Phobia in the City
When I used to the live in the East Bay, I had a serious phobia of crossing the Bay Bridge and driving in the City, and forget about trying to parallel park on any of these busy streets. Roads didn't make sense to me, I wasn't familiar with the streets, crazy drivers weaving in and out, taxi drivers cutting it way too close, extra busy streets, one-ways, 45-degree hills, honking impatient people - uh uh, anytime there was something going on the City, I took the BART in and had someone pick me up. I was scared, really scared.
Then, I dated someone who lived in the quieter part of the City, so I had no choice but to get over it (I didn't tell him about my phobia until much much later). He gave me directions to his place that took me down Geary Blvd., one of the main fairways - I went straight down it not looking to the sides at the jumble of shops and restaurants, just looking straight ahead looking for my destination street sign - ha! I laugh now! Lucky thing, parking isn't so bad in his area. But it was the same thing on the way home, straight down that same main street not veering off even for a second, not glancing around, just headed straight back to the Bay Bridge back to the Easy Bay without looking back - ha!
Now I LIVE in the City (it's a dream come true to live exactly where I am right now) so I really had to get over it, plus a lot of my work is local right here in the City so I'm expected to drive. I walk a lot though because everything is so near, and I try to use the MUNI bus system when I can, but a couple times a week, I hop in my car to one of my work sites or to my gym or to Trader Joe's - an adventure no doubt and there is no need for a cup of coffee to wake me up because my eyes are wide open. Hee hee. But I'm slowly getting used to the hubbub and becoming more and more familiar with my surroundings.
I still have my hang-ups though. If there's no parking lot of some kind or if I have to parallel park in a busy area, then I don't drive - I take the bus, take a cab or walk. :) When the airport shuttle picks me up or drops me off, I take advantage of the ride to learn new routes (because I only know a couple ways to get to each freeway) and check out areas where I haven't been yet. I'm learning, I'm learning ~ I'll get there, hee hee.
Then, I dated someone who lived in the quieter part of the City, so I had no choice but to get over it (I didn't tell him about my phobia until much much later). He gave me directions to his place that took me down Geary Blvd., one of the main fairways - I went straight down it not looking to the sides at the jumble of shops and restaurants, just looking straight ahead looking for my destination street sign - ha! I laugh now! Lucky thing, parking isn't so bad in his area. But it was the same thing on the way home, straight down that same main street not veering off even for a second, not glancing around, just headed straight back to the Bay Bridge back to the Easy Bay without looking back - ha!
Now I LIVE in the City (it's a dream come true to live exactly where I am right now) so I really had to get over it, plus a lot of my work is local right here in the City so I'm expected to drive. I walk a lot though because everything is so near, and I try to use the MUNI bus system when I can, but a couple times a week, I hop in my car to one of my work sites or to my gym or to Trader Joe's - an adventure no doubt and there is no need for a cup of coffee to wake me up because my eyes are wide open. Hee hee. But I'm slowly getting used to the hubbub and becoming more and more familiar with my surroundings.
I still have my hang-ups though. If there's no parking lot of some kind or if I have to parallel park in a busy area, then I don't drive - I take the bus, take a cab or walk. :) When the airport shuttle picks me up or drops me off, I take advantage of the ride to learn new routes (because I only know a couple ways to get to each freeway) and check out areas where I haven't been yet. I'm learning, I'm learning ~ I'll get there, hee hee.
posted by M at 6:10 PM
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