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Bad at understanding distances

Fino said:
I'm a little curious about this. One direction is the one you write with and the other is the direction you don't write with. Where exactly does the confusion come in?

I tried really hard to word that in a way that doesn't sound condescending or anything else negative, because I'm just curious!
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Just to try an attempt an answer. Like if you were driving and someone says turn right, most people instantly know which way that is. But some do not. When they hear 'turn right' they do not know which of the two options that is (they usually do know its not up or down). So they have to work it out every time in their mind. Like ok, I write with my right arm and they glance at that arm and then know which way you mean.
 
Tom said:
Just to try an attempt an answer. Like if you were driving and someone says turn right, most people instantly know which way that is. But some do not. When they hear 'turn right' they do not know which of the two options that is (they usually do know its not up or down). So they have to work it out every time in their mind. Like ok, I write with my right arm and they glance at that arm and then know which way you mean.
Click to expand...

I understand now! Thank you!
 
Tom said:
Just to try an attempt an answer. Like if you were driving and someone says turn right, most people instantly know which way that is. But some do not. When they hear 'turn right' they do not know which of the two options that is (they usually do know its not up or down). So they have to work it out every time in their mind. Like ok, I write with my right arm and they glance at that arm and then know which way you mean.
Click to expand...
Exactly. Thanks, Tom.
 
I didn't automatically know left and right immediately.

I had to figure out a strategy to remind me.

If I'm directed to turn right,
an image of my right hand holding a pen comes to mind
(seen through my eyes - behind the hand and pen)
I'll now automatically look and turn in that direction.

I've done it for years and years.
Driving, drill squares/parade grounds, following directions.

any other direction is
'my other right'


(just kidding) :)
 
During my driving test, the instructor said 'turn right at the next junction'

I indicated left and turned left.

I still passed my test (first time). I knew I'd gone the wrong way and asked why that error didn't count. The instructor replied that although I hadn't turned right, I didn't indicate right either so the manoeuvre was done correctly, just in my own way!

Another left and right I really struggle with is when the dentist does the cancer screening thing - 'put your tongue out, then put your tongue over to your left cheek, then to the right cheek'. I always get that wrong.

Distances/measurements - useless at that too.
 
Fino said:
I'm a little curious about this. One direction is the one you write with and the other is the direction you don't write with. Where exactly does the confusion come in?
Click to expand...

Tom said:
Just to try an attempt an answer. Like if you were driving and someone says turn right, most people instantly know which way that is. But some do not. When they hear 'turn right' they do not know which of the two options that is (they usually do know its not up or down). So they have to work it out every time in their mind. Like ok, I write with my right arm and they glance at that arm and then know which way you mean.
Click to expand...

Yes, this. It takes time to process, and often with directions you don't have that time. It needs to be pretty instant. Which doesn't work for me. Even with 'clues' (write, with right hand, etc) I have to actively and consciously think it through.
 
I'm great with small measurements like for building things or working on cars, and with things like miles. It's the in-between ones that get me. Like when someone says a deer is a few hundred yards away, or when a road sign says entrance 500 feet. I'm like how am I supposed to know how far that is? But when I think oh 500 feet is about 1/10 mile then I got it. I'm getting better.
 
Now I can’t do the math that fast and have no idea how far it is in yards. Yea small stuff is ok but even like 20 feet is hard for me to judge.
 
Yeah I have to be careful with this while driving. I didn't excel at estimating measurements in school, either.
 
I think of autism as a checklist of things one could be really good at or really bad at. In a way, it's all a matter of which boxes you check. I'm good at maps and distances but there are other things I'm utterly hopeless at. The distances problem sounds like a tough one.
 
I understand things best when I can make and store a mental image of it. I have no mental image for a mile or a kilometer so I struggle with those as measurements. I am more likely to talk about distance in terms of how long it takes to get there. I can visualise inches or centimeters and with a bit of effort I can visualise meters or yards up to about ten. A comparison helps. If I think of a distance as so many cars long or so many repeats of my living room in length that gives me a better visual.
 
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