Scared of road trips

[luvchrist4ever]

Is anyone else apprehensive of taking long road trips for fear of getting in an accident? I am fine driving around town, but I get scared when I think about long distance trips with my family. I hate those two lane highways and am scared of head on collisions with those big semi trucks. It is not really a fear of dying, but of both my husband and I dying at the same time and leaving our children orphans. We don’t have any family members that would raise them in the faith, and I am so scared of them growing up without and rich and active faith life. I know I can’t avoid road trips as we have family and friends far away, and can’t afford to fly. Just wondering how to get over this.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

I think that, statistically, short highway trips are more dangerous than long trips. I don’t know if that will reassure you. You do not actually have to travel if you don’t want to. As a child, I never went on a trip with both parents more than 100 miles from home. They just didn’t enjoy long car trips.

 

[ForeverJoy]

I love road trips! I’m scared of flying, but couldn’t afford it anyway. My mom is scared to death of highways, so I think I have a little understanding about how you feel.

Do you feel better as a driver or passenger? Sometimes I like driving better because I feel more in control (although truth be told, my husband is a much better driver than me. Lol!). But if you are the passenger, maybe you can distract yourself by focusing on the fun parts of road trips: site seeing out the window, listening to audiobooks (Hank the Cowdog books are hysterical funny for the whole family), or doing some kind of portable craft like crochet or knitting.

I hope you have fun and safe trip!

 

[underacloud]

A healthy respect for driving is a good thing. Driving is a potentially deadly activity, and every road user should be well aware of that each time they get into a car.

With that in mind, I’d say the best way to deal with your fears is to prepare well for such road trips. Avoid driving while tired. Share driving as much as possible. Stop for a rest every 2 hours at a minimum. Avoid driving at night, when your body is naturally trying to wind down. Keep distractions in the vehicle to a minimum (eg fighting kids, noisy radio or DVD players, etc). And of course, don’t speed and don’t drink-drive.

You can’t control what other road-users will do, but if you control your own driving habits you minimise your risks as best you can.

 

[phil_at_dayboro]

You should see it as a great adventure , as an ancient explorer would have,
Like when you cross a bridge spanning a river , or entering a valley ,explore your new surrounding,like entering a foreign land , just like an ancient explorer would have done,
When facing a change of environment , or new task, or lifestyle hurdle , see it as an adventurer would have, attitude over matter ,you can do it,

 

[mafh]

Is anyone else apprehensive of taking long road trips for fear of getting in an accident? I am fine driving around town, but I get scared when I think about long distance trips with my family. I hate those two lane highways and am scared of head on collisions with those big semi trucks. It is not really a fear of dying, but of both my husband and I dying at the same time and leaving our children orphans. We don’t have any family members that would raise them in the faith, and I am so scared of them growing up without and rich and active faith life. I know I can’t avoid road trips as we have family and friends far away, and can’t afford to fly. Just wondering how to get over this.

I used to have this problem – I would get panic attacks while riding in cars on highways, especially at night or in heavy traffic. I would jump at every bump in the road and would be convinced that I was going to die before reaching the destination. It only went away after the doctor prescribed an SSRI.

The two main treatments for something like this are therapy and medication. If you go the therapy route, I believe this sort of problem is something that can be fixed in a matter of 8-12 weeks, and has high success rates. If you go the medication route, then my experience was that it took about six weeks for the anxiety to go away, but you then have to continue taking the meds indefinitely.

If you’d rather try a do-it-yourself method, I recommend the book Managing Your Mind by Gillian Butler and Tony Hope. It has good self-help suggestions for problems like this.

I hope this helps!

 

[midori]

A line of paint isn’t going to keep someone else in their lane. It’s very sensible to be aware of the perils of travel. You can’t control other people, but you can control yourself.

