Having a Drivers Licence

Post Reply New Topic

I'm kinda struggling to understand the question, but I took it as "Do you have a license, was it easy to get your license/is it easy to drive, and what kind of car do you drive?"

If so, I'm 20 and I do have my license, have been driving for about 4 years now, had my license for 3 of those years. It was easy enough to get my license, I don't normally get anxious driving, unless I feel I did something stupid or someone else does something stupid, and I drive a '98 Ford Escort with 158K miles on it.

I'm not sure if there's a question there or not. I wouldn't think of it as rubbing it in their faces, unless that is your intent.

I learned at 16 - it was almost required in school in Southern California back then. In public school we had both a classroom driver education course that went through the rules of the road, defensive driving skills, and even some auto mechanics (textbook, not hands-on), and then there was a course in which we actually drove a car with an instructor. But I didn't feel confident enough to get my license then, and didn't until I was 18 and needed to have a car to drive to college and work. Things are spread out here, and even though there was public transportation available where I lived then (there isn't where I live now), it was much faster and convenient to get anywhere in my own car. Once I had a car of my own I enjoyed the independence it gave me so much that I'm very grateful I overcame my nervousness. I'm a good driver, it just took me longer to really feel the car was an extension of me. More practice, more time. I'm still not good at driving an unfamiliar vehicle. I didn't like having to drive rentals when I traveled for work, or finding my way around strange cities - I got lost a lot. But driving my car in the places I'm familiar with - I love it.

Where I lived we liked to practice at first on big parking lots on days when they weren't in use, such as a big community college parking lot on weekends. Of course there was road practice too. I've known people who learned to drive as adults that learned through driving schools they paid for. They seemed to get good instruction, and if memory serves the lessons they paid for offered partial refunds if you didn't get your license, something like that.

Even though I wish we had better public transportation here, I find riding the bus stressful - being surrounded by people I don't know, some giving off a lot of "stay away" vibes and various feelings, including that of others not wanting to be going where they're going. Added to that, I've found most bus drivers more hostile than helpful. It's a difficult, somewhat overwhelming environment for me. Alone in my car I'm more at peace. I control the environment, the level of noise, etc.

My car is OLD, way too old (1986). I need a newer one.

Last edited by SpiritBlooms on 15 Jun 2012, 12:57 pm, edited 6 times in total.

I got one when I was 17. I lost it because I got hit by a drunk driver in DC and I had no insurance because I was visiting and I was a resident of Alabama and Alabama didn't require it then. So, I haven't been able to get one since. Not till I pay a 4k judgement against me, which I just gave up and tried to pay a few years ago (the original wreck was in 87) and you don't pay the DMV cause it's civil, the lawyer is retired with no practice, and there is nobody to pay. So I don't have one. But I drive anyway.

Oooooh, criminal!

My folks had to resort to having a driving school pick me up and give me a driving lesson once a week. I finally got my license at 17, just before I was scheduled to go off to college.

I have been driving since I was 15 and cars are my special interest. I also drive for a living delivering pizzas. As to what I drive, it's a modified 1990 Geo Metro 4 door hatchback with a 993cc 3 cylinder engine and a 5 speed manual transmission (Think Suzuki Swift, Pontiac Firefly, PakSuzuki Cultus or early Holden Barina if you have never heard of a Geo Metro). The turning circle is about the same as a Smart Fortwo but it gets much better gas mileage and seats 4. As for how many miles are on it, I would estimate around 250,000, and I add 30-40,000 more to it every year. Currently, I am in the process of gathering parts to build a new engine and transmission for it in an attempt to see 50 mpg in city traffic ( it currently only gets 40-45 mpg US in the city). Then again, that drivetrain may go into the 2 door shell that I have as it is lighter, shorter and in better condition.

You into Rice Boy cars? That's cool, but they are beyond my understanding. I had a pro stock 79 Mustang and I so love the Ford. Did a quarter in the low 9's.

Of course now anything over 55 puts me in a frenzy of fear. Wierd how getting old changes things, huh?

I got my first beginners license when I was 14, got a full license when I turned 16.

Moved, and bought/restored a 1963 Rambler with suicide doors. Found out it was going to cost me $6300/year PLDP..... Sold the car, bought a really pricey mountain bike and let my license expire.

Flash forward a bunch of years, moved to a place where you NEED a car, so now I have my beginners again, graduated licensing system.

I love cars. Like really really, big bad special interest of mine. I love driving, rather good at it too. During the day... Not so great at night.

I even owned and operated a delivery service/gypsy cab for four years. At my peek at I had 12 phone lines coming into the office and 280+ drivers on the road at once. I was always on the road, I was NEVER in the office. Ran everything off pagers lol

I'm a big fan of old Honda's. 1G to 3G Civic specifically. I know the torque specs to every nut and bolt, all the wiring, I can take the car apart and put it together myself.

The first one I owned myself was a 1884 3G with 750,000+K on it, Yukon Denali power, heated, massage, lumbar leather seats(they BARELY fit), stage 2 centerforce clutch. BF wrecked it when he rear-ended someone that cut him off in traffic. The paint is PPG Carrizzma Intense Kandy, took 28 hours to paint the car, I know because I was there painting it. Could see it on google earth it was so bright.


The second one is a 1986, it had an hondamatic, I swapped the engine and trans out of the old car and stuck it in the new car. Saved the newer engine, stuck it on a stand, plans for it in the future include a Colt Cams regrind, Carbs from a 900cc street bike and a 4-2-1 header. Or I might just scrap that and go all electric... 4 in-wheel brushless hub motors, LiPo batteries and a beefy controller.... I like that. The paint is Porsche Arctic Silver.



