Driving! What's your tips and tricks?

[sllowe]

I don't know about you, but for me, driving can be quite the chore! And I don't need anymore chores on my list! I've been very good on concentration and tracking and driving these days, but my constant is my leg, you know ...the right one, the one we need to push-to-GO!

Any tips and tricks? I've found if I push on my lower thigh, right above my knee, it helps me keep my speed. Just have to let off of it at the right time (or to obey the limits, lol). I think I'm getting pretty good at it. But, doesn't make it that much less of a pain in the arsh!

You all have problems driving? Like keeping pressure on the peddle?

-shell

[wguimb]

I am newly diagnosed with MS and several other anomalies in my neck area,  My right side goes completely dead occasionally. It hasn't happened while driving, if it does, I know what to do now thanks to your replies.  My problem is both arms get shooting and piercing pain up to my brain when using my arms for anything.  I do get confused, and freak out when I don;t know where I am at. So, I drive as little as possible.

[Sailorsong]

Yes I do get the tired arms, but other than switching arms every now and then I have no clue as to a work around.

Dennis

[mistylee]

Gosh does anyone get tired arms from holding onto the stearing wheel???

I have to drive with one hand sometimes as the left  arm gets too tired to hang onto the wheel and the hand aches from fatigue.

Mistylee

[rendean]

My issues with driving are sensory input and vertigo. Too much input ( car radio, rush hour traffic, and turning my head too much) causes confusion and slight double vision. My neuro put the kibosh on any more rush hour traffic EVER (his emphasis) and the other distractions are easily dealt with.

The second issue is the vertigo. Therefore I have my side mirrors aligned so that I do not have to turn my head to see what is in either lane beside me and the rearview mirror is adjusted accordingly.

I recently started using a GPS in a similar manner as Dennis so that I am not distracted by searching for street signs in unfamiliar areas.

The weakness in my right leg hasn't been a problem as yet but I only have to drive one mile to get home. For a longer drive after a 45 minute shopping trip things might be different and very dependent  on the day.

My neuro is confident in my driving skills based on my exam. He did offer to have me tested at another facility that treats spinal cord injury patients and can offer alternatives and adaptions to my vehicle such as hand brake, etc.

Ren

[Wobbly]

I have problems with consentration and reaction.. I stop quickly, I'm nervous when I never was before.  It's very hard to get myself to drive anywhere anymore.  

my vision and movements effect me as well.  I'm getting a Power chair and I'll use that in the summer to get around near home.  I don't want to stop driving and I hate to think this will be how it is..

I keep thinking one day I'll wake up and it will all be better and I can get my life back.  Sorry, guess I'm fed up with things today or most days lately

take care everyone
wobbly

[ErinZoe23]

Ive never had a problem with my leg but more with my neck...i cant really turn my head to the left fully to see beside me and definatly cant turn it fast so when im merging onto a highway i get kind of scared lol but luckily i always have someone with me when i go places and they look for me and if i dont i make sure my mirrors are dead on to where they need to be

[Audrey_M]

Got a laugh from PheonixAbove for being so brave with her disclosure. Still, I can imagine that must be very distracting while driving!

I don't have the leg problems, it's the dizziness and vision (blurred or double) that causes problems for me. Changes in acceleration increase feelings of nausea. There are sometimes that I think I'm okay to drive, but once I'm on the road, I know I am a hazard to myself and others and have to drive back home.

Bad weather is especially problematic, especially when the sky darkens suddenly. Is it me or the sky? I've had to pull over on several occasions because of this.

[Mustang0064]

Myself it's not as much my body but my mind..I don't trust myself like i used too.
My reaction time is slower and i really concentrate on the task.  I cut someone off the other day for the first time in almost 30 years of driving. A lot of buzzing in my groin area, i think it's the cell but no it's not even on me i have it in my purse.

I sold my prize possession my snowmobile....was a sad day.  However hubby got me a fourwheeler.  Its not as fun as the sledding but at least its slower and i get out to see nature a bit and have a picnic.

I am a car girl from a car family...i drive sleds , atv mud races, drag race with hubby mustang, and so much more.  So it's hard for me to see this coming.
And that's about it.

[Sailorsong]

I have been dealing with driving problems for almost 20 years. Both of my legs are now of the numb variety now, but it started out with my right leg.

As for being able to feel the petal, yes I take off my shoes. The pressure of just having a shoe on is enough to block the feeling of the petals. I have also restricked myself to wearing tennis shoes as dress shoes make it even harder to feel things with my feet because of their still soles.

