I had a fair bit of driving anxiety when I started out as well. I don't think it was as bad as what you ang Ghavrel are describing, but driving by myself definitely made me nervous, and I had to take measures to calm myself down. During my driving test I was even more nervous and made some errors. The funny part is that on my second test I was even more nervous and did worse, but they passed me that time (different instructor).
After a couple years of driving on my own all the nerves and fear faded away, and since then driving has felt easy and natural to me. You gain more situational awareness the longer you drive as well, so that you know, for example, whether or not there's anyone in that next lane.
But I have never, in fairness, driven in New York City. I imagine it's not the best place to learn. I first learned on empty country roads and then a town of only 20,000 people.
After a couple years of driving on my own all the nerves and fear faded away, and since then driving has felt easy and natural to me. You gain more situational awareness the longer you drive as well, so that you know, for example, whether or not there's anyone in that next lane.
But I have never, in fairness, driven in New York City. I imagine it's not the best place to learn. I first learned on empty country roads and then a town of only 20,000 people.
NYC does have a lot of requirements, especially if you want to get a driver's license at 17- there's an additional driver's education course you have to take and you have to log at least 50 hours of driving with a licensed instructor, including 15 hours after sunset. [I just looked this up, and I'm actually surprised at how strict it is] And then after all that, most of them still fail the first time. There is one theory that the examiners are extra strict on young prospective drivers.
NSSP: Driving
- 13/12/2011 05:15:41 PM
1427 Views
I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers.
- 13/12/2011 05:20:14 PM
933 Views
Re: I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers.
- 13/12/2011 09:58:55 PM
884 Views
Re: I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers.
- 13/12/2011 10:37:47 PM
861 Views
Re: I'm tempted to take this opportunity to poke fun at New Yorkers.
- 13/12/2011 10:50:38 PM
924 Views
*NM*
I failed my first test.
- 13/12/2011 05:49:58 PM
1069 Views
I would love to drive on empty country roads.
- 13/12/2011 10:08:35 PM
847 Views
I had to take the driving test 3 time before I passed (posted at the wrong place 
)
- 13/12/2011 11:43:44 PM
922 Views
)
- 13/12/2011 11:43:44 PM
922 Views
13 yrs old.
- 13/12/2011 06:02:22 PM
1071 Views
Seriously? Why? At 13 you should have had some awareness of the danger you were posing to others
- 13/12/2011 10:27:59 PM
957 Views
Re: Seriously? Why? At 13 you should have had some awareness of the danger you were posing to others
- 13/12/2011 10:37:41 PM
815 Views
Probably just a difference in perspective. Kids sneaking a vehicle for a jor ride is pretty common.
- 15/12/2011 03:51:30 AM
946 Views
It must be harder to overcome that natural fear in NYC.
- 13/12/2011 06:44:28 PM
892 Views
Isn't it traditional to fail your first test? Or is that just around here?
- 13/12/2011 08:14:01 PM
914 Views
I wouldn't think so
- 13/12/2011 08:25:36 PM
806 Views
It's rare to pass on the first try here. (according to driving instructor)
- 13/12/2011 09:44:39 PM
972 Views
I know Texas talked about doing away with it because the failure rate was so low
- 14/12/2011 03:15:11 AM
861 Views
I wonder how many people that have been driving for years and years would fail if they had to take
- 14/12/2011 12:03:55 AM
875 Views
Oh I think most people with years' worth of driving experience be fine.
- 14/12/2011 12:27:09 AM
1071 Views
I was even rather nervous about taking lessons and failed my first
- 14/12/2011 08:30:25 AM
1020 Views
I love driving.
- 14/12/2011 03:24:59 PM
941 Views
Me, too.
- 18/12/2011 04:31:29 AM
852 Views
Did you ever attend a driving school? *NM*
- 14/12/2011 05:29:33 PM
410 Views
I don't think so.
- 15/12/2011 05:22:09 AM
955 Views
Yes, you did.
- 15/12/2011 04:44:48 PM
857 Views
That's not a sign.
- 14/12/2011 05:29:36 PM
920 Views
Whoa.
- 15/12/2011 07:21:52 AM
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Fewer cars on the road. Fewer double-parked cars. *NM*
- 15/12/2011 06:25:21 PM
349 Views
Also, you can tell when there's someone around the corner, because of the headlights.
- 19/12/2011 04:18:26 PM
909 Views
Oooh, that's a good point.
- 19/12/2011 05:17:16 PM
1024 Views
It's more pronounced and important in the countryside where there are no streetlights.
- 19/12/2011 05:51:25 PM
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In the country there are deer
- 20/12/2011 05:53:17 AM
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Oh yeah, forgot about those. We don't have that many left, and only up in the Highlands. *NM*
- 20/12/2011 10:18:41 AM
536 Views
Driving tests are far harder in the Netherlands, from what I understand
- 14/12/2011 05:34:38 PM
864 Views
don't worry i fluffed my practical test up today
- 14/12/2011 08:24:56 PM
946 Views
I'm older than you 
and there's no way I would have willingly gotten behind the wheel at 17.
- 15/12/2011 05:12:29 AM
847 Views
and there's no way I would have willingly gotten behind the wheel at 17.
- 15/12/2011 05:12:29 AM
847 Views
I found driving nervewracking until I got to do it by myself. NZ has a great system, IMO.
- 15/12/2011 01:48:19 PM
782 Views
Amusing (to me) comparison to sex risks.
- 17/12/2011 05:50:16 PM
917 Views
- 17/12/2011 05:50:16 PM
917 Views
Re: Amusing (to me) comparison to sex risks.
- 17/12/2011 06:07:51 PM
970 Views
- 17/12/2011 06:07:51 PM
970 Views
No. But it is true that my risk aversion coefficient is too high.
- 17/12/2011 06:49:33 PM
769 Views
Isn't learning to drive in NYC sort of like
- 18/12/2011 04:21:47 AM
890 Views