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draelynn
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Joined: 24 Jan 2011
Age: 56
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Posts: 2,304
Location: SE Pennsylvania

28 Jun 2011, 12:19 am

Been driving since 16. I'm decent at spatial relations and driving is like one big moving special relations project. The process felt fluid once I built up muscle memory for the pedals. But only in an automatic. I simply cannot manage all that - stuff - with a manual transmission.

On the road, I zone out on details - I'm watching the whole road. I tend to have a good eye for movement, especially in my peripheral vision. Makes for good defensive driving.



TheygoMew
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28 Jun 2011, 12:57 am

I can drive.
Highways, nope!! !

Backroads, sure!

New places...I get afraid and have to have complete concentration and get upset if anyone talks.



Apera
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28 Jun 2011, 1:25 am

I've gotten used to driving over the last year. GPS helps. The only time I really had an issue processing visual input while driving was when I'd just driven up to my house, which is in a slow speed residential area. There was a large flock of small black birds around my front lawn, at the very least 200 of the things - and right as I approach my driveway, the ALL take off and start flying across the road in front of me. It was extremely distracting, and a truck that was behind me went around.


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When I allow it to be
There's no control over me
I have my fears
But they do not have me


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Joined: 17 May 2011
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28 Jun 2011, 2:27 am

On the face of it I managed like any "normal" person to get my drivers licence when I was 18 - but I've known right from the beginning that I could never handle heavy city traffic (I've only ever lived and driven in a couple of regional large towns / small cities). Even so, I only turn right at very easy intersections or controlled intersections and do left turns as much as possible. that's in Australia of course - for Americans and various Europeans that would be the equivalent of only turning LEFT at very easy intersections or controlled intersections and doing RIGHT turns as much as possible...

I also find it difficult navigating when I don't know exactly where to go - google earth is my friend.

If everyone drove properly and followed the goddamned rules I'd be much better off - but they don't.

Something I absolutely dread is to be sent to a large city to do a training course or some such thing and be given a hire car. I've been lucky so far that in those cases I've been given cabcharges or been able to reimburse from receipts - but as I get older and hold more senior positions it's more and more likely to happen. If it does then I'll have no choice but to refuse the hire car - even if I end up paying for cabs out of my own pocket.


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"I'm not really a slow learner - it's just that I forget so darned quickly!."
"Never meddle in the affairs of dragons - because to them you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup."