I do, autism has stopped me from doing so many things that neurotypical people seem to do.
I do, autism has stopped me from doing so many things that neurotypical people seem to do.
I'm not sure. I think I've still done many of those "normal" things but perhaps with mcuh greater difficulty than many. I suppose i resent not being able to do certain things quite as effortlessly as many NTs seem to.
That said, there have been certain things which have come more easily to me and these have probably also been due to my (unidentified) autism. I guess a certain amount of misunderstanding has been generated because the things I've found easier (e.g. exams, maths, tax, languages etc) have just been taken for granted as a kind of natural gift, whereas the things I've found difficult (driving, office politics, public speaking, meetings etc) have led to blame and lack of understanding - most frequently along the lines of, "If you're so good at this (stuff we NTs find to be understandably quite challenging) how come you're so lousy at that (things NTs believe somehow come naturally).
I feel better now I've understood more about the source of the misunderstandings and feelings of difference so I would say that the role of "robber" in this tale isn't autism itself but lack of identification of autism plus little acceptance or accommodation.
I am able to drive - I passed the driving test in 2007, aged 28. However, people in our area would drive over you; given the chance.
Driving became a forced exercise. Then I gave up driving three months ago. However, should I get a job, I will rent a car and see how well I would cope.
Driving has always been problematic for me. I'd have preferred not to learn but so many factors have pushed me in that direction over the years and it felt as though I wasn't allowed to opt out of it.
We also seem to live in a car culture and not driving led to me feeling excluded and deprived of certain opportunities in life. So I did it, but with great difficulty and loads of stress. I've never felt comfortable with it. Plus, as you say, there are those out there who would drive over you given the chance.
I find that driving situations can bring out the worst in people. For me it often feels very confrontational in nature and I generally get by by adopting a kind of driving persona - that of someone more confident and decisive than I actually am. I also deskilled it somewhat by driving an automatic plus tackled some of my more negative driving-related thoughts with a homespun CBT approach.
Still, I feel irked that it comes so easily to many. So easily, in fact, that when someone is trying to convince others that something apparently difficult becomes second nature after a while, they refer to it being like driving. They clearly don't realise that inside I'm thinking, "Oh no! If it's as hard as that then I just know I can't go through that again!"
Driving has always been problematic for me. I'd have preferred not to learn but so many factors have pushed me in that direction over the years and it felt as though I wasn't allowed to opt out of it.
We also seem to live in a car culture and not driving led to me feeling excluded and deprived of certain opportunities in life. So I did it, but with great difficulty and loads of stress. I've never felt comfortable with it. Plus, as you say, there are those out there who would drive over you given the chance.
I find that driving situations can bring out the worst in people. For me it often feels very confrontational in nature and I generally get by by adopting a kind of driving persona - that of someone more confident and decisive than I actually am. I also deskilled it somewhat by driving an automatic plus tackled some of my more negative driving-related thoughts with a homespun CBT approach.
Still, I feel irked that it comes so easily to many. So easily, in fact, that when someone is trying to convince others that something apparently difficult becomes second nature after a while, they refer to it being like driving. They clearly don't realise that inside I'm thinking, "Oh no! If it's as hard as that then I just know I can't go through that again!"