driving difficulty

[bairdy]

hi
has anyone noticed any difficulty in theire driving???????
i have noticed that my control of the pedals have become a little irratic especialy in heavy traffic!!
ie instead of touching the brake im hitting it to hard and causing the car to jerk to a sudden stop.
as though not thinking properly and changing gears has become a little erratic  !! cant explain it but it just feels just differant.
any thoughts or is it just me ?????
regards bairdy

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome to our little MS community,

You don't mention if you have MS or not but i honestly don't think it really matters...........you were once a driving instructor, so you absolutely know your driving ability not only puts you and your passengers in danger but any other person who's unfortunately sharing the road with you.

If you are as dangerous a driver as you are saying and you know it, it's shocking to me to that your only warning others to be mindful. Seriously, there is absolutely no justifiable reason or rational for ever getting behind the wheel, if your vision and reactions have you weaving dangerously all over the road.........period!

If anyone already knows or just thinks they are becoming dangerous on the road, do the right thing and stop driving!

JJ

[sneal]

I realize I am several years late for this comment but I will do it anyway. Yes, there are days for everything. I have "falling days", "dropping days" and many days when it is not safe for me to be on the road driving. Sometimes I have to, and those are horrible experiences.   I also weave around. I taught driver's ed. and this is so sad for me. I also have peripheral problems. Every car that is beside me makes me feel like they are coming over on me. 2 Yrs ago a little old woman was going 25 in a 45mph zone. Finally I had the chance to pass her on the right. I thought she was coming over on me. I almost died that day. When I swerved to the right with my brakes locked, I missed hitting a bridge support by inches. Be very mindful if you have these kinds of problems. You could kill someone else besides you. aware

[Audrey_M]

This one's for you with your broken posts...from my dad who is one for circulating jokes via email:

"I'm speeding because I have to get there before I forget where I'm going."

LOL.

Last week, I could not remember how to turn on cruise control while driving to work, even though I use it every day, back and forth to work. Scary and frustrating, knowing something ingrained is not within recall. First instance (of which I am aware) of something like this happening.

Please, all of us, let's use common sense when it comes to driving. It's not just our lives at risk when we drive that heavy heap of metal on the road at speed, there are others out there as well whose lives could be forever changed.

IMO brother Dave, who died in a motor vehicle accident 8/25/98.

[Sparkysarah]

I also agree with Jess, very interesting thread so thanks Bairdy for starting i!

Quix ...had you also mentioned veartigo and seansitvity I doubt many of us wd have noticed.

My previous post was full of typos...but we all get the gist of things.

Sarah

[lovemy6monkeys]

Great thread!!

I have stopped night driving, unless I am driving on an expressway. I live kind of far out, and all shopping is done 2 towns over. Luckily, it is right up the expressway, and all stores are just one turn off of there, so I'm comfortable doing that at night. But, if I were to go someplace I'm unfamiliar with, or someplace taking the country roads, I would not drive.

Also, this latest vertigo has stopped me from driving a few times. If it is just the low-grade dizziness, I'm ok to drive. If it is anymore than that, I don't drive. If I'm not sure, I watch my kids run back & forth or spin around in front of me, and if I feel like I'm going to tip over I don't drove :-)
~Jess

[supermum_ms]

One of the good things Quix about being a tad dyslexic-ish now, is that i dont see the spelling mistakes most of the time. I had to read reread and reread your last post to try and work out what the heck you were on about lol Sapasticity = stiff morons ROFL

Cheers.....JJ

[Zacksmomi]

LOL!! I want to know how many saw Quix's error the first time cuz I had to go back and find it :).
I too appreciate the info about restrictions and controls.  Things to think about.  

D

[Quixotic1]

Since I am known for my typos, I just wanted to say that I like the new symptom we have - that of sapasticity.  It sounds very dire, doesn't it?  Or maybe it conveys the vision of stiff morons.

Q

[RedFlame]

This has been an educational thread for me.  I didn't know that there could be requirements like those that Quix mentioned.  

Perhaps being honest with my doctor won't necessarily require a full revocation

thanks.    Red

[Quixotic1]

For people who have sapasticity or difficulty turning their necks or vertigo which has a component of motion sensitivity - consider making sure that your rearview mirror is large enough and that you have adequate side view mirrors.

When I got my new license, the examiner told me that he could restrict me to a car with sideview mirrors on both sides.  That way I wouldn't be held accountable for swinging my head around to check traffic before changing position.  I monitor traffic around me all the time using my mirrors.

My license requires:

corrective lenses

hand controls

turning knob

side view mirrors.


Quix

[Sparkysarah]

In England we ahve to inform the DVLA when we have been dx'd with MS and they check with your GP. I have been issued with a temporary licence for 3 years and will then be reviewwed. I have no problem driving at the moment although when I was in bad relapse I was too tired to drive.

Sarah

[Zacksmomi]

I ask myself all the time if I should be driving, then I see the things other people on the road do and convince myself that I soooo deserve a license more than them.  

I have been told by Drs that if I were in an accident, I could be liable due to my list of meds and my condition.  So be careful.  

D

[figuerpa]

Mike,

I am sorry you are going through this. It is important you make sure you are very careful while driving. I would hate to hear that you were in an accident, or something.

I have the problem of vetigo while driving. I feel like I am in a video game and everything around me is moving and I am sitting still. I only drive when it is necessary due to the muscle spasms that seem to come whenever they want to.

Good luck and please do be careful
Paula

[RedFlame]

Mike, I have no clue what you are talking about----maybe I shouldn't drive today either;-)

I guess I don't have to worry about how I will afford a van conversion I can use to lift me and a power chair.

