% of dyspraxics who can drive

Learning to drive, driving, and using public transport

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ALADDIN
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% of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by ALADDIN »

I think 40% - 60% can drive, but I am not sure. About a third of people have dyspraxia severely, I think few people with severe dyspraxia can drive.

Any thoughts.
Osymandus
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by Osymandus »

Took me 2 1/2 years adn 5 tests , and i have moderate (mainly very poor working memory ).
Depends on how servier really . Do you have really bad sptial awreness ? Do you limbs lock up and stop working form time to time , do you panic ?

Its about adaption and change ;)
dorypanda
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by dorypanda »

Hi, I can drive, I tried driving a manual car, but I couldn't manage it, along with the dyspraxia I have arthritis in my left knee, so that's what I told the last driving instructor, it made it so much easier than trying to explain what's wrong with me.

I can drive an automatic, if anyone's having problems driving a manual, I'd recommend an automatic, I took driving lessons on and off for 13 years, after just under a year of driving an automatic I passed my test.
jen d
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by jen d »

I cant drive though I really only tried when I was young and then decided not to continue but my general poor sense of co-ordination and lack of awareness of what goes on around me makes me think I would not be safe. I once tried a simulator with the idea it might be safer but I found that very difficult and it made me nauseuos.
katrina
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by katrina »

Thanks be to God, yes I can drive - and I count it as one of my gratest acheivements in life; there aren't many things I've managed to learn as an adult that are usefull like driving. I remember how I feal as a learner: aprehensive, hopefull, determined. The hardest bit about it for me was always following verbal instructions whilst driving. I spent a year getting nowhere, failed my first test quite spectacularly (even got beeped at during my test), took some months out busy with other things and then went back to it with a different teacher and did an intensive course and passed.

Since moving to Brazil, however, I've pretty much gone back to square one and stayed there. My wonderful husband who has the patience of a saint sometimes lets me drive on Sundays under his supervision, but I get very nervous. The driver sits in the other side of the car here, and all the hand opperations are mirrored but the feet stay the same. But the most scary bit is the other drivers. They all drive like they're on the run. Imagine 50 police chases going on simultaneously on one road, and me in the middle of it. So, will I ever drive in Brazil? I don't know. Hearing someone mention a simulator just now gave me an idea: I might see if there are any computer games I could use to hone my reflexes.
WTCCFan
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by WTCCFan »

I passed my test last September. I have really adapted well to driving quite naturally and normally without having to worry about trying to remember everything. I feel like I have been driving for ages.

I was terrible at the start. I really felt the whole thing of controlling a car was to complex to ever grasp. That is why BSM suggested I try an automatic for one lesson (pay for just the one lesson) and see how it goes. But I found I wasn't happy. I didn't like not having anything to do. So I persevered with the manual and after the 3d or 4th lesson I was out on the streets and heading for Sunderland to do my lessons (I live in South Shields). I really don't think my Dyspraxia (and I do feel I have it because I have many of the traits) ever had a bearing because I grew to understand it is repetitive most of the time which is what Dyspraxics do well.

To start, key in, start the car, little gas, clutch down and into 1st, get bite point and down with the brake lever. You move of to drive. Your right foot controls the speed (the more you press the faster you go). When up to 10mph into 2nd gear, when 20mph into 3rd and so on. When approaching a junction or roundabout, get about 5 car lengths, slow to 30mph into 2nd gear, up with the clutch and apply brake. And when stationary into 1st gear. You never don't to any of those things.

Driving is the best thing a Dyspraxic can do to gain a confidence boost.
melissad1113
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by melissad1113 »

I can drive, but it was very, very difficult to get to this point. It took almost 10 years. I'm 26, an American and we start driving at 16 typically here. I have to use a GPS to get to and from work and I don't just pick up and drive somewhere. It has to be somthing I have done several times with someone else and I tend to panic when I get lost. I never did ride a bike and I used to walk everywhere until 2 months ago. I walked to work and walked my daughter to daycare. It has been a huge accomplishment for me to start driving even though I am limited.
Tim G
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by Tim G »

I havent attempted to drive for a number of reasons:
- I think it will take me a long time to learn to drive and could cause lots of stress and genralie be bad for me trying to learn.
- There is a lot of things to think about when driving - that I struggle with and then there is other drivers as well.
- I could get easley paniced and anxious (this is more lickey in a car any way letalone if i am driving) and this could lead to major problems so i dont want to be a danger to myself or others.
- The cost of it all - fule, car, maintaince, tax, insurance etc.

However the thing is that I do want to have a go at learning to oprate machenery such as forklifts, cherry pickers etc so mabie this may help me to one day think about learning to drive
The real Mr Potato Head
Jim
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by Jim »

Yes I can drive, I passed both theory and practical tests first time and have now held a full clean license for over ten years and also currently (touches wood) have full no-claims bonus. Like all people, I have my moments but I don't feel any worse a driver than any other average driver. I've also taken my car to France and coped relatively well, I've also driven a left hand drive car briefly in Spain (albeit not on the open road) and changing gear with the right hand definitely feels weird!

