How long did it take you to learn to drive with cerebral palsy?

Dancinginthemoon
Dancinginthemoon Online Community Member Posts: 8 Connected
edited September 2021 in Transport and travel
I have left hemiplegia CP and I have done three driving lessons. I think they are going okay, but my instructor seems to think it will 'take [me] a lot longer to learn due to my condition'. I may be wrong, but I would have thought with the correct adaptations, I would learn within roughly more or less the same time as everybody else. So, is my driving instructor being overly negative or does it really take a lot longer to learn to drive with CP? I know everyone is different but I'm interested in hearing about other people's experiences of learning to drive - how long did it take you to learn to drive with cerebral palsy?  

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 62,398 Championing
    HI,

    I don't have CP but had seen you haven't had any reply so thought i'd answer. I don't think anyone can answer that question to be honest. Even those that don't have a health condition can take some considerable time to pass their driving test. Some people have mutliple driving tests before they pass. Others pass first time.  It really depends on each individual person.
    Fingers crossed it doesn't take you too long. :)
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,451 Championing
    Hi @Dancinginthemoon :) I don't have CP either, but just wanted to echo what poppy123456 has said in that the time it takes to learn varies between people for a number of reasons. It took me a little longer to learn than some of my friends, but others took much longer than me. It's also hard to tell after only 3 lessons.

    Do you feel comfortable with your driving instructor? You can always learn with someone else if you feel as though they're being too negative, especially if they're being negative as a result of you having CP. 

    Best of luck with the lessons!
  • Reg
    Reg Online Community Member Posts: 109 Empowering
    I have mild CP - worst limb affected is my right leg but I managed to pass my driving test first time ( my healthy siblings both failed first time round  ). The driving instructor was quite negative about my abilities and my prospects of passing the test but I think I passed as the tester could see I was not going to be a "boy racer" .

    Although I did not pass using an automatic car I have always driven one - it is a lot easier .

    Good luck - and try to ignore the critics ! 


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