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How many people on the spectrum drive, and when did you get your license?

TheGuyWithTheTacoma

TheGuyWithTheTacoma

Well-Known Member
I initially got my learner's permit when I was 16 (in December 2005, three months before I turned 17), but after some lessons with my parents I realized I wasn't ready to drive then and I put it off for about three years. My permit expired and I had to take the test again. I got a new permit when I was 20 (in August 2009), and got my license when I was 22.

I have five other close friends who, like myself, have Aspergers Syndrome. The oldest one of us, who just turned 33, got his license when he was 17. Another one of us, who was born in 1988, got his license shortly before his 20th birthday. Another one also got her license when she 19. The other girl in the group was probably 24 when she got her license. The last of us to get a driver's license is three months older than me and got his less than a month ago at the age of 30.

My mom always tells me that statistically, only 50% of people with Aspergers Syndrome drive. I'm proud to be in that 50%!
 
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There are also two noteworthy things about me when it comes to driving:

  • I am the only one out of six people who have Aspergers in my group of friends who can drive a stick shift.
  • I am the only one in the group who has been driving the same vehicle for the last decade!

I drive a 2010 Toyota Tacoma (hence my username) that my dad bought brand new when I got my permit and simply gave to me. I've got 106K miles on my truck now, and I intend on keeping it until it is no longer economically feasible to do so!
 
I have been driving for eight and a half years as of this posting. I've gotten pulled over a few times, but I've always fought tickets (and won) and I've never lost my license for any reason. I was a victim of drunk driving back in 2015 (I was unhurt, my truck had over two grand in damage), and while I think DUI checkpoints are unconstitutional, I loathe drunk drivers. When I am having fun a good time with friends on Friday night, my truck is at home and I'm calling Uber. Also, if I got a DUI, I would be the biggest hypocrite in the world after the amount of complaining I did when Sir Drinks-A-Lot hit my truck with his Mercedes.
 
TheGuyWithTheTacoma said:
There are also two noteworthy things about me when it comes to driving:

  • I am the only one out of six people who have Aspergers in my group of friends who can drive a stick shift.
  • I am the only one in the group who has been driving the same vehicle for the last decade!

I drive a 2010 Toyota Tacoma (hence my username) that my dad bought brand new when I got my permit and simply gave to me. I've got 106K miles on my truck now, and I intend on keeping it until it is no longer economically feasible to do so!
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I drove a manual for a year! I hated it! Too much extra work. I had a great deal of anxiety on hills.

I have got an Automatic now, though I have to keep reminding myself not to change gears and use the left foot! It’s not as good when you have to reverse, especially if you are on a road and need to turn around quickly.

I am not sure how to use the neutral mode.
 
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Frostee said:
I drove a manual for a year! I hated it! Too much extra work. I had a great deal of anxiety on hills.

I have got an Automatic now, though I have to keep reminding myself not to change gears and use the left foot! It’s not as good when you have to reverse, especially if you are on a road and need to turn around quickly.
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Frostee said:
Hmm it depends I have an Automatic. Generally the pricier cars will all be Automatic.
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But in your country if you take the test in an automatic, you have a designation on your license saying you can only drive automatic, correct?

You know how to drive manual and are legally able to do so on public roads?
 
Frostee said:
I drive. Just got a new car!

I have driven about a year and a half on and off, I got my License in January 2015. It’s great for independence!
2C664B3C-EE9F-4EE7-BA2F-572B7577F4D7

2C664B3C-EE9F-4EE7-BA2F-572B7577F4D7

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What kind of car is that? It looks a French car (Citroen, Peugeot, or Renault), and definitely does not look like any car I've seen here (I know they have RHD versions of some American cars there). I'm embarrassed to say I don't know what kind of car that is!
 
Yes, I did drive a manual for a year and still have my manual driving skills.

My licence is for a manual but can also be automatic.
 
TheGuyWithTheTacoma said:
What kind of car is that? It looks a French car (Citroen, Peugeot, or Renault), and definitely does not look like any car I've seen here (I know they have RHD versions of some American cars there). I'm embarrassed to say I don't know what kind of car that is!
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Um actually no it’s a Ford Focus St Line X. I’ve had it about two weeks.

And yes we have some American cars here.
 

