DFW weekender

jinky67

skint_spice wrote: »

apparently they work really well! Imagine your OH's face if I turned up with 9 yr old to do his job though...might convince him to behave and do it with less fuss!

he would think we were all nuts..... ROTFL

Burlesque_Babe

evening all

This is going to sound so stupid but I am so proud of myself

My chronic fear of driving (ie no further than literally 2miles from the house and only if I really know the route) has been threatening to be part of my fears of teaching as the cookery class is going to take place in a school 4 miles away in a part of Poole I don't know very well. I have to go there Tuesday evening to be shown round and it's been bothering me for days........ok, weeks.......

Anyway, I dropped OH off at the club and thought - right. It's dark. There are few cars around. You've seen a map. Do it. Just do it. I didn't tell OH that I was going to do it as he would have just said (in his normal scoffing driving conversation related voice) 'you can do it, it's just driving'.

At the point I had to change routes from going home to going towards the school I honestly thought I was going to throw up.

However - I did it! I found the school, sat in the car park for 30 seconds and then headed back. The whole of the back of my neck and base of my skull felt like it had been hit with a sledge hammer when I got out of the car.

The route has 2 rather nasty roundabouts which aren't going to be empty at 6pm on Tuesday, but, at least I did it and I can now start to 'learn' it rather than it eating away at me. I won't be happy doing the route for at least the first 3 or 4 times but after that I should be ok.

I'm having porridge with jam AND nutella in to reward myself.

skint_spice

Well done BB! hopefully you can conquer this fear, also I would have done it in daytime the first time so I think you are doubly brave!

jinky67

Burlesque_Babe wrote: »

evening all

This is going to sound so stupid but I am so proud of myself

My chronic fear of driving (ie no further than literally 2miles from the house and only if I really know the route) has been threatening to be part of my fears of teaching as the cookery class is going to take place in a school 4 miles away in a part of Poole I don't know very well. I have to go there Tuesday evening to be shown round and it's been bothering me for days........ok, weeks.......

Anway, I dropped OH off at the club and thought - right. It's dark. There are few cars around. You've seen a map. Do it. Just do it. I didn't tell OH that I was going to do it as he would have just said 'you can do it, it's just driving'.

At the point I had to change routes from going home to going towards the school I honestly thought I was going to throw up.

However - I did it! I found the school, sat in the car park for 30 seconds and then headed back. The whole of the back of my neck and base of my skull felt like it had been hit with a sledge hammer when I got out of the car.

The route has 2 rather nasty roundabouts which aren't going to be empty at 6pm on Tuesday, but, at least I did it and I can now start to 'learn' it rather than it eating away at me. I won't be happy doing the route for at least the first 3 or 4 times but after that I should be ok.

I'm having porridge with jam AND nutella in to reward myself.

Good on ya
My MIL is the same I have been waiting 7 years for her to drive to our house

redsquirrel80

Toto - you are absolutely right, and although she doesn't realise it at the moment, she will do! Can think back to similar things I wanted to do when I was a kid and couldn't really understand the money thing at the time, but looking back (especially in my current financial position), I know she was doing the right thing and being responsible.

Ames

Well done, that's a really great achievement. Good luck with the teaching!

redsquirrel80

Well done BB - the porridge sounds disgusting though lol :-)

Burlesque_Babe

thankyou - I almost thought about getting up one morning around 6 to do it in the daylight but just as quiet but I knew I couldn't get up that early and OH would have just been a nightmare about it.

I have a meeting a week on Monday somewhere else in Poole and that's eating away at me also.

I once found this on a website and it sums up me up exactly, although for me, it's all roads, although it definitely started on motorways.

"driving phobia is linked to different things for different people - to driving on wide open roads like motorways (most common), to dual carriageways, small roads, hills, high roads, bridges, flyovers, particular routes, junctions, to maneuvers (especially overtaking), to being boxed in by heavy traffic, to being close to particular vehicles (usually large or high-sided ones) or to being limited to a particular speed. It often starts on motorways and spreads to dual carriageways, then to smaller roads, restricting the routes, speed and distances that can be traveled.


safety behaviours & avoidance

Safety and avoidance strategies are used by the sufferer to reduce the danger and to control, conceal and accommodate their panic and embarrassment.

As more and more routes or situations are avoided, the sufferer's world starts to close in. Energy and time are used in planning and driving alternative routes. They may have to drive at times when the roads are clear. Partners and friends may have to drive instead or take over en route. Excuses are made to avoid giving people lifts or traveling with friends and colleagues. Jobs, promotions and invitations may be turned down. People and situations are manipulated."


I've done ALL the above to avoid driving - even down to not applying for excellent jobs because of the location.

skint_spice

I don't like motorways much BB, hope I'm not going to get this too! I don't mind the one to work but there's a few I really hate. I go on them though because I have to (usually work related) and now you're making me think maybe it's a good thing... I quite like driving on country roads and coastal stuff though.

Buffythedebtslayer

BB it doesn't sound stupid at all, its great you did that. hope you enjoy the porridge etcxx