Re: Admitting something that I am embarrassed about because I need advice....

Aww, Sam. This explains a lot through the years. I wish I had known sooner. There were many times I thought you just didn't want to come to see me
I agree with previous posters that you should try driving at times when the traffic is lighter. I know that merging onto parkways is scary since the ramps are so short. I have found that you need to slow down on the ramp and keep looking at the traffic as you approach it and you can sort of gauge if you need to speed up or slow down more. I used to hate it, but now I feel much more comfortable.

How about sometime soon you come visit me and take the parkway?

I hope this gets easier for you. I want us to do more fun things and meet at fun places.

Re: Admitting something that I am embarrassed about because I need advice....

I have the exact same problem..

I am 24 and I just got my license a little less than a year ago.. failed my driver's test 3 times before passing on the 4th because I would just get SOOOO nervous (ie.. break out in hives.. totally freak out and jam on the brakes) I took lessons numerous times and knew what to do.. it was just my nerves.

After having DS I was so worried about driving and having an accident with him that it only made my fear MUCH worse.

Driving still does make me nervous and I don't drive on the LIE or anything..( I have ONE time) just locally (347 is about the most I can handle)

I have gotten MUCH more comfortable driving locally than I was when I started.
Over the past year I have just tried to take small steps at a time torward being able to drive farther and farther.. I do feel myself becoming much more confident and I have learned a lot more about the rules of driving than I used to know.

Anytime I have to go somewhere I feel a little uneasy about or haven't been before.. I make sure I plan out my route..(look on mapquest at a few alternate ways) and I bring a GPS.. I find that I get VERY nervous if I get lost or have to switch lanes at the last second.

In the beginning.. if I had to go somewhere farther than normal or somewhere I wasn't too familiar with.. I would try to make a run there with someone else ahead of time just to become a but more comfortable..

A GPS may help you.. but other than that I would just take things small steps at a time. Driving on the parkway during low-traffic and the daytime is a great idea.

Re: Admitting something that I am embarrassed about because I need advice....

I feel bad that YOU feel bad- because I am so impressed that you can drive at all. I don't have a license, and freak even at the thought of local streets.

I don't have any advice, but wanted to wish you luck!

Re: Admitting something that I am embarrassed about because I need advice....

I posted about this a few years ago. I was so, so afraid to drive. So what I did was for one entire month, whenever DH and I had to go somewhere I drove. It was great because I could practice and I never did it alone. Now, I can take the car and drive to my friends' houses that are 30 mins away and only accessible by highway. AND, a few weeks ago I made the entire drive from NY to MD by myself (DH was there but I drove the entire way). Now driving is natural to me. Granted at night sometimes I still worry about which lane to go in since visibility is worse. But it's much much better than it was.

Re: Admitting something that I am embarrassed about because I need advice....

i sorta have the same problem...
i got my license at 16, n was driving a little w/my father, but then he had a big eye operation and couldnt drive. my mother is a nervous wreck n i think she really is the one who put it in my head that it is so dangerous to drive on the highway (she never drives on them !!)

my boyfriend (dh now) alaways drove everywhere and never forced me too-so thats another problem. i also never had my own car

i will drive locally-but i never went by myself on a highway. ive driven on a highway 3xs..i find it easier to drive by myself...
if i tell my mother im driving by myself she gets all nervous, which makes me nervous and then i get aggravated and i dton drive! LOL

i really really want to start driving on highways, a friend of mine-her mother was terrified of it, got hyptnotized and was able to drive ANYWHERE.

i also work in the city, so im not forced to drive to work...ahh!!

Re: Admitting something that I am embarrassed about because I need advice....

I've actually had the opposite fears. I prefer the parkways to the local roads. To me the local roads are more intimidating. I grew up in Brooklyn and it was always so conjested. Trying to get out of a spot on the street gave me anxiety as did parking.

Fast foward almost 20 years and I'm doing just fine. The GPS was the best thing I ever got. It really did give me the confidence to drive further and to different places.

Good luck!!