Autism and Driving

[AprilR]

I practiced driving yesterday for the first time since age 18. I got my license back then, but almost never drove again.
The covid situation forced me to learn as public transport is very crowded.

 

[Skeletor]

I never learned to drive. I've always wanted to but I'm pretty certian my severe motion sickness combined with my hypersensitivity would probably make it impossible.

When you are driving motion sickness shouldn't happen. It happens usually when you are a passenger and your eyes tell you you aren't moving but your inner ear tells you you are. It's the reason I can't read on a train.

 

[FreeDiver]

Although I never got my license until I was 20. I used to drive on the back(dirt) roads up in north Idaho when I was 13. This was back in the 1980's and the cops didn't care as long as you stayed-off the main roads. Plus, you didn't have to carry insurance back then. I used to drive this old 3/4 ton pickup truck that burned oil like crazy and would make white smoke out of the exhaust. I had to put 3 pillows on the driver's seat just to be able to prop my head up high enough to see over the dashboard. I've had my mishaps with this rig a few times like stalling the engine because I slammed on the brakes without engaging the clutch. At the time, it was very frustrating and I hated it, but I do look back on it with fond memories.

 

[Suzanne]

I do not have a licence, but can drive a little bit. If I were in my own country, I could take lessons, because there was at least, a program for those who are on the autism spectrum, but where I live, there is no such thing, although I have been told that because I am officialised in the country I am in, I may be entitled to fee driving lessons.

For me, it is just impossible to do the highway code in this country ie France. Because I cannot learn good enough French and do the highway code at the same time.

 

[clg114]

I was "mainstreamed" when it comes to drivers education and getting my license as a teenager.

But the need to be hyper aware of everything around you at all times has never changed, even after nearly 50 years as a licensed driver. Though I agree with others that it's the parking lot exposure at 5 to 10 mph that gets you into trouble more often that on a freeway at top speed.

No secret either as you get older those reflexes slow down a bit. Glad to have new automotive technology working for me in that regard. I like a car that can warn me of cross-traffic behind me faster than I can see or hear it.

I hate to admit it, but being aware of my own autism has at times made me second-guess my ability or inability to deal with such occasional multitasking. Especially in a supermarket parking lot with cars going in all four directions and pedestrians with their faces immersed in their mobile devices. A whole lot to look out for even at the slowest speeds.

Todays parking lots are made for todays cars, small spaces. My truck does not fit well into them. But that is not my main problem with parking lots. Even though my vehicle is much larger than most, people do not seem see it. I have to be very careful when backing up. People will drive behind me while I am moving backwards, it is almost like they are trying to get hit.

 

[Judge]

Todays parking lots are made for todays cars, small spaces. My truck does not fit well into them. But that is not my main problem with parking lots. Even though my vehicle is much larger than most, people do not seem see it. I have to be very careful when backing up. People will drive behind me while I am moving backwards, it is almost like they are trying to get hit.

Yeah. Too many people who are dependent on the notion that they own the right of way. To the point of being aggressive about it, ignoring vehicles backing out. Risky business...

I'm just glad I have technology to mitigate that scenario. Hate to admit though, I'm starting to really depend on my rear view camera and radar (Smart Braking System) that can react faster than I can. With a heads-up display that renders both my rear-view mirrors damn near obsolete! Though I know that in most instances folks aren't likely to have the same protection. Forcing us all to be terribly defensive in driving, even at the slowest speeds.

I'd like to think that such technology may be beneficial to we on the spectrum, in aiding those situations where we have to suddenly multitask. Every day I seem to appreciate it more and more...

 

[ChibiChick]

When you are driving motion sickness shouldn't happen. It happens usually when you are a passenger and your eyes tell you you aren't moving but your inner ear tells you you are. It's the reason I can't read on a train.

Hmm. That's interesting. Thanks for letting me know!

 

[s3_gunzel]

Some of us on the spectrum never learn to drive a motor vehicle.

Haha -- I did learn to drive a motor vehicle. I got into a car accident (in which I was no way at fault, despite doing the heinous crime of turning left on a green arrow), and now probably won't ever drive a car again.

 

[ShamarZ15]

I drove my car a few days after my mother and I put down a down payment, and I drove it into a ditch on a back road in South Carolina. I haven't even touched that steering wheel since and I want to drive with lessons but I have to wait until I get the money. I'm more concerned about my own safety these days especially since one of my friends at my community college almost died twice in wrecks.

 

[paloftoon]

Driving scared me when first learning. I was afraid of making a mistake because I knew it could be an expensive mistake. I'm glad I had supportive parents for this and got used to it. I can't drive stick. I struggled. But I made it by.

I was kinda the same way with a bicycle. I don't keep a bicycle on me because I'm afraid someone would take it and then I'd have trouble moving around if it did get taken and I might not be able to navigate with it so well.

I slowly got used to driving in the city. Driving in a city I'm not used to would be hard for me, but I can still do it. I enjoyed driving for Lyft and Uber on the side before the pandemic. I drove through some snow storms and when the Eagles won when I knew others wouldn't drive because I felt some people needed rides, I felt I was skilled enough to handle the terrain, and the extra money was nice.

 

[Au Naturel]

Learning to drive at 19 is not so unusual even for NTs these days. Schools out here have cut driver's ed from the curriculum. The only place a student driver can drive without a licensed professional instructor is a parking lot or an off-road trail. You are pretty much forced to go to a licensed driving school.

