I'm getting ready to go OTR in a couple of days. I'm nervous about many things, but the main thing is I'm afraid of heights and am worried how I'll react to driving way up on a mountain.


A lot of you guys out there afraid of heights and if so how do you deal with it?

 

i get skittish looking down the side of a building, but i like mountain driving.
it's much more challenging managing your speed, etc. than driving on the
flats, and the views in utah and colorado are spectacular.

i found a bit of fear of heights make me drive better on downgrades, because
i KNOW when i'm going down a hill, posted or not. it's not the fear of heights
or fear of falling.

it's that sudden stop at the end that sucks.

 

It's not like the highways you will be driving on are right on the edge of a 3000 foot drop. Coming down Mt Rose from Tahoe is a little scary but I don't think trucks are allowed to use that route.

 

Loveland Pass is the scariest one of them all!! Ice and Snow with a shear drop with no guard rail :shock:

 

You should be ok. There are not alot of places where you will see over the side. Just take a deep breath and try to stay calm.

 

I've got issues with height also. The only time it bothers be is when I'm on a high bridge, such as the big harbor crossings on the Cheasepeak (sp) Bay. The New River Gorge Bridge on US 19 in WV is rough for me too. I almost always end up in the inside lane going across that one.

Hills/Mountains, nah - they don't bother me a bit. Coming down or going up I77 at the NC/VA border (can't think of the name of the town there) is absolutely gorgeous.

 

"big harbor crossings on the Chesapeake Bay." Not high, Verazano Narrows, Golden Gate is high. But the wheels are still on the ground, what's the problem? BOL

 

TBH - I don't know - I guess it's just the fact I can see straight down over the edge.

 

well I found out today I am afraid of heights. I did loveland pass for my first time today. Been up and down the mountain alot but never over loveland. And the roads where dry I couldn't imagine doing that with snow or ice on the ground. I would be a nervous wreck lol. But have to admit it is beautiful up there. If you can get the im going to go over the edge out of your head lol.

 

Used to be pretty wicked on I-15 near Great Falls where they had Boulders instead of Guard Rails and you could look Waaaaaaaaaaay down to the bottom. Especially worse when road was under construction.

also if you're re-routed in Tennessee and have to take Old Highway 41 because of Rock Slides or whatever and if you're pulling a 53'rs without your Tandems shortened your trailer would be close to the Edge :P