Afraid of Heights
 

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.

Heights
 

"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

love that road!!

Fancy Gap

good luck
 

good luck

Just wanted to follow up. Did some mountain driving. Took I40 across to California. Coming down 15 to I10 was something else. I was mostly too nervous to look aside, but when I did and saw how far up I was, well that was something else. But made it through nonetheless. Up in New Mexico, we (team driver) switched and I woke up an hour or so later and we were in snow. Good thing I didn't have to drive in that, he said he saw quite a few tractors jackknifed (I actually saw one flipped over on I40 in California.

heights dont really bother me but for some reason the rt17 bridge going into Brunswick Ga really blows my mind. I know New River gorge is higher but man climbing up that bridge makes you think your never gonna stop

Re: Afraid of Heights
 

I'm not sure why you are asking other drivers "how they deal with it?"

Are you looking for some trick or gimmick? Has a trick or gimmick ever worked for you in the past? (Obviously, if it had, you wouldn't be asking for one . . . if it hasn't . . . why assume it will work now?)

I mean, if you are uncomfortable with heights, that's one thing . . . but you don't want to be high up on a suspension bridge driving a van or flatbed in the middle of gale-force winds and find out that you have a real problem with heights.

Go see a counselor. Get to the root cause of the issue. They can either help you overcome the condition or give you medication to deal with the anxiety. Or, you may find out that it's no big deal and it's something you'll overcome with experience. (For example, there are lots of tough, old paratroopers who get sweaty palms even thinking about going out the door. But they can still execute on command.)

Bottom line, it's probably nothing, but you want to find out (from a professional) if it's a real phobia before you risk your life and others.