When I hear someone say “RVing” I immediately think: Vacation! Fun! Relaxation! Emotions include: Joy! Excitement! Happy anticipation! But wait! Turns out many people suffer from fears and phobias while RVing. Fear can dampen happy anticipation. It can squash good times. Fear may even ruin a vacation! Let’s see what scares RVers the most.
The things that scare RVers the most
Amaxophobia
Amaxophobia is the fear of driving. Also called motorphobia, fear of driving can afflict many RVers, especially at first. Driving a car or even a pickup truck is certainly different from pulling a fifth-wheel RV or travel trailer. And driving a motorhome can seem positively overwhelming as you think about the immense length and poundage you’re moving down the road.
I suffered from RV amaxophobia myself. I felt happy and safe sitting in the passenger seat, dutifully warning my husband of hazards (real or imagined) on the road ahead of us. It wasn’t long before I found myself behind the wheel learning how to drive our 40-foot fifth wheel. I’ll admit it. I was afraid at first. Now I’m glad I know how to maneuver our RV, “The Beast.”
If driving your RV makes your knees shake with fear, consider taking an RV driving course (like this). You’ll learn a lot and hopefully overcome your fear!
Atelophobia
The fear of imperfection or making mistakes is another phobia some RVers face. All it takes is one small miscalculation and that unfortunate mailbox incident can stick with you forever. The fear of making mistakes can afflict many RVers, especially costly blunders or ones that might result in damage or injury. A little caution is probably a good thing. Just don’t let atelophobia paralyze you.
One way to combat atelophobia is to discover what caused former mistakes and then work to overcome them. Practice driving and turning your RV in a large empty parking lot. Listen to the passenger who, in love and genuine concern, warns you of impending doom. Or if the one in the passenger seat is partially responsible for past mistakes, wear sound-deadening headphones.
Chronophobia
My husband suffers from fear of time or chronophobia. Symptoms begin the moment our RV departure day is set. No matter if our trip is to begin in three days or thirty, a timeline and numerous lists are brought forth and assigned duties are announced. After the orders are given, periodic checks are performed to make sure our preparations are “on time.”
Of course, prep lists (like this one) are a huge help. And because preparing for a trip can be a lot of work, it’s good to “share the load” with your travel buddy. Mine usually takes care of the mechanical prep while I concentrate on food prep. It works well for us.
Chronophobia symptoms can also appear when our trip begins. Once on the road, the passenger is assigned the task of “keeping time.” This involves using MapQuest and a wristwatch to ascertain: (1) How long we’ve been on the road; (2) How many hours before we reach the RV park; (3) What time the sun sets at said RV park; and many, many more. When his chronophobia symptoms flare up, I’m glad I’ve conquered my amaxophobia (fear of driving). I switch places with my husband, and I drive while he takes over the “timely” duties.
Athazagoraphobia
This is the fear of forgetting something. Many RVers I know (myself included) chronically suffer from this phobia. Since we’ve made our prep list, we’re slowly but surely winning the battle over this condition.
Agoraphobia
This fear of places and situations that might cause panic or embarrassment strikes many RVers as they attempt to maneuver into their assigned RV park site. Agoraphobia usually develops after one or more panic attacks—prompted, no doubt, by previous parking attempts.
Agoraphobia, triggered by back-in campsites, can be treated with practice. Again, take your RV to an empty parking lot and practice. Perfect your hand signals with the driver (follow this advice). Practice using a walkie-talkie as you give directions. Your skills will improve. It just takes practice.
Other phobias that scare RVers
There are many other phobias that afflict RVers. One thing that has helped my travel buddy-husband and me is to investigate the cause of the fear, practice our skills, and (most importantly) keep a good sense of humor!
What scares you the most as an RVer? Please tell me in the comments below.
##RVT1075
It’s fun to look up different phobias but in reality, MOST “RV-ers” DON’T suffer from ANY of these phobias- that’s because if you have an actual PHOBIA you literally CANNOT tolerate in any way shape or form, the thing you have a phobia about. Phobias are DEBILITATING. So if you have AmaxoPHOBIA- fear of driving, you aren’t even going NEAR a vehicle once less driving one! What RV-ers CAN frequently have is an AVERSION to certain things. Doesn’t sound as interesting as a PHOBIA, but, an aversion will cause one to very much try to AVOID what they fear. However they CAN tolerate what they fear to a much greater degree albeit with anxiety. People with legitimate phobias need professional help and phobias aren’t something one “gets over” with time. Aversions are though. Safe Travels.
I am terrified of the mountain roads that have a wall on one side and a shear drop of thousands of feet on the other and there is usually no guard rail. I trust my husbands driving yet most of the time I am on the drop off side! The destinations in the Big Horn Mountains are amazing, just not the drive up there for me.
Partyphobia, I fear getting a spot next to a group that like to drink and make noise late into the night.
I am so on board with this one it’s not even funny. We left a drag race weekend after only one day in part because of the noisy drunken party just outside our bedroom window.
I don’t like driving through very narrow road during construction as using concrete barrier to narrow the road. Really don’t mind the barrels, cones, and stick
Even though the cement barriers are more likely to save your life if a car coming the opposite way crosses the line? The very thing you are extremely afraid of is also the very thing that keeps the traffic physically on the other side. Of course the barrels, cones, and sticks are merely suggestions and are easily defeated. Just something to think about possibly.
My wife used to have the fear of me having no fear when I would go places that it seemed one could not get out of. Some gravel roads do just end.
Last I knew, agoraphobia was a fear of open spaces (from Greek “agora”, an open public space)
A spouse’s phobia. Doesn’t matter which one, but a spouse can’t help but to pass their tensions on to the other spouse. You start to over-react to every sharp intake of breath because you never know if it is justified or not.
Agree with McTroy. Thank God when slides come in (love/hate slides). Definitely blowout and tire pressure monitor phobia, arriving after dark phobia (HATE it). PS: Forgot tree limb phobia.
Fear of mechanical break down or failure. Not just tire blowout,but we worry everytime the slides go in and out,the water heater clicks on, the AC cools etc. And the funny part, our current Travel Trailer has been rock solid with few problems. I am sure that just jinxed us!
Yep, all of these things.
For old fashion fly swatters
Enoz fly swatters
Google it bought a bunch
I suffer from fuelaphobia the fear of high priced fuel.
Your problem, as well as most of us, is called chrometophobia. The fear of spending money! LOL
Build back better
I DON
T KNOW WHAT KIND A PHOBIA THIS IS, BUT GETTING MY 42 FT. FIFTH WHEEL AND PICKUP INTO A PLACE I CANT GET OUT OF, IT HAS CAME VERY VERY CLOSE TWICE FOR US. ONLY MY VERY EXCELLENT BACKING SKILLS, WITH ONLY INCHES TO SPARE WERE WE ABLE TO ESCAPE THJE SITUATION.My wife says “What’s that noise?”