And she wonders why I'm afraid to live to my nickname.

[BlaqueKatt]

At my age, I still don't have a license. I'm really scared to drive, scared I might hit someone, scared I might not stop in time for a red light, and such. No-one understands that fear, saying it's easy.

hey you know I don't drive at 34 for the same reasons-I don't want to be in control of 2+tons of metal that could easily kill someone, especially as I'm prone to migraines that can come on with no warning and render me almost blind.

but here in WI you pretty much need a car, or snowshoes.

Or a bike*-remember I live in WI and don't own a car....



*actually I own 3 bikes

[blas]

Katt, you're probably the bravest person I know of.....I could never bike in this -20something weather

[telecom_goddess]

Katt, you're probably the bravest person I know of.....I could never bike in this -20something weather

Me either that's to cold to live in my opinion

[tropicsgoddess]

FUN fact of Plaidman's past. His entire life he has gone by his nickname. Up until fourth or fifth grade, he thought it was his real name. His entire family calls it from aunts/uncles/grandparents/cousins/parents etc etc etc. Plaidman was originally suppose to be named BLAH. However, cousin was already named BLAH. Cousin was 4 at the time, and he made a cute remark the day I was born.

"Nah, I'm that name. We'll just call him The Driver".

So yeah, that was my name growing up. It was a very popular name to have nicknames to, like Screwdriver, DrunkDriver, etc etc.

At my age, I still don't have a license. I'm really scared to drive, scared I might hit someone, scared I might not stop in time for a red light, and such. No-one understands that fear, saying it's easy.

I didn't get my permit (then later my license) until I was 25 (I'll be 26 in April) . I was scared too, especially the first time I drove on the road and this was with somebody beside me! I was scared shitless to be honest. I was a little nervous driving by myself, but after a while that fear went away...now to work on driving on the highway (which is another story in itself) . Just wait until you feel that you're ready to drive (assuming that you maybe one day) and take it from there. The more experience you get the more confident you'll feel about driving. As for the yelling...I do that too (I'm usually alone in my car) if some jackass is going well below the speed limit and hogs the lane, tailgates, doesn't signal for merges and brakes out of nowhere. Yeah you get your jackasses on the road here and there, but you have to be on the offensive as well as the defensive when you drive.

Quoth AriGriffin
I'm almost 23 and I don't have a driver's license. I have gotten a permit, but I don't drive. I'm terrified that I am going to loose control, get into a wreck, and either severly injure or kill someone. I never took driver's ed. I got the permit after reading that little instruction booklet the DMV gives out and by my aunt yelling at me about driving.
My Mom has tried to teach me out to drive- even taking me out into the country where there aren't that many cars on the road. The second time in the country, she told me to turn into an empty church parking lot. Before the turn, I hit the signal and accidently slammed on the brakes- nearly causing the guy in the truck behind me to crash in to me. I managed to pull into the parking lot and the guy followed, cussed me out, and sped off. I've been scared to drive ever since.
I get all kinds of flack from my family about not driving. I'm trying to get over it and drive. Now I am scared I'm going to wreck Mom's car (only car). Plus if I ever do get my driver's license, the insurance is going to go through the roof for a few years due to me being a new driver.

I'm not sure where you are but, when I first got my permit my insurance wasn't all that bad. Albeit a wee bit high, but not OMFG high because I was new and still on my permit and just got my car (an older car). But now that my policy is set to be renewed soon, my rate will lower since my record is still clean and now that I got my full license.

[BlaqueKatt]

Katt, you're probably the bravest person I know of.....I could never bike in this -20something weather

my bike doesn't take 10 minutes to warm up like a car does

and actually normal winter clothes and a rain suit(wind blocking) and I break a sweat by the time I'm at work which is only two miles-keep moving=keep warm.

I've been wearing jeans and a hoodie under the rainsuit as it's too warm otherwise.

[Kogarashi]

I'm terrified that I am going to loose control, get into a wreck, and either severly injure or kill someone. I never took driver's ed. I got the permit after reading that little instruction booklet the DMV gives out and by my aunt yelling at me about driving.
-snip-
I managed to pull into the parking lot and the guy followed, cussed me out, and sped off. I've been scared to drive ever since.
-snip-
Plus if I ever do get my driver's license, the insurance is going to go through the roof for a few years due to me being a new driver.

I'm not sure where you are but, when I first got my permit my insurance wasn't all that bad. Albeit a wee bit high, but not OMFG high because I was new and still on my permit and just got my car (an older car). But now that my policy is set to be renewed soon, my rate will lower since my record is still clean and now that I got my full license.

Ari, I highly recommend taking driver's ed if you can find a class anywhere, or getting instruction from a professional. I know in NY, if we took Driver's Ed instead of just the Five-Hour Course, we'd get a break on our insurance (as well as more freedom as to when we could drive as teenagers), and having someone who was not my dad teach me how to drive (with patience and his own brake pedal) kept me from being a nervous wreck (my dad is a yeller).

As for the guy who followed you into the parking lot, if that ever happens to any of my kids while I'm in the car with them, rest assured I will go into Momma Bear mode and ream the guy out for harassing a student driver. Don't these people remember how it was when they were learning?

[Ironclad Alibi]

Don't these people remember how it was when they were learning?

But they never had to learn it. They were born with that knowledge and skill, such as it is.

[ADoyle90815]

I also was 29 when I finally decided to get my license. I waited that long because the thought of other drivers hitting me scared me. I eventually realized that if I got my license, I could work in areas where public transportation didn't go, and I could go anywhere I wanted. I went through a driving school because my dad would yell, which would make me even more nervous than I already was. Sometimes, I still get nervous when I drive, but because I had a professional instructor teach me how to drive, I'm pretty safe and haven't been in any accidents. There were some close calls, but that was because the other person was either on their cell phone or distracted in some other way.

[greek_jester]

Hire a patient professional instructor.

I second this suggestion. You also have the advantage of being shown how to drive correctly, without any of the bad habits long-term drivers accumulate (& which, in Britain at least, can get you a minor fault on your driving test, & too many of those will fail you).