does anyone else get nervous when driving?

Im not, ill keep an extra 100 yards between us.

 

You can start to worry when you stop getting worried. Yeah sometimes I get a little nervous going to a new city but y'know what.....it's never as bad as you think is it? Get a dash cam and you won't have to worry about losing your job if you wreck.

 

Appreciate it coming from someone with your experience but I can't lie that the idea came from the great band .38 Special, still applies of course lol.

 

It gets easier... don't drive too slow. That might be part of your problem with other vehicles coming up behind you so quickly. Make sure you keep it over 55. If it helps, the first few months for me had me shook up pretty well too. It gets better, and as your skill builds you'll get more self confidence as well.

 

Never had such a problem perhaps you should thank about changing occupations. Being tensed up, nervous, setting behind the steering wheel of a truck is liable to cause something bad to happen.

 

That's evidence you're among the best drivers, and recognize what you're doing, and don't want to hurt anyone even if it's not your fault, and recognize how easily that can happen. You are one rare bird.

I feel your pain. My company at the time I was going nuts over suicide-by-semi attempts in my vicinity had a program that covered a few visits to a mental health professional, and I took advantage of that.

They helped me recognize those nitwits bore some responsibility for their own safety, and I could only do so much. Sounds to me like you're doing that much, so your chances of being involved in a crash are practically nil.

But maybe you ought to talk to someone for some cognitive therapy, they can help you see things differently. It would be a shame for the industry to lose someone like you, or for you to suffer anymore.

 

before you leave out to drive... just have a few drinks of... scratch that! have a smoke of... oh never mind.

 

That was a very honest question from the op.

For what it's worth, it is said learning most new things has 4 stages.

Unconscious Incompetent. - you don't know that you don't know
Conscious Incompetent - you're aware that you don't know (this is the holy crap phase)
Conscious Competent - you know, but you have to think about it
Unconscious Competent - you don't have to think about it

 

I think you've been driving long enough to see the danger out here, to really realize all the things that can go wrong each time you take the wheel, and that you take the wheel for up to 11 hours a day, nearly every day. Sometimes it feels like something bad happening is just a matter of time, statistically. No great advice here, I'm no sage driver, I just think I know how you feel. Just calm down and don't think about losing your job. You're a safe driver, you and plenty of other drivers do this job every day with no incident, don't focus on the accident potential.

Also, you're driving for prime. You're practically standing still on the highway. When I'm nervous, sometimes I think "I wish I drove for Prime today, that has to feel so easy going..." lol.

 

He has Smith System training... and apparently a conscience.