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I drive this thing:

van.jpg


A van of... some sort. Special, this one. It used to belong to my grandfather. But he is now unable to drive, and the van had to go to someone. Out of about 20 kersquillion grandkids, somehow it fell to me. I'm still not quite clear on how that happened, but whatever. It is special one way or another. It is my... 5th car? 6th? The previous car had alot of trouble on ice, which is one reason I was ready for a new one. The one before THAT was utterly obliterated. I must say, I do not recommend that particular experience. The ones previous to that car all just sorta fell apart over time.

I know freaking nothing about cars otherwise though. But I've been driving since 16 (and I'm 37). And I seem to put miles on these things faster than most members of the family even despite that I dont work. The fact that riding with the window open is one of my stims probably means something there, as does all the travelling I do with conventions. One way or another, I spend alot of time in that thing.

Oddly, despite my usual tendency to be scared of basically everything, driving is the one thing I'm NOT ever afraid of (despite it being the one thing I do that's actually dangerous). Not even after that crash (which wasnt my first, actually... the others being caused by ice, because of course). I am good at driving in hazardous conditions. But I usually wont drive in ice if it can be avoided. Seems unnecessarily risky and it tests my very limited patience a bit too much.
 
It’s a new model that isn’t available in America anymore.

As I said Automatic isn’t that rare here anymore, and is offered in most new cars.
 
Misery said:
I drive this thing:

View attachment 57513

A van of... some sort. Special, this one. It used to belong to my grandfather. But he is now unable to drive, and the van had to go to someone. Out of about 20 kersquillion grandkids, somehow it fell to me. I'm still not quite clear on how that happened, but whatever. It is special one way or another. It is my... 5th car? 6th? The previous car had alot of trouble on ice, which is one reason I was ready for a new one. The one before THAT was utterly obliterated. I must say, I do not recommend that particular experience. The ones previous to that car all just sorta fell apart over time.

I know freaking nothing about cars otherwise though. But I've been driving since 16 (and I'm 37). And I seem to put miles on these things faster than most members of the family even despite that I dont work. The fact that riding with the window open is one of my stims probably means something there, as does all the travelling I do with conventions. One way or another, I spend alot of time in that thing.

Oddly, despite my usual tendency to be scared of basically everything, driving is the one thing I'm NOT ever afraid of (despite it being the one thing I do that's actually dangerous). Not even after that crash (which wasnt my first, actually... the others being caused by ice, because of course). I am good at driving in hazardous conditions. But I usually wont drive in ice if it can be avoided. Seems unnecessarily risky and it tests my very limited patience a bit too much.
Click to expand...
Van? LOL that's about a 2009 Toyota RAV4...

I'm not scared of driving, but sometimes I think I should be.
 
Misery said:
I drive this thing:

View attachment 57513

A van of... some sort. Special, this one. It used to belong to my grandfather. But he is now unable to drive, and the van had to go to someone. Out of about 20 kersquillion grandkids, somehow it fell to me. I'm still not quite clear on how that happened, but whatever. It is special one way or another. It is my... 5th car? 6th? The previous car had alot of trouble on ice, which is one reason I was ready for a new one. The one before THAT was utterly obliterated. I must say, I do not recommend that particular experience. The ones previous to that car all just sorta fell apart over time.

I know freaking nothing about cars otherwise though. But I've been driving since 16 (and I'm 37). And I seem to put miles on these things faster than most members of the family even despite that I dont work. The fact that riding with the window open is one of my stims probably means something there, as does all the travelling I do with conventions. One way or another, I spend alot of time in that thing.

Oddly, despite my usual tendency to be scared of basically everything, driving is the one thing I'm NOT ever afraid of (despite it being the one thing I do that's actually dangerous). Not even after that crash (which wasnt my first, actually... the others being caused by ice, because of course). I am good at driving in hazardous conditions. But I usually wont drive in ice if it can be avoided. Seems unnecessarily risky and it tests my very limited patience a bit too much.
Click to expand...

I am the same. I am constantly driving. Can’t stand sitting in the house.
 
Figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that the number of cars with auto gearboxes has risen by over 70 per cent since 2007. A total of 8.4 million automatic cars are now on Britain's roads.

In 2017, 40 per cent of all news cars were fitted with an automatic gearbox, including CVT and 'semi-automatic' varieties. It's thought that consumers enjoy the relative ease with which automatic cars are operated.

Automatic gearbox sales increase 70 per cent since 2007

Sales of automatic cars to overtake manual motors within two years

The figure might be more than 50% now I cannot find a statistic.
 
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