I am an extremely nervous driver.
Let me clarify. I drive. I get where I need to go. I show up. I function.
But my hands sweat. My heart races. And if you put me on a narrow, winding road with zero room for error… I’m already mentally planning my escape.
Why the Bronx River Parkway Triggers My Driving Anxiety
Case in point: the Bronx River Parkway.
If you live in Westchester, you already know. It’s beautiful, yes. Scenic, sure. But also winding, narrow, and on a good day just a little anxiety-inducing. On a bad day? Forget it.
Now add construction.
Not just a little construction. I’m talking cones, barriers, walls closing in, lanes disappearing, and that feeling that at any second you’re going to make the wrong move and there’s no undo button.
So the other day, I needed to pick up my husband from his office so we could head to a doctor’s appointment. No big deal, right?
Wrong.
They’re doing construction right by his exit. Of course they are.
I see the sign for the exit. I see what I think is the exit ramp. I take it.
And suddenly… I am not on an exit ramp.
I am in what can only be described as a construction zone with absolutely no construction workers, no clear road, and what felt like debris everywhere. No clear path. No way to get back on the parkway. No one directing traffic. And cars just… continuing to come.
My heart didn’t just skip a beat. It fully packed a bag and left.
I was stuck. Alone. Confused. And completely panicking.
So I did the only thing I could think of.
What Happened When I Called 911
I called 911.
And let me just say this: they were incredible.
They located me within seconds and sent a county officer who quite literally stopped traffic so I could do what may have been the most stressful three-point turn of my life and get out of there safely.
I made it out. Shaken, yes. But safe.
So… is there a lesson here?
I’ve been thinking about that.
Is the lesson that I need to be a better driver? Less anxious? More confident?
Honestly… I don’t think so.
I think the real lesson is this:
I handled it.
I didn’t pretend everything was fine.
I didn’t make a dangerous move just to “push through.”
I asked for help.
And I got myself out of a situation that would make a lot of people panic, whether they admit it or not.
Also, maybe the lesson is: if you think it’s the exit… it might not be the exit.
And one more thing…
If you’re someone who feels anxious driving, especially around here, you’re not alone.
Some roads just hit differently. And when you throw in construction, confusion, and that feeling of being trapped, it’s a lot.
So maybe the takeaway isn’t about becoming fearless.
Maybe it’s about knowing that even when you are scared, you can still figure it out.
Even if your hands are sweating the whole time.
