Anxiety over potential driving offence

[Monsoon38]

I stopped at the lights on a one way street over the white line which was quite far back, i wasn't paying proper attention and it's my fault. I still stopped before the end of the road but as I say my front wheels were over the line.

Unfortunately a police dog unit car happened to be behind me and they beeped me. I then moved off as the lights changed, I turned left and they turned right but I saw him looking back.

I haven't been sleeping properly since, I've only been driving a few months, i never speed or run red lights, i stupidly just stopped a bit over the line but I know it can carry 3 points.

I've just started a job where I'm required to drive too, it's this painstaking wait to see if I get a NIP in the post. People are saying they could've pulled me over etc. But maybe not.

I'm planning to speak to the gp today, if I'd been driving years I could live with 3 points, but if I get more than 6 ill lose my licence.

I don't have anything yet, they may offer a course or they may do nothing, but I'm planning to speak to the gp today. Has anyone else had incidents like this and how did you manage the anxiety?

I know so many people who speed constantly and boast, i have genuinely never done that, they're just lucky they haven't been caught.

Why are you planning to speak to the GP?

I’m not sure a one off incident making you worried particularly means you have an anxiety disorder that needs medicated.

When was the incident?

For something to help me sleep better, and stop me worrying constantly, it was 3 days ago

They probably beeped you because you hadn’t noticed the lights had changed
If they wanted to pull you over or give you a ticket they would have, even if they did, 3pts wouldn’t stop you driving for work. I know it puts you closer to 6, but you’re going from the facts which are
‘the police beeped me’
to, in your head
‘I’m going to get 3 points then another 3pts and lose my license and then my job’
there’s a huge difference between the two
things
I’ve felt like this before and i think speaking to the gp is a good idea, hopefully you can get some support

I don’t think you need to be medicated to help you sleep better. I think you need some MH support managing your anxiety.
I’m assuming if you’re this anxious about one event that you’re not normally a super chill calm person with no anxiety in the rest of your life.

however, if you are and this is a weird fluke of an incident for you, then maybe don’t bother with the gp, and look at some external changes that may be making you stressed and anxious and see if you can do anything to reduce your stress and do a bit of self care

There was a repeater light ahead of me, it wss still on red when they beeped me, I went as it turned amber

I’m sure you posted about this already and people were telling you not to worry. To be honest, if the copper was going to do anything, they would have stopped you.

I wouldn't say im like this in every area of life but definitely in driving, and i want to stop feeling this way

Shit happens OP. I’ve been driving for over 10 years now and Saturday, on a road I usually drive.. I managed to stop well beyond the white line of the traffic lights, sat there for a second before I realised I was well past the lights so just hoped for the best and carried on, obviously being vigilant that nothing was coming from the other lights (but you usually have a few seconds grace anyway)

Driving new places and small car parks makes me anxious sometimes depending on my mood, I’m naturally quite an anxious person. Just brush this off as experience honestly, you have nothing to worry about.

It honestly doesn’t seem that you have done anything illegal and will get any points at all .

If you are still worrying about it days later , it might be a good idea to check in with your GP . I am a worrier too - but do reach a point when I think there isn’t anything I can do about it now - I can’t change it . Similarly when younger coming out of exams and people pored over the exam paper - I may have discussed a few qus but there seemed little point dissecting the whole paper - as what could I change ? ?
Do you have P plates if you have recently passed your test - they alert other drivers to this and hopefully they will show extra patience and kindness towards you . Confidence in driving comes with lots of practice and experience . If you need your driving licence for work , it might be an idea if you can go out with another experienced driver and they could sit in the passenger seat on a few journeys and they could help guide you at junctions etc .

You can also do advanced driving courses which might help your confidence . They won’t be cheap - but I think may potentially bring down your insurance costs , although you would need to check this .

Other than that - I would just allow extra time for journeys - so you aren’t feeling stressed that you might be late and avoiding rush hour / busy times - when you can .

Safety first.