I also don't use my right leg to control my spped when using the gas petal. I use my ankle instead. I have learned to adjust my speed by the angle of my ankle on the petal.

I also use my cuise control, even in the city, for contoling my speed. This helps with driving in many ways. It allows you to concentrate more on signal, cars, and the like because you aren't having to concentrate on what you feel with your feet / legs. It allows your feet to rest between the times when you need to use them to drive which means the legs / feet don't cramp up. It allows me to keep my right foot near the brake in case I need to use it quickly.

I also use a GPS at all times. This allows me to again concentrate on the driving as I don't need to watch for street signs where I need to turn. I use the GPS even when going to a store I go to all of the time for this reason. It also helps me to get to where I really wanted to go as sometimes I will head for Walmart even though I was going to some other place. I'm currently using a TOM TOM GPS in my truck, bt am concidering another brand that has an ECO mode to find the best route according to the number of stops sign / signals so that you don't sit at them wasting gas.Though I already do great at saving gas. My truck is suppose to get 16 MPG combined but at the last two fill ups I got 24.29 and 23.69 MPG.  I think it was Magellan that has the ECO mode?

Dennis

[sllowe]

Hi jacking is allowed! This is great.

So, the pushing of the leg works for some others too! Yay!

Thornygates - I can't imagine doing what you have w/the left leg and cane! Oh, my! You are talented. We are so stubborn aren't we? Doing things despite the issue.

Pheonix and Tonya - I had the buzzing tailbone, butt, whathave you too. Do you have it as a constant when driving? Or, just when you have to put your head down? I never look down and ironically found out what my buzzing was (before this thought it was my leg up on my harddrive, lol, I know, weirdness) in my van because whenever I looked down at my cellphone i buzzed. Is def. l'hermittes for me.

Pheonix - you also mention the barefoot for feeling - I've often wondered myself if this would help me! I'm going to try it out.

Lu - I can't use cruise on my daily trechs, just too much traffic and varying speeds :(

Thanks a bunch! WHO ELSE???
~Shell

[serenity402]

i havent had the ndead leg but i have severe pains radiating from my spine down my buttocks into my right leg and it ends in my foot region, i also have been advised not to drive due to severe double vision and lapses in concentration where i cannot remember where i am or if i stopped at the last robot

[PheonixAbove]

Don't mean to hijack Shell's thread but to answer Tonyad's question: Yes. Not only do I sometimes get tingling sensations in the body part that you mentioned but I also sometimes get it dead center on the clitoris... which usually doesn't work at all anymore despite said stupid sensation. Puts a real damper on the sex life. There. I said it.

Back to your regularly scheduled driving tips program...

[tonyad]

   How ironic you posted this because I have been thinking on posting the same topic for about a week now....So Thank You!

   My right leg also for the gas but my left lef just hanging out, gets a bit spastic.....kinda like a toddler ready to get out of the car and stretch...Lol

   My leg will get a bit numb and tingly as well as vibrating as though my cell phone is going off.as far up to mu butt cheek....I have to add (blushing) that i even feel a bit of vibrating or tingly sensation between my legs....Like right where your leg joins in to you female parts.......Does ANYONE EVER have that.... Not right dead in the center of the female part but on either side.......There! That's another question I wanted to ask ...done!

      Sorry Shell, I have NO tips Nor Tricks for you on this one. I am hear w/ you though to hear of some thoughts :)

Take Care,
~Tonya

[PheonixAbove]

I haven't driven a car in two years except for in and out of my driveway. I also have trouble maintaining pressure on the gas pedal. I feel I'm way too slow moving my foot back and forth between the brake and the gas pedal. One thing I have noticed on my little jaunts in and out of the driveway is that it's easier to drive bare foot. My numb right foot seems to adjust better when I'm bare foot.

Is it legal to drive bare foot? I have no clue.

[Lulu54]

This is one thing I dread, because my misbehavin' leg is also the right one.  Do you have cruise control on your car?  I know my DH uses it a lot, even in town because his right hip is problematic.   You can increase and decrease your speed with the control on the steering wheel.  

[thornygates]

I have trouble with this too. when I couldn't move my right leg hardly at all i used my left leg. not real easy to do.

now I do the same thing that you do. going up the ridge that isn't enough so i've been known to use my cane. scary huh. but it works. i put it on my toes and push and let up as needed. I don't suggest anyone doing this and I really don't feel safe having to do so for long. Thankfully i don't have to drive far except to see my Drs.