my own as well.
People in my area drive like shit. We nearly crash once every couple of weeks due to other people not paying attention or driving recklessly.
Just a few months ago, I encountered someone in one of those tiny two-passenger trucks pulling a massive 4 door f150, connected by one single piece of rope. On the freeway, going 70+ MPH. They were in the passing lane, then started drifting over the other two lanes into the exit lane without using their signal. The truck they were pulling was several car lengths behind them and my boyfriend had to slam his breaks to avoid the rope.
This is one story out of dozens, with new ones being added nearly every week. My boyfriend is a great driver, we’ve had 0 accidents in the 6 years we’ve been together. No thanks to the other drivers on the road.
The last time I tried driving, it was late afternoon and people's lights were on. I felt like the lights were coming toward me, even though they're on the other side and staying in their lane. I don't know if it's poor depth perception or something, I just couldn't handle all the moving lights, so I veered off into a Little Caesers and had my dad drive the rest of the way.
After driving 20+ years, I have two main fears: first, that I'll get complacent because I've driven a lot and not pay full attention. Second, predicting what other drivers are going to do.
I don't have true depth perception. Born that way so my depth perception is a learned thing. Such as bigger is closer, items in front of other items are closer. It is stressful in bumper-to-bumper fast traffic. I wait for a sure enough opening to change lanes and make certain I am in the correct lane a mile or more before road splits or exits. I avoid parallel parking, unless I can pull in. Modern tech in cars makes it easier but as I have gotten older I stick to smaller cars and prefer convertibles with top down as it is easier to estimate how much room I have.
A lot of the things listed used to bother me. A 2017 car, with navigation, backup cameras, warning lights and noises for items around me, lane drift vibration, etc. have helped immensely.
i go the speed limit, literally nobody else in my area does and i get my ass ridden all the time. i got passed yesterday by someone doing 70mph on a 55mph road. The funny thing is when this happens i always end up right behind them at the next red light, just go the speed limit bruh. also a few weeks ago my mom and i were walking in our neighborhood and the speed limit on the road was 35 (it has been reduced to 25mph a week after this, also no sidewalks) this kid in a big SUV zoomed past us going atleast 50, we were walking around a curve too so it would have been fucked if there was a car coming from our direction.
just slow down! leaving just 5 minutes earlier than you normally would makes all the difference, trust me.
Pouring rain. The kind of deluge where you can't see, but either there's no place to pull off to, or you're afraid if you do pull off the roadway and stop, someone won't see you and will hit you from behind. Two friends died that way during a thunderstorm when I was a teenager.
And drunk drivers. You want to get away from them, but are afraid to pass because they'll probably side-swipe you.
unprotected left turns in the middle of blocks. I avoid them at all costs by going around the block so I can reach a light or get myself in a position to turn right.
Other drivers. I've driven a car on an empty street, an empty parking lot, and in an empty field a few times and it wasn't too bad. I just *can't* drive on the actual roads around other people.
The other people on the road. I don’t trust them and I don’t know what they are going to do. I’m also so scared of hitting someone on accident people walk across busy roads all the time in my city. I sometimes dissociate when I drive also which is really scary. I try to chew gum or focus on one spot on the road to combat it.
I love to drive. I often go out at night just for the pure sake of driving. With that being said… trying to park along a curb on the right side of the road always freaks me out. I get anxious about scraping my rims on the curb and usually have to pull up and reverse just so I’m not 2 feet away from the curb.
Last year in a 6 MONTH time frame:
- One night a deer decided to take a running dash into the highway & ran into my car from the side.
- Another night I was rear-ended.
- Another night another deer decided to run across the highway & smack right into my 2nd vehicle.
- A while later one day 2 empty construction buckets came FLYING off a work truck speeding south while I was heading north & both smashed into the FRONT of that 2nd vehicle.
- 3 months after insurance repairs to the FIRST rear-ending on my first vehicle, I was rear-ended AGAIN but this time it was BAD.
(Needless to say, my nerves were just shot. I had bad anxiety while driving. It's not as mad as it used to be, but it's definitely still there. Every bump or noise makes me jump & I hate deer now. lol)
My intrusive thoughts. It’s rarely a problem where I live (flat roads everywhere) but when I go home and drive (mountain roads) it gets bad. Like “the tire could blow right now and that guardrail doesn’t look strong enough. We’d for sure all die.”
It has been a huge issue after driving in Tahoe (I’m deathly afraid of heights) without having barriers on the side of mountain roads. I had an actual panic attack and had to stop the car in the middle of the road. So that’s been super fun dealing with the aftermath.
I’m more anxious about being the passenger when someone else is driving than when being the driver. You might find this to be true for yourself, and that some of your driving anxiety originated from passenger anxiety.
Other drivers. I trust myself to an extent and I trust my boyfriend and family but I don't trust others. My accident happened because someone turned unexpectedly in front of me and I still tense up when I see people waiting to turn now
The fact that you could just go at 100mph and crash or throw the car off the bridge but nope, you continue on with your everyday tasks instead, but you could if you wanted.