I’m a terrible nighttime driver. I try hard to get my travel in during the day. I’m really rotten at driving long distances. I try to break my trip into segments where I can get gas or food, even if I don’t really need it, just to stop and stretch. I get someone to share the driving with if it’s a significant drive. Sugar or caffeine is my friend on a long drive. Sometimes I’ll route myself through the most interesting, scenic route, that will keep my interest, versus the route that always has an accident somewhere on a certain stretch of road, or if I know the most direct route will take me through someone’s rush hour. I like listening to Old Time radio shows or talk radio on long trips, because plots and dialogue make time go more quickly than a blur of songs or music. Sometimes I’ll fit in a rosary or a chaplet. I roll my windows down for air flow. I use cruise control so I can pay more attention to what everyone else is doing in their lanes.

I have my car blessed. I say a prayer for safe travel.

 

[Sarcelle]

Is anyone else apprehensive of taking long road trips for fear of getting in an accident? I am fine driving around town, but I get scared when I think about long distance trips with my family. I hate those two lane highways and am scared of head on collisions with those big semi trucks. It is not really a fear of dying, but of both my husband and I dying at the same time and leaving our children orphans. We don’t have any family members that would raise them in the faith, and I am so scared of them growing up without and rich and active faith life. I know I can’t avoid road trips as we have family and friends far away, and can’t afford to fly. Just wondering how to get over this.

I get very apprehensive about long road trips, especially when I am driving. When I am a passenger, I am fine. I don’t get fearful around large semis since most them that I meet have always been courteous and professional. It’s the aggressive four wheelers that scare me.

I’d rather spend the money and fly or even better take the train than drive. The American love of cars and driving eludes me for some reason.

 

[gardenswithkids]

…It is not really a fear of dying, but of both my husband and I dying at the same time and leaving our children orphans. We don’t have any family members that would raise them in the faith, and I am so scared of them growing up without and rich and active faith life. I know I can’t avoid road trips as we have family and friends far away, and can’t afford to fly. Just wondering how to get over this.

I understand these concerns, although I think about these things not on long road trips but when travelling locally on icy roads or in otherwise hazardous road conditions. Fortunately, my husband and I have now survived long enough that our oldest child and his lovely Catholic bride-to-be would be able to care for our younger children. But in any case, the way to get over the fear is to realize that God’s in charge.

There’s a song by Carrie Underwood called, “Jesus Take the Wheel”. It’s something you can reflect on when driving. metrolyrics.com/jesus-take-the-wheel-lyrics-carrie-underwood.html

One more thought: when growing up and traveling long distances, my parents always said a rosary in the car. I continued that habit when I took road trip and longer drives. I credit that habit on a long commute to work for eventually brought me back to the Catholic Church. If you don’t already pray the rosary together as a family on long drives, I recommend you do that!

 

[Burt_Macklin]

I enjoy the freedom of the road, man. One of my favorite vacations was a drive from N.O. LA to LA and back again. Lots of open desert road and neat little towns to see along the way. The only bad spot is between Houston and N.O. which is usually clogged with 18 wheelers and heavy equipment. I enjoyed the rest of the trip though. When I have the time I’d like to make the drive on the Dempster highway as far north as I can go to Inuvik, NWT.

 

[Sarcelle]

I enjoy the freedom of the road, man. One of my favorite vacations was a drive from N.O. LA to LA and back again. Lots of open desert road and neat little towns to see along the way. The only bad spot is between Houston and N.O. which is usually clogged with 18 wheelers and heavy equipment. I enjoyed the rest of the trip though. When I have the time I’d like to make the drive on the Dempster highway as far north as I can go to Inuvik, NWT.

I actually prefer driving the small country back roads to the interstates and exploring the small towns I encounter. I don’t mind driving slow and being laid back. It’s the constant rush and go, go, go of the interstate that stresses me. Besides the physics of a body going at 70 plus miles per hour coming to a sudden stop is at the back of my mind filling me with fear.

