I got my learner permit in January 2022. April was my first driving class with an instructor. Since then I've had about 9 lessons I would say? I'm losing track xD
It was across 3 schools. I'm with my 3rd school. It is a one instructor at that school and I have to travel out into the rural area to meet up with him. Unlike driving in the city, driving here means we have to be careful of animals. He said any animal smaller than a dog means we can't stop and have to keep going. He said "I know it is jot the most animal friendly but it is the most human friendly [and safer] thing to do" This means squirrels, birds, cats, rabbits
I since then two weeks ago when I had my first lesson with him, I've been stopping on the sidewalk to watch squirrels interact with cars on the street. I know city squirrels might be different because of different learned behavior but I just want to see how hard it is to avoid killing an animal and do it safely. I keep getting intrusive thoughts of me killing an animal and it is like I'm worrying about it and feeling guilty before it happened. I'm with this instructor because the other one said he thinks I need a break and to come back in a few months in the Spring and I decided to find an instructor who serves students who learn and think differently. I felt that maybe an instructor who claims to specialize in those with the issues I have that it would be a better fit than previous instructors. After my first lesson two weeks ago I can see some difference in our interactions because he is much more understanding and much more of a teacher than the other instructors I've had who mainly barked orders at me and made mean jokes with criticism underneath those jokes. So this instructor communicates respectfully so far but I don't know how much I will improve to the point of being license ready.
I am having a super hard time learning to drive. Between multitasking, nonverbal communication, making turns appropriately and even things like in the parking lot when I opened my car door to get out and go onto the train station, there was a car passing through that I didn't even see coming! And the instructor told me "wait!" and even then I didn't process why he was telling me that. I thought he was saying it because the windshields were still on
and then I was like but you'll be needing them when you go back to the driver seat! Then he had to quickly explain there was a car going by me and I then processed the image of the car going by.
I am an extremely anxious driver. People say everyone gets nervous, the same way they say everyone has a hard time making friends but in my perception I'm struggling a bit more than average with driving. With making friends too but thats a story for another time.
Another thing is that I realized that part of me knows it isn't environmentally friendly to drive and better to walk of take bus/train etc but I also know that not driving at all reduces my quality of life significantly and sometimes in order to improve I have to make the less eco friendly choice until I'm able to do better (ie: If I had my license I csn move to a more walkable area of the city or I can participate in a car share that allows me to reserve driving for certain trips but at least then I can still do those things more independently than now. I can at least make the choice to drive less rather than be isolated in not being able to drive. It is more empowering to say I know how to drive but I don't want to as much thsn to say I'm stranded but at least im saving the environment xD
Anyway I have anxiety, difficulties with non verbal communication, auditory processing, what I think may he a sort of dyspraxia? like my executive functioning skills when it comes to coordination comes out clumsy a lot of the time.
Making quick decisions is hard for me too.
So I have a lot that feels against me but it is such an important life skill and being super dependent on people to get around is really tough. Truth is, eventually if it gets to be summer 2023 I may end up moving to a more walkable area whether I have a license or not. But it seems to be helpful at least in things like when I want to get somewhere that isn't feasible by public transportation.
Anyway I'm not looking for advice per
se. Just encouragement and personal stories if you have.