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[MBTI General] xNxP and driving?

BerberElla

12 and a half weeks
Joined
Sep 25, 2008
Messages
2,725
MBTI Type
infp
How did you other NP's find learning to drive and driving in general?

I'm finding it hard to keep on top of all the different details to driving, it's like multi-tasking on a whole new level for me and I'm finding it quite difficult.

Plus my short term memory is pretty shabby so you can be sure that my next lesson will always involve reminding me of everything we learnt the week before lol.

My instructor makes jokes about my memory now. :blush:

Things have improved since I bought a driving manual, I'm finding it easier learning off of the text book than the instructor showing me, which is surprising because academic learning usually goes better without ploughing through text books alone.

Also when I am practising for the theory test, I am fine with the multiple choice questions and always get most of the questions right, but the hazard videos I'm still failing, because it's about watching a video and clicking the moment you see a hazard developing, and I don't really do well paying attention to those kind of details.

I'm worried that because it's all so detail orientated, that I might not actually excel at it. Which is where you come in.

Did it take you long to learn?

Do you enjoy driving now that you can?

Did you pass your test the first time, or how many times did you have to sit it before you finally passed?

Is there anything that helped you that I could try?
 

BerberElla

12 and a half weeks
Joined
Sep 25, 2008
Messages
2,725
MBTI Type
infp
Err lack of replies = lack of NP drivers?

I am filled with confidence now.
 

marmandahalf

New member
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Messages
233
I learned to drive really quickly from observing my parents do it. I didn't need the manual because I had already made them explain everything a million times.
 

BerberElla

12 and a half weeks
Joined
Sep 25, 2008
Messages
2,725
MBTI Type
infp
I learned to drive really quickly from observing my parents do it. I didn't need the manual because I had already made them explain everything a million times.

That would make it easier :), my parents don't drive though, infact I don't really have many friends that do drive so I can't even bug them for extra practise sessions.

Do you find it easy paying attention to the details involved in driving?

I keep being told that eventually it will be so natural that I will notice these details even whilst I am daydreaming because it will be like second nature, but honestly I am finding it all a bit overwhelming and hard to believe.
 

PeaceBaby

reborn
Joined
Jan 7, 2009
Messages
5,950
MBTI Type
N/A
Enneagram
N/A
It will get easier, there's just so much to coordinate at first. :) Your Ne will also help you anticipate situations IRL.

I posted a thread on driving a while back; not about learning how to drive, but about what types enjoyed / didn't enjoy it. Here's the thread, it may be of interest!
 

BerberElla

12 and a half weeks
Joined
Sep 25, 2008
Messages
2,725
MBTI Type
infp
It will get easier, there's just so much to coordinate at first. :) Your Ne will also help you anticipate situations IRL.

I hope so, I had this god awful vision of being one of those people who just aren't capable of driving.........I saw them on some show "britains worst drivers" lol :cheese:


I posted a thread on driving a while back; not about learning how to drive, but about what types enjoyed / didn't enjoy it. Here's the thread, it may be of interest!

Thanks, I will read through it now. :)
 

Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
50,187
MBTI Type
BELF
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594
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Driving has always been easy for me.

I was over-anxious when I first learned, years ago, I was afraid I wouldn't react fast enough to something or that I wouldn't be told a crucial fact and then have an accident.

I'm a really good driver, I think big-picture, I'm aware of where everyone around me is and good at judging speeds and patterns of movement. It's like a large 3d real-time map unfolding in my head. I figured other NPs would be similar, but maybe just NTPs?

Never had an accident. Only ever got one speeding ticket (in a speed trap in a small town at night, where the limit suddenly dropped to 20 and I just did not slow down fast enough, meh). Some people drive me nutty, they will slow down on an on ramp or just drive so cautiously they almost cause new accidents, I just feel very in sync when I drive, no big deal.
 

heart

heart on fire
Joined
May 19, 2007
Messages
8,456
Can someone else take you out driving at non-peak hours? Someone you feel very at ease with?
 

jenocyde

half mystic, half skeksis
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
Messages
6,387
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
7w8
I love driving. I love the freedom. Manual transmissions are the best for me - keeps me active and in control of the car. If someone ever needs to go from NY to Miami, they call me because they know I can just drive for hours and hours on end. I love it.

I'm a very good driver, but some say that I drive too fast. I think speed limits are for suckers... :tongue:


EDIT: when I was younger, I was apprehensive to drive but then I told myself to look at all the different types of people who do it, and that took away my fears. I told myself if any idiot could do it, so could I. Ha!
 

Sentura

Phoenix Incarnate
Joined
Apr 23, 2009
Messages
750
MBTI Type
ENXP
Enneagram
1w9
driving for me has always been completely subconscious. i don't notice driving as it were, i notice when something happens that is out of the ordinary when i'm driving. lay off your nervousness by not focusing on driving itself. focus on your thoughts instead and the skills should automatically embed themselves in your subconscious.

don't fret if you fail though, half of the population wouldn't be able to pass a driving test even when they have been driving for years. (i should note that i am from a country where manual transmissions have been issued by law for years).
 

Wade Wilson

New member
Joined
Oct 17, 2008
Messages
411
MBTI Type
INTP
Never learned. Tried it, didn't like it. I know I don't have patience or attention span. If I have to take a LD trip anywhere I go Greyhound. You meet some very interesting people that way. Locally, if I can't get somewhere without a car there's obviously no reason for me to go there.
 

