Are you a less confident driver these days?

I would class myself as capable and also confident, but I am also very patient because the roads in my area demand patience at all times. Irritability combined with impatience = avoidable accidents. Not many miles from my humble abode, there is complicated traffic gyratory system that can lock many tourists into that system for what could seem like hours, but unless complete concentration is deployed, accidents ensue. There are also three very dangerous by-pass roundabouts and unfortunately, impatience plus irritability cause many accidents throughout the tourist season.

NO! …. Lol

I realised a few weeks ago I had completely lost my confidence and after a chat with my husband we sold my car and hes going to do the driving from now on. Im finding it so much better and we are going more places than I ever drove when I had my own car.

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Confidence is a state of mind with a clear head needed 100% of the time. mine is always focused on the road ahead and i feel confident all will be well.

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I was always focused I was just also terrified

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Hi

I have no idea what my driving is like I have done that little over the last 26 months.

For 10 months of which I have been prohibited medicaly from driving due to heart problems and frequently unable to drive due to drugs.

They frown on driving when you are taking morphine.:wink::sob:

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You’re not missing much @swimfeeders traffic is horrendous

Sorry to hear that hope you feel better soon.

Driving is more nerve racking these days .

Well, I’m not sure what’s happened to me, I have found a new confidence in driving to Newbury, I had to drive there on Saturday, …I think I was sick of listening to that voice in my ear saying ,you can’t do it, you’re useless on all of those massive roundabouts, with all of those different lanes and look how busy the traffic is, it’s like being in London.

I just got in the car, everything packed, my dog jack in the open window boot of the car and set off…I’m not saying it wasn’t nerve racking, because it was, …I kept thinking positive thoughts and telling myself,” you can do it” …well I did, I went down the one way ,as the road to my sons was closed, managed to find a parking spot on a private estate, parked up there, only five mins away from my sons house.

I’m feeling confident driving back…I drove here with no sat nav, he has got my sat nav now working in the car, which is great because, if the road is closed( which they are a lot of times on the way to Newbury) the sat nav will redirect my route…

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Well done Pauline I know how anxious it can be . When I go to my sisters I always leave early morning and on a Sunday and the same for return journey . My fears are M27 and M3 .

I won’t drive to my sons in Bristol as I got lost once and really panicked as the roads were so busy and fast . I’ll go by train next time .

I find some other road users can be unforgiving especially on the odd occasion I may be in wrong lane in a strange place , the blasting of a horn is horrible

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the roads heading east into portsmouth are far too fast and confusing coming off the south downs.

Yup!!..I’ve experienced all of what you have explained here,Susan, so many impatient drivers and when they start honking,:open_mouth:

Like you I will be leaving early hours of the morning, less traffic, and I have to come back, so again, will be leaving early hours of the morning, makes much more sense for us, doing it that way,:+1:

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I

Hi

I used to have to go to a Queen Anne Mansion just off the Newbury Bypass and back to Shropshire every Friday. Lunatic driving

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I am not up to the M25 any more and I hate roundabouts .
Why is everyone in such a hurry ?
Also I hate drivers who tail gate and then overtake and cut in despite there being 20 cars ahead of you .
Why all the agro to move one car up and it makes a complete mockery of keeping a stopping distance .

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This is why I will be leaving in the early hours of the morning…I’ve had enough of all of this behaviour by motorists…

When leaving the m27 at junction 5 I’m always slightly cautious , there are 5 exits at this roundabout I believe , there are lights but you have to be in the right lane or God forbid you’ll get roasted by drivers as I discovered first time on it . Its so fast to, when the lights go green its foot down and more lights half way round .

I’m a townie driver having lived in Dorset half my life

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Personally, I love driving. I hold advanced driving & riding certificates. But I gave up riding motorcycles a few years ago. I also hold a coach (PSV) licence which I gained via work. As I used to work in a community based team which worked out of a coach who visited various towns around our service area.

I mentioned wanting to drive the coach & the NHS paid for a 2 week training course. I learnt to double declutch & half stand in the driving seat, so I could see to safely reverse around tight corners & stay within 1.5 feet from the kerb. I loved it.

I still occasionally drive a coach for a local company. Just to keep my hand in, not that modern coaches take much driving, compared to the Coach I trained on.