Driving skills and etiquette: Obsessing with order

[Jorg]

How organized or respectful of the law are you while driving? I ask because well I tend to be a little strict with laws and driving etiquette. Even when I live in a country full of terrible drivers and roads I try to follow order, my cousins american husband even said he doesn't like to drive here because all drivers are crazy.

Well, I got my license at 19yo and I'm now 26, never had a parking ticket nor an accident (touch wood) I try to respect speed limits and yellow lines, I have even spent 20min looking for a parking spot in order to avoid parking in fron of a yellow line. When I finally get a free spot I like to park the most centered way possible.

So what about you?

 

[Nitro]

Never ask a street racer what kind of driving he has done

 

[Jorg]

lol it is weird because I love cars and watch races but when it comes to public roads I drive like a grandpa hehehe.

 

[LittleLemon]

I'm pretty detail oriented and observant, so I feel this makes me a good driver. I'm courteous, try to stay in the lines, don't drive distracted, but I do get anxious when there's a ton of traffic. I used to live in the Boston area and it really made it worse. People would honk at me, yell at me and I would take it personally until I realized they did it to everyone. Like, if you even existed in a lane they wanted to be in, you could get honked at. Or if you're ONLY going 15 mph over the speed limit (sarcasm), people would flip you off. What can make me a bit of an unstable driver is when other people disobey the rules and all of a sudden the concrete rules I rely on get all mixed up. I freeze, people honk, I freak out, and then have to pull over at the nearest side street to calm down. It doesn't happen as much as it used to, but it always takes me by surprise. I like to park as straight as I can, but I have a difficult time figuring out where the car is. I always err on the side of caution so I don't run over people (i.e, I give them a wide breadth), but that's also a frustrating part of driving for me.

ETA: 4 way stop signs drive me batty. I like them when everyone knows who has the right of way but I've found only about 30% of drivers know or either that, most people just don't care and go anyway.

 

[artfull dodger]

I also tend to err on the side of safety, they can pass if they do not like how I am driving. I hate city traffic, espically when I go to Indianapolis. To much sensory input at once to process. I am very glad when I get back out in the country side. I also drive a full size pickup truck, I feel safer, I sit up higher so I can see better, and its diesel powered. I find the cadence of the diesel rattle very soothing and people can her me coming. Mike

 

[Judge]

Respect for the rule of law and etiquette are admirable qualities by much of any standard. Though perhaps what is more important is to recognize that in most jurisdictions that operating a motor vehicle is a privilege and not a right. And that one clearly understands the difference.

But am I paranoid over the most minor of infractions? No, not me personally. I can be conscientious about such things, but I'm not perfect either.

I salute anyone who has driven as long as I have and yet to have an accident or moving violation. It just wouldn't be me.

 

[Destinyz12]

I've had my license for almost 10 years now, and never been pulled over, and only got into 2 accidents that were both unavoidable on my part so I guess I am a pretty good driver. However I will admit I tend to go 15-20 mph over the speed limit on a regular basis, but I am smart about it-hence the never getting pulled over yet, lol. The only thing that makes me really anxious when driving is when I am driving right next to gigantic trucks (like the big mack trucks). I always worry about them tipping over or not seeing my small little sedan if they want to merge into my lane. And actually one other thing has made me nervous recently- being stopped at a red light on a steep incline. It's such a horrible feeling and I have to go to that particular light once a week for the next 2 months.

 

[Jorg]

operating a motor vehicle is a privilege and not a right

I know right? Driving a car, bike or another vehicle requires respect and being responsable, here where I live the driver's test is a joke and some years ago the gov make it even softer. It is really worring because meny people die from car accidents, this year I think like 150 bikers have died and many pedestrians as well as car drivers (For a small 4.5million habitants country is a lot). Bikers usually over pass cars over double yellow line and sometimes I have had to make an evasive move because I will end with a bike in my shield. And you can see them drive without a helmet or with it just like a hat. The problem is also many of teens here get a bike really cheap and you can see 15yo without license speeding, they even remove the mirrors to look cooler.

Even last week a dude who was doing the practical test in a closed track lost control of his car and
outraged the instructor (a traffic cop here). Back when I made the test If you didn't have all your safety equipment (triangles, reflective outfit, extinguisher, etc) you lost the test.

 

[Myrtonos]

Driving a manually street vehicle of the type capable of carrying three or four passengers is seen in some ways as a human right. Just as long as you are (legally) sighted, are sober, etc. In my country, there are vehicles capable of carrying as many as 11 passengers that may still be driven on the most ordinary licence of all.

