Driving

Post Reply New Topic

Hi everyone,
I started to take driving lessons last month and found out that i am incredibly dangerous behind the wheel. Up to now i have nearly caused two accidents and almost ran over a pedestrian, all averted luckily by my driving instructor.
I realised that when a person drives a car they have emotions, usualy fear, that stop them from doing dangerous (or what could be dangerous) things while driving.
For example, learners are often critisized for being slow where as i am criticised for being more like a racing car driver than a learner and scaring my instructor. I am getting out of this now though but i was wandering if others had this no fear problem as well?

My driving instructor told me I was a good driver and that I just needed to "calm down." I guess I have the opposite problem as you.

I haven't got my full driving license yet but when I do I'll be most happy. I have no fear at all as regards to driving in fact I love it.

I had no problem learning to drive it just took me awhile because half way through my parents decided to resolve issues from when they divorced

I passed my driving test first time round with only 4 minor mistakes

The only 2 accidents I have had in 7 years of driving were the other a-holes fault. The last one was 3 years ago this crazy woman tried to undertake me at a roundabout in her husbands company car. I got money for the damages etc but my god what a total tit had to goto court for it and everything

Woman drivers Just kidding

I do too. But don't drive near me I think im becoming paranoid of female drivers and people who have an inability to use the indication stick at the roundabouts

I passed my driving test second time around. On the first test, the examiner grabbed the wheel as he thought I was going to crash into a guy opening his car door on the roadside.

On my second test I was nervous but incredibly focused I remember.

It took me a few years to be trully confident driving and I tended to drive too fast. I have been driving for twenty years now.

I'm extremely defensive when I drive, especially if someone is too busy talking on their cell phone to pay attention to the road. I've had near-misses because of these idiots. I go no more than 3 miles over the posted speed limit, and actually prefer the freeways as there's no cross-traffic. I am extremely cautious turning right on a red light, or left when there's no light, and impatient jerks have honked at me. If I had turned when they wanted me to, I would have hit someone.

I haven't gotten my license since the only time I was behind the wheel (of a Toyota Tercel of all things) I was doing like 60-70KM/H down a long road/driveway thing (where the max is like 20KM) that leads to a parking lot, then proceeded to almost back into a fence post. Ya, I'm kind of afraid to try now.

I got my license when I took Drivers Ed in high school at age 17. I usually have a healthy fear of oncoming traffic, but speed too much when everyone's going the same way. I only ever had one serious accident. It happened when I took a wrong turn and my ex started yelling at me. I had a meltdown and totalled the car, nearly killing both of us.

One of my other aspie friends has absolutely no sense of fear. He managed to get a driver's license but then wrecked his parents' car and gave it up permanently.

I used to be Crazy behind the wheel. To be honest I stil am. I have absolutely no fear at all. I used to go above 200 km/hr quite often. I have learnt to slow down and now keep on the speed limit quite often. I have had to learn how to go slow and not to put my foot flat. Saying this I am freash from going for a drive alot faster than I probably should I was staying near the speed limit but going a bit fast around corners and planting the car in acceleration.

I buy slow cars so I can keep my licence. I don't think I have the self control to drive a faster car than my little Toyota Corrolla.

I've probably said to much but oh well.

I'm scared of going fast Whenever I go out for a driving lesson I always look at what's going on around me, like we're driving straight and I see another car and I start trying to figure out where it's going and then realise I should be turning a corner - it's rather funny because then dad starts teasing me by saying "look out for the tree" which is on the other side of the road, or yesterday when we went for a lesson he told me to watch out for the bus that was 3 streets away. Otherwise I'm alright as long as you don't mind a bit of a jolt sometimes when I brake too quickly Actually I'm a little scared about getting my P's so I tend to avoid driving alot more then I should be

I used to be like you astarael when I first started driving however as I built up more confidence I started getting a little heavy footed.

Nothing wrong with pushing it a little in the corners unless it requires crazy sppeds to do it. The general rule is to stay withing 8/10ths of your and the cars abilities.

I do have a bit of a lead foot and I hate city driving. I refuse to drive into Boston, but, I can manage Portland Maine. Just not at rush hour or other busy times. Driving on busy highways with lots of truck crowding me gets me really anxious. That stretch of highway from Cleveland to Cincinnati, Ohio had me commending my soul to the gods several times.

When I do drive in hectic driving conditions, I need almost total silence in the car to concentrate
especially if I'm looking for an exit or other destination.

Peace

Other drivers' impatience often tempts me to become a holy terror on the road, I just have to accept that there will always be people for whom others never drive fast enough (riding my tail even if I'm speeding dangerously), or who know/care nothing about following distance, butting into my lane when there's barely a car length between me and the vehicle ahead. Interesting how many otherwise considerate people become a**holes when they're in a moving 1-ton metal box and don't have to account for their actions.

I've also noticed an amount of prejudice toward people driving older cars. I've driven nice cars and crappy ones, and think in an older car I'm much likelier to notice people cutting me off or intolerant of driving behind me, regardless how fast I'm going.

Silver,
In a way you echo my own experiences when I first learned to and started to drive. It took me over 2 years of taking courses and practicing before I finally passed my driver examination to get my new licence.

Driving with Dad in the passenger seat was impossible: he was too explosive in temperament. Mom wasn't much better: she forever looked like she was watching a cliff-hanging horror flick. I also couldn't handle my brother's motor-mouth back seat driving while trying to read the road, the signs, the traffic, and the pedestrians.

I think the slower-than-normal adaptation to a new setting could be another Aspie thingy and being a new driver is no exception

A suggestion: are there any country back roads and gravel pits in your area with minimal traffic where you could go and practice every driving move until you are more comfortable with normal driving conditions, even if you have to take a licenced driver with you? I think you just have to be more patient with yourself.


Carla,
Nervousness is a normal part of taking up this somewhat risky venture for the first time. I think you'll get over it pretty soon.


Fiz,
You must have been born with nerves of steel


Laz, Doyle, and LowShoe,
You are clearly not unique when it comes to encountering idiot drivers. There is no reason for anybody to behave like that behind the wheel and I can't understand why so many choose to go on a vendetta against strangers on the road. Idiots will be idiots and the ones who cause accidents are accidents waiting to happen themselves anyway.

I too will be the first to tell you that my own hornet-like temper gets the best of me but there's no such thing as a licence for road rage. If every driver could be mindful of their own actions, maybe we could all enjoy lower insurance premiums.

As for those impatient ones who blast their horns and give me the finger, I blow them a kiss regardless of their gender


Jetson, MOOC, jman, ozy, and LowShoe,
I too went through a phase of putting too much metal on that pedal and believe me! It doesn't pay. Hmm... Let's see... I got a $300 speeding ticket one time, a $105 ticket another time and spiked insurance rates to go with that. Another time I hydroplaned on a wet road and rolled my car, totalling it beyond recognition Good thing I always buckle up before tweaking that key.


And in closing this post:
I think my real graduation as a driver (if there is such a thing) happened when I drove taxi. Because the name and number of the cab company was splashed all over the car, it was all the more reason that I became my own traffic cop and got mindful of driving both courteously and defensively as well as being strictly following to the provisions of the Highway Traffic Act.

There was no question my cab company noticed that: it got me a promotion as well as one of the better cabs in their fleet.

Although I had to leave that job for health reasons, I've been locked on to that kind of driving ever since. So far, so good.

Good luck all new drivers