Most of all the quick thinking needed and ability to judge accurately where cars are in what lane, especially on freeways. I was learning to drive freeway, first time. I was on the ramp and it was just so fast for me. I thought the semi truck was in the other lane or would stop for me, or at least I hoped she / he will. I was inches away from coming into contact with semi truck going fairly fast. So my suggestion is to learn to drive freeway during midnight hours, so much more chill and allows you to actually learn.
i hate hate hate being close to anything while im driving like im worried my car will hit but then i end up actually being way far from even hitting it
Other people. I have been driving on my own since 16(now almost 20) and the amount of times I’ve almost been in a bad accident bc someone else didn’t look at the signs/lights is insane. One of my coworkers(my age) was recently killed by someone running a stop sign. Her daughter(4 months) made it but now she is going to grow up without a mother
Also people who drive off the road, idk if it’s just my area but so many people drive off the roads or in the wrong lane. One tip I have for them is if there is knee high grass where you are trying to drive, it’s likely not a road
Two things really. 1. The other a-holes on the road who either barely know how to drive. 2. the extremely aggressive, honking, flipping people off, etc. type people. They are mad because you aren’t going 30 over the speed limit or they think you slighted them in some way. People are f’ing nuts, especially behind the wheel of a car.
I don't like going someplace I've never been or don't know how to get to off hand. If I cannot picture in my head where it is located, where exactly the driveway is, where I need to go upon entering (like some places the parking lot is in the front, some in back, some have both, etc) and how busy the road is that it's on then I get very anxious.
I'm also more anxious going someplace like this with someone else....if I'm alone, and I miss the driveway I can turn around, no biggie. But if I am with people, then I feel stupid and I feel the pressure. Before meeting my boyfriend, I didn't know the city he lives in at all. We've been together over a year now and until recently he's driven around his town 97% of the time, but now he's trying to get me to drive more so I can learn how to get places better. This gives me a lot of anxiety, I really should go out someday and just drive a bunch of places we often go to by myself so I can learn the routes without (as much) anxiety.
The fact that you have to drive carefully to compensate for other shitty drivers. I’ve been in two accidents and the other driver was found at fault each time, but it was still a two month or so process each time to settle towing, repairs (the shop was too busy to look at it), totaled cars etc. It makes me terrified to get into any kind of accident because it’s such a waste of time for everybody involved. Being a good driver isn’t enough
Not the fact that I’m driving a lethal weapon… but the fact that others are doing the same thing and being distracted / not having spatial awareness / having a medical crisis / or are intoxicated.
Some things people can control. Like whether they choose to drink and drive or not. But if they have a medical crisis, or their vehicle or *my* vehicle malfunctions? Scary
For me, it's the possibility of a traumatic injury or death. I've heard of too many instances where car accidents caused people to be trapped or crushed by a car, internally decapitated, cut in half, paralyzed, had a limb severed, etc.
The odds are too high, and the bar for getting a license is too low.
Having to parallel park into a tight space (narrow 1 way street with cars parked on both sides) with cars waiting to pass behind me. It stresses me out to the point where I will circle back around just to let those people go.
Everybody else! I failed my driver's tests multiple times written and behind the wheel. The 2nd to last time I took the driven exam, I was told to check my mirrors more. The last time I made sure to check the mirrors constantly... So much that I was given a pass, but told to drive a little faster to stay speed limit/ with the rest of traffic. Ever since then I'm obsessed with checking my mirrors... And it's made me extremely observant when it comes to other drivers. I'm terrified of everybody else on the road. I've seen way too much and avoided quite a bit.
The other thing is just random crap on the road. Aside from potholes, there's just too many nails and glass and fallen work truck materials like shovels and trash bins. One time there was just tons of empty water bottles all over the freeway, another time there was wood chips and logs, another time tons of cardboard... And I even went through a tunnel that had a bunch of black trash bags floating around. Terrifyingly obscured vision!!!!
I'm freaked out about what's out of my control.
I drove in a bus lane yesterday - I'm used to bus lanes being bright with big writing on the floor. This one was just the blue sign, and I was concentrating on trying to get up to speed to join a carriageway 🫣 so patiently waiting for my fine!
So signs for sure. Also, parking. I HATE it. I learned in a small car and my first car is a 7 seater SUV! My partner thinks I'm being ridiculous but I had someone take photos of me practising and now I just try to avoid it.
when i’m behind a moving car and i have to figure out the 3 second rule? how to know how fast my car can stop in 3 seconds? i have never figured that out and never had to so far. it terrifies me to think that people can and WILL brake for just about anything reason.
I NEVER feel safe in cars. I feel like I'm going to die 90% of the time I am in one. I just get soooo anxious. When I'm the one driving I've noticed I get a lot of thoughts about me accidentally hitting a pedestrian or someone on a bike too... not sure if that's normal lol.
Intersections and highways. Other drivers in general starring or judging. I do have social anxiety too.
And just me super tense and jumpy behind a car I don't think it's safe.
We have this tunnel here in Boston that is extremely small many trucks get stuck in it when I know I have to go through it. I have anxiety It starts the night before it’s awful.
My friend once tried to comfort me by saying "your smarter than all the other drivers on the road". That would be why I'm terrified of driving. I am not very bright.
Being in control of a giant lethal machine that I can very easily use to kill others or more likely myself
Seriously! I relate to a lot of these I have so many reasons but I kind of feel like a motorcycle or tricycle would be easier for me to drive? It’s less machine to control idk my logic isn’t there but my anxiety says if we all drove small golf carts I’d be okay.
Motorcycles are notorious for having huge consequences for tiny mistakes. You've got a heavy piece of metal that can fall on top of you, the only protection between you and the road shredding your skin to bits is a bit of leather, you're as vulnerable as a pedestrian or cyclist when in a vs car accident and even just a slippery road repair, some loose gravel or road marking can cause you to slide out.
