Aspergers and Driving

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I love driving!! I go to school 5hrs away from home and I drive home but not on weekends cause its not worth it. Ive been driving for 4years and I love it!!

When I was 23 I got my driver's license. Now I am 45. I thought I could use a driver's license for getting a job. But getting a job, being autistic, is difficult. My father sometimes asked to drive his car from his home (in the Netherlands) to Germany to get some gasoline there. It was cheeper in Germany than in the Netherlands. After a while that difference disappeared, so I stopped driving his car. Since then I almost never drove a car, which is a pity because I actually loved it, and I had quite a lot of lessons.

I didn't like my first driving instructor, but I liked my second one. I had 4 exams, but after the 4th, the examinator declared me to have passed it: a few days later I got my driver's license.

I haven't been driving a car for several years. Two days ago I want to check my driving skills. I didn't rent a car and practice driving, but instead I called a driving instructor and let me drive for 1h 30m for about 80 euros. Driving lessons are expensive (they are about 40 euros for 45 minutes). The instructor told me that I didn't lose much of my driving skills in all those years I was not driving.

When I drive the car I am slightly more careful than my father is. I don't care whether the car is little (a Renault 19) or big (a Ford Sierra). I never got a ticket from the police. During biking I got two tickets because I was biking in zones where that is prohibited. It was long ago.

About driving at high speed: that is never a problem. If it is a motorway in Germany and there are almost no other cars, I dare to drive very fast. I drove about 160 km/h (100 MPH), because a speed limit does not exist on German Autobahnen. On Dutch "snelwegen" (motorways) there is a speed limit of 120 km/h (75 MPH) unless there are traffic signs with a different speed limit.

I'm another aspie that doesn't drive - don't feel like it'd be safe with my sensory issues.

So many of us don't drive at all that there is probably a bias towards aspies not being able to drive, and thus not being good drivers, even though different aspies are different people.

I still have to take up driving lessons, and I'm probably an Aspie, but I'm a glider pilot and I seem to do a pretty good job at that.

Has it been noted why Aspie's would make bad drivers?

I did learn to drive and passed my tests and everything, but I'm so scared to get a car. First of all I can't afford one at the moment, second I don't think I will be able to handle all the responsibility of running a car, and lastly I am terrified I might crash (caused by going into ''blind mode'' and not seeing a car coming). I know I passed my practical test and everything, but supposing it still happens one day? Plus I just know I will get road rage, because I get aggressive as a pedestrian and a passenger, so I know that as soon as I start driving a car on the road on my own, I will start getting road rage.

I've been driving for over a year now and I haven't hit anyone or anything so far. Hopefully that won't ever change.

I'm much better at driving than I am at bicycling (hit moving/parked cars, crashed into other objects, once hit a pedestrian, etc). Easily distracted by stuff around me...looking for photo ops usually. LOL Needless to say, I don't go bicycling very often any more. I've had a couple of extremely minor fender benders (I was the one rear ended, & one accident (when I 1st started driving) that could have ended really badly but luckily didn't. I have had lots of close calls due to being distracted by stuff though. I don't text & drive, have a blue tooth to use my cell phone hands free, etc. But I am easily distracted by other stuff...things going on outside my car. I have to remind myself to pay attention on a regular basis.

My dad on the other hand (most likely an Aspie) has a terrible driving record. Is also easily distracted, & worries me every time he gets behind the wheel. I can't remember a time when he was a good driver. I used to hate being the passenger when he drove....he has only gotten worse with age, & I feel his time driving is very limited now.

I haven't gotten a ticket in over 18 years and haven't been in an accident in over 26 years so I must be OK.

I do tend to drive really slow compared to other people. But I am the one doing the speed limit, so that puts me in the right.

I have a drivers license, but I'm not a very good driver. I don't have regular acces to a car and therefore I don't have a lot of experience. But I'm not very good at it. I'm best at things where you can define some rigid, stationary rules for how it's carried out, and in driving there's just too many things where you have to sense traffic around you and be aware of others and act accordingly. also, since I tend to be a bit afraid of others, I get a bit anxious in heavy traffic.

When I first got my license I did ok but was nervous but being the driver of all my friends I got better. Now being the only driver in my house and into rally I have gotten a lot better. I still get nervous and stuff when I drive downtown or in areas I don't know.

I just love the feeling of driving especially in a good car.

The first few years of driving I was pretty nervous about it. I have been driving for a couple of decades now without a single ticket and only one very minor at fault accident more than 10 years ago. I will not say that I am a great driver. However I know my limits and I am very careful to drive within them. That makes me a safe driver.

I don't need to drive. Most of London has multiple transport links (I am walking distance from the Underground, train, tram and the bus stop is 50m from my house) and I have a disability Freedom Pass so I get free travel on any public transport in the whole of London. I hate being driven in cars and I wouldn't be allowed to drive due to the medication I am taking.

I have been driving for about 18 years now, and I do fine, never gotten into an accident of my fault. I do have some problems having low reaction times though. I'm extra careful on the road. I'm actually the one in my family that rely on me for road trips.

I'm a very good driver, but I have some problems when it comes to driving in unfamiliar locations. I have a lot of trouble following written directions (it's easier if I print out a google map or something). I miss turns and get lost and frustrated, but I have few problems finding new places in towns I live/lived in.

^^^^ now that you mention it, I'm the Queen of getting lost. I have no sense of direction, especially in unfamiliar places. Its quite bad actually.

I actually ride a motorcycle and do fairly well with it. I think part of that is the helmet actually. The helmet makes a lot of wind noise, which while loud, is still white noise. Add in wearing earplugs on top of that for hearing conservation, the volume level on things you need to hear is turned way down.

The visor on a full face helmet actually limits your field of view a good bit. That cuts down on the visual distractions. And if you swap your lenses out for bright rides, then you have a perfect "pair" of sunglasses. No light comes in without being filtered.

But, since riding a motorcycle is a fairly complex endeavor in itself, you should be competent with either the road rules and driving in general, or with motorcycling before you venture out onto the road.

And you probably have to like it. Motorcycling has been one of my special interests most of my life, but I was still to afraid to try until I was in my later 20's.

My only issue with riding now is that I've yet to find a satisfactory way to mount my GPS to my bike...