Sensory Meltdowns While Driving

[AuBurney Tuckerson]

I can't take it! It's too loud! Every time I drive, it sends me into a meltdown. The car has a VERY loud motor when you turn it on, then it is vibrating all the way through me towards me ears at the same time, and this problems escalates to bother me, even when wearing headphones!

Now I'm to the point of having a meltdown every time I drive! I try to remain in control, so I don't end up causing an accident (in which I somehow manage to still drive safely on the road and pay attention to traffic), but it causes me to swerve a bit, and I've got blisters on my hands from these meltdowns!

I'm glad to be out of school for the rest of the week, and I only have to go on Monday and Thursday of next week for my exams before I'm out for Christmas on the 13th, so I'm out early, BUT I'm still having to drive my little brother to school every day, and the drive is torture, especially when the school is all the way down the end of the street.

There is a bus from his school that comes through this neighborhood, but my mother just wants me to drive him. She knows the loud motor of the car is torturing me. I'm worried that the torture will get so bad that it'll cause me to have an accident.

 

[Autistamatic]

If you're having meltdowns whilst you're driving it makes more sense not to drive at all. As you note yourself, you could be a danger to yourself and others. I know that getting a quieter car isn't an option for you right now and the last thing you would need on your conscience is your little brother getting hurt, besides the risk to yourself.

 

[AuBurney Tuckerson]

If you're having meltdowns whilst you're driving it makes more sense not to drive at all. As you note yourself, you could be a danger to yourself and others. I know that getting a quieter car isn't an option for you right now and the last thing you would need on your conscience is your little brother getting hurt, besides the risk to yourself.

As I stated above, I'm driving fine right now. I can only dream of getting my car back, but I'm stuck with my grandfather's loud car. I'm okay in other cars with headphones on. I'm wishing for a quieter car, or at least one that is higher off the ground (like my grandmother's truck as it is so quiet, I can ride in it without headphones perfectly fine). I just need a car like that, either that, or one with bigger tires and quieter motor. But yes, it is a problem, but I have no other way of getting anywhere as this is the only car, and I'm mostly by myself because my mother's at work for most of the day.

 

[Moomin]

I’m not good at driving. I stalled once on a circle and completely freaked, it was entirely too much for me. There was too much going on. Overloads are not fun.

 

[Autistamatic]

Hey Auburney I understand your dilemma, I really do. I'd be lost without my car and thankfully I've got a decent one, but you've said yourself you're worried about having an accident. You mention "getting your car back" - where is it now?

 

[AuBurney Tuckerson]

Hey Auburney I understand your dilemma, I really do. I'd be lost without my car and thankfully I've got a decent one, but you've said yourself you're worried about having an accident. You mention "getting your car back" - where is it now?

Still waiting to get a new motor.. Hopefully, I might get it back for Christmas..

 

[AuBurney Tuckerson]

I’m not good at driving. I stalled once on a circle and completely freaked, it was entirely too much for me. There was too much going on. Overloads are not fun.

Before my car was sent to the shop to get a new motor, it ran hot and got me stranded on the expressway on an exit. I freaked out, too, especially being stranded with those loud vehicles roaring by.

 

[Autistamatic]

Still waiting to get a new motor.. Hopefully, I might get it back for Christmas..

I hope you do. We know the sensory problems you have cause you a lot of distress and the last thing you need is to be over-stressed when driving. on top of it all.

 

[AuBurney Tuckerson]

I hope you do. We know the sensory problems you have cause you a lot of distress and the last thing you need is to be over-stressed when driving. on top of it all.

Yeah.

 

[Moomin]

Before my car was sent to the shop to get a new motor, it ran hot and got me stranded on the expressway on an exit. I freaked out, too, especially being stranded with those loud vehicles roaring by.

Mine stalled because I didn’t put the clutch in properly, and it just stopped. I had people behind me, one woman was very aggressive with her “go go go”. Really has put me off. Since then I haven’t taken the car.

 

[AuBurney Tuckerson]

Mine stalled because I didn’t put the clutch in properly, and it just stopped. I had people behind me, one woman was very aggressive with her “go go go”. Really has put me off. Since then I haven’t taken the car.

I would've snapped on that woman. Sorry, I'm the aggressive type.

 

[Moomin]

I would've snapped on that woman. Sorry, I'm the aggressive type.

At least you’d have reacted the same as my mom! I cried and had to eventually park to trade places with my mom. And I was a learner. Haven’t driven since. Don’t want to.

 

[AuBurney Tuckerson]

At least you’d have reacted the same as my mom! I cried and had to eventually park to trade places with my mom. And I was a learner. Haven’t driven since. Don’t want to.

