My fear of driving in London -ES WHEELS

offer of a free car from a friend should have made me feel great.

Okay, it wasn't the smartest car - a 10-year-old Volkswagen Golf - but it offered an escape from London and an end to rip-off minicab journeys.

But my chief emotion was dread.

Dread of picking up the car from Brixton in the south and having to drive it to my Tufnell Park home in the north.

The longer I have lived in London, the worse my fear of driving through its traffic has become. It has grown from a general worry, to not being able to sleep the night before a drive, to freezing up when on the road. On more than one occasion, a five-minute drive has turned into a drawn-out nightmare, with me crawling along a busy dual carriageway in second gear with my hazard lights on.

It's not that I have a problem driving per se. I passed my test in Brighton, and I've motored without problems in Los Angeles, Miami and New Orleans.

London seems to be the problem; and it's not just my problem: a recent Department of Transport survey identified a growing number of women who feel anxious about driving in the capital.

The behaviour of others was seen as the major problem: aggressive, impatient and competitive manoeuvres such as tailgating, cutting in, and queue jumping are particularly frightening and disorientating.

Julie Brown, a 25-year-old sales rep who is used to driving in the capital, says: "You're in a panic because they want you to get out of the way, and you don't want to - they flash and do all sorts of things to intimidate you."

One of my friends is so afraid of parking in London's congested streets with a line of horn-blowing drivers watching her that she has been known to hand over her car keys to passing strangers so they can park her car for her.

Women feel the anxiety far more than men, according to Conrad King, an RAC Foundation driver psychologist, because "men are conditioned or hardwired to deal with aggressive situations. Driving in an aggressive way comes more naturally. Female drivers who aren't used to expressing aggression can end up stuck at a junction, with drivers behind them sounding horns so the whole situation becomes more stressful."

Congestion makes the situation worse."With any population that is overcrowded there will be increased levels of anxiety, as you have to compete for space," says King. "You need to be primed and pumped up to be successful.

The stress levels are similar to those in sport. The logical part of the brain switches off and drivers can end up thinking of it as a life and death situation."

A study carried out for the AA Foundation for Road Safety Research, at Reading University, found that men consistently drove at higher speeds and enjoyed overtaking more than women.

Young male drivers tended to drive closer and enjoyed competitiveness more than female drivers. Women were also more likely to suffer anxiety about their driving skills.

To try to counteract this, an increasing number of women are taking refresher lessons, according to Keith Cameron, Head of Road Safety at BSM.

"What we do is gently build up their confidence and get them back into the flow."

Fiona McDonald Smith, a 32-yearold writer, is typical. Although she passed her test 10 years ago in north London, driving in the capital makes her "feel sick". But having moved to tubeless East Dulwich she's again taking driving lessons.

"I grip the wheel so tightly I can barely straighten my fingers after the lesson."

The important thing is to take some action about your fear, says Conrad King. "There are things you can do to improve the situation."

Indeed, there are. For myself, I have decided to sign up for the Driving Solutions course (see panel, right) with the hope that it will sort out what is fast becoming a phobia.

How you can learn to cope with driving stress

Take more lessons: explain to your instructor that you want to regain your confidence. For schools in your area, call the Motor Schools Association (0161 429 9669).

Try an automatic car: it is easier to drive, so you may find that in an automatic you cope better with what is going on around you.

Do a specialised course: Pass Plus, introduced by the Driving Standards Agency in association with many of the UK's major insurance companies, consists of a short practical programme, including town driving. Completion entitles you to an insurance discount. Call 0115 901 2633 for details.

DF Driving Solutions offers specialist practical courses from pounds 75 an hour that are recommended by the National Phobic Society. More information at www.dfdrivingsolutions.co.uk.

Deal with your phobia: the National Phobic Society (0870 7700456; www.phobics-society.org.uk) publishes fact sheets and arranges treatment and counselling for a number of approaches: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, usually one hour a week for six to eight weeks, is available on the NHS or through the society. Clinical Hypnotherapy can help drivers think about their problems in a relaxed frame of mind. The Driving Phobia Service involves talking to a trauma counsellor and practical hands on driving experience.

Prices start at pounds 7.50 an hour.

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