Stress test!
I was talking to a few friends recently about the weather and about traveling, and at the same time I was reading Passive Aggressive notes from that one blog (like the anonymous tip to the girl seen leaving her boyfriend’s house and how inappropriate that was), and I started wondering whether my friends, on the whole, are the sort to let things wash over them, unfazed, or the sort to take things to heart and become anxious over them.
No pressure or judgment here, I won’t make fun of anyone.
LJ cut short my poll questions, so if you please, comment with A) whether you feel like you are in control of your own anxiety/stress/discomfort and B) your coping strategies for stress/anxiety/discomfort in situations out of your control.
NOTE: that last one about mortality could be confusing – stick to 10=cucumber and 1=fetal position. :)
Growing up, I had no issue when driving in snow. I grew up on the western edge of the snowbelt (east of Cleveland) and, in fact, most of my driver’s ed was done with snow on the ground. I spent a few of my college years driving through the mountains of western Pennsylvania every other weekend or so – twisty snow covered roads and all. It never gave me any pause.
Fast forward to living in the South for 12 years and, now, if there is any sort of accumulation on the road, I’m at a loss. It snowed about a foot the day I had to fly home from the holidays. Getting to the airport had me in a bit of a panic – and I was in the back seat. The driver thought I was crazy – the highway, even covered with 6 inches of snow or so, was just fine!
Crazy person!
Heh, I have not had decent snowtires for quite some time. That said, I am very careful and take my time, so I’m not too anxious.
Get decent snowtires. They make all the difference. I drive my car in the snow with Blizzaks, and it’s a RWD with a ton of torque.
I’m sure they will – once Lucy and I live together (soon, soon), having good winter tires on at least one of our vehicles will be a priority. Currently, it’s more money than I can shell out.
That’s pretty much the only good reason not to do it in this part of the country. And don’t let them sucker you into just buying two. It’s cheaper, but dangerous.
I spent several years driving to Detroit to school in bad weather, so I got used to it. I am generally pretty calm about it and go slow and don’t mind. I don’t go out of my way to drive in a snowstorm, and if I know one is coming, I will do what I need to before it starts, but I don’t actively avoid it either. I just view it as an inconvenience.
Now traffic, on the other hand, I will avoid. I have had panic attacks driving though Chicago, so I will avoid heavy city traffic if at all possible.
My anxieties tend to be more about people than about other things, though, so the above makes sense to me.
Though I’ve been in a number of accidents, none of them have been due to a crush (ha ha) of people. Certain situations where I can’t see around me will make me a little anxious while driving, but nothing worth remarking on.
Though I don’t enjoy it, I’ve driven in Chicago and New York. Definitely requires faster reaction times than the suburbs.
The thing that bothers me is when people are honking/yelling at me, especially in heavy city traffic. The pressure is too much!
I think I’m generally in control of anxiety, but not all the time. In situations of tension, I tend to make bad jokes. Or find someone else who is more freaked out than I am.
On driving in traffic: I intensely dislike really bad traffic, but I’m still calm. I just swear a lot.
On tornadoes: I wasn’t sure what you meant here. Generally? I’m a 9. I don’t give them a lot of thought, and if the sirens go off we go into the basement. If I actually see one, though, I’m sure I won’t be quite so cool about it.
I think that for the most part, seeing a tornado is moot, or at least a less practical understanding of stress than the idea that a tornado may be in the area or has the possibility of forming. Lucy’s weather issues, for instance, don’t require a funnel cloud (or whathaveyou) in sight.
Got it. Then I’m a 9.
Has Lucy ever seen one in person? I’m told they make a hell of an impression.
I don’t believe so, but I’m pretty sure she’ll come back to this post and say for herself.
When I was 9 or 10, I saw a tornado from across the lake at my grandma’s house. She had the “Michigan basement” (IE dirt, for anyone not in the know), so we overturned the furniture and hid under it.
I definitely got the “awe” feeling, especially since there was nothing but water between us, but it never translated into anxiety. I credit my grandma’s generally unflappable nature in emergencies.
I have not seen a tornado in person, it’s just part of my overall thunderstorm phobia (which is probably more centered around the possibility of tornadoes than the thunderstorm itself)
On visiting a new city: Usually, I do lots of homework before I travel somewhere new. I print maps, I research where I’m going and how I’m going to get there. I still get anxious about being in a new place, say in the 4-6 range. If I don’t have a chance to prepare beforehand, then ratchet that up to 2-4 level.
Wow, that’s pretty uncomfortable.
I’m going to Orlando, flying out tomorrow. I have the address of the hotel I’m going to, which I’ll have to take a taxi to, and some information about what I’ll be doing over the weekend, but otherwise I’m kinda going into it blind.
I prefer to perhaps know a little more, but frankly I won’t get much time to explore anyway.
I do this one a lot. I do some research beforehand if I can, but if not I fire up the internets when I get to my hotel and start looking.
Orlando kind of sucks, unless you’re doing the Disney thing.
I’m pretty sure I’ll have Thursday to look around, and then maybe from 8-10pm on the other days (at best) to do something. The NADA will be taking up -all- of my time, alas, and I’ll be flying back Tuesday morning and going straight into the office.
Not my ideal trip experience, even compared to past work flights.
Heh, after living in Orlando, my thought is…
Orlando kind of sucks if you’re going anywhere near the Disney thing.
I moved away from Orlando 5 years ago and still get the shakes whenever I think of I-drive and, subconsciously add “by the attractions” to any bad traffic report.
It’s interesting that my answers now are so different than they would be a year ago. I used to be a very calm and resilient person, but recently have been having alot of unusual issues with anxiety. I blame my work. It’s a whole different ballgame getting through the day lately. I really had to think!
I hate making decisions and being solely responsible for solving problems. My parents… it fluctuates. As long as the topic is not a FlameWar Topic, we get along great. But school stuff is generally impossible, and some wedding stuff has been really hard. But sometimes mom is my best friend.
Anyway, very interesting poll!