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Re: I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers. Vivien Send a noteboard - 13/12/2011 09:58:55 PM
But instead I will empathise, because I also was afraid of driving. It was so bad that I had to leave my house hours earlier than I needed to, because otherwise I'd scare myself sick and wouldn't be able to go places.

The trick is to just totally immerse yourself in the fear until it goes away. Anxiety and phobia experts call that "flooding." It's what you use in exposure therapy. Essentially, you'll exhaust yourself being scared, and then you will realize that you aren't actually scared any more. Of course, you'll be miserable while you do it, but them's the breaks.


Anxiety disorders are fun, yeah?


It's really hard to get over this because I feel like it's not just anxiety- it's not an irrational phobia like being afraid of spiders or getting struck by lightning. I don't particularly like spiders but I know the odds are really low that they will kill me, or cause me to kill others. Car accidents are real, not imaginary, and also highly likely. Of all the sudden bad things that can happen, it's basically the likeliest one and it's what we should be most terrified of. We're a lot more likely to die in a car than in a plane! I'm also afraid of making a mistake and causing an accident and worst possible scenario: killing someone.

The only way I see myself driving is by not thinking about the consequences. I guess what I'm saying is: why isn't *everyone* scared of driving? Do they just think that nothing bad will happen to them, they're invincible?

Your anxiety: how did leaving the house hours earlier help? Maybe you left at a time where there'd be less cars on the road?

