Autism at work

Whether that would constitute a "reasonable adjustment" would depend on whether they are or can run another course somewhere better for you.

I very much sympathise yet am also chuckling at one of my memories of training. I was a trainer with the MPS. Sometimes training for trainers was held at a place near Oxford Circus. Every flaming time I went there, I'd get lost. I'd pop out of Oxford Circus tube and be totally disorientated and confused. All the exits to all the streets looked the same to me. I could never work out where I was.

I did know I was dyslexic with right/left confusion and all that, but had no clue I was autistic at the time and it was pre-smart phone days. I had nice colleagues and was used to dealing with my foibles and quirks as a joke on the one hand yet insisting on my needs on the other. It was always a case of: "Oh God, we're sending Dawn out of the office tomorrow, we'll station someone at a PC on Google maps ready for her call". Invariably, I'd call: "Errr, I know I've been here before but I'm totally lost". A colleague on google maps would kindly try to guide me over the phone...."No, Dawn, try your other left, lovvie". "Ok, so headed in the other direction now, which left was the other left?" Heavy sigh, no matter how early I left the house, I'd be 10 minutes late having turned in circles for eons, and very stressed by then. But someone would pass me a back coffee and let me catch my breath.

I'm chuckling now. It's funny in hindsight, but ok I was pretty stressed at the time.

At the end of the day, even if they can't change the venue for it, chances are the taxi will get there ok. They've got SatNavs these days and if somehow it doesn't, sneak in the back and just simply state: "Sorry, taxi got lost". Hardly your fault. No one's fault and no one will hang you for it.

Whether that would constitute a "reasonable adjustment" would depend on whether they are or can run another course somewhere better for you.

I very much sympathise yet am also chuckling at one of my memories of training. I was a trainer with the MPS. Sometimes training for trainers was held at a place near Oxford Circus. Every flaming time I went there, I'd get lost. I'd pop out of Oxford Circus tube and be totally disorientated and confused. All the exits to all the streets looked the same to me. I could never work out where I was.

I did know I was dyslexic with right/left confusion and all that, but had no clue I was autistic at the time and it was pre-smart phone days. I had nice colleagues and was used to dealing with my foibles and quirks as a joke on the one hand yet insisting on my needs on the other. It was always a case of: "Oh God, we're sending Dawn out of the office tomorrow, we'll station someone at a PC on Google maps ready for her call". Invariably, I'd call: "Errr, I know I've been here before but I'm totally lost". A colleague on google maps would kindly try to guide me over the phone...."No, Dawn, try your other left, lovvie". "Ok, so headed in the other direction now, which left was the other left?" Heavy sigh, no matter how early I left the house, I'd be 10 minutes late having turned in circles for eons, and very stressed by then. But someone would pass me a back coffee and let me catch my breath.

I'm chuckling now. It's funny in hindsight, but ok I was pretty stressed at the time.

At the end of the day, even if they can't change the venue for it, chances are the taxi will get there ok. They've got SatNavs these days and if somehow it doesn't, sneak in the back and just simply state: "Sorry, taxi got lost". Hardly your fault. No one's fault and no one will hang you for it.

Cheers for the reply. They have instructors at every depot who could brief me on the new traction and then work on the services as instructed coz that’s at a depot I know well!!!

I once got lost on the way to a therapist appointment, freaked out and didn’t go to it, which looking back now is ironic!!!