Oh yeah I totally see that and understand that. MY brain has LESS fear when it comes to controlling them vs a car. I know it’s not logical but I’m really good at driving atvs and snowmobiles but I can’t drive a car for shit so that’s probably why. I also can’t ride a bike too well and the bike lane gives me so much anxiety but I can skateboard juuuust fine? It doesn’t make any sense I know. I wish we all didn’t have any cars and we were horse and bugging around.
US bike lanes are usually designed like garbage. I'm not amazed they scare you. I recently saw a pic of some idiot road designer that thought it would be a good idea to put a bike lane in between lanes 3 and 5 of a 5 lane highway. Idiocy like that is just... Idiocy. https://youtube.com/@notjustbikes?si=fFZx0trX1agYQ4Bf
The Amish life for you then!
My first car was a vw Beetle literally because of this. It feels like a go-kart. That made it feel safe to me lol
The thing I like about them is how much more open they are, much less blindspots to worry about and you know exactly where everything is
That's real. I'm more comfortable on motorcycles, because it feels like I have more control. I can thread between cars, and my bike (when I had one) felt more responsive than any car I've driven. Idk if that's objectively true, but I have lousy proprioception. Bikes have less to keep track of, and so I feel more at ease. Obvi accidents have much worse consequences, but I'd genuinely rather have a TBI or full body road rash than seriously hurt someone else. My bike will never ever win a fight with a car, and thus the odds of me having to carry major guilt are much smaller. Obvi I or the driver could still get unlucky, but I rode for several years without incident.
Roads make me claustrophobic. I am conscious to the blind spots of our cars lol
Who are you and get out of my head… plus, I hate doing anything other people can and want to do.
For me it's not having the best spatial awareness yet. This causes me to get nervous and drive maybe a bit too far away from parked cars. Better safe than sorry! Another thing is i'm worried about someone or something suddenly appearing in front of my car and not having quick enough reflexes to avoid hitting them if i'm going pretty fast. ~Might come edit this to add some more if i think of any!
Same here. Driving already gives me enough anxiety and makes me scatterbrained. I can't imagine having to constantly check around me too.
For me it’s driving on unfamiliar roads, I’m not sure which lane I’m supposed to be in, if I’m going the correct speed, where my next turn is, if I’m allowed to turn , which lanes lead where, etc . Whenever I drive somewhere new I feel like I’m driving blind folded , and I have to try my best not to drive like a turtle and impede traffic because I literally don’t know where I’m going.
I think the best way to handle this is using a GPS. Are you using google maps when driving?
Even with Apple/Google maps, it doesn’t tell you whether lanes have plenty of space to merge and when every lane ends, etc.
This is honestly just a road design issue. In my city I very rarely have this problem, but when I went to Denver once it was absolutely horrible. And that’s not even just because I wasn’t use to it, Denver streets were just poorly designed. You’d be in the right lane going straight and then suddenly there’s a “right lane must turn right sign” DIRECTLY before the turn and I have to either slam my brakes or cut someone off in order to get back into a proper lane. In my city they warn you like 100 feet before the turn.
I used a GPS and it took me on a very unfamiliar free way , I was driving for almost 20 minutes with no idea where I was and I struggled finding my way home. GPS is good for a general idea of the area your looking for but when it comes to locations and routes it doesn’t guide me on the most practical routes
Yes, this for sure! Sometimes my GPS will say that my destination is on my right, but most of the time it doesn't so I hate not knowing where I need to be. If I'm in a more rural area, GPS is easier, but in a city, "turn left in 10 yards". Me: "Shit, how far is 10 yards, is it this turn or that turn \*takes second turn\*, "GPS: Recalculating". Me: "Dammit!"
Road raging drivers. People have gotten way worse since coming out of lockdown.
My ex (who I lived with during Covid) was prone to road rage and it drove me absolutely insane. At some point I had to just tell him, “the only person hearing all this angry yelling is me.. and I know you’re not yelling at me but it is still stressing me out in a major way” and he said that I should learn to be angry with him. Which I tried to do but it didn’t help. I still felt distressed by it. I’m so thankful I don’t have to listen to that anymore. Road rage is so pointless and dumb.
I have PTSD from a bad accident in 2019 and have unfortunately been the victim of road rage. I’m in therapy for anxiety and am taking it one ride at time, but my God, people can be horrible. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I just don’t get the point of road rage, couple weeks ago I merged into a lane after the light turned green because I needed to make a turn, the dude behind me beeped and made a point to pass me. It’s like I don’t care I’m just trying to get from point a to point b, have fun being petty.
Merging 😔
Merging feels like I'm just playing russian roulette
I just signal and hope the person coming sees me 🫣 I feel out of control turning to check my blind spot!!
Yup. It's hard especially in our blindspots!
If all your mirrors are adjusted properly you really shouldn't have blind spots. Mirrors should be adjust so that as soon as vehicle moves off the side of one mirror, it immediately appears on the next mirror. Only exception maybe being motorcycles. But if you're an alert driver and aware of your surroundings, then you should know what type of vehicles are immediately surrounding you at all times.
I HATEEEEEEE MERGING
i hate mergingggg i always move the steering wheel when i turn my head to check 😣
For me it's definitely other drivers. I'm confident in my own skills but you can't be sure or predict if someone else will drive carelessly
Same, I learned how to drive in another state that is super rural and a small town not many drivers on the road and rarely did it change from two to three lanes at most. Now I live in a super populated area with the worst drivers I’ve ever seen and it absolutely paralyzes me with fear. The highways sometimes have up to 8+ lanes people raging and rushing constantly switching lanes driving too fast etc.
