Video on autistic perception walking down the street

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Finally somebody else that knows what the hell I'm talking about. Nobody has ever understood my annoyance with eyelashes touching sunglasses lenses. I figured I just had freakishly long eyelashes

@ Eloa
Very good thread! Well done!

the audio part is perfect, is THAT way exactly.

the video is too bright, but is almost that way too.

I found the OP's video fairly accurate.

The main difference from my view to the one depicted is that when I am in an area that is that bright (sunlight, etc.) I start to lose the ability to distinguish details, as everything begins to whitewash too much. On particularly bright days I am literally blind by the light, as everything is a glaring painful white that feels as if it is searing through me. (I’m nocturnal for a reason) So I only get distracted indoors or other low lighting situations. Sometimes more distracted than indicated in the video, to the point of no longer walking, and only staring and absorbing what I’m looking at.

The noise seemed off somehow too, I’m not sure exactly why, but it was minor…I considered watching it again to pinpoint the reason, but this video racked my nerves to watch. And the scents and feels cannot be communicated properly through this type of media, of course, but that setting would have been rather uncomfortable (judging from past experience in similar circumstances).

I'm always pretty unsure if I relate to Aspergers or not. I consider my theory of mind functions to be actually above average, and I developed speech very early, and picked up vocabulary rapidly - not below average, probably above average for this as well (and yet, poor social skills. Go figure). These are key indicators, and I don't fit the definition on these points.

But there are all sorts of other features of Aspieness I relate to with the rest of you very, very much. Sensory overload is one of them and this video seems to describe it very well. The sound is perfect. The location chosen is ideal - this is, at least for me, exactly the kind of street where it is worst. Heavy traffic, and only a narrow sidewalk, pressing you into the traffic almost, with no space to get away. The only thing that's missing is oncoming pedestrians, who add a whole other level of discomfort.

Looking at small details - this is a surprise for me. Is this really not typical of people? I never really noticed people doing it, I suppose, but I've always just assumed they do. I also run my hands over things.

I don't experience anything being brighter though. I don't think. It's kind of hard to say, without being able to look through someone else's eyes. But since it doesn't seem to hurt my eyes any more than anyone else, I can only assume the brightness is the same. I get overstimulation from light, even just a sunny day, but I don't believe I see anything brighter than normal.

On the sort of street shown in the video I would say the feeling of being exposed is very high, not just from the light but from the sound and motion as well as the fact there is not any sort of cover from the traffic. This sort of environment is highly uncomfortable. Add some trees, and move the walls back some, and it is much better.

How many of you prefer the night, to go for a walk? This is what I prefer. Less traffic, less people, quieter, darker.

It's more like focusing on everything, but each for its own very short moment. I'm trying to remember the scene from a movie of video game where a person's POV scans the area and each item lights up with a label, but very quickly and in succession. Only then can I decide what's the most important thing to concentrate on. If there's too many new things entering the scene at once, that's where being overwhelmed comes in. Or like walking into an unfamiliar bar. I feel like I have to have seen everyone and where everything is first, before I can sit comfortably.



I remember one time when looking for a rest room while driving and running into three in a row that were closed. It wasn't a desperate situation, but incredibly frustrating.


As mentioned previously, everyone may be at a different level and the perceptions are different. Much more pronounced for me if I've had too much caffeine! I like the video expression idea though, except mine would have to include color blindness as well.

Thank you!

But to make it clear, I am not the one who made this video, I just found it on You-Tube.
But I thank everyone for sharing their experiences on that, because it is very interesting to know and you feel less alone in your own way of perceiving, which seems to differ a lot from how non-autistic people perceive.

Are there more people who would share it with non-autistic people and write about how they react on it?

One therapist said to me, that she was surprised about how autistic people perceive the environment and that she learned a lot from it.

From my understanding, a lack of a speech delay is one of the key differences between Asperger's and Autism. I was an early talker, too, and I have a strong vocabulary.

Me too. I'm always plucking leaves or twigs off trees playing with them in my fingers as well before throwing them away. If I pass small posts (you know the ones that block cars from jumping sidewalks or from ram-raiding shop windows?) I compulsively slap the top of them. When I pass street signs or poles I usually tap them with a knuckle to get a ringing chime. I'm also compulsive about either missing lines or cracks in the pavement or if I can't avoid stepping on one without looking like a weirdo jumping over them I at least make sure I step on it exactly halfway on the sole of my shoe. I don't just avoid lines and cracks in my path. I project imaginary lines outwards from squares or rectangles on footpaths like hydrant plates or the concrete lids that give access to phone wires underneath. I also avoid stepping on these imaginary lines or where I estimate they would run. I also keep an eye on the sky and get distracted by planes, dogs and birds, nice looking trees, women (of course), interesting features on buildings, people doing things other than walking and I notice number plates of cars and try to make words out of the ones that only have consonants by adding any vowels I like. Phew! No wonder I like just hanging at home!

I don't think I have the sensitivity to brightness that's simulated in the video the OP posted (or maybe I do and I don't even realize it?), but the part on observing all sorts of minute details is spot on for me.

I'm sorry that I was unable to finish watching the video. It quickly became too intense sometime after the autism part started. But I did think the sound was about right during the part I could watch - in the autism part, but before the color got too screwy and the visual completely changed. I found the rest confusing and irritating, so I had to stop it. I have no idea if I'd experience the world in that worse way if I were at a less mild point on the spectrum.

I was watching video and just wanted to read license plates on the parked cars. *Come on dude, look right...more right*

Love your icon!! !!

Welcome to WP!! !

Glad to see an Aspie from Iceland!! !!

Hey, thanks!

I think the sound part was really accurate. I have thought about doing something similar to this.

ha ha same here