To ask if you had a fear of motorway driving, how did you get over it?

[Oileo]

I’ve led a lifestyle where I don’t have to drive a car much. When I asked younger I just had a motorbike, then I was lazy and often let DH drive. Now with the pandemic I’m really out of the habit.

I’m used to city driving, probably confident in central London lane changing where many aren’t, but I have so little time on big roads ir at speed. If I do it’s the onslaught of the M25 which does not help. I’m actually ok off the M25, bout I really need to use it occasionally once lockdown ends. End of April right round it. Past the M4 bit which is really my nightmare patch.

It’s a silly fear really, I’ve never had an incident of note when driving and when I’m not anxious it’s easy. I’ve probably more got an issue with general anxiety than driving, but it’s not focusing on driving.

It doesn’t help the car is 20yrs old this year, and I feel like it has far less power than many at motorway speeds. Plus about a year ago it let me down (a turbo issue, now fixed) and I needed up at 50 Max on the motorway suddenly which scared me. I also stupidly get nervous and go for the slow lane, then realise I’m in a wall of lorries that are bloody dangerous to be inbetween as many tailgate.

If you’ve got pass this fear, can you let me know what you did? I need to find my confidence again big time. Last summer I drove to Devon and frankly I was a mess. I’m in a circle of anxious driving.

Actually talking is already helping a lot, to not feel like the lonely weirdo. Makes it feel less insurmountable or a problem

Agree with the advice given. I’d also practice off peak so it’s not as busy. Don’t do what I did on my first motorway drive and assume Friday morning at 6am would be quiet! It was full of HGVs, the weather turned really stormy and I was so scared!!

Good luck. You will get there.

I point blank refused to use motorways for many years as was terrified, this culminated in me having to do a ridiculous trip somewhere you couldn't get too by train and it took 2.5 hours where the same journey via motorway would have taken an hour. The driving the long way was so much worse with complicated junctions and roundabouts. On the way back I bit the bullet and just did it and couldn't believe was a a dickhead I'd been. I will go any length and distance on them now!

By just driving on it. It's the only way. For 10 years I avoided it due to living rurally or in London barely driving, hated city driving and motorways, used to do dry runs with people if I needed to go somewhere by myself, then we moved to an area with dual carriageways everywhere so I was having to get onto slip roads (the bit I hated) daily, and it just flipped a switch. Now I will drive anywhere without thinking about it, sat nav on, go. Driven hundreds of miles of motorway on my own with the kids. You really do just have to do it, I recommend dual carriageways to get used to it.

I am exactly the same. My last car was 15 years old and it never had let me down. This made me even more nervous as I thought surely something is due to go pop!
I did hire cars for long trips. I was still anxious but nothing like when I drove my old jalopy..

As others have mentioned, practice is key. I will never forget when I told my dad not to take me on the motorway for my first drive in my car as I wasn’t ready and he sneakily did it however I am very glad he did as I probably would have avoided it for a long time.

Start small, can you go on the motorway in the evening? Or early morning? If so - I would do this and leave the motorway at the next exit as it’ll be much better quieter and less to deal with. Is there anyone who can drive with you? Who has motorway experience? You can get lessons with an instructor who specialize in this sort of thing.

Motorways to me are the easiest part of driving. No roundabouts, no traffic lights, everyone is going the same direction. All you have to do is stay in the left hand lane if you don’t want to overtake. The thought is honestly more scary than reality!

I drive thousands of miles a year with work and I'm a confident motorway driver that's seen some pretty horrific shit happen and still keep my cool.

When I know I've got an M25 section on my trip, my heart sinks. It's an absolute fucker of a motorway! I also absolutely hate city driving and find it way more stressful.

It's all about exposure. When I passed my test I was living in a small town, with a long distance boyfriend and a job that required long distance trips to edge-of-town business parks, so I was immediately exposed to motorways and not to cities: you're just the other way round!

Force yourself to go out and do a couple of junctions of the M25 whenever you can do so without kids etc - make it routine, you'll find the fear will pass if you do it regularly.