One thing I’ve learned growing up is to never let my fears control me. The best way to beat one’s fears is to face them. Once confronted, there’s a good chance you’ll learn how to overcome it.
As an enthusiast, however, there are still some fears that I’d rather not have to face while driving.
ACCIDENTS
Apart from damaged vehicles, one of my greatest fears is being involved in an accident that results in serious injuries and/or deaths. Driving is supposed to be pleasurable, so accidents are to be avoided at all costs. But there’s only so much I can do – if another driver behaves recklessly and causes a collision, the most I can do is hope/pray that the accident is a minor one. I would never want to cause death or injury to my passengers, pedestrians or other motorists.
BEING RUN OVER
I have a real fear of being run over, whether I’m walking in a carpark or crossing the road. I tend to constantly look around me to check for cars, motorbikes or bicycles. If that makes me look weird, so be it. I’d rather be paranoid than end up as a casualty. I suppose I’ve watched too many videos of motorists beating the red light and mowing down hapless pedestrians, who were crossing with the light in their favour.
TRAPPED IN A BURNING CAR
Chalk this one up to my overactive imagination – I’ve pictured a tipper truck or cement mixer plowing into my car, running it off the road and causing it to overturn. Whereupon the leaking petrol will ignite and engulf the vehicle as I struggle to free myself from my seatbelt.
BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING
This usually happens when I hear thunder as I’m wrapping up a photo shoot or walking to the car. The approaching storm clouds and flashes of lightning make me anxious, causing me to ponder my chances of surviving a lightning strike!