If I am that much of a hurry, I fly.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I take my family on long road trips back home twice a year. We have 5 kids. Twice a year we do 3600 miles to visit family. The kids have dvds and they actually are great little travelers. I share you apprehension of semis especially when it is windy or they parallel each other. I worry that a mistake with another car would be bad but a mistake with a semi would be fatal. And I have seen traffic stop on the freeways and am always nervous about getting rear ended by a tired or texting semi driver.
I wish trains were the mode of transporting goods.

But all that aside. I do like to travel and I love driving. 17 hours in a day is the longest time we travel. Over a thousand miles in 17 hours. It is a long day. But I like eating up the road.

 

[Burt_Macklin]

I actually prefer driving the small country back roads to the interstates and exploring the small towns I encounter. I don’t mind driving slow and being laid back. It’s the constant rush and go, go, go of the interstate that stresses me. Besides the physics of a body going at 70 plus miles per hour coming to a sudden stop is at the back of my mind filling me with fear.

If I am that much of a hurry, I fly.

I leave plenty of room between me and the car in front. I don’t understand the cars that leave no more than 3 feet to stop when they’re following. It isn’t as if they’re getting anywhere any quicker. The back roads have their own set of special dangers what with people turning on and off the highway.

 

[Sarcelle]

I leave plenty of room between me and the car in front. I don’t understand the cars that leave no more than 3 feet to stop when they’re following. It isn’t as if they’re getting anywhere any quicker. The back roads have their own set of special dangers what with people turning on and off the highway.

Leaving plenty of room especially at high speeds is prudent.

Have you ever driven Interstate 5 along the West Coast? Cars 2 ft away from each other and all doing 70 mph. Just crazy.

 

[Sarcelle]

I take my family on long road trips back home twice a year. We have 5 kids. Twice a year we do 3600 miles to visit family. The kids have dvds and they actually are great little travelers. I share you apprehension of semis especially when it is windy or they parallel each other. I worry that a mistake with another car would be bad but a mistake with a semi would be fatal. And I have seen traffic stop on the freeways and am always nervous about getting rear ended by a tired or texting semi driver.
I wish trains were the mode of transporting goods.

A while ago, CSX aired a commercial about the number of trucks that would be removed from the roads if goods were moved by rail instead. A lot of truckers got offended.

Personally, I agree that more goods should be moved by rail instead of trucks but my reason is selfish. More job security for me.

 

[Burt_Macklin]

Leaving plenty of room especially at high speeds is prudent.

Have you ever driven Interstate 5 along the West Coast? Cars 2 ft away from each other and all doing 70 mph. Just crazy.

No but I plan to drive a bit of it this summer when I go from Seattle to San Fran. I’m going to take Hwy 101 most of the way once I’m past Portland. I’ve heard it is better to avoid I-5 if at all possible.

 

[Sarcelle]

No but I plan to drive a bit of it this summer when I go from Seattle to San Fran. I’m going to take Hwy 101 most of the way once I’m past Portland. I’ve heard it is better to avoid I-5 if at all possible.

Avoiding I-5. Wise move.

 

[Joie_de_Vivre]

Is anyone else apprehensive of taking long road trips for fear of getting in an accident? I am fine driving around town, but I get scared when I think about long distance trips with my family. I hate those two lane highways and am scared of head on collisions with those big semi trucks. It is not really a fear of dying, but of both my husband and I dying at the same time and leaving our children orphans. We don’t have any family members that would raise them in the faith, and I am so scared of them growing up without and rich and active faith life. I know I can’t avoid road trips as we have family and friends far away, and can’t afford to fly. Just wondering how to get over this.

That is what godparents are for which is why one must choose wisely.

Leaving plenty of room especially at high speeds is prudent.

Have you ever driven Interstate 5 along the West Coast? Cars 2 ft away from each other and all doing 70 mph. Just crazy.

Try I-80 which at 5am on a weekday features cars with less than 15ft of space going 85mph and that is without an exaggeration.