I hate motorway driving!

[AWiseWomanOnceSaidFuckThisShit]

Country roads? Fine. A roads? No problem. Residential streets? That's me.

Motorways? Oh I hate them, I find them so scary! I'm capable... I wouldn't go on them if I wasn't. I keep on fighting the fear because I don't want to restrict myself... but I hate them, they scare me. The lorries. The wind you feel sometimes when the car sways. Having to speed up when overtaking. My palms always have a thin film of sweat when it's over and I'm always so relieved to see that turn off. I didn't give a flying shite in my 20s but the older I get the more anxious I feel.

Is it just me?! Lighthearted...

@Cleebope2

I am exactly 100% the same. I get anxiety on motorways and have to fight really hard to control it and only use them sparingly. When younger they didn’t really bother me. They feel so male dominated and full of testosterone and designed to intimidate!

Yes!! I’ve tried to explain this to someone before, they really do feel masculine/testosterone heavy and aggressive.

Is it the amount of male lorry drivers that command two lanes at all times

I'm the opposite...I'm fine with motorways apart from worrying about the twats that change lane without indicating or checking their blind spots But I hate country lanes to the point I try and avoid them. Blind bends + narrow roads + "boy racers" = accident waiting to happen. No passing places just add to the hatred, as it means that someone has to reverse when it's already tricky to see.

I don’t mind motorway driving - if the motorway is quite empty and it’s bright I love just flying along.

I have an absolute phobia of getting stuck in gridlock, like motorway closure situations. I have google maps on so always keep an eye but you just never know. Being stuck in a jam on the motorway is just so claustrophobic as you have no way of escaping until you can crawl as far as an exit.

I also hate when it’s raining heavily and there’s a huge amount of spray coming off lorries.

Also just lorries generally!!!!

I vouch for that testosterone thing. DH is a really gentle calm bloke but is a total knob behind the wheel. It’s like chalk and cheese. Fucking hate being in a car with him. Phrases like “it’s not a fucking jumbo jet mate!!!!” get shouted a lot. He’s calmed a lot since we’ve included children in the back of the car but I wouldn’t like to guess what he’s like when he’s on his own.

@AWiseWomanOnceSaidFuckThisShit

Country roads? Fine. A roads? No problem. Residential streets? That's me.

Motorways? Oh I hate them, I find them so scary! I'm capable... I wouldn't go on them if I wasn't. I keep on fighting the fear because I don't want to restrict myself... but I hate them, they scare me. The lorries. The wind you feel sometimes when the car sways. Having to speed up when overtaking. My palms always have a thin film of sweat when it's over and I'm always so relieved to see that turn off. I didn't give a flying shite in my 20s but the older I get the more anxious I feel.

Is it just me?! Lighthearted...

Op I’m exactly the same and the fear of getting lost if I miss the exit. I don’t go on the motorway without my husband.

How on earth can you miss the exit? They’re signed for miles beforeyou reach them.

I passed my test on a Tuesday and on the Friday I had to drive on the M4, M25 and A1M. I wasn’t scared of motorways on Saturday and never have been since.

Op I’m exactly the same and the fear of getting lost if I miss the exit. I don’t go on the motorway without my husband.

So use a satnav then or google maps on your phone. We women don't need a man to "help" us drive.

This thread is depressing because it confirms the (albeit often incorrect) stereotype that women are useless at driving.

Yes, never heard of a man scared of motorways. Depressing as shit that women still play into this helpless, feeble stereotype.

Op I’m exactly the same and the fear of getting lost if I miss the exit. I don’t go on the motorway without my husband.

Can't you use roundabouts either? If it's the wrong exit, just get back on.
Or routeplan properly

Fuck it's depressing how many women think you need a penis to navigate/drive. No wonder the world is still anti-women

@joystir59

I'm not a middle lane hogger, as such, but I don't like frequent lane hopping, and so I do stay in the middle lane sometimes if there is a 'block' of slow moving vans and trucks in the left hand lane, until I'm past all of them, then I signal and move into the left hand lane. What is the correct etiquette on a four lane motorway though?

The number of lanes is irrelevant. If you aren't overtaking you should be in the left lane, otherwise yes you're a lane hog.

And to other posters speed limits etc are irrelevant to this behaviour - it's not your job to police other's speed by hogging the right hand lane. If you aren't overtaking then move over.

OMG OP same! I still use them because I have to but I shit my pants the whole time. I hate over taking but feel like a total arsehole going at 67mph. Hateful, awful, anxiety inducing inventions.

This thread is depressing because it confirms the (albeit often incorrect) stereotype that women are useless at driving

Yes. Interesting that the only people I know who “can’t drive on motorways” are women.

I like empty motorways! I hate middle lane hoggers and aggressive drivers who drive right up your arse when you're already overtaking someone at 70 (M40 this morning).

I don't generally speed and am a very cautious driver, (although I'd be lying if I said I had never crept over 70) but I absolutely love the feeling of pulling out into a motorway and putting my foot down to come up to the speed to match the traffic. It's like a miniature version of going down the runway on a plane.

I drive a lot and do a lot of miles on motorways. They are efficient but I find them stressful although I would not avoid them just because of that.

I particularly hate the (not very) smart motorways with no hard shoulder as there is now nowhere to go safely if your car breaks down. I really don't understand why these are thought to be a good thing. I once had a car whose electrics completely failed in the rain. I managed to coast to a stop on the hard shoulder, that would not be an option now.

I don't like motorways because they're so boring. Nothing to see it's just monotonous driving.

My mother doesn’t drive on motorways either. I haven’t passed my test yet but the flight of motorway driving terrifies me. I also lose concentration after an hour of driving. I don’t know how people stay focus on a motorway.

*thought of

@Handsoffisback

cecillia nooooo! You don’t need your husband to be with you when you drive on a motorway! You can do it, you just need some self belief. Have you thought about a refresher course for motorways?

I haven’t even thought of the refresher course! I will definitely look into that one and get some confidence. Thank you!

Motorway driving is the easiest and safest by far. Sometimes you make a whole journey on autopilot and reach the destination without remembering how you got there.

Making a whole journey on autopilot? Sorry but that doesn't sound very safe to me

Give me a motorway over a winding country road any day!

Absolutely love motorway driving. In the "old days", I was doing thousands of miles a year on them and never at all hated it.

Can't wait to get back on them. Whatever year that will be.