Many schools out here no longer have large student parking lots so the incentive for kids to drive is less. Once an under-age person gets a license there are all kinds of restrictions. You can't just go pick up a friend and go somewhere. Unless there was an adult with you, you could only be solo. You can't be out after dark. Etc. In the city, there is not much incentive to learn since you could always take a bus. Neither of my kids were licensed until after high school graduation.

Driving was one of those coming-of-age things when I was young. You could legally drive as young as 14 under the right conditions. You could get a temporary permit at 15. Almost everyone was driving at 16. I learned on an old VW Beetle driving on forest trails when I was 14. Manual steering, manual brakes, 4-on-the-floor manual transmission. I thought it was the perfect car.

There are truck trails in the national forest near us. Made sure my son and daughter both knew how to drive a stick. Her abilities with a car impress the heck out of guys.

 

[Magna]

I started driving when I was 15 with a "learner's permit" which means you can have a licensed driver over the age of 21 if I recall, in the car with you while you practice. You take your driver's exam at age 16. I took mine and passed the first time. I've never gotten any citation in all the years I've been driving. I set the "cruise control" when I drive on a highway or freeway. I think I'm a good driver.

With that said...driving is hard for me in certain ways or for certain reasons.

>I focus on what's in front of the vehicle and almost never think to periodically look far ahead in the distance to scan the horizon. That's ok because an obstacle a mile ahead of me isn't something I'm in direct danger of colliding with, but it also means I'm surprised by things that I eventually encounter where had I looked far ahead I would have noticed previously.
>I can not multi-task by carrying on conversations with people in the car and drive at the same time.
>I struggle very hard to not get distracted by deep thoughts. In other words, my mind wanders. This is especially difficult on longer distances.
>I have gephyrophobia which is a fear of driving over bridges. Depending on how far above the ground or water a bridge is, this can turn into extreme fright. If I know I'm going to be going over a bridge to get somewhere, I ask my wife to drive. If I have to drive over a bridge because I wasn't aware of one, etc, I require silence in the car and I do deep breathing exercises, etc. It's gotten worse as I age. When I was young I had no issues driving over bridges.

 

[Skeletor]

Learning to drive at 19 is not so unusual even for NTs these days. Schools out here have cut driver's ed from the curriculum. The only place a student driver can drive without a licensed professional instructor is a parking lot or an off-road trail. You are pretty much forced to go to a licensed driving school.

Many schools out here no longer have large student parking lots so the incentive for kids to drive is less. Once an under-age person gets a license there are all kinds of restrictions. You can't just go pick up a friend and go somewhere. Unless there was an adult with you, you could only be solo. You can't be out after dark. Etc. In the city, there is not much incentive to learn since you could always take a bus. Neither of my kids were licensed until after high school graduation.

Driving was one of those coming-of-age things when I was young. You could legally drive as young as 14 under the right conditions. You could get a temporary permit at 15. Almost everyone was driving at 16. I learned on an old VW Beetle driving on forest trails when I was 14. Manual steering, manual brakes, 4-on-the-floor manual transmission. I thought it was the perfect car.

There are truck trails in the national forest near us. Made sure my son and daughter both knew how to drive a stick. Her abilities with a car impress the heck out of guys.

When I was in HS everyone took driver's ed and all the Chicago and suburban schools offered it as a standard class. I can't imagine it's been cut. I got my licence by getting a learners permit and having a friend teach me. Never was forced to go to a professional instructor. In fact the only people I know of who did were sentenced there for their driving records.

 

[Raggamuffin]

I enjoy driving now, but I didn't when I first started learning. So I stopped the lessons and came back to it when I was in uni.

The day of the practical test I had a 2 hour lessons before we drove to the test centre. I was making frequent silly mistakes and my instructor told me he wasn't confident I would pass, but to try my best.

During the test I felt completely at ease, I actually spent the whole test talking with the person who was assessing me. When we got back to the test centre he turned to me and smiled and said I passed with no minor faults whatsoever. He said that only happens a couple of times each year.

Now that I've been driving for over 10 years, I must admit cars became a passion of mine, but I also got bored of what I owned rather quickly. These days it seems I've finally calmed down. Whilst I enjoy fast cars, they sort of encouraged my reckless side. Nowadays I have a slow and sensible car. Saves money and doesn't really allow me to drive like a tool anymore.

Ed

 

[Gerontius]

I learned at 17, later than I should. My parents pressured me to learn driving early, but I resisted that because I didn't feel able.
Now that I know how to drive I am able to get around pretty well.

 

[FreeDiver]

Just type "driving" into the forum's search text box and you'll discover multiple threads on this issue.

I agree, is there any way that all of these treads can be combined into one single thread. This seems to be a very popular subject and keeps getting brought up time and time again.

 

[AspieOtaku]

Drivings not an issue for me as long as its Automatic im not good at manual i got my license and love my retired police car, its simple tough is automatic, a v8 but good gas mileage for one 25 highway a future classic car too. 232k miles still running strong, crown victoria p71 a great car.

 

[AspieOtaku]

As longas its an automatic im fine, im not very good at stick too muck multi tasking and coordination. I love auto autos for me just go to drive thats it i like it its simple. Stick shift not aspie friendly. Automatics best.

 

[Skeletor]

Except for high end sports cars stick shifts are rare these days.

 

[Soleil]

I drive a stick shift, but whenever I drive an automatic I end up slamming on the brakes thinking I'm hitting the clutch, and grabbing for the gearstick forgetting that I don't need to.