Coronavirus Are Autistic people more likely to keep or break the rules?

Ha! Sorry, I replied to the wrong comment. Yeah, he used the child endangerment smallprint too....really broke the back of lockdown which is probably the main reason people aren't bothering at the minute.

Nothing like staying local! I had forgotten about The Don.

but u would love it if u were in charge

To be honest, I'm sick to death of the new rules. But my frustration is more aimed at 'Normies.'

I don't think it's a moral high ground as such but another example of the social disability we have.

Where a NT or maybe someone who is less affected in that area can judge which rules can be bent, which apply in only certain situations and which need concrete following, some people with autism lack that insight and follow to the letter for fear of being excluded by the social group. That leads to exclusion anyway because the group somehow know that the autistic person isn't following the rules "right" (from a social POV rather than a right from a moral point of view).

thats the hardest thing of all

I've been thinking about this and wTching aspIes all year. Some adhere strictly to the letter, some seem to think it's nonsense and are flexible. What i'm tempted to say is that when aspies decide to stick to the rule they do. Overall I'm sceptical about discussions of whether asPies have moral high ground around things, some do some don't, we seem as mixed as NTs.

Yea, I take the not touching the mask rule seriously too. 

I do notice a lot of people touching their masks all the time, and it makes me cringe. 

I'm definitely a rule follower and don't see any nuance, I just follow the rules to the letter. 

When we started wearing masks to work I stopped drinking except on breaks because how can you drink with a mask on? And you shouldn't touch the mask so I couldn't just move the mask out the way to drink. I ended up having a chat with the unit sister who told me that of course I can drink but it still makes me uncomfortable.

I know others are affected differently though.

Or his boss can take a 600 mile road trip to test his eye sight.

But if only the rules were clear! Many people may have broken rules without knowing as they can be vague in some areas. We did have an exemption in the last Spring lock down but no mention of this in the current lockdown. I do wear a mask and keep my distance but struggle with people who do not. I stay at home and go out for shopping or excercise and go local. If the PM can get confused over cycling seven miles then what chance do I have?

I think if you are Autistic or not if you need to go out shopping or feel a strong desire to go out you would be tempted to break the rules if you felt well enough to.  Sometimes if you have Coronavirus you are too ill to go out anyway.  Not that many Autistic people have jobs to go to so it often does not arise going to work illegally instead of self isolating.

Firstly, I don't think it's mostly people with autism who aren't keeping to the two metre rule and secondly, I don't really need an excuse to stay at home.....more time for my routines.

That's one of the things I've been trying to work about this idea that autistic people follow and like rules. Because it seems to me if that was the case we'd surely fit in more? 

Yet I also recognise some truth to it. It's confusing. 

I break a lot of 'traditions' and seem to have no problems with doing that. There are certain rules I have spotted people seem to have, yet lack any interest in following those rules. They do seem to be the social rules that aren't written though. 

I will also break some written down rules (as long as I don't fear massive consequences like trouble with police) if I believe them to be illogical. 

But written down rules, in general, I stick to, too literally apparently. But I don't understand how a rule can be adhered to while not being literal about the rule. If the rule isn't to be taken literal then it is just a suggestion and not a rule then isn't it? So, it's not even a rule... 

To elaborate, social distancing!

2 Metres. Yes I understand and I will try to keep 2metres apart.

But in pre Covid days.  I always got social distancing wrong in normal everyday social interactions.  I'm either too close or too far away and i make people feel uncomfortable.

I have stuck to the rules.  I feel that it is my way of "doing my bit" to help in the fight against the Covid 19 virus.

This is a paradox.

I think most autistic people are very good at keeping to written and well defined rules.  However we break the unwritten rules of social behaviour all the time because we are unaware of their existence.