THE 26 THINGS YOU THINK WHEN YOU HAVE DRIVING ANXIETY

Yes, I have driving anxiety. And I'm really not the only one: between 800,000 and 1 million Dutch people, like me, are plagued by fear and panic before and/or during driving. So there's always someone in your immediate surroundings. Of course, everyone experiences their driving anxiety differently, and there will be many, many forms and expressions of driving anxiety. In any case, I felt like writing my anxiety off for a moment. Simply by giving you, dear readers, a rather exclusive glimpse into my mind. Here it is: the 26 things I think when I've just heard that there's a chance I have to drive the next day.

1. My god, I think I have to drive tomorrow.

2. You know what? No problem. We'll just do it. I really need to get my act together this time. Besides: what can happen? It's just a matter of paying attention and keeping your distance.

3. But what if I can't even get out of the parking lot properly? What if I DAMAGE another car? That would be terrible. I wouldn't be able to breathe from misery.

4. Just watch, I'll have to answer all sorts of questions from an angry neighbor. Or that I'll have to fill out terribly complicated damage papers. And all that without being able to breathe.

5. What a HELL. My life is a HELL.

6. Maybe I can ask Piet (or Klaas, or Jan, or Marietje) if he/she wants to drive?

7. It's also a lot more convenient because... (insert a plausible yet ridiculous explanation here).

8. Yes, it's really much smarter to ask Piet (or Klaas, or Jan, or Marietje) if he/she wants to drive. I'm just really tired. What if I cause an accident? What if I overlook something or someone? That would be terrible.

9. It really has to stop with this driving anxiety. This can't go on like this, can it? What a low point again.

10. You're just going to drive. Come on, everyone can drive. You know what kind of people are behind the wheel, right? And they just keep moving forward, you know.

11. But I just can't remember where the gas pedal is in our new car.

12. And how did the city light work again? And the high beam? And the fog light? And the low beam?

“I really don't feel like that commitment, you know, with such a commitment. I already have to go to the gym every week.”

13. What if it rains heavily tomorrow? Then I need to be able to turn on the windshield wipers. And what if it doesn't work? Then I can't see anything and have to pull the car over to the side of the road. Just by chance, while I can't see anything through the pouring rain.

14. Well, the police will notice that right away. And then they'll come to get me.

15. Now just stay calm, you're overreacting, act normal, you can drive just fine. It went well last week, didn't it?

16. Admittedly, there wasn't a soul on the road, but that can happen to anyone.

17. Maybe I should take one of those courses. One of those driving anxiety courses. They say it really helps.

18. But do you really have to drive yourself? Can they actually take your driver's license away in such a course? That would be a disaster.

19. What's wrong with the bus and the train anyway? And cycling makes you super thin.

20. I think I should just take such a course.

21. I'll google tomorrow how expensive and scary something like that is.

22. As long as it's not really too expensive, because I also need new clothes.

23. By the way, would it be possible to quickly get rid of your driving anxiety? I mean; really quickly? Or does it take months? Because I really don't feel like that commitment, you know, with such a commitment. I already have to go to the gym every week.

24. Well, tomorrow I really need to google it. Because this can't go on. Really not. Now is still the time to turn the tide.

25. Or would it already be too late?

26. No, that can't be. That can't be. I just know it: there's a great driver screaming to get out.

Do you want to get rid of your driving anxiety? For example, check out the site of Foundation Driving Anxiety.

P.S.: Kiki passed her driving test in one go.