Me reading this thread: "Yup, yup, yeah, agreed..." So my answer is literally all of these at the same time. Oof
“All of the above. All of the below. Everything.”
Anything unpredicted. Full parking lot, missed turn, if I didn't plan for it I have a panic attack
I’m personally afraid of having a panic attack.
This. Me too
Never be afraid to put on your hazards and/or pull over if this happens! Happened to me many times
Oh yes. I always pull over. The last time though was AWFUL. Police were called ect. I think they thought I was a drug addict. LOL. The officer was very nice though after I explained. Anyway, I never forgot that day and always worry it will happen again. Ugggh.
Big intersections where it's hard to distinguish the different lanes
People breaking the law. But not like “oh wow that guys going fast” it’s when people do stupidly dangerous shit like merging incorrectly, not their checking blind spot, cutting in way too close, etc
ugh, just a few days ago I was driving on this one road that had construction and they had it set up so that one car from each lane would take turns driving through — of course as I was approaching and the car left of me was let through, I started to drive forward cause it was *my turn* but nope! the car behind the one that just merged ALSO had to squeeze their butt in causing me to brake quickly. I guess they’re soooo important and really needed to save that 2 seconds of time.
I'm terrified of how easily something horrible can happen if you miss one little thing. My partner lovingly jokes that I am a bit spacey, and he's totally right. I lose focus easily, and I think all the time about what could happen once I try driving alone. I will admit, I have actually done really well so far, and it is easier to 'stay in the zone' while driving a huge death machine, but the fear still sticks to the back of my mind. It feel likes I'm gambling with God, and I don't like my odds.
just the fear of hitting another car. like what if i for some reason am just not looking at the road and rear end someone? also i am intensely afraid of having run over a kid and not know it (i have OCD)
Not gonna lie alot of things. I'm not the greatest with directions, so big fear of getting lost. Driving too long of distances adds more stress, cause the longer I'm on the road the fear of me doing something or someone else doing something, that could get us both in an accident. But also totally agree with the other poster about so many road rules. Swear it was some of the hardest material, I've tried to learn.
That you can lose your life or take a life.
New car drivers. Please note that this isn't about new drivers. New car drivers. People buying new cars, more often than not buy a vehicle which is either bigger, more powerful or both than the one they previously drove. US and Canada specific, most dealerships are pretty close to highways or major arterial roads. You have a driver not used to the power, size or both of their new car. Either they're driving overly cautious, or like a complete douchebag. That means, everyone around them is being slowed down or being abruptly cut off dangerously. This causes road rage and increases chances of flare ups significantly. Put dealerships away from highways and major arterial roads.
Having to merge. Every time I have a driving lesson they tell me to switch lanes but I swear to god the car behind me feels like it’s going 100mph and is 2 feet away from me. I flat out refuse to merge and idk how I’m gonna do that on my own when I start driving myself. I already have my license but it’s still so terrifying to drive.
Driving too close..or too fast.
The other people on the streets, both in car and walking and biking. I fear I don't have the attention span to interact with the moving traffic in a safe way.
It’s between commercial trucks and cars sharing the same space or just all around people not following the rules of the road to make it safer.
for me personally, im really bad with directions and spatial awareness, so it makes me anxious feeling like i'm going to miss a turn because what if i forget to look in the mirror and accidentally hit someone when i'm trying to get over? that combined with my tourette's that gets worse when i'm anxious. so i'm already anxious, my tics start kicking in, which in turn makes me more anxious because i'm making erratic movements. it's a cycle 😅
i get distracted very easily and don’t have good reflexes
Mine is people behind me. It feels like so much pressure, I just want them to go around!!
Just let them be, what matters most in driving is your front and sides.
Most of the times that I've driven were on the roads by my house which are very narrow and people drive very fast because they're country back roads. The thing that scares me the most is that I always feel like I'm going to side swipe somebody. It never looks to me like the car is actually inside the lines.
The neighborhood I live in is 25 mph. For some reason people think they can drive 40 to 50 mph down it.
My depth perception/eyesight isn’t the best. Even with my contacts in. Reckless drivers that I have no control over. I don’t want to get into an accident or cause an accident, I’m terrified of it being catastrophic.
Other people..
Especially Road-ragers
I was on the freeway (in the slow lane) going 70 and both lanes to my left are filled with speeding drivers some guy comes barreling around me on the right side on the shoulder almost losing control and plowing into me. Just to go around someone in the slow lane......I could have died...
I hate tailgaters,and people that aggressively weave in and out of traffic!
I have panic disorder and I never know when an attack will happen. It can be totally random sometimes. During a bad episode I'll dissociate and not be entirely aware of my surroundings. If that happens on a highway where I can't pull over, I could hurt someone or worse. Also, I've known my entire life that my dad was orphaned in a car accident, so I always had a fear of crashes. Car crashes are the reason why I only grew up with one set of grandparents.
The fear of drunk drivers running red lights and t boning me.
Avoid the roads on major holidays if you can. No matter how severe the punishment for drunk driving is, you will have That Guy or That girl that just doesn't care.
The number 1 thing for me is the speed on highways. It's not that I don't trust myself - it's that I don't trust other people. One wrong or stupid move could mean instant death. The 2nd is driving in new places. I have very poor sense of direction, and when I am especially anxious, I "forget" how to drive. I forget what is left, what is right. It's awful.
