Slightly scared of driving? (mostly freeways)?

Question

I've had my license for a year now and my own car for about a month, and I'm still nervous when I hit the freeway. Public streets or slow streets are very comfortable for me. I love driving around the neighborhood. Barely any cars. But freeways, there's just something about them.

The top thing: I hate merging. You could say I can just go to the left lane, but I don't drive that fast. I usually stick to the right lane where people merge in from on-ramps.

Also, I hate doing is changing lanes. It makes me very nervous because you don't know if the car on the lane you want to switch to is going to let you or not, and you don't want to block traffic behind you.

Maybe I'm just too concerned about what people will think of my horrible driving?

Also, I don't like driving with my parents. They get mad at all my mistakes. I just tell them you're looking from a different perspective as the passenger, not the driver. So, while it may look fast to them, it's not really fast to me.

Thanks!

Answer 1

I don't blame you for being scared to drive on freeways. I'm a country girl but we have to go to Salt Lake City once a month. I am terrified of the free way city people must just be use to it and don't notice that the freeway is TERRIFYING! Thousands of people going 70 miles an hour zooming and zipping around each other not using their signals half the time *shudders*. I don't drive on them I make my husband while I squeeze my eyes shut and try to pretend I'm somewhere else.

Answer 2

The answer seems simple, but I know it won't be for you at first. Practice! I can understand how driving on freeways can be nerve-wracking, especially through big cities, but in order to replace your fear with confidence you'll need to just keep practicing until you feel comfortable. Eventually it will stop being such a big deal, but in the meantime you just need to get ou there and do it. Try going at it during the night when there are less vehicles on the road. That way you get a better feel for the freeway with less to worry about. When you feel comfortable with the freeway itself, the other drivers will be less of a concern for you.

DON'T be an aggressive driver. They are idiots. You want to be a CONFIDENT driver. Yes, be considerate of others on the road, but don't take crap from them either. If you need to change lanes or merge, be careful but DO IT, lol. When you see that gap in the next lane, get into it. Most drivers on the road these days really don't care about other drivers. They will purposely block you for no reason, even if your lane is ending, and they really don't like to be passed. Those aggressive, senseless drivers are the ones that you see pulled over by the cops, wrecked, or in a body-bag.

Be confident in yourself (practice makes perfect) and you'll do great.

Answer 3

I do not know which country you come from. But in Singapore, we have driving schools where we were taught exactly how to change lanes, merge lane. When to turn, how much to turn. How to estimate the position of the surrounding cars by looking at how much fraction the image of the other cars appear on the mirrors. We were sort of "drilled" to do these to perfection so that we may pass the driving test.

I guess the thing with you is that you still lack the confidence when doing all the changing lanes things and you also lack some technical details of how to turn into the lanes, how much to tile the steering wheel. Although after a while driving is about the "feel" but at the starting stage it is better to get these technical details into your brain such that the brain can programme these technical detials into the comfortable "feel".

Practise man!

Take my suggestions with a pinch of salt!

Answer 4

You might wish to take a defensive driving course (yes people take them for the info, not just for tickets.)
You may wish to practice at times when the traffic is not so intense.
When we moved to Dallas from Iowa, my wife was really bugged that on the freeways, when she tried to drive a bit slower (not a lot) people were sweeping in in front of her filling the gap. I encouraged her to go a bit faster and accept a somewhat shorter distance that would let her keep the gap.
I would avoid the right lane (I do anyway) if there are three as there are more chances for accidents with a greater variety of speeds.
Make sure you have all the mirrors adjusted to see.
There are drivers that will do fun things like race up beside you as soon as you turn on your turnsignal to shift lanes, but they are rare. When entering the expressway, I have the habit of lining myself up in line with the bumper of the car I want to pull in behind and matching speed so if I have to I can fit in a space a few feet longer than my car, but I don't pull over, thus blocking other people on the entry ramp from passing and slowing traffic more. I then slide left as I have to and find that cars do not resist letting me in.

Answer 5

Highways and merging are some of the toughest skills to master. When I was 16-20, I HATED the highway and wouldn't drive on it unless I had to or unless it was after hours. I think this is normal.

Just avoid it when you can and you'll feel better about it eventually.

After I purchased my motorcycle (at 27), I felt scared to ride on the highways again. I kept thinking, "I'm dead if I crash." About a year later, I had no problems with it.

It's all about confidence. Mom and dad are just clutching the dash board because they are scared. It's scarey being in the passenger seat and turning over your life to someone else!!! Just be patient with them and understand they probably can't help it.

Answer 6

well I dont drive on the interstate at all in my state. and up to a year ago I did not drive the main highway near me. A really good thing for you to do is learn to drive the Frontage roads, they are the roads right next to the interstate, they let you get a "feel" for them.... they are 2 laned going one way on one side of the interstate.

Also when you change lanes you will just know.... because the person will make enough room for you to change or just wait until its safe.

Answer 7

I was the same way as a lad, and my advise to you is to drive like everyone else is stupid. It's ok to be somewhat aggressive just don't be reckless...act like you own the road! "If you drive aggressive enough, you will NEVER wreck...drive tentatively and you are destined to wreck"...

Answer 8

then please stay off the free way.. and make decisions decisively or teach your self how. think it and it will be