Student Driver Who get's nervous while driving!!!

You will do better with time and more experience.

 

Trust me, I walked out of the truck several times shaking. It's just something that's difficult to do, and some days are better than others. It takes a full focus on your driving, it's not like driving a car where it's easy to make turns, park in small spots and so on. It actually requires thought and planning. The only thing that will build your confidence is seat time. My biggest issue is once I went OTR was navigation. It's scary to be in a new place and not know where you are going or what's ahead. When your training and bombing around your home town you know the roads, you know the bridges, on ramps, off ramps, e.t.c. When your 1,000 plus miles away from home in a place you have never been, it's intimidating. If you miss your turn or miss your off ramp your going to be searching quickly to find a way to get back to where you are supposed to be. In a place like Texas, Chicago, LA, San Francisco, e.t.c that can be a scary thing.

 

Thanks for the advice as I also "wrap myself around the axle". Just Do It seems to apply to me. My trainer and fellow students tell me to slow down my mind and breathe. Now, I'm trying to just breathe and do it!

 

It will come to you. Try to remember what your first few days of driving a car was like. assuming you were not doing so Duke's of Hazard style.... I asked about the previous driving of a stick because I found that having driven a stick before only hindered me when I got in the truck. Shifting patterns, downshifting, floating...that kind of stuff.

 

so whats your early opinion about trucking so far? you been out yet?

 

I LOVE driving.......taking a lil break at the moment....but I'll be back in a rig in dec....... Stay on here, and you'll probably get to avoid a lot of mistakes that others have had....IMO this place is the best to get info from

 

Zanax!


Seriously, like the other posters stated, you need to relax! What are you getting so worked up for? Slow down, pay attention, and listen to your instructor. You are getting so worked up that you are ignoring everything going on around you for fear of messing up and its causing you to mess up!

Its no big deal! You are just driving a piece of machinery and there are certain procedures and manuevers that need to be done certain ways to accomplish the task at hand. Maybe get some exercise or run around before you drive to help burn off some of that anxiety.

 

This, stress is the biggest thing that will cause you to mess up. I still have a hard time controlling it.