BF has an 88 Jeep YJ that we mess about with. He's the original owner. Paint is PPG Carrizzma


Then we have the GMC Safari that we converted into a mini RV with dual batteries, on board, computer system, entertainment system with a 20" monitor sub box and amps, 3 inverters, queen size bed, hot running water etc etc etc.

Got my license as soon as the law allowed. Loved driving. I'd still love it if sitting still in the driver's seat didn't bug me... why can't they make car seats at least as good as office chairs? And why do they go out of their way to make it more difficult to get your head in a comfortable position?

Got in a few wrecks here and there over the years, get a ticket every once in a while (usually for forgetting to renew the sticker or something), generally not too bad.

I don't have a license and can't even get an id. I don't have enough proof of my identity to add up to 6 points like they require to get an id in my state.

There is nothing wrong with telling people you know how to drive or have a license. Some people with AS can and some can't. I have a license and I can drive, but I hate driving in lots of traffic. It makes me very anxious and nervous if there is lots of traffic and I hate it. So when I do drive, I only drive where there is no traffic. I actually only learned to drive because I was pressured into it and it took me a long time to become comfortable with driving.

I don't care for all the traffic either, I get edgy, I take the same routes all the time. Even if the route longer or there are more lights, I know I'll get there faster than going the route the lemmings take and I have the road to myself. I like routes with lots of cornering, I like the pressure of the G's, on my back and ribs. I really like acceleration for that reason, but my car only has 45hp but it handles like a go-kart, I have to settle for cornering g forces. I live in a place that the road system is setup in a grid pattern, so some streets go on for miles and miles in a straight line... I hate it. I seek out high speed corners.

I drive standard. I love to listen to the car when I drive, no music I have to be able to hear revs, the trans and the car sounds. I heel-toe, I Scandinavian flick (allows me to drift a FWD car), I power shift (no clutch).

When I'm highway driving I get bored fast, then I listen to music and drum the hell out of the steering wheel, waggle my legs back and forth, bounce my toes (thank you cruise control!! !!)

Night driving is a bit much, I can't judge distances as well, like driving up a residential street with vehicles parked on both side and I have to thread the needle... in the dark, I slow to a crawl, during the day I slow down a touch but otherwise ok. Night driving on an undivided highway I just simply will not do.

One time recently I had problems during the day, well late afternoon... two years ago I fly 4 hours to go visit my Grandma for a couple of weeks, flew back, landed in a severe thunder storm.. I was all emotional and maxed out from the trip, but I wanted to drive home from the airport.... what a mistake.... Everything was wet of course, the sun was behind me so everything in front of me was reflecting like crazy, brake lights flashing all over the place, people driving like jackasses, it was rush hour and we were driving on the major 8 lane highway into the city..... I started to shut down while in the middle of all this traffic, he's in the passenger seat just having kittens, hollering out for me to pull over..... I pulled into a business parking lot, hopped out, walked around to the side door, opened it and stretched out on the bed.... He drove us the rest of the way home. He should never have let me drive. We came so close to bumping off other cars.... I really didn't even think twice about driving.

Lesson learned.

For me, circumstances demanded that I learn how to drive. It was hard, but well worth it. I've been driving for nearly 11 years now and I've never been in an accident.

Driving is simply another skill that anyone can master with enough practice. The only difference for Aspies is that we have to take our unique needs into account. For example, I find it extremely difficult to drive to new locations. To deal with this problem, I will drive there a couple of times when there is little to no traffic, so that I can memorize the layout of the streets and find the easiest and safest routes. Then, when I actually have to be (or want to be) at some new location, I will be prepared to deal with the traffic, pedestrians, lights, etc.

Well, I play with anything on wheels that I can repurpose for my needs. My Chevy 355 powered Olds Cutlass is a lot of fun to play with, but would cost me an additional $400 a month in fuel costs delivering pizza. I've also played with Hondas, 5.0 Mustangs and anything in between. My next major project, after I finish my fuel economy maximization, will likely be a 4x4 truck for local trails.

It took me three tries over a period of about 5 years to get my car license. My bike license also took three tries over about 1 year. When I passed my car test my instructor thought I had failed by my expression, or lack thereof. I was concentrating on reading the paperwork and forgot to switch on a happy expression - a definite Aspie moment there

I don't particularly enjoy driving on the road but I love off-roading. I'm also forever building or modifying cars.

I have a license, but don't own a car, and I definitely should not be allowed to drive. The only reason I do drive is because public transportation pretty much doesn't exist where I live. I only got my license last October, and I paid a private instructor to give me the test - which I passed only two points above failing. I also had the test done at a time that was not busy, and it was on a military base. In other words, it was pretty much the perfect conditions for a driving test. Had I gone to the DMV I would have probably never passed. I currently only drive when I absolutely need to - which is when I need to take my music gear anywhere for practice or jamming or performances.

I try to drive in areas that are not busy and at times when the roads are not busy - mainly during the night. I have a lot of near-accidents and can lock up or get overloads easily when there is any level of increased difficulty to driving or when there is too much light or too many things going on at once.

I also have to concentrate so hard on driving that I usually can't navigate and drive at the same time. I either need to have the route practiced, or have someone tell me directions as I'm driving. The directions need to be turn by turn - telling me "go left at blah blah right at blah blah st." does not work at all.

Have a license. Have to rely on it where i am. But i avoid doing tasks requiring awkward precision, such as a "proper" parallel parking maneuver (got lucky on my driving test on that one) and backing into a parking spot. And driving can be nerve-racking around here as there is usually someone tailgating me no matter how fast i am driving or i get stuck in a traffic jam.