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I'm scared to drive!

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19

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 14:06

Toffeepop, I completely sympathise. I have been here for 6 months and have only just started venturing out; I am also terrified. This thread has really helped me too, some brilliant advice. My plan is to learn a few essential routes to start with so when DH is away I can manage to get about independently. Good luck! I know, great advice on here, it's really given me a much needed boost. Well done on venturing out and keep it up :) Spicy pepper - Sounds like you're doing great! :) If I'm doing well I'll maybe aim for SZR during Ramadan. Eeek maybe!! My DH has conveniently forgotten that he found it hard in the beginning too, he once missed a turn off and had to drive about 10km before he could do a U turn! nonononono ... avoid those streets during Ramadan ... sorry to draw an ugly picture but people are hungry, on nikotin withdraw, coffein withdraw, thirsty, tired and really unfocused the first few days... so the first week of Ramadan don't just don't go out with the car if you are not confident anyways. Also in the evening when it's time for breaking the fast stay of those roads in Ramadan ... they drive like crazy to reach the iftar buffets and mosques ... just wait another hour until everyone eats and go then out ... just my advise. Oh maybe not then! I think I was getting carried away anyway, I haven't even been out in AR yet lol!!

422

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 13:57

Toffeepop, I completely sympathise. I have been here for 6 months and have only just started venturing out; I am also terrified. This thread has really helped me too, some brilliant advice. My plan is to learn a few essential routes to start with so when DH is away I can manage to get about independently. Good luck! I know, great advice on here, it's really given me a much needed boost. Well done on venturing out and keep it up :) Spicy pepper - Sounds like you're doing great! :) If I'm doing well I'll maybe aim for SZR during Ramadan. Eeek maybe!! My DH has conveniently forgotten that he found it hard in the beginning too, he once missed a turn off and had to drive about 10km before he could do a U turn! nonononono ... avoid those streets during Ramadan ... sorry to draw an ugly picture but people are hungry, on nikotin withdraw, coffein withdraw, thirsty, tired and really unfocused the first few days... so the first week of Ramadan don't just don't go out with the car if you are not confident anyways. Also in the evening when it's time for breaking the fast stay of those roads in Ramadan ... they drive like crazy to reach the iftar buffets and mosques ... just wait another hour until everyone eats and go then out ... just my advise.

19

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 13:53

Toffeepop, I completely sympathise. I have been here for 6 months and have only just started venturing out; I am also terrified. This thread has really helped me too, some brilliant advice. My plan is to learn a few essential routes to start with so when DH is away I can manage to get about independently. Good luck! I know, great advice on here, it's really given me a much needed boost. Well done on venturing out and keep it up :) Spicy pepper - Sounds like you're doing great! :) If I'm doing well I'll maybe aim for SZR during Ramadan. Eeek maybe!! My DH has conveniently forgotten that he found it hard in the beginning too, he once missed a turn off and had to drive about 10km before he could do a U turn!

Spicy pepper55471

193

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 13:26

I know what you are saying. I have been here 6 months and still don't like driving. I'm confident of the Jumeirah area but still scared about SZR. It's getting the wrong turn off's I worry about and then ending up goodness knows where. Even with DH driving at the beginning, we had been heading to MOE, missed the turn off and practically ended up on the Palm! We have bought the garmen sat nav which is good and at least you have something to direct you back. I built up the courage to go to a birthday party which meant going on SZR the other week at rush hour and I managed it, I was all proud of myself when I got home! good luck, start with the small journey's for a while and then just take it slowly.x

33

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 13:25

Toffeepop, I completely sympathise. I have been here for 6 months and have only just started venturing out; I am also terrified. This thread has really helped me too, some brilliant advice. My plan is to learn a few essential routes to start with so when DH is away I can manage to get about independently. Good luck!

19

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 13:10

You will :D I can tell you my case. Even back home in super behaving Germany I was scared of highways to a point that I had nervous breakdowns if I needed to go thee. I didn't actually for over 10 years and then moved here. My exboss who knew my fear forced me to drive his big 4x4 on my second day here on Sheikh Zayed Road, I did it, cried continued driving and drove ever since. In the beginning very careful and I still avoid certain areas (old Dubai for example) but nowadays commute daily to Abu Dhabi and became a very confident driver. Actually I drove only last year around 100000km and can proudl say I am accident free since 6 years in UAE with daily driving. You will get that confident too if you start slowly and regular :) edited by Nyranee on 25/06/2012 Thanks! I hope so. I think it's sometimes better to have no choice but to get on with it, that way you have less time to over think it.

19

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 13:06

PS. I'm glad I did it without DH being my passenger though! Yes I'm still worried about that, will just have to warn him to stay silent unless it's to give me directions! He's a nightmare passenger! GoodMorning- Eugh grocery shopping! That's not much of a treat after my panic stricken first drive is it haha?! ;)

422

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EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 12:52

You will :D I can tell you my case. Even back home in super behaving Germany I was scared of highways to a point that I had nervous breakdowns if I needed to go thee. I didn't actually for over 10 years and then moved here. My exboss who knew my fear forced me to drive his big 4x4 on my second day here on Sheikh Zayed Road, I did it, cried continued driving and drove ever since. In the beginning very careful and I still avoid certain areas (old Dubai for example) but nowadays commute daily to Abu Dhabi and became a very confident driver. Actually I drove only last year around 100000km and can proudl say I am accident free since 6 years in UAE with daily driving. You will get that confident too if you start slowly and regular :) <em>edited by Nyranee on 25/06/2012</em>

2171

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EW EXPERT

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 12:51

Right this week I'm going for evening drives around AR and then MC on Friday morning. Scared but excited! I know I'm going to look back on this and think I was being ridiculous! no you're not ridiculous at all! I was 'lucky' in that DH got sent away the second day after we arrived so I was forced to drive to get the DDs to school. I had kittens numerous times but as I had no choice I had to get on with it. I think sometimes the longer you leave it the more daunting it seems. Once you've done a few drives you'll become more confident. I would offer to be a silent passenger buddy, but we're off on holiday soon and won't be back til late July. Happy safe driving. PS. I'm glad I did it without DH being my passenger though!