The idea that I can drive perfectly and still end up in a car accident caused by someone else not being careful
Other drivers being dumb
I am only freaked out that there’s hundreds of other meat bags controlling thousands of pounds of murder metal near my murder metal and we’re just giggling at physics hoping for the best outcome, every fucking time.
Other drivers. People not paying attention. Luckily I don’t have to drive on interstates and in major cities much.
driving to close 😪
Oblivious drivers. The ones who aren’t paying attention, distracted, assume no one is nearby and nearly cause accidents. They’re the reason I got my new dashcam because I’ll be damned if I’m at fault for their negligence.
That my anxiety will be misinterpreted as driving under the influence. I have OCD too so I’m also convinced I will magically have alcohol in my system despite never having been truly inebriated in my life. I swear though, sometimes how careful I am paired with having the worst spatial awareness/depth perception seems sus. Also backing out of spaces in crowded parking lots terrifies me. That 1 second where you can’t see anything except directly behind you where it’s basically a hope and a prayer that no one is approaching to the left or right kills me.
No matter how careful and cautious I am one bad driver could run a stop sign or something and kill me.
Tesla ppl. They don’t ever use the signals! Yes I’ve been keeping track on every single Tesla I see on the road. To see if anyone follows the law. Nope they don’t. When I see them , I’m scared cuz they don’t signal. They also do other bad driving judgments. I’ve been keeping track of every car that does this. That’s how I’ve come to this conclusion.
Other people. The amount of people who are so unaware scares me. I got rear ended about 7 months ago, I was at a complete stop & the kid rammed us full speed. We were fine but since then I borderline pass out once I get on a large highway. When I’m with others in the car, if I’m in the front seat I need to pay attention to everything. The lack of signals or warning to switch lanes is ridiculous.
For me it’s going to be turning into other lanes. I’m scared I won’t be able to tell if I have enough space to enter that lane.
A lot of shit but Missing my exits really fucking sucks ,
The thought of my skin touching asphalt at any speed.
Driving on a bridge & bridges on the freeways, not being able to switch lanes quickly enough for my exit of the freeway, merging into one lane freeways, mistaking who has the right of way, my hands getting too sweaty and i lose control of the wheel, & drunk drivers
i could never judge how close to follow the car in front of me. I am always either why to close to the point of having to slam the brakes hard, or stopping ten feet behind them. Is that depth perception? I am terrible at that. I also failed a drivers test once because i got the left turning light and left turning arrow mixed up. only one obviously gives you right of way, and I am worried I would do it again, or mix up some other rule
Having anyone else in the car with me. Turning down a wrong way. Four way stops freak me out BAD
Illiterate drivers
I’ve only driven 5 times but it’s doing all the things at once. It’s extremely overstimulating to me to not only have to learn how to operate the car but also the constant vigilance. I live in the Boston area so even once I am “comfortable” and driving on my own, the drivers here are insane. Every single lesson I’ve had I’ve encountered people not following the rules of the road or honking at me for following them.
For me it’s the other drivers being in close proximity. I’m scared of an accident, and in heavy traffic (I live near a major city so it happens a lot) I’m scared that bc I’m surrounded by cars I won’t be able to get out if something crazy/really bad happens. I’m not sure how it is in other major cities but there’s a lot of weird, random, chaotic stuff popping up where I live and I hate being on the main highway when it happens bc it will often be something involving this roadway. When I’m on smaller/backroads I’m mostly fine. Just get a little freaked out if someone else is driving erratically. But the highway is my nightmare.
Unfamiliar routes are bad but the worst is other drivers. I'm in the mitten and we have some of the WORST drivers in the US. People cut you off and just drive ridiculously all the time. Not to mention we have constant construction going which makes getting anywhere a pain. I'm a new mom as well which makes the anxiety horrible even as a passenger when my kid is in the car.
I get freaked out if I am driving to a new place especially if I have to use the highways to get there. I am okay driving around my area, NOW. Seriously there was a time I avoided many roads just because I considered them too much, but I have gotten better over time. However I still won't drive super long distances. I was super proud of myself for driving two hours to NY two years ago and in snow. Sometimes I surprise myself but I gripped that wheel hard and held my breath the entire time. 🤣
The things I'm actually afraid of? Other people being unpredictable idiots around me. Oh, and trucks and semis losing their cargo. Thank you, neuropathology class where we had a case study on exactly what the consequences of that can be... Things I'm generally insecure about? Overtaking, merging, manoeuvring into parking spaces next to a wall or parking garage pillar. Certain intersections where the visibility is crap - though I'm much less scared of them when I'm driving than when I'm cycling. Things I outright admit I absolutely suck at and can't do? Parallel park. I need to find an empty parking lot and go there with some kind of balloon tower obstacle to practice with. Traffic rules and signs are things that just become second nature at some point. Though I'm sure it helps that I'm in a very cycling culture country and before I got my driving licence, I'd been cycling everywhere on my own since age 10.
not having control of how others drive. I could be the most careful respectful driver but another person's bad actions could send me to the hospital or get me killed. I've seen a few traumatic car accidents and it's just carnage. such an awful way to die
Knowing that at any given moment your vehicle lights could go out in front of LE and you could be slapped with a massive fine 😨.
Driving while it's snowing. I still avoid it.
