Aspergers and Driving

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I drive, and i just have classic autism, took me forever to drive, but i actually drive pretty good, not far, short distances, and i have to have my exact location, lane, timing, all planned out before i even step in the car.

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Being Normal Is Vastly Overrated

I voted yes, though I am a nervous driver. I drive slower and avoid left turns a lot. I do want to say that a study was done (I heard this on the radio on NPR) that observed drivers. People who stated they were good drivers were often poor drivers and overconfident. It showed that people lacked self-awareness of their own skills and mistakes.

I am pretty sure that my father is an Aspie and he is an excellent driver. He used to race in his teenage years at his local race club.
As for me...I am the complete opposite.
I have tried to learn to drive several times. On the first occassion which was early in 2007, I couldn't even co-ordinate the throttle and stearing wheel at the same time to make the car work.
On my last attempt, I managed to have to car going in a straight line for about 8 seconds before I lost co-ordination, panicked, let go of the steering wheel and drove through my neighbours parents flower garden .

I drive ok but not the best, I don't trust other drivers. I love to drive I like the motion but I am a nervious wreck, I don't have a car any more. Put over three hundred thousand miles on the last car I had. Now I ride a 650cc motorcycle and love it. I love the motion. Some times I don't want to get off the bike. So much more at risk of getting killed.

I'm an aspie and I feel I'm a great driver. I mean yes, I do often go 10-20 miles over the speed limit, but it's not like I crash or anything. I know, it doesn't help any for me to say that.

I drive from school to work on friday afternoons in some of the worst rush hour conditions on the freeway in seattle... it isn't really that challenging to me. I don't feel there should be any stereotype with asperger's syndrome and driving..

I don't drive.

I'm currently learning to drive and my instructor says I'm doing very well considering the amount of tuition I've had so far. I do get nervous when driving in traffic though because other people think that they can freely cut in front of me or drive up right behind me and then get annoyed as I am a learner.

I am learning to drive this year I can't wait

I said "fairly good" driver in the poll, but I wasn't always. When I was first learning to drive, the teachers really wanted to fail me. It was hard to figure out how to deal with all the input - road, other cars, signs and signals - in real time. I got my license (the test I took was super simple ). and drove around just like quirky above, very carefully.

Every time I got in the car, I would say to myself, "I will not have an accident." And it worked. I did that every single time I drove for at least 7 or 8 years (not sure when I stopped that habit).

Now I have been driving for over 25 years and I'm much better. I still don't consider myself a great driver, but I guess that's good that I'll never get overconfident. I don't judge speeds well, but I'm trying to improve!

Incidently, I just bought a new car last week, so I'm driving extra carefully again.

I didn't do my driving license yet. I don't think I could drive right now, I can't pay attention to traffics if I walk by foot. The thought that I'd be just as mindless when driving a car frightens me. I do hope I'll overcome this issue in the new future, because I really want to do my license.

Hello,
I am seventeeen and could have my lisence now, but I dislike driving a lot. It really is bothersome for me not to be able to drive because I live very far away from all places in the area. I would like to get out and go swimming at the YMCA, where I become very calm, but I can not drive myself there.

Actually. I do not even like riding in cars at all. And I hate bright light so driving in the winter or summer is impossible.

I don't drive but me m8 simon who has AS drives n he is a decent driver sticks 2 da rules n has a good memory 4 certain routes.

i love driving. oh do i love driving. i drive a stick shift, live around boston and love the tiny streets, the highly unpredictable nature of the drivers and trying to milk the car for every ounce of agility and handling.

i'm pretty good at it, everyone i've driven usually comments at my ability to predict what will happen and my reaction times to odd things.

I'm 19 years old and I still haven't learned to drive. I mean, I wanted to in high school, but there were too many things going on that I just didn't have the time to learn to drive. I've survived so far in college without a car; I don't think I'd have to time to go driving around in college unless I was driving to campus from home. I think that I may learn to drive this summer, however. I don't know how good of a driver that I will be; I'd probably be pretty careful and nervous for the first couple times. I think it would be nice to have a license (or at least a permit) because it's a government-issued identification, which is very important to have.

Let me add that my father, who I believe is likely an aspie, seems to be a very good driver, although maybe that is because he has been driving a long time (over 60 years). Interestingly, when I'm driving and he is the passenger, he reports noticing all kinds of things around him that he never notices when he drives. I guess he focuses on his driving pretty intently.