19

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 12:46

Right this week I'm going for evening drives around AR and then MC on Friday morning. Scared but excited! I know I'm going to look back on this and think I was being ridiculous!

Buy me a Pony36483

687

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 12:33

Can totally understand your feelings as sometimes the road rules seem to be thrown in the air over here. Here are my suggestions: 1. Get out and drive around your local neighbourhood. This is help get your spatial awareness adjusted if you have a new car or are used to driving on the LHS of the road. 2. Get yourself a GPS that talks. Even if the maps are out of date for many of the roads, you will eventually get yourself to your destination and it is an extra security not having to stop and look at a map. 3. Once your confidence increases, start going for longer drives. Initially on regular routes with your DH directing you - to the school, the supermarket for example - places you would go to numerous times a week so you are out there and practising the same route frequently enough that you don't forget it and get to know the "black spots". 4. Make sure if you are going out of your local community that you have more than a half tank of petrol so you are not worried about taking a wrong turn, going miles out of your way and running out of petrol. 4. Make the most of Friday mornings, when the roads are quiet, to go further afield and get to know the turn-offs you might regularly make and the lanes you should be in. When Ramadan arrives, get out and about in the early to mid-morning as the roads are particularly quiet. That way you can jump across lanes without fear of someone zooming up behind you etc. 5. By the time Eid hits, you should be a past-master! Good luck!!!

422

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 12:31

you will be absolutely fine with doing TM and your first ride on Friday. And you will add another exercise which is very important in Dubai ;) you will park in a gated parking by waving the hand ... Just pass TM, take next right and next right again (to reach behind the building TM is in) there you will have a gated parking with a poor guy sitting in a white cabine on the right. Just confident come to stop infront the barrier, lift the hand to greet and see how magically the barrier opens for you to park :) Enjoy your TM treat. I go there as well and like the service. And by treating you for the first rides your brain connects positive memories with the drives.

19

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 12:25

Thanks for all the replies, I'm starting to feel a little more confident about getting a plan of action together now. Will start in AR as suggested and stick to driving early morning. Nyranee I like the idea of treating myself after my short trip! Will also get a map too and have noted down your routes GoodMorning. I'm about to book my [b'>first [/b'>haircut at Ted Morgan in MC, do you think I could manage that on Friday?? I could kill two phobias with one stone ha!!

Shell collector57955

35

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 12:00

i) Start driving within AR. ii) Venture out onto E311 northbound -> go in Global Village -> come out onto 611 -> right into Al Qudra St looping back clockwise into AR. iii) Venture out across to Motor City / Studio City -> come back into AR. It took me nearly three years to get the courage to get onto the E311! I still avoid it like the plague. I would leave that till you get a little more experience IMHO>

422

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 11:55

Start doing shopping tours from AR to MC and back or even only inside AR to the community center. Start Friday early mornings but really mornings like 8-10 as the streets are amazingly empty. Treat yourself with something nice for the first three riodes, for example drive to the community center and have a coffe and ice cream and go back home. Or drive to MC, get a Starbucks treat relax a bit and drive back. next time drive at 09:40 to Mall of the Emirates (just straight straight left right from AR) have zero parking problems friday mornings at this time, go inside get a treat, relax and go back home before the noon rush starts. if all this works ask hubby to drive with you Friday early early morning on Sheikh Zayed Road take exit Safa go on Beach Road drive back home. This nice excursion will give you comfort and voila with each ride you trust more in yourself and you will love the new freddom to move when and where you want :)

Shell collector57955

35

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 11:53

I agree, get yourself a road atlas and study it to get from your place to your gym and back. Then take a taxi or get DH to drive it once or twice, then go for it maybe with him in the car the first time. It's a start. A Sattelite navigation system might be of some help incase you miss a turn off to help get you back on track. As long as you have a license, insurance and you are careful you will be fine. There is a defensive driving course you can take also, someone else might have the details for it, otherwise try the bigger driving schools, and maybe go for a few lessons with an instructor to help start to get your confidence back.

5499

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 11:49

Oh, and your DH is the polar opposite to mine! when we first arrived in Muscat he had me behind the wheel 36 hours after landing (I'm from the UK). He made me drive from the hotel we were staying in to the school and back, from the hotel to his office and back, from school to office, mall and back etc so I was familiar with everywhere, and where everything was in relation to each other. My DH is away for weeks at a time so me not driving simply isn't an option.

5499

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 25 June 2012 - 11:47

Yep, start around the Ranches, but not during times when people are going to or coming back from school or work. Friday mornings are a great time to explore as the roads are lovely and quiet - the earlier the better. Decide where you would like to be able to drive to at any time of the day - Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall, a park etc then do it on a Friday morning. If you at least know where you're going when it's busy then that's a lot os stress gone. don't panic, even if you get lost or miss a turn. You can't get lost (well not for long anyway) Get a map. I have the Explorer Atlas which is indispensable for precise directions. A big fold out one is good for learning the areas of dubai. If you know Jebel Ali is towards Abu Dhabi, Rashidiya is near the airport etc then if you're not sure where you are you can use the road signs to give you an idea of where you should be heading (ie not towards Sharjah if you're in Dubai Mall and want to go home. Do you have someone who can navigate for you until you're comfortable?

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