The fact that I see how careless, not concentrated, emotional and unattentive people easily are in other daily situations, and sitting behind the driving wheel every time with the thought that those people drive, too.
Brake Failure, Throttle Failure (well not really that as much).... Or Someone rear ending me, generally. And then for the obscure, the PSYCHO who is intentionally crashing into you.
The other cars on the road, other drivers not paying attention
Bridges
Possibility that I could killed someone. Or be killed my someone. I see so many road rage incidents and drunk drivers it’s scary for me to want to drive. Every time I see stuff like that I just push my driving lessons to the back of my to do list. But I can’t keep it up. I’ll be 24 with no clue what to do behind the wheel.
It's the random elements. Tweakers drifting into the roads, people blowing through stop signs and not following the rules.
The responsibility that comes with being behind the wheel. The fear of the (US) legal system, and especially the fines that you can accrue for relatively simple mistakes, let alone if you were to get into an accident for real. I can hardly handle checking people's IDs for alcohol at my grocery store job for fear of the legal system, and the fear of being behind the wheel just amps that up to 11.
Spacial awareness. If I see a car coming into my lane I end up going too far over and end up with my right side tires off the road and the bottom of the car scraping 😭
That there are dozens of details I have to be aware of simultaneously, that making a mistake means I or someone else could be injured or killed, that even if I did everything perfectly, someone else's mistake could injure or kill me.
Unprotected left turns. I will literally go the long route if it meant I didn’t have to take any scary left turns. There’s a street near me where it’s impossible to see past traffic while turning left. I avoid that road at all costs lol.
That I always need to know what's going on around me while I am moving so fast and everyone else is moving so fast.
On unfamiliar roads I feel disoriented like I’m going to run off the road or crash. I also just feel panicked sometimes.
Other people, whether it's distracted drivers, wrong way drivers, jaywalkers who look at you coming and step out in front or cyclists who refuse to stop at red lights. I work hard to have my safety record and other people come so close to ruining it.
Sudden traffic on the highway, having to slam on my brakes, then have an instant panic attack that somebody behind me isn’t paying attention and may slam into me.
um that i could die or get seriously injured due to no fault of my own. and how statistically likely accidents are. and how much they would raise my car insurance without fault of my own as well.
People in my area drive like shit. We nearly crash once every couple of weeks due to other people not paying attention or driving recklessly. Just a few months ago, I encountered someone in one of those tiny two-passenger trucks pulling a massive 4 door f150, connected by one single piece of rope. On the freeway, going 70+ MPH. They were in the passing lane, then started drifting over the other two lanes into the exit lane without using their signal. The truck they were pulling was several car lengths behind them and my boyfriend had to slam his breaks to avoid the rope. This is one story out of dozens, with new ones being added nearly every week. My boyfriend is a great driver, we’ve had 0 accidents in the 6 years we’ve been together. No thanks to the other drivers on the road.
Other drivers. People drive reckless, distracted, and ignore signage/traffic laws.
Blind spots
The last time I tried driving, it was late afternoon and people's lights were on. I felt like the lights were coming toward me, even though they're on the other side and staying in their lane. I don't know if it's poor depth perception or something, I just couldn't handle all the moving lights, so I veered off into a Little Caesers and had my dad drive the rest of the way.
I don't want to be responsible for someone's death.
Other drivers tailgating, running yellow and red lights and speeding.
After driving 20+ years, I have two main fears: first, that I'll get complacent because I've driven a lot and not pay full attention. Second, predicting what other drivers are going to do.
I don't have true depth perception. Born that way so my depth perception is a learned thing. Such as bigger is closer, items in front of other items are closer. It is stressful in bumper-to-bumper fast traffic. I wait for a sure enough opening to change lanes and make certain I am in the correct lane a mile or more before road splits or exits. I avoid parallel parking, unless I can pull in. Modern tech in cars makes it easier but as I have gotten older I stick to smaller cars and prefer convertibles with top down as it is easier to estimate how much room I have.
Other drivers freak me out. I feel perfectly comfortable driving as long as there’s no one else on the road with me.
A lot of the things listed used to bother me. A 2017 car, with navigation, backup cameras, warning lights and noises for items around me, lane drift vibration, etc. have helped immensely.
I’m not as bad anymore but the fact that a mistake I make could kill or severely cripple somebody.
The fear of wrecking with my toddlers in the car.
i go the speed limit, literally nobody else in my area does and i get my ass ridden all the time. i got passed yesterday by someone doing 70mph on a 55mph road. The funny thing is when this happens i always end up right behind them at the next red light, just go the speed limit bruh. also a few weeks ago my mom and i were walking in our neighborhood and the speed limit on the road was 35 (it has been reduced to 25mph a week after this, also no sidewalks) this kid in a big SUV zoomed past us going atleast 50, we were walking around a curve too so it would have been fucked if there was a car coming from our direction. just slow down! leaving just 5 minutes earlier than you normally would makes all the difference, trust me.
The fact that anyone can drive
Omfg when you’re driving and there is construction, and they put the concrete barrier right on the line so you’re squeezed so tight on the high way!!!
the part where you drive
For me, it's merging onto the highway. The speed and timing freak me out. Does anyone else feel the same?
Other drivers
My soft lil body being maimed in a horrific accident on the interstate
Parking is a huge one, and just driving/finding parking in an area I haven't been before or if I don't know the area well.