Does anyone here who learned to drive in New Zealand before 2012 have anything to say here? Were you incapable of learning the left-hand turn rule in your country at that time even though Allister Jenks, the author of the Jaded Kiwi blog and Sitting Duck podcast had no problem with that rule. Since the give way rule change on 5am 25 March 2012, amateur drivers have often been able to avoid needing to check for opposite direction traffic by avoiding right turns at busy intersections (other than roundabouts), except on a green arrow, for example by going left around the block (you drive on the left). But before, you had to check for opposite direction traffic every time you turned at a lot of intersections because of the rule of left turning vehicles giving way to those turning right.

 

[Deliquescent]

The only thing that makes me really anxious when driving is when I am driving right next to gigantic trucks (like the big mack trucks). I always worry about them tipping over or not seeing my small little sedan if they want to merge into my lane. And actually one other thing has made me nervous recently- being stopped at a red light on a steep incline. It's such a horrible feeling and I have to go to that particular light once a week for the next 2 months.

I feel this exact way.

I follow all the rules and avoid traffic as much as possible. My family find it annoying and won't follow me anywhere. I believe in safety and the rules are there for a reason.

I don't get mad at other drivers easily unless they're really being idiots like passing on hill or corner, stupid stuff like that.

I freak out if I have to drive to a new place and will usually take the route before I have to be there shi I don't get lost, even with gps.

 

[Myrtonos]

Is it true that many here on the spectrum, even if they don't drive, might not always understand why motorists do the things they do? Such as have one hand on the steering wheel by default, not make full stops at stop signs, run amber lights and even not indicate before they turn.
Actually, there are quite a lot of men without autism who might complain about motorists doing these things, especially technically minded men.

 

[midlife aspie]

I always try to stay on the left hand side of a semi. (in US) if possible. I don't see the need for going more than 10 over the limit. I would rather the people who are in a big rush to go around me and involve someone else in a possible folly.

 

[Nitro]

It was a date...

 

[ksheehan88]

I can't drive, and I don't think I ever will be able to

 

[midlife aspie]

I can't drive, and I don't think I ever will be able to

Perhaps that is something you could look forward to accomplishing. Being able to drive and having a vehicle would open up new possibilities for freedom and exploring the world. It would also give you a measure of independence, not having to 'bum' rides.

 

[ksheehan88]

Perhaps that is something you could look forward to accomplishing. Being able to drive and having a vehicle would open up new possibilities for freedom and exploring the world. It would also give you a measure of independence, not having to 'bum' rides.

I've had a few lessons, but I just don't know if I could handle being on the road.. I tend to freeze when I'm scared and wouldn't want to cause an accident.

 

[midlife aspie]

I've had a few lessons, but I just don't know if I could handle being on the road.. I tend to freeze when I'm scared and wouldn't want to cause an accident.

You may not have much of a need to drive where you are, but in most parts of the US, a vehicle is all but mandatory for holding down any jobs more than a mile or so from home.

 

[clg114]

Is it true that many here on the spectrum, even if they don't drive, might not always understand why motorists do the things they do? Such as have one hand on the steering wheel by default, not make full stops at stop signs, run amber lights and even not indicate before they turn.
Actually, there are quite a lot of men without autism who might complain about motorists doing these things, especially technically minded men.

I agree that many here on the spectrum might not always understand why motorists do the things that they do. Why? Because "most people" who drive do not do very much based logical thought. Most of what they do is a reaction to some kind of distraction. Most people here have a better ability to focus on the task at hand. In this case, driving.

 

[Myrtonos]

Actually, I did note there are a lot of male drivers without autism who also don't always understand why other motorists do the things they do. It's not just the autistic community.

 

[Karen S.]

I'm pretty detail oriented and observant, so I feel this makes me a good driver. I'm courteous, try to stay in the lines, don't drive distracted, but I do get anxious when there's a ton of traffic. I used to live in the Boston area and it really made it worse. People would honk at me, yell at me and I would take it personally until I realized they did it to everyone. Like, if you even existed in a lane they wanted to be in, you could get honked at. Or if you're ONLY going 15 mph over the speed limit (sarcasm), people would flip you off. What can make me a bit of an unstable driver is when other people disobey the rules and all of a sudden the concrete rules I rely on get all mixed up. I freeze, people honk, I freak out, and then have to pull over at the nearest side street to calm down. It doesn't happen as much as it used to, but it always takes me by surprise. I like to park as straight as I can, but I have a difficult time figuring out where the car is. I always err on the side of caution so I don't run over people (i.e, I give them a wide breadth), but that's also a frustrating part of driving for me.

ETA: 4 way stop signs drive me batty. I like them when everyone knows who has the right of way but I've found only about 30% of drivers know or either that, most people just don't care and go anyway.

LOL, It's so "fun" to Drive in Massachusetts! (sarcasm) I don't venture inside of 128/95 if I can help it, far too many crazy, and impatient drivers! If I have to go into Boston, I'll take the "T" or have someone else drive!