Drive Without Fear: The Insecure Driver's Guide to Independence

For all others, it does almost no good. Okay, a little background: I'm in my mid 30s and have never driven due to having lived in actual cities for most of my life. I had no desire to drive, most of my friends did not drive, and driving was viewed as little more than an expense which was unnecessary when one has public transport. Fast forward until a few years ago when my husband and I moved to the American South where unless one has a car, he/she is house bound. There is no viable public transport, and many neighbourhoods are actually built with no sidewalks since the only walking anyone does is to their homes when they park their cars. So in order to attempt to function in this society, I am trying to learn to drive.Okay, so back to the book. The author seems to think that driving is the best thing ever and if you don't see that, you're lazy, co-dependent, or an old woman stuck in her ways. He believes that most people are afraid to drive because they cannot steer, and he dismisses driving phobias with a few platitudes and doesn't try to understand why some people might have issues with driving.I have severe panic attacks when I drive. Yes, I can steer fine and I pay attention on the road. However, I have no peripheral vision and having to focus on a billion things at once causes severe anxiety, especially since so many morons think that it's fine to text or chat while driving and do not seem to care if they cripple/kill you and your family. To this, Klein would respond, "Well, you ride as a passenger in a car. You could be killed or crippled doing that." Yeah, but I wouldn't be partly responsible. Many of us can't handle that weight upon our heads, and it freaks us out.So, to close, this may be a great book if your issue is steering (he has entire chapters on steering), or if you want a pep talk on how awesome driving is and how it's your key to independence. Many of his stories focused on elderly widows (I guess their adult kids forced them to take lessons with Klein so they could stop driving their mums about), but I didn't find that sexist. It was what it was. If you're a modern 21st century woman who has done everything for herself and can't relate, mazel tov. You're not Klein's core audience. I think this book will serve as a decent supplement to intense driving lessons for people who REALLY want to drive and are just having a few minor issues/fears. Anyone like myself who isn't deeply invested in learning to drive, has severe phobias, and/or vision problems might not get too much out of this.

To all the people here who have either a fear of driving, or who have had bad experiences with the driving exam -- you are not alone.Klein's book is a good companion in guiding you through your fear and boosting your confidance because he is talking to you on your level. I still have anticipatory anxiety before I have to get in the car but remind myself of this book and its methods. I know that I can do it each day, even if it is for a short drive. His writing style is humorous and it is always encouraging.I agree with the reviewer to deal with positive people. Don't let negative ideas or people stop you in your goal, deal with decent, encouraging people who will teach you where you need to improve and not defeat your confidence. Drivers who chide people who can't drive can often increase the fear -- many times I've heard: "if you don't drive, there must be something wrong with you". This is a criticism and judgement upon me without understanding my fear of driving. I can be a competent driver, but I have a fear, you see. I am a good sport but inwardly my fears and anguish are magnified.Any bad experience, whether angry criticisms or an unfair examiner can be a setback for all of us; your resolve will determine how soon you get back on the road. I can't stress it enough that you need to align yourself with supportive cast. Be aware that not all criticisms are constructive nor the last word. Practice with a different instructor, or take the test with a different examiner. It will boost your confidance many times over once you discover you are making strides to becoming a confidant driver!I use supplementary literature when I have more specific concerns about road rules. I would recommend in addition to Klein's book, the book from the Alliance of Safe Driving called "License to Drive". Also the student manual from the AAA Driver Improvement Program called "Managing Visibility, Time, & Space". The latter two titles have excellent narrative and illustrative descriptions.

I went to a well established driving school and that only made things worse for me. This book wasn't 100% the solution for me, but it was a big step. Read the other reviews, specially the negative ones, to make sure this book is right for you. Everyone's driving fear is different and may require other resources. However, for mine, this book was a perfect fit. Reading the few stories about drivers with similar or worse struggles gave me hope. I tried to spot specific areas I struggled with and looked at related sections in the book. I just worked on one little thing at a time. TIP: What finally sealed the deal on my healing process was finding someone with extreme patience (my now wife), and long stretches of roads with no fancy turns, and just get used to driving little by little. If too much, I would do an emergency pull over and let her take over. I also would drive in empty lots with someone and tried different maneuvers. I would drive and park near objects and then get out of the car to get better idea of how far or near the sides of my car were to other objects. Good luck on your journey, it took me a long time and many different attempts, but eventually I was I able to do it. You will too.

This isn't a perfect book. It could've used a tougher edit. It isn't a replacement for driving lessons with a professional instructor. However, the advice here is so valuable that I can't give it less than a 5 star rating. I'm in my 50s and started driving lessons a few months ago. My instructors, though excellent, really did not get how to teach an older student. As Klein points out, someone my age has several challenges. As a teen, I wasn't allowed to drive by a controlling father and didn't have an opportunity later on. I lacked confidence. My reaction time is slower than a teen's (no kidding). I don't have four decades of driving experience to fall back on. On the other hand, I have strengths teens lack. The approach that works for me is just what Klein prescribes, and is the opposite of what I went through with my two instructors (the school switched them on me, because the first was booked already for the summer).I strongly recommend that any older person who's learning to drive get this book before spending money on lessons. If I had, I wouldn't have spent so much money on a school that booked me with two instructors right up front: Klein recommends sticking to one. (He's right.) I wouldn't have allowed myself to feel pressured to do things I wasn't ready for. Etc. There are also very valuable tips about how to handle the car here.