I rather enjoy the physical act of driving although traffic and the behaviour of other road users and people not taking care when crossing the road can get really irritating.
“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore” :whistle:
yayitsronnie
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by yayitsronnie »

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Last edited by yayitsronnie on Sun Jun 07, 2020 11:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.
nickye
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by nickye »

Hi Ronnie
Welcome to the forum. I'm quite new here as well - I'm 44 and I haven't actually been diagnosed with dyspraxia, but while working with children and finding out about I've a feeling I am affected by this as well. I always had a lot of difficulty with things like tying my shoelaces, swimming, ball games, driving, also with organising myself and concentrating.

I passed my driving test when I was 21 (after lots of lessons) and I remember the first few lessons when I went out I had no idea how to steer and used to practice with a dinner plate! I can't say I'm the most confident driver now, but I get on OK. I thought you might be interested, there is a driving page on the Dyspraxia Foundation website and they have have some contact details:

Forum of Mobility Centres www.mobility-centres.org.uk or telephone the National Forum Enquiry Line: 0800 559 3636

For information about concessions on the theory test, useful books, CDs and videos; contact Drive Safe, the special needs team at the Driving Standards Agency, tel 0870 01013721

This is an excerpt from the chapter Organising Yourself in the Dyspraxia Foundation Adult Support Group’s book, Living with Dyspraxia: A guide for adults with developmental dyspraxia available from the Foundation, price £12.99 + £1.50 p&p Issue Date: 5/12/01

I notice on another post of yours that you work with someone with autism. I bet you do a great job, because you'll have a lot of understanding. I used to work in a pre-school and I always had an affinity with children with special needs. I did struggle with the practical things though, like getting lots of drinks and snacks ready at one time! I think I may be better working one to one with someone next time. My daughter's going to secondary school next year, and at the moment I'm not working.

Anyway, take care. Hope everything goes well for you.
Nicky
Jim
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by Jim »

Hi Ronnie.

Unless your instructor takes you by the lapels, tells you you're dangerous and that you should never drive then I'd take heart in that you simply have a longer learning curve than you might like.

There is no set time on how long it ought to take anyone how long to learn and I know people who have failed their test many times.

Having Dyspraxia can present some additional difficulties to the task of driving but it doesn't automatically make a person less capable or more dangerous than other drivers. Indeed I imagine that most drivers are not on the dyspraxic/autism scale at all and yet there are plenty enough of them who are bad drivers, obliviously so in some cases.

And here's a little story of when I first ventured out in my first car having passed my test... I got stuck down a dead-end road because I couldn't find reverse! ](*,) ended up having to ask traffic that I was impeding for help. Very embarrassing. :blush:
“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore” :whistle:
Willr0490
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by Willr0490 »

I don't drive at the minute, did consider learning when I was 17 but the cost put me off.
yayitsronnie
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by yayitsronnie »

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Last edited by yayitsronnie on Sun Jun 07, 2020 11:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Jim
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Re: % of dyspraxics who can drive

Post by Jim »

An instructor who'll take advantage of a learners wallet is always a risk. I always got on well with my first instructor but after a while and many £££s I did feel like he was holding me back somewhat. I confronted him a couple of times about that in which he fobbed me off with the "learning curve" and basically refused to put me in for my test in his car.

Progress got slower from then on, personally I felt that I was driving as well as any other learner and many full licensed drivers, though the instructor maintained his point of view. The relationship finally broke-down after an heated discussion about a reverse around the corner which I felt went well enough but in which he told me I had failed to stop for a car despite looking right at it. I believed this to be a downright lie, because I did not see any car and I if i had looked directly at it then surely I would have seen it right?

I suppose I could have been wrong, dyspraxic difficulties certainly have the potential to bring about concentration and attention downfalls. Yet I was certain in myself and knew a good few other people who'd learnt with him including siblings, friends and colleagues and after talking with them many others also felt held back and cheated.

After that point my trust and confidence in the instructor was broken and I soon cancelled his services. After a break of a couple of weeks I tried a couple of different instructors and settled with an agency one who I felt would be less likely to scam a learner.

Well within a couple of weeks with this guy, we'd put me in for the test. I passed my test first time despite making a large error on it which the examiner actually pointed out and praised my response and reaction to!

So after that I felt quite validated in my miss givings against my original instructor.

So my advice to you Ronnie is to trust yourself. Know yourself well enough to have confidence in what you can do. Because that's one of the most important things about driving. Being confident will help you relax and make fewer mistakes.
“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore” :whistle:
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