Nervous driver - best car, new/old etc.

forgotmyname

The FIAT maybe a tiny tinny car but its cheap to run. Lorries are huge, No matter what car you drive. Give them room.

Unlike the twit on my local roundabout yesterday, It was obvious the lorry driver was unsure of which exit he was going to take. So what did they do, Undertake... So close... Good job he didnt have any go faster stripes on the car because he wouldnt have had them after.

It will do 70mph with the rest of the legal drivers.

A bigger car is unlikely to give you more confidence. More to worry about. Will i fit through that gap, What if i scrape it.

When i was young i learnt by driving too fast on quiet roads and oveheating the brakes and learning to corner too fast because i had no brakes.

Driving used to be fun. These days you spend too much time wondering if they have changed the speed limit again and left no signs.
Every time you pass a camera your looking for the flash.

catoutthebag

Hypnotherapy and Pass Plus can help you.

Don't be nervous, you'll only have a prang.

Don't drive when tired, or stressed or rushing or not concentrating.

Never take your eyes :eek: off the damn road.

Never sit in 1 lane on the Mway.

theboakster

I thought that you were supposed to sit in the left hand lane of the motorway - the other lanes are for overtaking only?

Mint1955

Don't worry about you or your driving its the other idiots on the road you need to watch out for . Give yourself space and time. Don't be late so you have to stress about getting somewhere etc. your car will be great and you won't have to worry about scratching it etc its fine really just get it insured and mot'd and get out there. Pick a place and head for it then. Turn round and come home practise going on and of motorways when you are not trying to get to work. I still hate roundabouts and I have been driving 40 years but I still drive ;-)

cinderfella

There are many 'non drivers' around. People who just don't drive for one reason or another.
Although I drive, I find it very boring & prefer public transport. In fact cars of today are just built to go too fast.
If you do not bother to tackle your phobia at least you can take comfort in knowing that your carbon footprint is low.
Altenatively, you could grab the bull by the horns & treat yourself to a short holiday in Germany where a pro could take you around the Nurburgring circuit & show you how the other half drives.:rotfl:

steve-L

theboakster wrote: »

Thanks everyone. I know I need to get out driving more.

I have watched the Dangerous Drivers School on 5 - I'm nothing like them, thank goodness! I asked my instructor about doing pass plus with him - he said I didn't need to, waste of money, just get driving.

I know about matching speeds on slip roads, lorries just make me scared as they don't change their speed at all, and when there's more than one, particularly at busy times, it's hard to know where to 'slot in'.

A different route is an idea. The weird thing is, I'm ok when I'm actually on the motorway. It's just joining that I find scary. Otherwise, I have no probs going at 65 in the left hand lane most of the time. I find town/city driving much more problematic - all the stop/starting and lots of hazards/things to concentrate on.

So, to recap, although I have to pay out for MOT, tax and a new exhaust, you think I shouldn't use this money to get a different car? I should stick with what I have?

You really should get comfortable at 75 .... I'm not suggesting you do it all the time but if you're limiting yourself to 65 I can see why you have issues on the sliproad.

The lorries aren't going to change speed so you need to slot in and its easier having a range from 75 to 60 to do this than 60-65

patman99

And above all, don't do what some muppet ahead of me did a week or 2 back when joining a dual carriage from a slip road. They chickened-out just as they were about to join and jammed-on their brakes. When you are looking over your shoulder checking all the blindspots, the last thing you want to see when you look forwards again is someone's brake lights.
Luckily, I had space to keep my foot down & move straight across to lane 2 (of 3) and so avoid a pile-up.

StrongWork

catoutthebag wrote: »

Never sit in 1 lane on the Mway.

I've read some pretty bad advice on this forum (esp the motoring section) but this is probably one of the 'best'.

Oh well.

FWIW OP, you need to practice practice practice. Hit your fears head on, it's the only way to learn. If your previous driving instructor doesn't want to take you out on a Pass Plus type course find another one. I think you'll find it a useful investment for your driving future.

catoutthebag

While in the left lane, you catch up with the driver in front, are you going to stick to it's rear and follow it all the way, including for traffic moving out of the slip road to join the mway, or move into the middle, and then either move back into the 1st or 3rd lanes on a 3 lane mway depending on your speed and traffic infront and behind?

StrongWork

catoutthebag wrote: »

While in the left lane, you catch up with the driver in front, are you going to stick to it's rear and follow it all the way, including for traffic moving out of the slip road to join the mway, or move into the middle, and then either move back into the 1st or 3rd lanes on a 3 lane mway depending on your speed and traffic infront and behind?

*sigh*

Highway code. Worth a read?

Dare I suggest you would prefer sitting in 'the middle lane' regardless of speed/traffic because it's the safest?

I suspect the 'Motoring Forum' won't be your strength (if any) on MSE.