What problems do you have with driving?

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I'm a little surprised to find that many people on the spectrum have trouble with driving or can't drive at all, because I haven't had any problems with driving or learning to drive. I just did so a bit late (I got my license when I was 18.) I've gone from strictly obeying speed limits as a beginner to going exactly 9 mph over most speed limits when not stuck behind slower vehicles, as I gained experience.

So for those unable to drive, what prevents you from doing so?

I'm not unable to drive, but it's not always comfortable. I didn't start driving until I was 26. It took a while until I could deal with all the motion and coordinating my motion with all the other motion. Not to mention the lights. I can do it but it's still a bit scary sometimes and I do obey the laws. (Most of the time.)

Usually autistics have impaired spatial differentiation.

I'm not really sure how to measure that in myself, but I can't catch a ball worth a darn.

I describe it as it'd be less safe for me to drive than someone with uncontrolled narcolepsy.

Sensory overload leads to shutdowns in me. When I'm in a shutdown I can't control much of anything, and would not be able to control a car. Risking driving when I know that I get shutdowns from overload is incredibly unsafe and irresponsible of me.

Then add on top of that that headlights are one of the things that often leads to overloading for me.

Then add that headlights not only lead to overloading, they also are incredibly blinding to me, even at low beams. People's descriptions of how high beams are blinding tend to confuse me because low beams are at least that bad for me.

Also, I do have an impaired spatial differentiation, rather bad reflexes (both in reaction time and a tendency to overcompensate), and likely other issues with it too.

The issues with headlights are bad enough that I'll never drive.

The most difficult part for me is the coordination of pressing my foot on the gas/brakes with the right pressure. It feels near impossible for me to get the right feel for it. I also still don't have my driver's license as the aforementioned problem is amplified when I have to navigate the social aspect of talking to the DMV person in the passenger's seat - I failed the driving test three times and have been too apprehensive to take it again.

That only means that you can't drive at night, though. I do ok with driving, but I hit a wall at driving at night in the rain on the freeway, so I avoid doing that.

The other people on the road!

I learned to drive when I was 20, but I didn't drive at all for several years after I got my license. I only started driving again a year or so ago. Good thing that I lived in a city with public transportation.

My main problem with driving is spacing out, so I don't drive on the freeway. Spacing out for three seconds on the low-traffic roads of my suburban neighborhood is not a big deal, but doing the same on the freeway in SoCal is a different matter. I find that listening to music on the radio helps me not space out.

Another problem with driving is sensory overload caused by the amount of detail absorbed through my eyes as I am driving down the road. I notice every little speck of whatever while walking down the street, so my problems in this area are amplified while driving.

Also, I suck at parking, especially parallel parking.

Okay the ADHD perspective. I love to drive and have had several jobs that involve a lot of driving, including my current one.

I can drive at very high speeds with no problem. It puts me into hyperfocus. At slower speeds I feel like I will fall asleep.

It took me a long time to learn how to back the car up properly. I do okay now but for several years I was constantly backing up into things, or backing off the edge of driveways.

I have a hard time driving in city rush hour traffic. I can handle it but when it's over, my whole body is shaking and it takes me awhile to recover.

I don't like to drive at night because the headlights of other cars really annoy me. You know how a car gets behind you, just close enough that their lights keeping shining right in your mirrors? That is enough to incite me to rage.

So you expect to know when it's going to rain in New England?

But seriously, no it won't be safe for me to drive even during the day. Other car lights also affect me and I can't always predict when I'm going to hit overload - I just can predict that headlights will cause it.

When I say that headlights are blinding and cause overload, I mean to the point where walking home from the grocery store I'll disassociate before walking a tenth of a mile (I think, it seems to fit what I read for disassociating), and overloads to me include being unable to change what I'm doing at all. I can walk home in those situations by walking straight, not changing my path, not thinking about what I'm doing, and doing it incredibly robotically. Someone else walking on the sidewalk means they need to avoid me because I will walk into them instead of avoid them because I don't process seeing them (once they're close enough that I can see them which is incredibly close) as a reason to change my path at all.

I love driving and I've never had any problems, but then I don't have a diagnosed autism spectrum condition. I have a diagnosed anxiety disorder and I just feel like I have some autictic-like traits.

I did take a long time to learn to drive though, because I wouldn't do anything until I was really comfortable with it. It was a long time before I'd drive on the freeway (now my favorite place to drive!) and an even longer time before I would make left turns on busy streets.

I'd say the only thing that bothers me about driving is those ambiguous situations where you're not quite sure what is the correct thing to do. Like when you should let people in to a busy street and when you shouldn't. I always worry that they're going to decide to turn left and not see a car coming that way and get in a wreck...and then it would be partially my fault in my mind...

I am utterly lacking in any type of phsyical coordination, but for some reason it's not a problem with driving, even driving a standard transmission.

I am very uncomfortable driving, and find it quite fatiguing. I often space out and notice hazards at the last moment, which is terrifying. Plus I miss exits all the time. I get easily overwhelmed in areas with lots of pedestrians and shops. At night I find the headlights blinding. So I avoid driving as much as possible.

I recently got myself a scooter for around town. That is much easier for me because I don't space out, and I feel more comfortable having room to maneuver in the lane if I do get taken by surprise. It's also easier to pull over if I get overwhelmed.

Driving, like many other things, is something I can only do when no one is watching. If I'm in a car by myself, or it's just me and the dog, I'm a patient and safe driver. I go the speed limit, let people pass me when I'm going too slowly, and rarely get overwhelmed or distracted enough to even miss my turns. It's something I really enjoy, if I'm familiar enough with the road. (One of my favorite things to do is get going on a decently long trip, turn on music I love and sing at the top of my lungs the whole ride.)
But, when someone else is in the vehicle with me, I feel way too much pressure. I get overwhelmed by the other cars on the road, and often get "stuck" someplace that scares me to get out of, because I wasn't paying enough attention in the first place. It's almost to the point where I can't drive with other people in the car. I usually have to tell people that their comments are not helping and unless they'd like to drive they need to pretend not to be there until I can get us someplace NOT surrounded by cars. If someone pushes too hard trying to help, I have been known to get mean. (just because I'm so panicky at that point)

Idiots.

People who stop more than a few feet from the "Stop Line" at an intersection. Doing so slows down the changing of the light because there is usually a sensor loop right at the stop line, and if it does not sense a vehicle, then the light will default to its maximum cycle time.

People who drive rented box trucks in the diamond lane. Most such trucks have a governor that limits their speed to 55 or 60, and not the posted 65 mph. Thus, they slow down everyone behind them while they enjoy a clear lane ahead of them.

People who yap on their cell phones and drift into my lane, or who don't notice when the light turns green. Then they flip me off when I honk my horn at them, as if there was something wrong with me for warning them that they are being stupid.

Tailgaters who refuse to go around me, and seem to expect me to get out of their way just because they flash their lights. This usually happens on the freeway, when I'm already going at or slightly above the speed limit.

Halogen head lights on SUV's.