Oh.

 

[Mattymatt]

This used to happen to me as well. It took me quite a few years before I became really comfortable driving. I got my license late at 19 years old and I didn't really become comfortable as a driver until I turned about 24 or 25. Repetition and route familiarity can lessen the meltdown tendency but it may not completely go away. Maybe by taking frequent, small, short drives to the store or park will gradually allow you to feel more comfortable behind the wheel.

Driving is one of those things that can be tough for people with sensory issues. I still have to fight the impending feeling of meltdown when I have to drive in close quarters or in the city. If I have to venture into the city, it is still always by public transportation. Narrow, crowded streets with random people walking right out into them causes me to feel I have to be hyper aware. I have a Commercial Driver's License and am rated to drive a tractor trailer but found it impossible to overcome the meltdown feelings when on roads other than rural highways or lesser traveled secondary roads.

 

[AuBurney Tuckerson]

My brother keeps distracting me by staring, and I have to jump at him to get him to stop. He already knows better than to state at people. He nearly caused me to swerve in the other lane because he kept staring at me while I was already suffering from the loud rumbling of the car. I'm already in pain and in a meltdown, but him staring at me is what causes me to swerve because it keeps distracting me. I noticed that I drive okay when he's not in the car (even though I'm still suffering, but I'm still able to pay attention to the road) because I have nobody in the car to stare at me and grin at my pain.

 

[Joshua the Writer]

Try to go on back roads and the "scenic routes." Avoid highways and interstates as much as possible. It's dangerous to have a sensory meltdown if it is caused while you're on a busy highway. It can potentially lead to fatal consequences.

 

[AuBurney Tuckerson]

• I can drive fine on highways, especially since I don't have my little brother in the car staring at me as I'm screaming and grabbing my ears. I only drive on the expressway to go to my college class, and even when I'm having a meltdown, I drive fine. It's just that when I'm driving my brother to school, (which is only down the street at a turn and at the end of the street at 35 mph) he's stating at me during a meltdown, and that distracts me. I usually slow down, anyways, but it's hard not to freak out even more when you have someone staring at you. Still, you're right, but I only have limited options as the loud car is the only vehicle I have to drive, and things would be much better and easier if I had a car that didn't rumble as loudly so much. I don't have to go back to class until next week because I have my two final exams. My mother refuses to have my brother take the bus, but idk why. She just wants me to drive him since I can drive. I'm worried to tell her that the loud noise of the cad affects me while driving because she might restrict me from even driving again, but then again, we don't have any other options. I HAVE to drive, but she will be mad at me for "driving a recklessly" as I haven't done that before. The loud rumbling plus my brother staring only causes me to swerve a little bit, but I've never gotten to the point of almost hitting someone because even in a meltdown, I'm careful and able to pay attention to the road. But this is still a problem because I liked driving before my hearing sensitivity increased, and the car got louder. My hearing gets worse and worse the longer I live, and I'm pretty sure that one day I won't be able to stand my own voice or anyone else talking. I'm worried that will happen, and I'll end up in a padded room, probably suffering from my own breathing! Peoples hearing doesn't get that bad, does it!?

 

[Sherlock77]

Based on what you've said, all I would say is that it might be best to not drive with this current vehicle at all, unless in certain driving conditions... It probably won't be convenient, but for the safety of everyone around you... A car of any size is dangerous under the wrong circumstances... You can always make some other arrangements somehow, think outside the box

And hopefully your other car gets fixed soon!

 

[AuBurney Tuckerson]

Based on what you've said, all I would say is that it might be best to not drive with this current vehicle at all, unless in certain driving conditions... It probably won't be convenient, but for the safety of everyone around you... A car of any size is dangerous under the wrong circumstances... You can always make some other arrangements somehow, think outside the box

And hopefully your other car gets fixed soon!

Thanks. I told my brother to not state at me anymore during my meltdowns. That will at least help me focus more on the road. I'm hiking to get my car back soon, too. Idk if my car will be just as loud or less loud, but I'm hoping to see soon!

 

[Sherlock77]

Thanks. I told my brother to not state at me anymore during my meltdowns. That will at least help me focus more on the road. I'm hiking to get my car back soon, too. Idk if my car will be just as loud or less loud, but I'm hoping to see soon!

I only say that because I've had times in the past without my vehicle, due to theft or drawn out car repairs, thankfully I don't have big issues with sensory problems... But because I'm single with only one vehicle I had to find other ways to get around for awhile, things like taking the bus, plus relying more on friends among other things