So I have major driving anxiety, particularly when it comes to busy places. I also really struggle with parking, and other manoeuvres and things like overtaking buses or bikes as well as parked cars. I get really overwhelmed in these situations and I just wondered if this is at all related to autism or it’s just my anxiety on the roads? Thank you in advance.
I'm not a happy driver, I learned to drive in my mid thirties after never having been a road user at all, no bicyles or anything, I'd only ever been a passenger, my parents didn't drive either so it was all new to me. I find it overwhelming too, but then I know NT's who do too and some who say they would never have had the confidence to drive is the roads had been as busy then as they are now. I do think it's partly an autism thing, but not wholey.
I had to stop driving for a while as I was having such bad nightmares, I had some CBT, but as I wan't driving when I had it, it's hard to know how effective it was, I do drive now, but I also developed social phobia which I think is symptom substitution. When I say I drive now, that true, but I only really feel comfortable driving on the island and into Bangor, I won't drive on motorways and I don't like busy dual carraige ways. I can cope with a single track lane, that will have me reversing for a 100 yards or so to let someone else past, but a motorway, instant meltdown.
I don't tink people really realise how much concentration and awareness driving takes, in towns you've got to have eyes like an owl to avoid all the hazzards, people take far to many risks, they ignore the speed limits, get right up your bumper, under take you and all sorts of muppetry. I do wonder if it shouldn't be legal to run over those idiots who are face down iin thier phones not looking where they're going and walk straigh across a road with no awareness whatso ever, half the time they don't even hear the squeal of brakes. Shouldn't this be seen as Darwinism in action? Does humanity need that amount of stupidy in its genome?
Cyclists are a constant source of problems, many of them seem to think that the rules of the road don't apply to them, they often ride to fast and on pavements too, many are aggressive and rude. Round here we get lots of road racing, many of our smaller lanes have been designated as cycle ways with no regard for the peope that live on these lanes or have to work on them. Cyclists clutter them up like embolisms, heads down not paying attention, they injure people and animals and will surround cars and kick them. One particular place they do this is on a bridleway and horses have been injured and riders thrown, I wonder if a cycle helmet will protect them them if they spook a horse and it rears up and clobbers around the head?
Sorry this has become a bit of a rant, but yes it's not just you, it's everybody else.
I too would not cope with motorway driving due to people speeding and also I struggle to understand which lane I am supposed to be in. I have this issue with roundabouts too. I do have a sticker on the rear window saying I am driving a slow moving vehicle and I am autistic and this does make a difference with drivers giving me space. of course, I get the odd one driving right up close. I do enjoy driving a classic vehicle but plan ahead to take breaks to give myself space.
I am a cyclist and am part of a club, sorry you have had such bad experiences in your area. We always slow down for horses and even cover up flashing lights to avoid spooking them as many members including myself, look after horses.
For me its the sense of being herded on motorways that I can't cope with, I want to be in the inside lane, but then end up in the middle of lorries and that really freaks me out, so I tend to be one of those middle lane drivers that irritate everyone else.
I don't go east of Bangor or not on my own and even being a passenger freaks me out, it's like the island has me a short piece of elastic and wants to ping me back if I go to far away. I did drive to Llandudno a couple of years ago and never again, I was terrified and overwhelmed and even more so when we got there and couldn't find anything. It's even hard to get to on a train as the normal train dosen't go all the way there and you have to change to go one stop. Of course the station is at the other end of town to most of the shops too.
I'm not sure how I'd feel about driving a classic car, I like power steering, my favourite car was a Saab 95 petrol turbo, when driving it one knew that it was built by Vikings for Vikings and I felt able to overtake idiots safely.
Hello, I never thought of that, being herded on to a motorway is an accurate description. I have driven to Anglesey a few years back on a lighthouse trip but got lost around Bangor and enjoyed a few trips over the Britannia bridge. Saab's are nice cars. The steering is fine only if you move the wheel when moving not before or it is a chore on my classic.
Hello, I never thought of that, being herded on to a motorway is an accurate description. I have driven to Anglesey a few years back on a lighthouse trip but got lost around Bangor and enjoyed a few trips over the Britannia bridge. Saab's are nice cars. The steering is fine only if you move the wheel when moving not before or it is a chore on my classic.
