AS and sense of direction?

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4 I'm Female, Autistic / Aspie and have an excellent sense of direction *if* I can see the horizon. Otherwise I'm like a demagnetized compass.

My spacial & verbal are at the top of the charts. My performance IQ is, too - once a long delay due to auditory processing disorder was compensated for.

I usually do OK about where I know I'm at, unless if I happen to be in a larger, more crowded city since I'm used to driving on country roads. All of the cars, lights, and roads are super confusing to me and lots of locations look almost the same when there's so many buildings.

Mine is nearly nonexistent due to NVLD. I couldn't find my way to my college for over a year, even though the drive is only about ten minutes. Once I get a driver's license, I'm going to need to rely on a GPS in order to get places.

How does that work, please? I have rather severe NVLD & wasn't aware it could impact other tasks/skills (I'm not saying it can't, I'm saying I'm ignorant of how it does)?

I actually have a great sense of direction. Horrible motor skills, but I always kind of visualize where I am from above, and where I want to go, and kind of see how to get there.

As long as I have a map I can find anything. I planned out a huge vacation we took thru the mountain states when I was 11. Another one of my quirks.

I'm not sure how it works exactly, but it's a common symptom for NVLD. Just a cursory online search will tell you about all the symptoms.

Agree too. I'm peculiar about directions. In actuality, I am acutely good at directionality and have an innate sense of north - I love maps! I am spatially inclined too. Like you, I need to know where I am.

Which brings me to the next point.....If I'm ever in an unknown place such that I cannot know directions, I am quickly anxious. (In fact, I once had a serious anxiety attack when lost). Being off by 1 block may as well be the equivalent of being dropped on the face of the moon for me.

To add: being physically lost is terrifying for me...terrifying

I have a great sense of directions and remember routes for a long time. I guess this is because I have a better then average visual memory (but not photographic). It also depends on how much I get distracted by other traffic, how complex and visually busy/noisy the area is (cars, signs, lights, sounds etc) and how tired I am.

I have pretty good sense of direction. I usually look at a map before I leave, memorize the route, and go right to my destination. The sun always helps me keep my directions. If it is cloudy or nighttime, it's harder, but I can usually still keep my direction. It's very rare but if I do lose my directions, then I'm usually seriously lost.

I do but I assume it's due to my dyslexia & ADD.

Yes, I have a good sense of direction, with one big caveat. I always get lost the first time, can't remember the directions properly. Second time and after no problem. GPS is a life saver!

I am very good at finding my way in suburban and rural areas, but tend to get confused in busy city and big town areas, when driving. I am good at finding my way on foot also, unless I am in a crowded area. I think the crowds and busyness causes info input overload. Too much is coming at my brain at once, and I can't process it fast enough to handle it well. Once I learn a new neighborhood, I'm a little better. I seem to have a built in compass, not necessarily geared to the four main directions (NESW), but centered on the "home" or "starting" point. I've known for a long time that I usually have a sense of what direction my home or start place is in while I am traveling. It's kind of weird, but it is a real sensation--as I change direction, I have a feeling of where the "key" point is, whether the start point, or a major familiar landmark, major intersection, or other major site along my way. It's feels sort of like there is a place in my brain that is a map plotting area, with plotting tools on it, that has "key" important spots plotted, and it automatically adjusts the course plot in relation to these points. This makes it easier to find my way. I do occasionally get lost, but never for long, partly because of that sense of position, and partly because I do use maps when necessary. I have never had one of those electronic map devices, but do sometimes print out maps on my desktop computer. I still prefer the old fashioned paper maps, and map books, though.

It is unlikely that I inherited this from my mother's side of the family. She had zero sense of direction. She could get lost in a closet. She was alright in familiar places, but no good in new places.

It doesn't surprise me, though, that a lot of other people on the Autism/Asperger's spectrum have a problem with this, as our brains have problems processing info. However, each of us is different, so we won't all have the exact same processing problems. Some of us will be good at some things that are a problem for others.

I have a good sense of direction as long as all the choices are right angles. However, any time I'm in a city with a lot of diagonal streets, I get lost quite rapidly. This is even true of areas I've been in numerous times.

LOL, yes, I had a project in Tokyo for a few months. Tokyo is a tough city to navigate. If I left by a different door I could get hopelessly lost. Sometimes, I would retrace my steps and leave by the proper exit. Once, I got so lost that I needed to get a taxi home.