Published on 12, July, 2020
I'm trying to learn to drive at the moment. I've had 30 hours of lessons and it's mostly going fine, but I'm really struggling to cope with the sensations of the car/ road. I can manage most of it, usually, but I really struggle with the feeling of changing gear, which is making hill starts particularly really difficult because I don't like making the engine rev because it's loud and feels horrible. And to make it worse my instructor has just got a new car and it's it's really loud.
Does anyone have any experience of learning to drive and overcoming the sensory stuff that I'm finding quite overwhelming?
Thank you for all of your comments. My driving instructor is lovely, and now I have a bit more experience and know the 'rules of driving' (so to speak) a lot better, I'm fairly comfortable with him and I think he's pretty good with me, even if he doesn't understand everything, so I don't really want to change instructor which means presevering with a manual. I haven't explained the sensory thing to him because I don't know how to explain it coherently in a way he'll understand/ won't think I'm really weird. I kept driving even though I was having a panic attack the other day because I didn't know how to tell him. Communication really isn't a strong point for me.
Well for me, just taking the lessons was in itself stressful. I don't remember saying very much at all. Being stuck in a small space with a complete stranger was such an odd / stressful experience. I remember he talked all the time and I kept thinking 'just stop talking so I can concentrate!" But I didn't say so. You did very well to keep going under a panic attack. I would suggest to mention something of the sensory impact though, if you can, because they might be able to help.