I've only had one really frightening experience - and it was weather related. When I was getting ready to head north, I stopped by the bus station in Reyjavik to check my email. I had mail from the proprietor of the cottages where I was planning to stay, warning me of a snowstorm. I called him and assured him I could handle it, living my whole life in Chicago and braving a blizzard in the Italian Alps. Wrong! The storm kicked my butt! I'm driving along and see white ahead - I crossed a line and it was absolute whiteout! The road dropped off on each side so I couldn't turn around. I spent 45 minutes inching along in sheer terror not being able to see a thing, until I got to a spot protected enough so I could see well enough to turn the car around and inch my way back. I was worried a native would come zooming along and hit me. Once I was out, I noticed two other cars behind me coming out of the white with their emergency flashers on also - so it turns out I wasn't alone or in that much danger.

(Just in case you wonder why I didn't stop shortly after entering the white-out condition - I was sure it was just a momentary thing and would pass in a few seconds!)

Marguerite in Chicagoland