How do I learn to drive if I not only have a fear of driving, but a fear of vehicles in general?
(2011-05-31 14:25:02) 1. Says: I'm nearing the age of 18 and I've only practiced driving once, which ending in me hitting the side of the car against the curb. I have always had anxiety build up inside me with my arms shaking at the wheel that causes me to lose the grip of it and lose control of the vehicle. I also only know the basic rules of the road, I have no knowledge of what to do on freeways, highways, and busy streets.My fear of vehicles comes from whenever I'm inside or near a running vehicle, I have the fear that the vehicle is gonna crash into something or someone.2. Says: Start with really easy situations, to acclimatize yourself to driving. Find massive, empty parking lots, or rural roads, or something, somewhere you could practically drive blindfolded and not hit anything. If necessary, just start driving forwards, and then backwards in a straight line. Don't try turning until you feel ready, and even then, do it gently, and at slow speeds. If you do this enough, you should begin to get comfortable being behind the wheel, and you'll understand how your car reacts to whatever you do, and from there, you can expand to busier areas, or more complex actions as you're ready.
There's no rush for you to drive, so remember to keep advancing at your own pace.3. Says: You control the car. The car is a machine, and it will do what the operator (you) tell it to do. You may not have found the right car? ...some only like small cars, others only SUV's, maybe your the type that feels safe in a minivan.
If you really fear driving, and the car type makes no difference, I would suggest you take advantage of the public transportation system. Once you start driving, other drivers will not know your fear, and will just zoom past you, will switch lanes in front of you with out signaling, etc. Tag: How do I learn to drive if I not only have a fear of driving, but a fear of vehicles in general?