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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 1513 Views
I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers. Ghavrel - 13/12/2011 05:20:14 PM 1028 Views
Re: I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers. Vivien - 13/12/2011 09:58:55 PM 958 Views
Re: I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers. Ghavrel - 13/12/2011 10:37:47 PM 946 Views
Re: I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers. Vivien - 13/12/2011 10:50:38 PM 1004 Views
Your first instinct was right, trust your instincts. *NM* random thoughts - 14/12/2011 03:16:51 AM 419 Views
I failed my first test. Nate - 13/12/2011 05:49:58 PM 1147 Views
I would love to drive on empty country roads. Vivien - 13/12/2011 10:08:35 PM 925 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 1016 Views
Congratulations on passing it! Vivien - 14/12/2011 12:18:18 AM 946 Views
13 yrs old. FalonDeathwatchGuard - 13/12/2011 06:02:22 PM 1155 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 1043 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 896 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 1037 Views
Yeah it is! vroom vroom vroom!! FalonDeathwatchGuard - 15/12/2011 03:26:28 PM 1078 Views
I don't blame you at all for not wanting to drive in NYC. Macharius - 13/12/2011 06:28:26 PM 1151 Views
Re: I don't blame you at all for not wanting to drive in NYC. Vivien - 13/12/2011 10:29:20 PM 1039 Views
It must be harder to overcome that natural fear in NYC. Sareitha Sedai - 13/12/2011 06:44:28 PM 984 Views
Yeah, absolutely. Vivien - 13/12/2011 10:32:25 PM 1123 Views
Or drive your drunk sister home from a party. *NM* Aeryn - 14/12/2011 05:27:01 PM 500 Views
Driving IS overrated. Jacob - 13/12/2011 07:01:02 PM 1002 Views
Re: Driving IS overrated. Vivien - 13/12/2011 10:43:09 PM 823 Views
Isn't it traditional to fail your first test? Or is that just around here? Legolas - 13/12/2011 08:14:01 PM 996 Views
I wouldn't think so Dark Knight - 13/12/2011 08:25:36 PM 874 Views
I'm not in any state. Legolas - 13/12/2011 08:31:30 PM 952 Views
Re: I'm not in any state. Vivien - 13/12/2011 10:56:38 PM 914 Views
It's rare to pass on the first try here. (according to driving instructor) Vivien - 13/12/2011 09:44:39 PM 1054 Views
I think it depends on where you live Isaac - 13/12/2011 09:11:13 PM 894 Views
Re: I think it depends on where you live Vivien - 13/12/2011 09:34:30 PM 1070 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 954 Views
When I was in New Jersey... rebelaessedai - 13/12/2011 11:30:59 PM 990 Views
Maybe they're the ones who couldn't hack driving in NYC? *NM* Vivien - 14/12/2011 12:21:09 AM 533 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 951 Views
Oh I think most people with years' worth of driving experience be fine. Vivien - 14/12/2011 12:27:09 AM 1156 Views
I was even rather nervous about taking lessons and failed my first ironclad - 14/12/2011 08:30:25 AM 1099 Views
I love driving. Avendesora - 14/12/2011 03:24:59 PM 1028 Views
Re: I love driving. Macharius - 14/12/2011 05:44:57 PM 859 Views
Avendesora - 14/12/2011 06:02:42 PM 1155 Views
I thought it quite clever, actually. Macharius - 14/12/2011 06:54:27 PM 845 Views
Me, too. aerocontrols - 18/12/2011 04:31:29 AM 930 Views
Drive safely! Avendesora - 18/12/2011 04:58:01 AM 1013 Views
Re: Me, three. Palatine - 18/12/2011 07:37:55 PM 1005 Views
Re: Me, three. aerocontrols - 19/12/2011 06:10:20 AM 884 Views
Welcome home. *NM* Palatine - 19/12/2011 04:41:26 PM 438 Views
Did you ever attend a driving school? *NM* Palatine - 14/12/2011 05:29:33 PM 433 Views
I don't think so. Vivien - 15/12/2011 05:22:09 AM 1041 Views
Oh. ironclad - 15/12/2011 08:32:59 AM 1099 Views
Yes, you did. Palatine - 15/12/2011 04:44:48 PM 946 Views
Re: Yes, you did. Vivien - 16/12/2011 12:25:30 AM 944 Views
Re: Yes, you did. Palatine - 16/12/2011 04:42:40 PM 1147 Views
That's not a sign. Aeryn - 14/12/2011 05:29:36 PM 1001 Views
I take exception to this. Stephen - 14/12/2011 06:29:40 PM 959 Views
Whoa. rebelaessedai - 15/12/2011 07:21:52 AM 1029 Views
Fewer cars on the road. Fewer double-parked cars. *NM* Aeryn - 15/12/2011 06:25:21 PM 386 Views
Also: you have no fear. *NM* Vivien - 15/12/2011 11:59:34 PM 498 Views
LOL! You guys are funny. rebelaessedai - 17/12/2011 06:52:22 AM 1017 Views
Also, you can tell when there's someone around the corner, because of the headlights. Tim - 19/12/2011 04:18:26 PM 987 Views
Oooh, that's a good point. Vivien - 19/12/2011 05:17:16 PM 1107 Views
It's more pronounced and important in the countryside where there are no streetlights. Tim - 19/12/2011 05:51:25 PM 1103 Views
In the country there are deer aerocontrols - 20/12/2011 05:53:17 AM 980 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 569 Views
Driving tests are far harder in the Netherlands, from what I understand Helene - 14/12/2011 05:34:38 PM 919 Views
For what it's worth NYC takes some getting used to. Tom - 14/12/2011 06:43:38 PM 821 Views
Re: For what it's worth NYC takes some getting used to. Macharius - 14/12/2011 07:05:20 PM 890 Views
don't worry i fluffed my practical test up today Yunalesca - 14/12/2011 08:24:56 PM 1026 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 933 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 862 Views
It's really not that bad Praziquantel - 16/12/2011 01:03:43 AM 996 Views
Amusing (to me) comparison to sex risks. Vivien - 17/12/2011 05:50:16 PM 1013 Views
That last part: just a joke. Vivien - 17/12/2011 06:06:43 PM 1059 Views
Re: Amusing (to me) comparison to sex risks. TaskmasterJack - 17/12/2011 06:07:51 PM 1053 Views
No. But it is true that my risk aversion coefficient is too high. Vivien - 17/12/2011 06:49:33 PM 854 Views
Isn't learning to drive in NYC sort of like aerocontrols - 18/12/2011 04:21:47 AM 968 Views
Finally! The right word. Vivien - 19/12/2011 02:19:53 AM 883 Views
Re: Finally! The right word. TaskmasterJack - 19/12/2011 02:51:51 AM 835 Views
No problem. aerocontrols - 19/12/2011 06:36:59 AM 1275 Views
Don't worry about it it. I'm sure you'll get over it eventually. Bergioyn - 18/12/2011 09:58:59 AM 979 Views
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