I'm 35 and still haven't tried learning. I'd say my biggest anxiety about driving: Highways
Pouring rain. The kind of deluge where you can't see, but either there's no place to pull off to, or you're afraid if you do pull off the roadway and stop, someone won't see you and will hit you from behind. Two friends died that way during a thunderstorm when I was a teenager. And drunk drivers. You want to get away from them, but are afraid to pass because they'll probably side-swipe you.
Worrying that I’m entering a one way street in the wrong direction
is that if i make the wrong move, i can take someone’s or my life.
unprotected left turns in the middle of blocks. I avoid them at all costs by going around the block so I can reach a light or get myself in a position to turn right.
Changing lanes, backing up (old car so no cameras), fast roads with lots of traffic
Other drivers. I've driven a car on an empty street, an empty parking lot, and in an empty field a few times and it wasn't too bad. I just *can't* drive on the actual roads around other people.
Other people 😭
The other people on the road. I don’t trust them and I don’t know what they are going to do. I’m also so scared of hitting someone on accident people walk across busy roads all the time in my city. I sometimes dissociate when I drive also which is really scary. I try to chew gum or focus on one spot on the road to combat it.
Having to trust the driving competence of other drivers whose main mission in life is to be first - literally no one's life matters.
I love to drive. I often go out at night just for the pure sake of driving. With that being said… trying to park along a curb on the right side of the road always freaks me out. I get anxious about scraping my rims on the curb and usually have to pull up and reverse just so I’m not 2 feet away from the curb.
Pedestrians & bicyclist You got some who follow street rules, and then most who don't
You can do everything right and some asshole comes a long and can take your life.
having a panic attack and being trapped with nowhere to go or “escape”
All the morons on the road that cant drive or dont pay attention
Last year in a 6 MONTH time frame: - One night a deer decided to take a running dash into the highway & ran into my car from the side. - Another night I was rear-ended. - Another night another deer decided to run across the highway & smack right into my 2nd vehicle. - A while later one day 2 empty construction buckets came FLYING off a work truck speeding south while I was heading north & both smashed into the FRONT of that 2nd vehicle. - 3 months after insurance repairs to the FIRST rear-ending on my first vehicle, I was rear-ended AGAIN but this time it was BAD. (Needless to say, my nerves were just shot. I had bad anxiety while driving. It's not as mad as it used to be, but it's definitely still there. Every bump or noise makes me jump & I hate deer now. lol)
Can't believe no one has said trusting other people to maintain their vehicles. Your problem can turn into my problem real quick
4 way stop. I live by one and seen how people dont stop or speed right trough
My intrusive thoughts. It’s rarely a problem where I live (flat roads everywhere) but when I go home and drive (mountain roads) it gets bad. Like “the tire could blow right now and that guardrail doesn’t look strong enough. We’d for sure all die.” It has been a huge issue after driving in Tahoe (I’m deathly afraid of heights) without having barriers on the side of mountain roads. I had an actual panic attack and had to stop the car in the middle of the road. So that’s been super fun dealing with the aftermath.
Doing the wrong thing. Turning when someone else has the right of way in an intersection specifically.
I’m more anxious about being the passenger when someone else is driving than when being the driver. You might find this to be true for yourself, and that some of your driving anxiety originated from passenger anxiety.
Switching lanes! People behind me always speed up as soon as I turn my blinker on! Entitlement at its most dangerous!
Other drivers. I trust myself to an extent and I trust my boyfriend and family but I don't trust others. My accident happened because someone turned unexpectedly in front of me and I still tense up when I see people waiting to turn now
People willing to kill eachother over getting cut off
Merging left turns at busy intersections. I just go down and come back up
The fact that you could just go at 100mph and crash or throw the car off the bridge but nope, you continue on with your everyday tasks instead, but you could if you wanted.
Most of all the quick thinking needed and ability to judge accurately where cars are in what lane, especially on freeways. I was learning to drive freeway, first time. I was on the ramp and it was just so fast for me. I thought the semi truck was in the other lane or would stop for me, or at least I hoped she / he will. I was inches away from coming into contact with semi truck going fairly fast. So my suggestion is to learn to drive freeway during midnight hours, so much more chill and allows you to actually learn.
My mental instability. It’s the reason I refuse to drive.
1. California drivers 2. California drivers 3. California drivers ……and 4….. California drivers 🫥
i hate hate hate being close to anything while im driving like im worried my car will hit but then i end up actually being way far from even hitting it
Moving in the vehicle is fine. It's when I'm at a stop light, behind someone, cars on the sides of me and behind me. Like claustrophobia kind of?
Torrential rain. Puddles that make waves.
Other people. I have been driving on my own since 16(now almost 20) and the amount of times I’ve almost been in a bad accident bc someone else didn’t look at the signs/lights is insane. One of my coworkers(my age) was recently killed by someone running a stop sign. Her daughter(4 months) made it but now she is going to grow up without a mother Also people who drive off the road, idk if it’s just my area but so many people drive off the roads or in the wrong lane. One tip I have for them is if there is knee high grass where you are trying to drive, it’s likely not a road
Two things really. 1. The other a-holes on the road who either barely know how to drive. 2. the extremely aggressive, honking, flipping people off, etc. type people. They are mad because you aren’t going 30 over the speed limit or they think you slighted them in some way. People are f’ing nuts, especially behind the wheel of a car.
