Learning to drive: easy or hard?

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I had to take my driving test more than once, in two different English speaking countries.

BUT, I have no difficulty jumping into a hire car in a country that drives 'on the other side of the road' without any special thought.

I have noticed NTs (since most humans are) can often have tremendous difficulty on 'the other side of the road'

I have noticed this particularly with Americans but then there seem to be more of them 'overseas' than most nationalities.


So passing my test: Not easy (for me)

Driving on the other side of the road: no difference to driving on the 'correct' side of the road (for me)

I'm 23, and I only started driving this year. The independence is amazing.

It did take a long time for me to learn how to drive, though. I was very timid about it, and had trouble with directions and basic car mechanics. Of course, it's all second nature now.

The huge helping factor was when my parents finally helped me. My dad taught me to be a defensive driver. "Terra, all these people on the roads are trying to kill you, and you have to defend yourself." It really worked for me! My mom taught me a lot of practical manuevers, like little details that every day drivers don't notice after years of doing. Like merging, speeding up on ramps, pointing out the speed limit sign on ramps to also determine the shape of the curve ahead... Loads of information.

My dad taught me how to drive and everything was fine and he was very encouraging, until one day. He got into a yelling match with another driver while I was driving. I was so freaked out afterwards, I couldn't process his directions when he was telling me to turn. I didn't process them until it was almost too late, and I ended up slaming on the brakes and screeching through the turn. I was in a total meltdown and I made him drive the rest of the way home with me screaming at him. Then when we got home, we continued to fight for a while. I couldn't understand why in god's name he would get in a fight with another driver, while I was learning to drive, and add the stress I was already feeling. He couldn't understand why I was so stressed over it....Then I

Anyways, I ended up passing my test the first try a week later, so I guess it was fine.

In Italy we have a theorical test and then a pratical test. I've done the theoretical test without studying and failed the pratical once (and I did it the month after). Asperger here.

I'm currently learning to drive and I'm finding it easier the more lessons I have. Obviously it takes time but my instructor says I'm doing even better than most people would be at the stage I'm at.

I've been teaching my son since he turned 16 in April. He is As and even he was surprised how nervous he gets. I'm a very mellow teacher, but he still doesn't last long before he needs a break. Parking lots are great and wide back roads, but his dad took him out once on the highway and it freaked him out.
So I have to bribe him with "take me out for coffee" on the weekends. He'll drive for a bit, but then says he has a knot in his back. And it's really scary to him for an 18 wheeler to pass us!
I guess the license will wait a while. No sense pushing him into driver's ed while having anxiety.