Driving

[LiberationBattle]

TERRIFIED!!!
I wasn’t excited to get my license in high school, so I never did. I passed the permit easily and could do it again, but it expired years ago.
I do okay with coordination: I’m trying to get a certification for an electric jack at work so I can lift cardboard bales when all the manuals are taken. But I don’t feel threatened that another driver might be under the influence and is about to crash into me.
I abhor bitter flavor, and even if I get something I like, I usually don’t drink too much as I’m on heavy meds for depression and anxiety.
The closest thing I’ve done is drive a go-cart, and I must have been the “safest driver” on the course. It wasn’t a fun experience.
The mental processing is really hard for me at times and I’d hate to be in the middle of a road and have an anxiety episode. In which case people wouldn’t stop to help me, they’d blare their horns and keep going around me. Such is this world.
That is why I am okay with just a state ID

 

[WildCat]

Long answer or short answer? Yes, I drive. I also handle heavy equipment and other stuff that moves and do a fine job of it. Basic coordination isn't an issue for me, but I suppose it varies from person to person and how much ability and practice they have. Even if it is an issue, I heard a rumor that ride sharing is a thing now...stuff like Uber or Lyft that'll get you where you need to go.

I don't drive under the influence though if that was the question...

 

[Judge]

Being a conscientious motorist requires a great deal of focus and multitasking for anyone, regardless of their neurology. In general I've always loved driving. Exclusively with a manual transmission. Forget those silly paddle shifters on automatics!

Those circumstances where I least like to operate a motor vehicle?

Moving at very slow speeds in very congested commercial parking lots. Where one is more likely to get into an accident with so many people and pedestrians driving and walking around with an elevated false sense of security compounded by inattentiveness. When your abilities to multitask in every direction and drive defensively are routinely put to the challenge.

That all said, "zoom-zoom". My latest set of wheels:

After all, driving should be fun!

 

[Sid Delicious]

I have my driving test next week (I'm 32). So I'll let you know afterwards!

I should add that in general I do have issues with spatial awareness, motor coordination and processing lots of sensory information. But I also find things much easier than the average person once I've done them a few times and they are on auto-pilot/long term memory. So I probably was below average when I started learning, but now there are some things I'm very good at (like parking, which is a set of specific commands). There are still a few weird roundabouts in my local area where there is so much going on that I struggle. But outside of a driving test, if I randomly found myself in that situation without warning then I would simply go round a couple of times until I worked out what was happening and what I needed to do. I think as long as you are aware of your areas of weakness and know how to compensate for them in a safe way, then it shouldn't be an issue. I know plenty of non-ASD people that are absolutely terrible drivers and should probably be off the road!

 

[Pondering]

Thank you, everyone, for your responses! They're all really helpful.

 

[Nitro]

 

[tducey]

No and of all the things with my Autism it's one of the worst. Driving gives you a certain freedom and independence.

 

[Judge]

No and of all the things with my Autism it's one of the worst. Driving gives you a certain freedom and independence.

Agreed. I don't consistently have need to get out to socialize. However I do have a need to escape the confines of my one bedroom apartment from time to time. Nice to have that freedom. Though owning a car is an inherently expensive proposition.

 

[Gayspie]

I love driving - it is really fun to be able to work those pedals and steer that wheel.

 

[Arkanu of Galatiel]

I get distracted too easily, and my hands and feet have been particularly clumsy for a while now (They were always somewhat awkward, but they're more-so now), but I am thinking about a license.

 

[Butterfly88]

I'm 24 and don't drive. I never learned. At first I was afriad. Orginally I thought I was going to start driving at a later age, perhaps around age 20. I considered it briefly but then my doctor said she didn't want me driving since I was on five psychiatric medications. I guess she thinks I'd be too drowsy and have slow reaction times. A few months back I was riding in the car with my mom and she got pulled over. The police car lights sent me into a complete sensory overload, thank God I wasn't driving. I struggle in general when all kinds of emergency vehicles pass, I usually look away when they have their lights on which I couldn't do if I was driving. I doubt driving will ever be in the cards for me but I've learned to accept that.

 

[Sid Delicious]

Update: I didn't pass today due to one... ONE... !!!!ONE!!! major error (you're allowed 14 minors, but no major or dangerous errors) right at the start of the test as I was pulling out of the exam centre and was blinded by the sun and stopped in a keep clear area! It was so annoying, as I knew immediately that I'd failed, even though my driving for the rest of the exam was 'pretty much perfect' (to quote the examiner). I was only doing five miles an hour and the road was an empty side road leading to a quiet residential area, but it was enough to fail on. Aaaaaargh! So now I have to wait ten days before I can book another test and then hope they have a free slot fairly soon. But I think I'm going to start looking to buy a car of my own, as I can drive perfectly well outside of test conditions and there's no reason for me not to be driving about with someone else in the car.

 

[SplendidSnail]

I have a driver's license and can drive, but don't own a car.

I do, though, have to be extra careful of distractions since I'm bad at multitasking. I can more or less speak French, but have caught myself doing very dangerous things when trying to drive while speaking French to a passenger while driving, so that's one thing that I absolutely will not try to do while driving.

 

[Anthracite]

I can and love driving, it's literally my favourite thing in the world. I feel more at home and natural driving than I do using my own legs, and when I have to get away me and one of the cars will just drive, drive, drive to some nice place and the world is suddenly a magical place again. Even chores like shopping and paying bills are bearable when I'm with my cars.

 

[Sid Delicious]

I have another driving test today in about two hours, so if anyone is in the UK you may want to avoid the roads for a bit!

I'm actually more nervous this time around, as I keep making really stupid mistakes where I don't 'see' things. I've been taking lessons since last autumn, so I *know* how to drive now. I know all the manouvers and road theory really well. And most of the time I'm a pretty good driver (I'm told). But then I'll make random mistakes if I'm trying to multitask too much. For example, if I don't know a roundabout, then sometimes I'll just not see certain things as my brain gets overloaded watching everything at once and decides to prioritise and cut things out so I don't meltdown. My instructor will say 'take the third exit' and I'll even count the roads out loud as I'm driving round, but my brain will just not see one of them and I'll take the wrong exit. It's as if the road is completely invisible.

Or if the road is busy and there's a lot going on, I'll miss road signs or other information as I'm already focused on the cars, my speed, which turning to take, lane markings, etc. My brain just doesn't register things fast enough (or at all), despite my eyesight being perfect. Most of the time it's fine as I know the area fairly well now, but every now and then I'll completely screw up and there's literally nothing I can do about it as it's not a conscious process that I can learn or unlearn.

I'm not sure if it's autism or ADHD (I was never officially diagnosed with ADHD, but seem to have a few of the symptoms that overlap with autism). But at the back of my mind I'm always worried that one day I'll not see someone walking across the road or something else dangerous. I'm taking a bunch of caffeine pills before my test this time, as that seems to help a bit. Has anyone else experienced the same issue when driving? Have you found a solution?


Update: Failed again with one major for not seeing the road markings at a weird roundabout and being in the wrong lane! Now I have to wait another two months to retake it, which means I can't get a new contract job in the city (as I'll have to quit driving lessons) and can't accept a new contract outside of my town as all the near by places need a car to get to! I feel like my life is on hold as I can't get another job until I can get a car (unless I quit driving and take a city contract, but I've spent a lot of money on it now and really don't want to just give up)!

 

[Sid Delicious]

I finally passed my test!