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NSSP: Driving Vivien - 13/12/2011 05:15:41 PM 1738 Views
I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers. Ghavrel - 13/12/2011 05:20:14 PM 1229 Views
Re: I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers. Vivien - 13/12/2011 09:58:55 PM 1167 Views
Re: I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers. Ghavrel - 13/12/2011 10:37:47 PM 1154 Views
Re: I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers. Vivien - 13/12/2011 10:50:38 PM 1236 Views
Your first instinct was right, trust your instincts. *NM* random thoughts - 14/12/2011 03:16:51 AM 500 Views
I failed my first test. Nate - 13/12/2011 05:49:58 PM 1338 Views
I would love to drive on empty country roads. Vivien - 13/12/2011 10:08:35 PM 1139 Views
I had to take the driving test 3 time before I passed (posted at the wrong place ) Linda - 13/12/2011 11:43:44 PM 1277 Views
Congratulations on passing it! Vivien - 14/12/2011 12:18:18 AM 1126 Views
13 yrs old. FalonDeathwatchGuard - 13/12/2011 06:02:22 PM 1359 Views
Seriously? Why? At 13 you should have had some awareness of the danger you were posing to others Vivien - 13/12/2011 10:27:59 PM 1256 Views
Re: Seriously? Why? At 13 you should have had some awareness of the danger you were posing to others FalonDeathwatchGuard - 13/12/2011 10:37:41 PM 1108 Views
Probably just a difference in perspective. Kids sneaking a vehicle for a jor ride is pretty common. everynametaken - 15/12/2011 03:51:30 AM 1238 Views
Yeah it is! vroom vroom vroom!! FalonDeathwatchGuard - 15/12/2011 03:26:28 PM 1281 Views
I don't blame you at all for not wanting to drive in NYC. Macharius - 13/12/2011 06:28:26 PM 1368 Views
Re: I don't blame you at all for not wanting to drive in NYC. Vivien - 13/12/2011 10:29:20 PM 1239 Views
It must be harder to overcome that natural fear in NYC. Sareitha Sedai - 13/12/2011 06:44:28 PM 1217 Views
Yeah, absolutely. Vivien - 13/12/2011 10:32:25 PM 1331 Views
Or drive your drunk sister home from a party. *NM* Aeryn - 14/12/2011 05:27:01 PM 597 Views
Driving IS overrated. Jacob - 13/12/2011 07:01:02 PM 1200 Views
Re: Driving IS overrated. Vivien - 13/12/2011 10:43:09 PM 1053 Views
Isn't it traditional to fail your first test? Or is that just around here? Legolas - 13/12/2011 08:14:01 PM 1198 Views
I wouldn't think so Dark Knight - 13/12/2011 08:25:36 PM 1086 Views
I'm not in any state. Legolas - 13/12/2011 08:31:30 PM 1162 Views
Re: I'm not in any state. Vivien - 13/12/2011 10:56:38 PM 1116 Views
It's rare to pass on the first try here. (according to driving instructor) Vivien - 13/12/2011 09:44:39 PM 1266 Views
I think it depends on where you live Isaac - 13/12/2011 09:11:13 PM 1106 Views
Re: I think it depends on where you live Vivien - 13/12/2011 09:34:30 PM 1289 Views
I know Texas talked about doing away with it because the failure rate was so low random thoughts - 14/12/2011 03:15:11 AM 1169 Views
When I was in New Jersey... rebelaessedai - 13/12/2011 11:30:59 PM 1181 Views
Maybe they're the ones who couldn't hack driving in NYC? *NM* Vivien - 14/12/2011 12:21:09 AM 625 Views
I wonder how many people that have been driving for years and years would fail if they had to take Tashmere - 14/12/2011 12:03:55 AM 1235 Views
Oh I think most people with years' worth of driving experience be fine. Vivien - 14/12/2011 12:27:09 AM 1365 Views
I was even rather nervous about taking lessons and failed my first ironclad - 14/12/2011 08:30:25 AM 1309 Views
I love driving. Avendesora - 14/12/2011 03:24:59 PM 1236 Views
Re: I love driving. Macharius - 14/12/2011 05:44:57 PM 1074 Views
Avendesora - 14/12/2011 06:02:42 PM 1357 Views
I thought it quite clever, actually. Macharius - 14/12/2011 06:54:27 PM 1050 Views
Me, too. aerocontrols - 18/12/2011 04:31:29 AM 1143 Views
Drive safely! Avendesora - 18/12/2011 04:58:01 AM 1226 Views
Re: Me, three. Palatine - 18/12/2011 07:37:55 PM 1197 Views
Re: Me, three. aerocontrols - 19/12/2011 06:10:20 AM 1092 Views
Welcome home. *NM* Palatine - 19/12/2011 04:41:26 PM 546 Views
Did you ever attend a driving school? *NM* Palatine - 14/12/2011 05:29:33 PM 547 Views
I don't think so. Vivien - 15/12/2011 05:22:09 AM 1255 Views
Oh. ironclad - 15/12/2011 08:32:59 AM 1310 Views
Yes, you did. Palatine - 15/12/2011 04:44:48 PM 1152 Views
Re: Yes, you did. Vivien - 16/12/2011 12:25:30 AM 1181 Views
Re: Yes, you did. Palatine - 16/12/2011 04:42:40 PM 1356 Views
That's not a sign. Aeryn - 14/12/2011 05:29:36 PM 1208 Views
I take exception to this. Stephen - 14/12/2011 06:29:40 PM 1150 Views
Whoa. rebelaessedai - 15/12/2011 07:21:52 AM 1245 Views
Fewer cars on the road. Fewer double-parked cars. *NM* Aeryn - 15/12/2011 06:25:21 PM 483 Views
Also: you have no fear. *NM* Vivien - 15/12/2011 11:59:34 PM 595 Views
LOL! You guys are funny. rebelaessedai - 17/12/2011 06:52:22 AM 1232 Views
Also, you can tell when there's someone around the corner, because of the headlights. Tim - 19/12/2011 04:18:26 PM 1197 Views
Oooh, that's a good point. Vivien - 19/12/2011 05:17:16 PM 1312 Views
It's more pronounced and important in the countryside where there are no streetlights. Tim - 19/12/2011 05:51:25 PM 1305 Views
In the country there are deer aerocontrols - 20/12/2011 05:53:17 AM 1191 Views
Oh yeah, forgot about those. We don't have that many left, and only up in the Highlands. *NM* Tim - 20/12/2011 10:18:41 AM 666 Views
Driving tests are far harder in the Netherlands, from what I understand Helene - 14/12/2011 05:34:38 PM 1115 Views
For what it's worth NYC takes some getting used to. Tom - 14/12/2011 06:43:38 PM 1042 Views
Re: For what it's worth NYC takes some getting used to. Macharius - 14/12/2011 07:05:20 PM 1113 Views
don't worry i fluffed my practical test up today Yunalesca - 14/12/2011 08:24:56 PM 1216 Views
I'm older than you and there's no way I would have willingly gotten behind the wheel at 17. Vivien - 15/12/2011 05:12:29 AM 1141 Views
I found driving nervewracking until I got to do it by myself. NZ has a great system, IMO. Rebekah - 15/12/2011 01:48:19 PM 1078 Views
It's really not that bad Praziquantel - 16/12/2011 01:03:43 AM 1206 Views
Amusing (to me) comparison to sex risks. Vivien - 17/12/2011 05:50:16 PM 1241 Views
That last part: just a joke. Vivien - 17/12/2011 06:06:43 PM 1235 Views
Re: Amusing (to me) comparison to sex risks. TaskmasterJack - 17/12/2011 06:07:51 PM 1254 Views
No. But it is true that my risk aversion coefficient is too high. Vivien - 17/12/2011 06:49:33 PM 1058 Views
Isn't learning to drive in NYC sort of like aerocontrols - 18/12/2011 04:21:47 AM 1163 Views
Finally! The right word. Vivien - 19/12/2011 02:19:53 AM 1083 Views
Re: Finally! The right word. TaskmasterJack - 19/12/2011 02:51:51 AM 1037 Views
No problem. aerocontrols - 19/12/2011 06:36:59 AM 1477 Views
Don't worry about it it. I'm sure you'll get over it eventually. Bergioyn - 18/12/2011 09:58:59 AM 1181 Views
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