I just brought my car to campus it has taken a while to get it here because it is kind of a junky yet reliable car so it fits right in. I refuse to drive it on the highways because it tends to shake which freaks me out a bit so my dad ended up driving the car for me to my school while my mother followed behind. They didn’t seem to mind. I am very excited to have my car on campus because it allows me to not be trapped in my room on the weekends and not rely on my friends for rides to different places.
My concern is that while I am not a terrible driver I would say that I can be a bit of a nervous driver especially while on a college campus. There are so many people that drive like maniacs, flying around curves incredibly fast, tailgating people they think are going to slow. I know to abide by the rules of the road but I am not as crazy as others. I get very anxious when I feel that someone is tailing me or that I am holding them up. My question is how can I get over these issues? Does anyone else feel this way? My parents trust me and I trust myself. I know I will already use my car during non peak hours meaning I won’t go during rush hour time. But how can I shake this feeling? Any help would be great!
The thing you have to remember is that sometimes going slow and abiding by the rules is not the safest thing to do. If you’re on a freeway doing 65 in the fast lane but everybody else is doing 80, it’s actually dangerous for you to be sitting in the fast lane because people have to go around you on the right to pass you.
Your car is shaking on the freeway? That’s not good. When was the last time you took your car in for a wheel alignment?
We cannot control what others do; we can only control ourselves. There will always be bad drivers out there who do the things you described, and more. We can’t stop them from driving badly. All we can do is drive safely and defensively, ourselves.
My daughter used to fret about drivers behind her and I will tell you what I told her. As long as you are driving at a safe, legal and reasonable speed for conditions, don’t worry about the people behind you. If they are impatient, that is their issue. Don’t let them pressure you into going faster and don’t feel that you have to pull over for them to pass you. Just keep driving safely yourself.
(If my DH and I are on a leisurely drive, e.g. to see fall foliage, then yes, we let cars pass us-- because we want to take our time and see the sights. No need to make a long line of cars behind us go slower than normal. But that is different from what you are describing.)
As to being a nervous driver, that is from inexperience. The more you drive, the more confident you will feel behind the wheel. Give it time!
If you are feeling rusty or nervous, it might be worthwhile paying for a few sessions with a driving instructor around your campus.