Red

[Mike_Shuswap]

issue affects lots of us folks.

How the heck did I manage to post like this...2 posts?

I don't think I should drive to the store today.....

Mike

[Mike_Shuswap]

I was orderred "no driving" by my  GP over 18 months ago when they thought I had a brain tumor.

Once they determined it was a demyilinating disease, he still orderred no driving.

Finally, after my asking him at every appt, my doc said ok to drive when I feel safe to do so, but only local and not for work (my job involves driving about 1000 + kms per week)

Even now that I am dx'd with MS, he's sticking to that order. I can't argue this due to cog issues, and the fact that quite often I would be a danger on the road.

I've made some very poor judgement calls while driving, even when I feel safe to drive. The locals would preffer he orderred no local driving...;)

I'm lucky my wife is able to drive wherever I need to go. I'd have to move into town if I was single just to have access to a reasonable transit system.

Nope, it's not just you and you are not being silly. i think the driving

[RedFlame]

This has been a sobering thread.   I wrote down some of the things that have happened while driving in the past couple of months.

I have had cars 'around' me stop/turn/avoid me in some way.  The only way I know is that they honk and flip me off.  so I think "where in the world did you come from and why are you mad at me".  

Last week when the light was yellow I floored the pedal and put peoples lives in jeaopardy becuase the light turned red.  deptth perception.  Scared my sister half to death.

I caught myself flying down our gravel road at 55 mph--you don't have any grip on the road at this speed.  

I also caught myself driving on the wrong side of the road.  

I have to take a look at this and ask for help.  Living out in the boonies makes this difficult becuase I don't have access to public transportation.  

I can't bear the thought of hurting another human being.  It is selfish for me to drive when I could endanger others.  Telling my doctor that my driving is "OK" is a lie!  Driving is a priviledge.  

Today I hate this disease even more

Red

[bairdy]

hi folks
wow cant believe it thought it was just me being silly!!
but i can relate to all your posts i will have to make sure i take a long look at driving long term .
and i will try not to drive when i notice the things iv talked about .
thanks a lot for the heads up folks just reminds me im not on my own and there is allways someone here to ask in times of trouble
thaks again
bairdy x

[supermum_ms]

I'm not driving, I really really want my freedom back!!!!!!!

Sight issues makes driving an issue for me, I dont have the same visual spacial skills i use to have. I did trade in my big 4WD for a little sports convertible, i just stopped being able to park the big one, struggled getting in or out of it and judging the space whilst driving was pretty scary sometimes.

I also find that my feet dont react on que, sometimes dont react at all and preasure of the pedals isn't the same, i'm either too hard or too soft. I startle way too easy, which seems to happen more often than not, other cars just joining the road, approaching an intersection basically anything coming towards me, and i jump but theres nothing logical to make me jump.

Cognitive skills are affected by the multi tasking of driving, visual stimuli and audio throws in enough distractions too, they all help to get me fuddled. I have an automatic but nothing is auto about driving, I have to think through ever step and its exhausting. There isn't anyone that wants me driving, i want to but i have to give in on this one because i do know that firstly its not safe and secondly i might get stuck once i've reached my destination and not have the wetheral to get home again.

One day!!!

Cheers......JJ

[GrannyJo6]

Determining whether I could drive after my latest exacerbation was one of the most difficult decisions of my life. I really couldn't drive for at least 3 months. It was hard to deal with, as I had to rely on others to get me where I needed to go. Now I won't drive in the dark or on the freeway and try to stick close to home where it is only a few miles to the grocery store, mall, and work. Being able to drive again gave me a real boost emotionally. I know that if I were told I needed to stop permanently, it would be extremely hard, but I also know nothing about MS is easy!

[Quixotic1]

Wow, this is a conversation with a lot of fear and dread for all of us.  Driving, especially but not only a stick shift, takes a lot of good coordination and good reflexes.  You describe a loss of the ability to fine tune your muscular effort.  This is common in MS.

There are studies out there which all show that a large percentage of MS drivers have impaired reflexes.  Since this is already known, this implies some real legal liability for us should we have an accident.

It goes without saying that we should optimize our driving by any means that makes us safer.  Some of these optimatization might include:

Driving only while well-rested.

Driving only in good light.

Avoiding to the extent possible congested traffic.

If the left leg is weak, moving to a car with automatic transmission.

If the right leg is weak (like mine) getting hand controls for the car.  This cost me about $900 and I had to be re-evaluated to get my driver's license.

If there is weakness in the arms, get a steering wheel knob to make for easier turning.  these are illegal in some states unless prescribed by a doc and okayed by the DMV.

Stop driving - Man, this is tough!  I stopped driving for more than a year before I finally had the hand controls put on.

We all really need to look deep into ourselves to make sure we are safe on the roads.

I hope others will chime in with what they do to handle their problems.

Good luck,

Quix

[jensequitur]

I've stopped driving unless it's absolutely necessary.  Cognitive problems are the biggest reason.  I don't make decisions as well or as quickly as I used to.  I also almost always have some problem with the right leg - either spasticity or weakness - that keeps me from reliably reaching the pedal.

[Audrey_M]

Driving is where I am the most handicapped.

It can be due to one or a combination of problems:

Being lightheaded

Blurred or double vision

Weakness in the legs

Hyperreflexia when applying feet to pedals

Like Red said, be very careful where you mention this and recognize when you are not safe to drive. I have turned around and gone back home more times than I care to count.

[RedFlame]

I have experienced some of the things that you list.  I tend to know that I shouldn't drive on those days though.  I am fortunate that I have family who will pick up things for me.

Just be careful where you mention this.  Your license can be revoked.  

Red