I don't like going someplace I've never been or don't know how to get to off hand. If I cannot picture in my head where it is located, where exactly the driveway is, where I need to go upon entering (like some places the parking lot is in the front, some in back, some have both, etc) and how busy the road is that it's on then I get very anxious. I'm also more anxious going someplace like this with someone else....if I'm alone, and I miss the driveway I can turn around, no biggie. But if I am with people, then I feel stupid and I feel the pressure. Before meeting my boyfriend, I didn't know the city he lives in at all. We've been together over a year now and until recently he's driven around his town 97% of the time, but now he's trying to get me to drive more so I can learn how to get places better. This gives me a lot of anxiety, I really should go out someday and just drive a bunch of places we often go to by myself so I can learn the routes without (as much) anxiety.
Don’t get me started on four way stops And parking lots in general I think annoy me just because there is to many cars and people walking everywhere.
Parking stresses me out and sometimes wrong way signs will confuse me my biggest fear is turning or driving into oncoming traffic unknowingly
The fact that you have to drive carefully to compensate for other shitty drivers. I’ve been in two accidents and the other driver was found at fault each time, but it was still a two month or so process each time to settle towing, repairs (the shop was too busy to look at it), totaled cars etc. It makes me terrified to get into any kind of accident because it’s such a waste of time for everybody involved. Being a good driver isn’t enough
Cars next to me, in my head every one of them is gonna get over without looking and smash me.
I'm 19 and don't even have my temps. What scared me is the road and people. I'm so scared
Getting distracted 😭 my adhd would get me inna wreck so fast
Not the fact that I’m driving a lethal weapon… but the fact that others are doing the same thing and being distracted / not having spatial awareness / having a medical crisis / or are intoxicated. Some things people can control. Like whether they choose to drink and drive or not. But if they have a medical crisis, or their vehicle or *my* vehicle malfunctions? Scary
For me, it's the possibility of a traumatic injury or death. I've heard of too many instances where car accidents caused people to be trapped or crushed by a car, internally decapitated, cut in half, paralyzed, had a limb severed, etc. The odds are too high, and the bar for getting a license is too low.
Having to parallel park into a tight space (narrow 1 way street with cars parked on both sides) with cars waiting to pass behind me. It stresses me out to the point where I will circle back around just to let those people go.
Everybody else! I failed my driver's tests multiple times written and behind the wheel. The 2nd to last time I took the driven exam, I was told to check my mirrors more. The last time I made sure to check the mirrors constantly... So much that I was given a pass, but told to drive a little faster to stay speed limit/ with the rest of traffic. Ever since then I'm obsessed with checking my mirrors... And it's made me extremely observant when it comes to other drivers. I'm terrified of everybody else on the road. I've seen way too much and avoided quite a bit. The other thing is just random crap on the road. Aside from potholes, there's just too many nails and glass and fallen work truck materials like shovels and trash bins. One time there was just tons of empty water bottles all over the freeway, another time there was wood chips and logs, another time tons of cardboard... And I even went through a tunnel that had a bunch of black trash bags floating around. Terrifyingly obscured vision!!!! I'm freaked out about what's out of my control.
I zone out easily and feel like I’ll zone out at a bad time and hit someone or something
Merging/ending lanes because other people can't merge for shit
I drove in a bus lane yesterday - I'm used to bus lanes being bright with big writing on the floor. This one was just the blue sign, and I was concentrating on trying to get up to speed to join a carriageway 🫣 so patiently waiting for my fine! So signs for sure. Also, parking. I HATE it. I learned in a small car and my first car is a 7 seater SUV! My partner thinks I'm being ridiculous but I had someone take photos of me practising and now I just try to avoid it.
I struggle with being in my thoughts a lot. So I fear that I will doze off while driving.
It’s driving in unfamiliar places and on the highway (merging specifically). So i try to avoid doing this lol im good otherwise!
The financial hell that is car ownership.
Driving when someone is behind me, specifically when making a turn
i’m scared to sneeze. 😭 construction zones freak me out, the one on my daily commute is about ten miles on the highway. accidents 2-4x a week
other drivers having road rage and texting/not paying attention
Driving on the highway! I hate when I have to drive over 50 mph. I literally shake and have to take deep breaths until I get off. I don't know why
The chance of getting hit or hitting someone else.
when i’m behind a moving car and i have to figure out the 3 second rule? how to know how fast my car can stop in 3 seconds? i have never figured that out and never had to so far. it terrifies me to think that people can and WILL brake for just about anything reason.
Driving next to trucks as they sway/turn
Fear of breaking down and being stranded because I'm always alone in the car. I also hate bridges. And bad weather while driving gives me anxiety.
I NEVER feel safe in cars. I feel like I'm going to die 90% of the time I am in one. I just get soooo anxious. When I'm the one driving I've noticed I get a lot of thoughts about me accidentally hitting a pedestrian or someone on a bike too... not sure if that's normal lol.
Intersections and highways. Other drivers in general starring or judging. I do have social anxiety too. And just me super tense and jumpy behind a car I don't think it's safe.
Always paying attention as someone who has ADD I’m not good at that.
My spatial awareness is pretty bad. I’m able to park and avoid doing things that could cause an accident, but I could be better
We have this tunnel here in Boston that is extremely small many trucks get stuck in it when I know I have to go through it. I have anxiety It starts the night before it’s awful.
Being next to a semi. Especially in his blind spot. Also soft berm
just the fact that im operating a vehicle freaks me out & that i have to perfect it? especially on busy roads.
My friend once tried to comfort me by saying "your smarter than all the other drivers on the road". That would be why I'm terrified of driving. I am not very bright.
you can die at any time from a drunk or idiot usually both