A lot of people with Autism don't drive cars, why is that?

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28 Jun 2024, 8:58 pm

Because my parents would never let me learn. "Wait until you're 18" "Wait until you're 21" etc. "Autistic people can't drive". And even when I lived away from my parents it's not exactly like you can go jump in a random car to practice.

My driving teacher was a b***h who screamed and yelled and triggered my PTSD of being yelled at in anger because I didn't automatically know how to do things...and then scream at me for accidently turning off the headlights when reaching for the turn signal.

I think I will always hold resentment towards my parents for not letting me learn at 16 and not believing me about how much the driving teacher screamed at me to the point I would throw up.

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auntblabby
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28 Jun 2024, 9:01 pm

i learned how to drive about 4 years after my age peers. felt like a dweeb being the only senior on the school bus.

bee33
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28 Jun 2024, 11:48 pm

auntblabby wrote:

some of us don't have the processing speed and attention breadth...

I think I have something like that too. Can you explain more about that? (If you want to.)

There's just too much going on for me to stay on top of it all, and you have to when you are driving. Changing lanes is almost impossible for me, or turning left when you have to catch just the right moment when the cars coming toward you have stopped and the ones perpendicular to you haven't started up yet. I think I'm also bad at knowing when a car is far enough away that I can pull out in front of them, so I have to wait until there's a lot of space.

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29 Jun 2024, 4:13 pm

auntblabby wrote:

i learned how to drive about 4 years after my age peers. felt like a dweeb being the only senior on the school bus.

Are you saying that every student at your school who had a driver's license had a car available to them to drive to school?

Geez, when I was growing up, this was virtually unheard of, and when kids DID drive in with their own cars, they were envied, it was so uncommon.

renaeden
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29 Jun 2024, 10:55 pm

Elgee wrote:

auntblabby wrote:

i learned how to drive about 4 years after my age peers. felt like a dweeb being the only senior on the school bus.

Same here. I knew only two people who had cars in my last year of high school.

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29 Jun 2024, 11:20 pm

I get around with a bike. If not, on foot.

If I can't and if it's too slow, I'm taking a tricycle (a motorcycle with an attached passenger cab with it's 3rd additional wheel).
And if I'm in a highway, several kilometers away and somehow broke/in a really tight budget, I'd be taking a jeepney.

The road rules are very relative when observing as someone as a pedestrian, while riding a bike, while riding a motorcycle, while driving a car, while riding a jeep, while riding a bus...

I'm at best at foot. I'm alright with the bike.
I already get the gist around the motorcycle despite not riding and owning one.

I've yet to learn much of the lesser known and unspoken rules of the road with a car and anything larger.

I've yet to actually own and ride any transportations involving any engine.

As for navigating the road itself; one had to know timing and ways to go about.
Sometimes one had to tell if another driver won't yield, or that one comes off as not yielding.

If, you choose to be defensive and take it easily which isn't a shame anywhere.
Or, you would choose this more aggressive route which takes skill and risks.

Then one would had to gauge which of those two contrasting styles are the 'norm' in which road and what usually vehicles are involved.

And then there's an occasional tag teaming.

Like giving every motorcyclist a head's up; in coming road block, in coming check point, or being told to go to another route due to traffic or incident...

Even goes as far as to warn and how to avoid paying and getting your license confiscated/getting your vehicle towed if you're not following certain laws. (Like, motorcyclists with 2+ passengers and all without a helmet) because there's an occasional traffic road checkpoint.

And where and when one would do that or could receive such message...

The law here is quite... Loose.
And I'm barely the type to strictly follow said laws.

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29 Jun 2024, 11:28 pm

Now, I'm only 13, but for me, I don't think I will drive. I've always been terrified of heights, and for some reason things always look higher up than they really are. I'm awful at focusing on one thing as well, which would include driving. And I've crashed so many ATVs at around 30 miles an hour (I once crashed so bad, I nearly ended up in the hospital with head injuries, and I could barely use my right are for months because of pain) I can only imagine what would happen if I got my hands on a machine that can go 200 MPH.

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30 Jun 2024, 1:25 am

bee33 wrote:

auntblabby wrote:

some of us don't have the processing speed and attention breadth...

I think I have something like that too. Can you explain more about that? (If you want to.) There's just too much going on for me to stay on top of it all, and you have to when you are driving. Changing lanes is almost impossible for me, or turning left when you have to catch just the right moment when the cars coming toward you have stopped and the ones perpendicular to you haven't started up yet. I think I'm also bad at knowing when a car is far enough away that I can pull out in front of them, so I have to wait until there's a lot of space.

when more than one car is around me in traffic, i can only pay attention to one of 'em at a time, leaving me at the mercy of the other random element/car and driver, it is luck that has kept me out of more accidents than the ones i've already been in.

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30 Jun 2024, 1:27 am

renaeden wrote:

Elgee wrote:

auntblabby wrote:

i learned how to drive about 4 years after my age peers. felt like a dweeb being the only senior on the school bus.

