OK, I have a strange one :o)  Doubledeckerroadbridgephobia (yes, I made that one up!)

My phobia began shortly after 5:04 p.m. on October 17, 1989.  Hmmmm wonder how I can pin that down?  And why I didn't have this phobia before then?  Well some of you may remember that that was the time of the Loma Prieta Earthquake when the Cypress Viaduct collapsed, trapping and killing many people.  No, I was not there, thank God.  I was, however in Southern California where we had constant news coverage.  Something about seeing that scene over and over on TV and in the papers really affected me.

I have gotten better.. but for months and years after that I would NOT stop for a light under a freeway or any sort of underpass on the road.  Yes.. I would stop before if I could not get under.  If someone else was driving and did stop under a freeway.. I would panic and could not wait for the light to change, traffic move.  Thank goodness I live away from a lot of roads like that and was really only around them if we headed toward L.A. or other "civilization".

However there was a time when I realized how deeply that fear went.  I flew back to Virginia to visit friends and we drove up to NYC, stopping in Philadelphia on the way.  We had to cross a "double deck" bridge that had one lane "stacked" over another.  I don't even remember the name of the bridge now, but we were on the bottom with more traffic going in the oppostie direction over the top of us.  I was driving.  I had a huge panic attack and the person in the passenger seat literally had to take the steering wheel and steer the car for me!  I just totally freaked remember the Viaduct.  I've never had that happen before and never again since.  The "funny" thing is, once we got to NYC I didn't have any issues with the tunnels and subways!?!  Go figure!