Nervous driver

Re the jumping red lights. A few weeks ago I got through to Essex traffic police ( not easy) because of this problem on a busy junction on the A127. It's quiet normal on this junction for 4 cars to come through when your light is green. She said that the lights must be out of sequence, no its bloody dangerous drivers. Nothing has changed.
I'm thinking now of going to our local paper.

I am not a nervous driver, but I drive cautiously, at reasonable speed,. Even so I quite often seem to end up with tailgaters. I dislike night driving as some drivers don't dip their headlights.

In the last year or so I've actually become a nervous passenger, irrespective of who is driving. Is this an old lady thing?

You can get a senior rail card from 60. It's great!

But useless for all immediately local journeys like weekly shopping, and providing, of course you have an accessible station, are willing to stand for the whole journey and can get from destination station to destination location, and in this area can find anywhere to park at the station and can afford the car park ticket.

I have a rail card and live 4 miles from a 'Parkway' station, but it costs a minimum of £6.00 to park the car, if I can find a space that doesn't require a 20 minute walk to reach the station. parking can cost more than the rail fare for several local destination and if I am going to most destinations the chances of getting a seat are minimal, unless, of course, I plan and book well in advance, which rules out any occasional chance journeys.

I used to love train travel but I have more or less given up on it, except for holidays because it has become such a complicated and difficult and expensive mode of travel even with a Senior Cotizen Railcard.

I like driving when I know where I'm going. I've just moved to a completely new area and am starting a new part time job in January I have had to find my way not only around my current area but also the neighbouring county for my new job. It has been really scary, due to other issues in the last few years which I won't go into, I am more anxious than I've been in the past. The interview and meetings I've had to go to in preparation for my job has made me really anxious but I have programmed the sat nav and made myself do it and it is getting better. Keep going I know as a therapist avoidance is the worst strategy and you have to do things regularly to help you the most but I do understand how you feel. I agree a sat nav would help a lot . Good luck

Thanks for all your sharing your experiences and advice. I do have a sat nav but I don't trust it completely. What I hate the most are those big roundabouts were the lanes sort of 'merge' I just can't get the hang of them. I'm programmed to suffer from a little nervous anxiety and it seems to get worse as I get older. It doesn't stop me driving but I just hate the feeling.

I'm not sure that avoidance is always the worst strategy when it comes to driving. I think we've got to accept our limits.
I haven't read the whole thread, but someone suggested having an assessment of our driving strengths and weaknesses - good idea.
A car can be a lethal weapon - since I had the accident in March, when TG no-one was hurt, I keep thinking of what could have happened.
Just today someone has suggested meeting up in a town at some distance, which I don't know at all, and I've had to say no, don't want to risk it.

I have become a nervous passenger too varian. I dread going in the car BUT have vowed to never avoid the situation.

I dislike night driving & have done for many years due to headlights on other cars either behind or coming towards me - an Optician told me it is because I am "longsighted" in one eye & "shortsighted" in the other, quiet country roads or well lit roads do not present a problem.

I dislike Motorway driving, never liked it when I passed my test at 17 (44 years ago) but do use them when I have to - M6 is my favourite but I have driven it frequently over the years.

I have had to give my Licence up over the years due to Epilepsy but find doing a couple of short journeys with no difficult road junctions I'm fine. I recently got into my car after 10 months not being able to drive (DVLA again - Medical Gounds) & within a minute I felt like I'd been driving day before

I do have a SatNav (also good map) as I am on my own now (widowed) although I do shout at it when it tells me to go where I don't want to

Don't give up driving Ladies - it gives you freedom