Aspergers and Driving

Post Reply New Topic

Driving is a very important skill to have in the modern world, especially for people who don't live in large cities or don't have access to mass transportation. I'm such a person.

Now, I've heard lots about how aspies supposedly aren't good drivers, and I have seen several threads that support that position.

But that doesn't mean that all aspies are bad drivers. Take my father, for instance, who, I am 99.999% certain, has Aspergers. He's actually a very good driver--in fact, he had aspirations of becoming an amateur race driver back in the mid- to late-'70s, and perhaps into the early '80s (and, as far as I know, still has an interest in becoming one.)

Another example is myself. Now, granted, I only hold a learner's permit (which means that I can only drive with a licensed adult in the front seat) and have only held it for seven months or so. But everyone compliments my driving; even my driving instructors were very impressed when I was driving (and that was in August, when I only had had my permit for maybe 2 1/2 months, and had extremely little experience behind the wheel.)

What I'm wondering is, are my dad and I extremely rare as good aspie drivers, or are there others like us out there?

EDIT: Unfortunately, the "I don't drive" option seems to have been cut off of the poll. I wish there was a way to reinsert it.

I am 32 and don't drive....but there are plenty Aspies who do..and plenty who are good drivers.

I failed my behind the wheel test due to nervousness but, when I was practicing for it, I became quite good. It was frustrating because there are so many idiots out there on the road.

Got my full license at 17, the earliest it is legal here. Not easy as testers are very biased against age in this country.
I have driven safely for 7 years since and think I am quite a good driver.
I see no reason that aspergers would effect ones diving, unless it was something external, such as the noise on roads.
I myself prefer night driving as the sunlight hurts my eyes a lot. But give me sun-glasses and I can drive for hours on end, on either side of the road, Left or Right.

I aced my driving exam. I drive based on a series of rules which I feel maximize my safety and the safety of those around me. Never been in a collision with another vehicle.

I am an excellent driver, and have been for 10 years. My auto insurance was once reduced for a perfect driving record. However, when others were passengers in my car, they claimed that my driving made them nervous. Go figure.

I don't drive, but I think I'd be a pretty good - albeit careful - driver.

I don't drive. I can't maintain enough focus to be able to do it safely. On the other hand, I'm a competent cyclist because I enjoy it so much.

I'm a good drive. I really like drive, especially after a long day at work. However, I've learned how to live life without a car when I'm at college because I don't have car there. However, the only thing I have trouble with is I can't drive a stick-shift car which I'm going to have to learn to drive at some point for my summer job. I don't feel comfortable drive a stick-shift and I have the fear of stalling in the middle of a intersection. Oh, well. I'll learn to get over it sometime.

I'm an above average driver, but I've had my share of tickets and accidents - more than I'd like, unfortunately.
Being a college student can do that to ya.

For the record, I haven't even gotten a SCRATCH on my my car in over 10 years. I didn't even get a ticket. Just today, about 5 people almost TRIED to hit me. 4 moved into my lane FEET away from me. 1 actually tried to move to where I was! I honked my horn 5 times, and he decided to WAIT!

I usually don't have that kind of luck. USUALLY I go MONTHS, or even YEARS, before someone is THAT stupid. But I saw the problem, and corrected to avoid a problem, and got another to correct.

It is also VERY rare for me to do anything like that, and I never let it get as far as any of those guys.

I passed my driving test within 3 months, but have never really driven as do not like driving and find really difficuly...

Have been told this is because of my associated conditions DYSPRAXIA and Dyslexia!
http://asplanet.info/forum/index.php?topic=5.0

I dislike driving and having to do a lot of it fatigues me

Yeah I'm going to agree with asplanet and Obres. I have a license but don't drive much. It is difficult because of multitasking, dyspraxia, and poor depth perception.

I drive - I never thought I'd get the hang of it, but now I really enjoy it. I'm not great though. I'm fairly cautious - I don't speed all that much, and I'm not real aggressive. I try to stay to places I'm familiar with. When I get to an unfamiliar intersection, sometimes I really screw up,and I'm lucky I haven't had an accident, just scraped a few things. When there aren't clear signals and I have to decide when to go, I freak out and screw up. I have a lot of trouble with judging the space around my car - i park like 4 feet away from gas pumps . I cant really back into anything, and getting out of parking spaces can be a nightmare. I get 'stuck' in spaces and all that. Anything where I have to judge can be an issue lol - but just driving and stuff I'm fine with.