Orangey

Blah
Joined
Jun 26, 2008
Messages
6,354
MBTI Type
ESTP
Enneagram
6w5
I love driving. It was easy for me to pick up...I remember my driver's ed instructor complimented me for accelerating on the freeway better than the boys.

It's understandable that the details overwhelm you, though, because you do have to pay attention to a lot of little things going on at once. I definitely had to learn to be more observant (especially of the cops on the road). Quite a few speeding tickets later, and I am now much better at noticing the things going on around me.
 

BlackCat

Shaman
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
7,038
MBTI Type
ESFP
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Driving was a lot of fun and was easy for me to learn to do. I got better over time, and I got the full hang of it in about a year.
 

simulatedworld

Freshman Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2008
Messages
5,552
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
It took me several years to become even reasonably competent at it. I was a horrible, horrible driver for a long time--I found keeping up with the constantly changing sensory details very difficult as well.
 

Ulaes

loopy
Joined
Jan 11, 2009
Messages
850
MBTI Type
crak
Enneagram
sax
i havent even been driving a year.
im kind of anxious behind the wheel. i just have a constant stream of second guessed decisions, "do this"/"no, that"/"go now"/"wait"/"do both?"/"ahhhhhh"/"were they honking at me" so sometimes instead of taking the quickest path to a destination, ill do whats comfortable and take roads i know.
fortunatley i havent had an accident yet but only because ive been lucky and others drivers reacted. i dont really think about consquences sometimes, as if life were a video game [= should NOT be driving]
my short term memory sucks too. so does my sense of right and left. my driving instructors ahd to resort to pointing. my depth perception is good but everything just gets undermined by my lack of confidence.
i found learning to drive really exhausitng, there was too much at once and i dont have the best attitude; me: "there, that'll do", intructor: "thats illegal".
like i care, if it works it works and if i know i can do it perfectly i dont feel to need to proove it.
 

ring the bell

New member
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
332
I didn't really have a problem learning to drive. I've never had a wreck, but I probably should have with my ability to tune out what's going on outside of the car... I like driving a lot when I have a good CD in, but I've been known to kinda forget to watch the road. My reaction time is good though. I luckily have a knack for jumping back into the real world when I need to.
 

sculpting

New member
Joined
Jan 28, 2009
Messages
4,148
I am an okay (like as in okay really crappy) driver. I live in Texas so you HAVE to drive otherwise I'd take the bus.

When younger I found the best thing to do was to let me learn to drive without a bunch of people in the car commenting. I liked highway driving best as there were less distractions. I still cant talk and drive.

Eventually it became second nature and now I drive a standard preferably.

However I have totalled three cars. In two cases the person in front of me stopped suddenly in bad weather and I plowed into them.

In one case, I was on a highway with stop lights. The light was green and, I was going fifty, and the guy in front of me had just started moving. I didnt at all realize how he slow he was going and plowed into him as well. Where is Si I ask???

However my fourth wreck was not my fault and Ne saved my ass as a semi plowed into a lady in his blind spot and both came flying my way. But since I saw it coming I had slowed and swerved around them, and just got clipped a little.
 

kelric

Feline Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2007
Messages
2,169
MBTI Type
INtP
I didn't have much trouble learning to drive, but I think it's easy to look back and say that. Especially as you're first starting, there is a lot to notice and pay attention to, but it really does become second nature after you get used to it.

Having said that, the "video hazard" test that you describe (never had anything like that when I learned) does sound sort of tricky - I'm enough of a space cadet that I don't notice many of the details either - but as far as actually driving, I'd not be too worried. Be careful, and you'll almost certainly be okay - you get a LOT more sensory feedback from actually driving than just watching a video - it's easier to cue up on and notice things when you're involved in the whole experience.

Also... if your instructors are anything like mine were, they're sort of trying to "scare you straight" by giving you the worst outcomes to odd situations and steer you to a conservative approach (which is a good thing, all things considered). I'd say relax, pay attention, and it'll be fine :)
 

CzeCze

RETIRED
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
8,975
MBTI Type
GONE
Err lack of replies = lack of NP drivers?

I am filled with confidence now.

LOL. Here's the truth - I failed the written portion of the written exam 3 times. There are only 3 exams. The fourth time, I got 1 question wrong and finished the test in less than 3 minutes. I just kept studying the exams I had taken (and failed) and it was like using using a cheat sheet - I literally memorized the answers to all the questions.

The driving test, I passed on the first try. If anything, I was too cautious.

I think I am a fine driver. Meaning I am just as good and just as bad as everyone else especially with years of experience now. When people tell me they are "excellent drivers" it's like when people tell me they are good in bed or a good writer - I don't really believe them and in fact believe the opposite to be true. Because if it were true, you wouldn't have to advertise like that.

One of my earlier jobs was basically as a sales account manager and my territory was spread across 3 states (and technically 2 more but I rarely had to go, but when I did, it was an overnight stay). We got company cars and received driver safety instruction and did a lot of driving.
I logged about 25,000 miles a year with that company...or whatever is "a lot".

I LOVE driving, it's very relaxing for me. I used to get really nervous with other people in the car with me but otherwise I have my moments of driving zen. LOL. I am a more aggressive driver than I used to be but I'm still very cautious compared to some - I'm not into road rage or getting into fights with neighbors over parking and such. I have told neighbors to get out of my parking space before, though, lol.
 
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