Driving issues-anyone else on the AS have them

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Some years ago, I took some lessons to drive, but I wasn't making any progress so I a stopped. Last year, feeling more ready, with my ADD(I also have Asperger's) under more control, I started to take lessons again.

Anyway, I can control the car, but the details of it escape me.(for example during the only BTW test I've taken, I looked over the wrong shoulder when I was told to change lanes) Also, the act of driving makes me anxious and depressed sometimes. I'll be fine, start driving, then get really depressed/anxious, and start crying. Could this be a meltdown ie being overwhelmed with driving and its many details?

Years ago I went through multiple driving instructors before I gave up. I would just burn them out with dangerous moments of obliviousness to what was happening around me... "Time for a new driving instructor" became a familiar thought

Recently I've wondered if I was making it harder by struggling to make social chit-chat at the same time. But even so my attention span is rather short.

The past few years I've lived in cities with good public transport...

I sometimes blank out too.

I was actually in a serious wreck because of this. I'm just now starting to drive again, and that was 4 years ago.

I got my license when I was 16 and didnt actually drive until I was 24. I got it because I was supposed to and I just used all my powers of focus to pay attention to the road when surrounded by 1000 things competing for my attention.. It was one of the hardest things I did. As I got older and built more coping mechanisms it became easier. Now it isn't so bad. It is hard for NTs and harder for non NTs, but it is not impossible. Keep working at it in a comfortable safe way.

Last edited by IMCarnochan on 15 Nov 2010, 5:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I tried taking lessons when I was 17 but nearly crashed into other cars twice and thoroughly hated it, so I've not tried again since.

Just total stimulation overload plus I kept drifting off, which is fine if you're in the passenger seat but not if you're behind the wheel.

It's not necessarily easier for NTs. I'm an aspie and I consider myself to be much more skilled than the average NT driver.

I guess it depends on the person. My brain doesnt filter input so it is a constant struggle to find what I need to see, but in a panic situation I feel I am better able to cope and get out more safely.

Of course everyone one is different, but I find driving to be one of the time when I can block everything else out, and I am at generally at ease. I lived in Los Angeles for 10 years, encounter some of the craziest traffic around and I had no problem at all. The only place I have truly been anxious driving is Hollywood, CA. Damn unprotected lefts everywhere.

To be honest, I think getting the license and actually being a good driver are two different things.

I got my license couple of years ago, it took some time, but I think I was more or less average student. I passed the exam with the 3rd time, first two times I failed because missing some signs.

But about actual driving...I try to avoid it for everyone's safety, or at least try not to drive alone. Firstly, I sometimes kind of black out and miss some signs or forget to look around, I've been really lucky to avoid actual accidents. Secondly, I tend to get stressed and with my habit of easily getting lost it makes an awful combination. Just a couple of weeks ago I had a major meltdown, when I got lost (again and in the city where I grew up) and I was driving a car alone; tears started to fall, arms shaking, legs itching. Of course I stopped, called a friend and with his instructions everything ended well, but he had to give me instructions even about places I previously knew. So after that I decided that I'm not driving alone anymore.

I hate driving.

It took me four tries to pass my driving test. I get extremely anxious and worry about every single little bump and noise the car makes. Did I just get a flat? Is there something wrong with the engine? Are my brakes going to give? I have to have my music playing at a somewhat loud volume, it helps me concentrate.

It's worse at night, where car lights seem to be super bright. I can't have someone talking to me. I was driving home from class one day with my friend who was talking to me. I almost crashed into a bus. It took off my side mirror.

I can't drive freeways. I can't even get near freeway entrances without starting to panic and hyperventilate.

My Driving Test Pass post

I can relate well with you eggshellbluesky & a lot of the people on this thread, I think it was my 4th driving test that I failed in less than a minute - as soon as I drove out of the test centre turning right I spaced out randomly, carried on turning to the right & into the wrong lane with oncoming traffic. The examiner pulled my steering wheel real harshly to the left before I had a chance to correct myself, eesh! that shocked me(the examiners action more so), I knew I'd failed so didn't give a damn, I drove well for the rest of the test. I've had that space out moment a few times since while learning to drive with an instructor, "please turn right at the traffic lights" only for me to indicate right, carry on straight ahead without realising I'd done wrong until he pointed it out , I'm sure it's to do with being overloaded as it only happened after a long time of constant driving with instructions or when on a test.

The social chit chat that some examiners like to strike up really threw me, no doubt it made things much tougher (mostly down to me trying hard to communicate well back due to thinking it would help me out) trust me it doesn't make any positive difference. In my last stint of driving I realized this, I told my new instructor I had my intensive course with that I couldn't chat whilst driving & he soon found out this to be true lol. For me Intensive driving was a lot better as opposed to once a week it helped things become more concrete in my mind. Remember it's your test, they're not going to fail you if you don't choose to be all chatty with them. In my last few I found that if I gave them short answers to their questions & didn't ask them anything back they soon quietened down.

I agree. I do think it depends on the person.

I got through after failing the driving test three times... The Danish driving test is quite difficult, allowing no mistakes at all, so I usually failed due to forgetting to look over the shoulder at a turn...

In the beginning it was quite hard, especially having to drive in a rather crowded city (Århus)... Especially at rushhour it was hard to focus on listening to the instructor as well as coping with the amount of cars and signage. I guess that goes for everyone, since the failure rate for driving students in Århus is the 2nd highest in the country (behind Copenhagen).

Once I got the driver's license, it got quite a bit easier not having to listen to an instructor all the time.

Later on I had to drive through town every morning to get to school in rush hour traffic. Rush hour traffic apparently has the ability to teach you an amazing amount of patience, especially in winter.

I love the freeway, it goes straight on, you can drive fast and requires quite a bit less concentration than city streets. I usually spend the time on the freeway singing along to the radio

But those small, narrow, labyrinthian city streets give me the shivers. Parked cars to watch out for, idiots on bikes and blind pedestrians.

Also, those of you that have a license have probably heard about the child that comes out onto the street running after his ball. Pray to whatever deity you believe in that it does not happen to you. I tried that once.... gave me a heart attack...

i can handle the highways and freeways alright, but city driving is a challenge.

I'm still learning to drive. I find driving on freeways and highways the easiest, and I have the most trouble with driving in or close to the city centre due to the increased traffic and increased need to respond quicker. I also get distracted by cars, signs and buildings around me, so I have to keep reminding myself to focus on the road to avoid crashing into something...