Job offer includes driving company car - but I am scared of driving !!

saxonrosecliff

You are not at all unusual! I'm 5'3" and I had to hire a big car to go to Ikea (we only have a Yaris - can't get much stuff in that). I hired a whopping big Mondeo Estate for the weekend. I was absolutely terrified but I had a practice drive on Saturday and did the trip to Ikea up the motorway the next day and I absolutely loved it. Somehow it gave me much more presence on the road and once I got used to it I actually felt safer that in the Yaris and it wasn't any more difficult to drive.

Could you maybe hire one for a weekend and have a good go and see how you get on?

scooby088

Before i was at my old place of work i had only ever driven small family cars, now i have driven anything from a bentley sport to the works van. You will get used to driving other cars,vans etc. just a matter of confidence really.

Errata

Accept the job and treat yourself to a couple of sessions with a driving school in a very large car.

geek84

Hi Folks

Thanks very much for all your responses. so far.

So. I take it that the general advice is to accept the job and I should get used to the driving, over time?

However, but what happens if I don't get used to the drivng??
In that case, would you advice that I quit the job or just be honest and tell my manager that I am not too comfortable driving the car?

If I do the latter, wouldn't the manager turn round to me and say that It was part of the job spec & that if I can't drive then he will have no option than to give me the P45?

Thanks

Errata

I think you'll be surprised at how easily you can convert from a small car to a large one. Your height has nothing to do with your ability to control a vehicle. I used to drive a long wheel base Land Rover and trailer, and I'm only 5'2". It's just slightly different and needs a different awareness to that needed for a small car. Personally I'd be horrified if someone suggested I drive a Smart car - they look seriously scary.

pinkshoes

You will get used to driving a bigger car, and then you'll end up loving it more than your small car!!

I used to hate driving my boss's estate car, but then once I got used to it, I felt so vulnerable getting back into my KA!!

I think you shouldn't worry about it until it's actually happened i.e. give the job a go, drive the car, and THEN if you find you can't drive it after trying, just tell your boss that his car is too difficult for you to drive as you're so short, so is it OK if you use your own car.

mexicanhat

i too had this problem many years ago. In my case I had not long passed my test when my Company sent me on a course. I found they had hired me a car. It got worse the car was a brand new BMW that had 10 miles on the clock !! I had to stop several times on the journey as my legs were shaking soo much ! Then it dawned on me the driving is exactly the same.

It did take a few journeys to get used to driving a variety of cars but I now drive every day long journeys in a Company car. I am a similar height to you and I don't find it a problem. You say yourself that you have been driving for many years so this is just about confidence, you can do it ! If you are a bit wary at first then the chances are you will be erring on the side of safety and that is not a bad thing!

Do you have a friend or relative that could let you have a go in their car before you need to drive for work just to reduce your nerves before you drive the Company car? Even if it feels daunting the first time then don't give up. You will feel such a sense of achievement when you succeed. Try and focus on that. Good luck.

If you do have a problem then be honest with your employer you may be abe to use your own car or is sharing driving with a colleague possible? You might find getting your fear out in the open would reduce it's impact on you. You should find comfort from the number of people that say that they have had the same problem, you are not alone, a lot of your new colleagues probably have felt the same. Don't let this spoil your new job !

eyeinthesky

My wife worries about driving any other car, and she is due to replace her motability car soon. We have looked at a few small cars in showrooms, but she always says they look so big! We are going to test drive a peugeot 207 tomorrow, but she wants me to do the test drive and go to a quiet area, and then she will have a go, maybe... I always tell her that every car has the same basic controls, so they are no different to drive until it comes to parking. Personally, I have driven so many different vehicles, from lorries to coaches to tractors and forklifts, that I am not understanding her worries, but I try to be sympathetic. I can say that you will get used to the larger size vehicle pretty quickly, then you will wonder why you were so worried about it.