Same here. I knew only two people who had cars in my last year of high school.

i was the only senior on the school bus, the rest were juniors and sophs. small school. presumably the rest of the seniors found alternate transportation, either cars or riding to school with their car-driving friends, but judging by how crowded the student parking lot was, i'd say most of the senior class drove themselves.

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30 Jun 2024, 1:57 am

auntblabby wrote:

some of us don't have the processing speed and attention breadth/span to be any more than barely adequate drivers.

I'd lose some attention breadth and processing speed if I'm tired, burnout or sick, or anytime I'm not able to ignore whatever my body is screaming at me (because my processing and attention is 'wasted' and kept focusing over it)

I can afford to do so when walking for miles or biking for a short period of time.
But if I'm involved past the sidewalks/edges of the road it gets trickier, so that translates to I don't think I can afford to drive safely at such state.

If and if I'm planning to ever ride and drive a car myself...
I best figure how to take care of myself best first regardless of how 'good' I can be.

And my limitation would be something like not being able to drive several hours long trip; the types that have the long endurance to remain up and about still being able to drive safely for hours end.

The types who could navigate dangerous roads at less visibility with less sleep hours and while possibly hungry themselves.

Until I fix my 'endurance' and stress management, I won't be one of those types who could afford driving.

Oh, and, I definitely cannot afford driving under influence unlike some.
Sure, it's generally risky and illegal -- but the effects of alcohol gives me tunneling vision instead of recklessness...

But yeah -- cognitive profiles won't be my issue.
Sleep issues and unpredictable energy levels might be at the wrong time and place.

Certain symptoms that will give me upper respiratory issues, brain fog and 'allergy symptoms' whenever would likely give me a hard time (as it does for all aspects of my life so far).

My most likely issue of struggling with driving or transports isn't even related to autism at all.

It's barely considered a medical condition at all.

So...
Should the day I'd take a driver's test, I should not be dealing with several things at once in my body.

It's the same 'protocol' I "had to do" when I want to enjoy an event or place; not have my screaming body ruin it and spent more time coping with it than learning/enjoying/etc...

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Last edited by Edna3362 on 30 Jun 2024, 2:23 am, edited 1 time in total.

lostonearth35
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30 Jun 2024, 2:19 am

If you're an adult in Europe and can't drive, it's no big deal there are buses, but if you're an adult in North America and can't drive, people think you're a waste of human resources and should be euthanized.

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01 Jul 2024, 1:53 am

auntblabby wrote:

bee33 wrote:

auntblabby wrote:

some of us don't have the processing speed and attention breadth...

I think I have something like that too. Can you explain more about that? (If you want to.) There's just too much going on for me to stay on top of it all, and you have to when you are driving. Changing lanes is almost impossible for me, or turning left when you have to catch just the right moment when the cars coming toward you have stopped and the ones perpendicular to you haven't started up yet. I think I'm also bad at knowing when a car is far enough away that I can pull out in front of them, so I have to wait until there's a lot of space.

Thank you Blabby. That does sound a bit like me. I don't drive though, or I have done so only very rarely, so I've been lucky enough not to be in any accidents.

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01 Jul 2024, 1:56 am

lostonearth35 wrote:

If you're a single parent in North America it's next-to-impossible to function without a car.

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02 Jul 2024, 8:47 pm

WantToHaveALife wrote:

What are common reasons why a lot of people with autism don't have a car or don't have drivers licenses, don't drive?

That has never been the case for me, i've had my drivers license since i was 18.

Overall, just wondering, what are common health reasons associated with autism that prevent them from driving a car?

Others I talked to years ago found trying to learn or actual driving overwhelming.

I learned to drive at 19 at a driving school. First my dad tried to teach me. But he did things like yell to use the breaks for no reason. BTW I think my dad was also on the spectrum by descriptions of him when he was younger.

I gave up driving because I have sciatica and later found out I also have spinal muscular atrophy. It's safer for me to take the bus. I like that Google Maps satellite images can show me along with street view, clearly what places or the trip will be like. I sometimes use HandyDart(transit disabled mini buses) but it's rare. It can be hard on crowded or busy buses. I like to see the street stop sign near the front. People's smells or noise can bother me. I'm also shy about asking people to move so I can sit in seniors/disabled seats at the front. I hate taking my walker. It's big and a hassle. My new canes handle gave my hand callous.

Sometimes I do miss driving. When I would drive in the Interior of the province or sometimes go to parks.

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02 Jul 2024, 9:42 pm

lostonearth35 wrote:

Sometimes I wish I didn't live in America, but my family is here.

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04 Jul 2024, 9:14 am

Wow I thought I might be quite alone in this but I feel much better knowing I am not the only one who doesn't drive!
I get completely overwhelmed. My senses go into overdrive and I have NO idea what I'm supposed to pay attention to. It's like the opposite of tunnel vision :lol:
I was very embarrassed about it because I could not explain it until I watched Young Sheldon's teacher (yes, I know...) try to drive and explain how he felt completely panicked and just hated it. That's me.

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