To want to face the driving fear...

[Toughtips]

I've been driving since for 10 years now. I've been fortunate in that I've never had an accident or caused one. Sure I've had the odd bump but always into a side wall or curb lol. Anyway, I need to face this fear I have about driving on unfamiliar territory. I'm very content and happy driving around areas I know. I've been on the motorway too. I do find that I do put off going places on my own if I'm not familiar with the route though. Given the chance I'd let someone else from drive. I start to stress when I need to make a quick decision on lane position/ choosing the correct exit. My dear stems from not having the time to make this decision and then it potentially being the wrong one. I just need a calm passenger who will help me rather than worry n panic me more. Would it be best to have some refresh lessons to overcome these fears?

Do you have sat nav? I have found that makes a huge difference to my confidence when driving in unfamiliar areas and it wIll warn you when you need to get into a particular lane.

Refresh lessons might help too.

That sounds like a really good at nav; which one is it? I'm confident enough if it's clear where im supposed to be going. I don't go into a wreck or anything but it annoys me and then I just avoid. I took my DD to an unfamiliar soft play once for a birthday Party. I couldn't for the life of me work out which turn was which so I went round and round in circles until I finally made the correction

Sounds like you just need a sat nav so you can relax and not worry about directions. We have a Tom Tom but any of them should tell you about lanes etc. as the previous poster described.

I'm the same and a sat nav has changed my life! Means I can concentrate on driving and not have to worry about being in the right lane or missing my turn off when I'm somewhere completely new.

Even using the google maps navigation will help, she gives quite a few instructions and where possible starts a quarter mile ahead of the turn.
Also, spending s couple of minutes looking at google maps before you travel to the area will help - zoom in and look at major junctions and then you find yourself thinking 'ah, so once I've passed that big church I think about turning left' or 'if I miss that turn I'll go into that Lidl carpark and turn around'. It just gives you a bit of a safety net.

Google maps on your phone as a sat nav. Get a phone holder for your car. And practice. You'll soon get into the swing of it. Just remind yourself if you miss an exit it's not the end of the world. There's always a way back! And with the satnav it'll re route you if you do miss an exit or go the wrong way. So you'll never be stuck not knowing what to do next.

What will happen if you choose the wrong exit?

If you stay on the motorway instead of taking the exit and have to drive to the next exit, turn around and drive back and exit- ok so you’ve driven further so what never mind

Ok so some junctions are only one side but this isn’t often the case

If you go wrong it doesn’t matter

Always make sure your tank is filled

Set of 30 minutes early to allow for mistakes

Thank you so much. It literally is the directions I have trouble with. All your suggestions sound like they will fix my little fears no problem! Will implement these techniques and hopefully get a bit more adventurous as a result!

I second the google maps suggestion. Personally I don't like the sat nav. I do use it sometimes though, especially when driving alone at night on country roads or when driving abroad. Even then, I plan the route in advance and use the sat nav as confirmation/reinforcement rather than relying on it.

I like to look at unfamiliar routes in advance, and then write down reminders to myself. If there is a passenger they can read bits out (my children were doing this for me as soon as they were old enough to read my writing).

I always prefer to have a proper map in the car too.

Just remember - as long as you drive safely, it doesn’t matter if you’re lost 😁

I agree with Ivy. We all go wrong from time to time. The key is not to panic and make a late manoeuvre, which could be dangerous. Just carry on until you can stop safely. Then turn around and go back to where you were.

My children are new drivers. That was my main advice to them.

Thank you all for the lovely advice. I think that is the main thing I tend to worry about (so I just avoid altogether) is getting lost and not being able to find my way back. Which is obviously silly as there is always a way back home. Some routes are just shorter than others! Ha-ha. Will put these methods in to practice!

Toughtips I get lost out Cycling and then curse a big hill - just think your dry and have an engine 😂

Haha. True! It doesn't help when you're trying to concentrate and you have two kids in the back I suppose! Need on of those sound proof sections to mute them out lol.