Dyspraxia Learning to drive

[Newly123]

Hello,
I am Ted, 31 years old male.Just coming to terms with the fact that i have Dyspraxia.Grew up being quite physically behind my peers,always sucked at every sport(couldn't kick, dribble or bounce a ball)couldn't ride a bike,skip,climb trees,run,back flip,skate etc all which forced me to become more introverted no thanks to kids taunting your lack of abilities.Struggled at Maths as well until i got a home lesson teacher who drilled in the concepts for me and led to a huge improvement in my academics, me eventually becoming a straight A student at high school but with a rather formulaic method of just reading/cramming to pass exams.

Fast forward to present day,and i am currently a masters degree holder and employed but still struggle with some tasks.I had always shied away from Driving but the gig is up and i need to have this life skill.Booked a lesson earlier today and it was a mess-mainly problems with steering wheel control at turns,Instructor too was not very patient.I'm now feeling down and discouraged because i don't want to let this dyspraxia get in the way of driving.

[allesandro]

This is a tough one. I learned to drive when I was 18 and lived in the suburbs. Spatial awareness, and parallel parking was not an issue and I only drove where it was easy to drive--straight roads. In my 20's I moved to a large city where driving is not for the faint-of-heart. In fact, if the reclkess drivers don't get you, then the road rage and cops surely will. I've not driven since, and that was over 30 years ago. I don't know what type of environment you live in so it's difficult to offer advice. All I can say is don't give up till you know what kind of road conditions you can handle and what you cannot handle for safety reasons. We dyspraxics tend to give up easily because of our history of difficulty with learning new things and the humiliation that caused. It's not easy.

[HelenJ]

I'm not officially diagnosed as dyspraxic but can relate to a lot of things on this forum.

I learnt to drive in the UK when I was 19, and really struggled with remembering my left and right, which caused so many problems. I'd get really stressed and upset and I even had to abandon a couple of lessons as I just couldn't do it. Reversing around a corner was an absolute nightmare. It was bad enough telling left from right anyway, but to then have to do the opposite???! What the...?

But then something 'clicked' and I managed to find a way to cope. Eventually after 5 attempts I passed my test but I had to give up driving in 2006 after finding out I have epilepsy. So my point is, if I can do it, I'm pretty sure anyone can.

[Jim]

We dyspraxics tend to give up easily because of our history of difficulty with learning new things and the humiliation that caused. It's not easy.

Hmm, I don’t think I agree. I usually found that a sense of determination stops me from giving up until after I’ve exhausted every last bit of resilience. There’s very few things I’ve completely closed the door on.

[Tom fod]

Whilst in some respects I can be easily discouraged and fully engage on avoidance and/or procrastination, there are times whfn I get the bit between my teeth and I just won't let go even when I'm maybe flogging a dead horse!