Published on 12, July, 2020
It took me many years to learn to drive and only eventually passed my test in an automatic car in my 40s.
Today I've just come home from driving to Chichester and the other drivers drove me a bit mad.
Motorbikes cutting me up, people doing 20 miles an hour in a 60 zone, me getting out of the way of 2 ambulances and no-one letting me back out etc etc etc.
I seem to like driving less and less and am more inclined to stay at home than I ever was.
There is just so much going on around you to be aware of, especially in cities (with pedestrians too).
So, 2 questions.
1. Is my difficulty with learning in a manual car, which I took at the time to be poor co-ordination, but I wasn't aware of my autism, an autistic thing?
2. Does anyone else find driving difficult (and, again, is it an autistic thing)?
Hi Debbie.
Yes I would say it is autism related. With so much to think about and process doing gears in a manual can be too much.
I drive an automatic. I couldn't process everything with a manual.
And yes it's difficult so much to do and think about. Other road users put me off.
I wish they would all go away LOL
Sorry I was trying to say we're the same and you're not alone with this.
Thank you.
Yes, I drive an automatic too.
6 months on I'm having a different problem.
I am zoning out mentally (very occasionally) and unless I'm following a well trod route (my favourite way to drive) I end up back home before reaching my destination!
I'm still attentive to the road so it's not going to cause an accident.
Doh.