Autism and Driving

[Skeletor]

Some of us on the spectrum never learn to drive a motor vehicle. Some can't handle the timing, sensory processing, etc. I did learn, but it was difficult and I still struggle with it. Two qualifiers on me first I have Aspergers and am relatively high functioning. Still learning to be aware of more than what was immediately in front of me was very hard. Second, I live in the USA. We have a car culture here and learning to drive is easy and cheap compared to some other countries. For example, you don't need a professional instructor, anyone with a licence can teach
you. Most Americans learn to drive in high school in a driver's education class taught by your physical education teacher.

I'm wondering how many here either don't drive or like me learned late in life.

 

[Judge]

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

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Oh I LOVVVVVE driving. I don't own a car right now because I can't afford one, but boy do I love driving. It's an escape. It's freedom. It's the American dream.

I think driving is actually one of my Autism superpowers. I can really hone in on what's going on on the road, and feel like the car is an extension of me.

I started learning to drive, by holding the wheel while I sat in the passenger seat, when I was eight years old. And my dad was letting me switch seats with him to drive to school by the time I was twelve.

That was a funny experience. Gave me a lot of confidence. He'd make me pull over a block before the school so that neither of us would get in trouble by the law. Occasionally, kids would yell to the teacher: "She drove to school! She was driving!" And I'd be like "Yeah right, me? Drive? I'm in sixth grade."

When we had a car, I used to wake up my daughter at 2 a.m. and whisper to her "Wanna go to California?" or "Wanna go to the mountains?" And we'd start our impromptu road trip. Cruising the wide open highways in the American West is a kind of therapy. Born to be wild, baby!

 

[Skeletor]

I probably should have guessed that.

 

[Stella Nordica]

Let me stick in my 2 cents here anyway.

So, I don't drive. I never even attempted it. It would have cost a fortune (even in the early 1990s), and I wouldn't have had the money for an own car and my father wouldn't let me drive his without him on the seat next to me. And then he would just tell me what to do and get angry and hectic if I reacted differently. I've seen him do that to my mother when I was a wee one, and that would add up to my nervousness anyhow.

But even more so: If I couldn't judge the situation properly, I would panic, confusing left and right, speed and break and be more of a danger to all the other drivers than anything else.

In general, I don't miss it. We have a decent public transport system in my home town and I can get anywhere I want to. I might miss it on holidays not being able to rent a car and be a little more flexible.

However, it was the right decision not to try it. It would definitely only have been a waste of money!

 

[Streetwise]

If there were barely any cars in existence ,my country is at breaking point with vehicles, going more than a couple of miles is a waste of time.

 

[clg114]

When I was kid, you could get a drivers license when you were 14 years old, so I got a license when I was 14. I also bought my first car when I was 14. It wasn't much, all I could afford on paper route money. When I was 17, I bought my first pick-up. I have had a 4x4 pick-up as my daily drivers ever since. My wife and I have always had two vehicles, a car and a pick-up. This is pretty much a normal thing in this area.

 

[Skeletor]

Streetwise I'm wondering how you cram so many cars on an island that is smaller than a typical US state.

 

[Skeletor]

Yes, sounds like asymmetrical development typical of autism.

 

[Pats]

I was 17 when I got my license and hated driving for years but did it. But then once I got used to everything and became more comfortable I loved driving. I'd take long trips just so I could drive and I would feel disappointed when I'd reach my destination because I wanted to keep driving. I think it became a big comfort zone for me where I could really be myself (It was always just me and my kids though - no one else). My dream job I used to say was driving an escort car across country. Now I still want to drive and take long trips but I can't. If I try to drive more than an hour my neck wreaks havoc, half of me goes numb, especially my face - I've not been able to tell if my left eye was there or not. Also I get lost easy these days and I've had a 3 hour trip turn into 8 because a detour and I'd get lost. Driving was my favorite thing to do and I can't do it any more and it's really depressing. If I could drive like I used to I might actually be living in my car just going from place to place.

 

[Judge]

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.

 

[Thinx]

I prefer the train, but Covid has made that less viable so I have done a number of car journeys as a passenger recently, I don't drive for many of the reasons already stated.

I am a bit of a rubbish passenger too, I often feel we are too close to other cars and I hate going fast ie over 50 mph. However I would say that the roads have not been too congested, UK seems roomy enough still, mostly, although congestion in cities in rush hour is definitely a problem.

 

[Giraffes]

Tried to learn earlier in life to drive, found it hard, gave up, tried again before COVID-19 and challenged my spacial difficulties and single track processing, have always cycled and may try again but not sure I wish to.

 

[ZebraAutismo]

I’ve just been cleared as safe to drive so will be starting lessons. I’m incredibly nervous.

 

[Soleil]

I think I'm a good driver. I also play a lot of video games, so skills like hand-eye coordination, decision-making, obstacle detection, and such get a lot of practice. Still, I can get very anxious when I need to turn onto a different road or a highway exit, because there's a worry I might not make it over in time. And I HATE driving on the freeway, with all those other cars (sure, I drive fine, but I don't know about them).

I live in a rural area, so traffic isn't too bad here, but sometimes it's awful. But in general I'm a good driver.

 

[Au Naturel]

Learning to drive was comparatively easy. Though, I've been driving a stick for 50 years now and I still sometimes grind the gears. Learning to ride a bicycle was almost an act of God.

 

[ChibiChick]

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.

 

[Au Naturel]

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 I am driving I rarely get motion sickness. Fortunately, my wife is a very good driver. Never any sudden maneuvers unless it is an emergency.

When other people drive it is more often a problem. A driver who is forever speeding up and hitting the brakes, sways from side to side in the lane, makes sudden lane changes or rounds curves too quickly, may just find I'm ready to puke after a bit. School buses were that way for me as a kid. Another thing that does me in is if I'm expected to read something as a passenger. That new car smell leaves me nauseus.

 

[SusanLR]

I learned to drive rather late at age 19 with a private tutor.
My Dad didn't have the patience because it made me anxious.
I've never learned to like driving, but, really have to where I live.
There are certain things I don't like. Crowded highways, bridges and overpasses or going
very far alone.
I have about everything I need within a 10 mile radius from the house.

Just never got over the anxiety of worrying about getting overly anxious and maybe getting a panic
attack in traffic. So I prefer smaller back roads where there aren't many cars and I can drive
slower at my own pace. But, living in a city, that is hard to do.

 

[Aspychata]

l like driving. l drove in England which was totally bizarre after driving in America. Every time at an intersection, l would spaceout as l tried to contemplate which side of the road l was driving to. Because it's confusing. Then everybody jumps on roundabouts and honks at you. That's funny too. l drove in Mexico. The roundabouts are fun to drive, its a free for all with no lanes printed on the road, and strange vehicles flying thru at very fast speeds. It felt like a video game.