Does anyone else HATE driving places they don't know?

[slinkydinkydonkey]

Me and DH have had a massive argument because of this and it stresses me out so much. I have always hated driving places that I don't know where I'm going - I can't explain why but it causes me extreme anxiety and I just hate it. My DH on the other hand doesn't get this at all and calls me ridiculous and he cannot understand why I get so panicked about this.

Am I weird or does anyone else get this?

I don't worry about it but it doesn't mean I can't understand those who are not happy driving in unfamiliar places. I would never ridicule someone for it.

Not me but I have several friends who suffer like you.
It's not that they'd 'rather not', they really can't do it because it causes too much anxiety.

I get it!

I don’t get panicked about it but I dislike driving places that I don’t know we’ll. I’m rural though so my driving is predominantly done on windy little roads. I don’t mind dual carriageway / motorway but I dislike driving through cities where I don’t know where I’m going or there is never parking.

I hate getting lost. Fortunately I have Sat nav...

Are you arguing because he ends up having to do the driving when you go somewhere new?

As long as I have satnav, it doesn’t bother me at all. BUT I get very tired driving so really don’t like having to drive more than an hour each way, and people don’t really seem to understand that.

And I do hate driving to places where I won’t know where to park, so that’s pretty similar.

I also get this. I've driven across France and into Spain, so I can do it, but I can get quite panicky when there are lanes of traffic at junctions and it's not clear where I need to go. Satnav helps, as does a competent map reader/navigator, but I am always relieved when I park. There are a few places I've been to several times where I dread a particular junction.

@ThisIsNotAFlyingToy no son has a football match 2hrs away in a few weeks and DH is on a work thingy and can't take him

My mum does this - I genuinely can't understand it, unless you're abroad, the rules of the road are the same if you're driving in a familiar place or somewhere new. If you just follow the rules of the road, and drive carefully it's just the same? Or is it more an unexplainable irrational fear? I sometimes worry about driving in foreign countries but I just make sure I read up on their rules to give me a good head start!

My mum only drives on the same familiar roads and won't do motorways, she's a terrible driver though - because she thinks she knows the roads she always drives super well, she's bad at paying attention on the roads or reacting to situations, it worries me a lot!

It depends where. I don't get worried about getting lost, I have a good sense of direction and if I can't work it out from roadsigns etc it's easy enough to pull over somewhere and look at the map/my phone.

However, people can be very unforgiving if you are in the wrong lane, and more than once I've ended up having to go the wrong way and turn round somewhere because people simply won't let you change lane (recent examples being in Reading and Bracknell - Bracknell must have the most aggressive drivers in the UK).

Is there an option for him to travel with a teammate? We used to take extras when DD was travelling for swim meets or triathlons.

Does anyone love it though?
The thrill of not knowing where the exits are & the hidden bus lane?

I have 4 'safe' places I will drive to no problem, anywhere else and my anxiety is through the roof, I will do anything I can to avoid driving somewhere I don't know.

Fear of the unknown is a common and perfectly logical thing.

As well as satnav what helps me is to Google earth run through the final bit before I go so I recognise it when I get there.

My husband hates going somewhere new as a driver. It doesn't bother me at all.

I don't judge him for it though, it's just one of those things. However he will drive somewhere new if I'm not able to.

It's much better now I use Google maps instead of Tom Tom. I hated going somewhere rural where one postcode covered a massive area and Tom Tom just took you "somewhere in the postcode". I also dislike driving in the dark in unfamiliar places - it makes trying to find things harder. I'll do it if I have to but prefer someone else to drive if possible.

@slinkydinkydonkey Can you not work out the route now and plan for it? Go through it using streetview so you can see the landmarks and junctions?

Yes!
I worry ridiculously. I know it's irrational. I've definitely lost my confidence. It's odd as I'd quite happily drive between cities 10 years ago, but now 🤷🏼‍♀️ I worry now about driving to a local national trust on reasonable roads now, especially when my kids are involved. Driving to my previous home town 45 mins away... No bother 🤷🏼‍♀️
I had post natal depression and anxiety after my 4 year old was born and I'm not convinced it's ever gone away.
Plus I have a tiny 1 litre car and some people drive really aggressively.

Yes I'm the same. I don't like driving anyway though so driving somewhere I don't know makes me very anxious and much more likely to make a mistake.

My DP does all the driving and doesn't mind. When I'm back at work after maternity leave I'll have to frequently drive rental cars as part of my job 😣.

I'm alright if I'm just passing through but don't like finding a particular place or carpark

I'm the same. I don't like driving anyway but if I do I need to be familiar with the roads. I get very stressed driving somewhere I don't know.

Yes, if I know I have to drive somewhere u familiar I will be anxious about it for a couple of weeks leading up to it, can't enjoy my time at the destination knowing I have to drive all the way back. I don't put myself through it anymore as I was getting painful shoulders and jaw from the stress. I stick to a few local routes, no A roads or motorways. I try every now and again but just hate it. Believe it or not I'm actually a very high functioning person in all other wareas of life! I am quite ashamed of my anxiety around driving tbh, my husband gets frustrated but is generally understanding and supportive. Some people just aren't capable of empathising at all. I mean I can't understand it myself tbh, I see little old ladies driving down the motorway I think cripes if they can do it why can't I?!

Yes. Even with sat nav.
I think I've been on my own for so long I have less confidence these days. No one to jolly along with.