@autistics

So, I used to drive from Maine back to where I grew up in Massachusetts once or twice a year (80 miles one way, 160 miles round trip, on the highway). I would visit the family graves, hike a small hill with a scenic view, hang out by a river, and visit other places that hold memories for me.

But, because of all the asshattery on the road, I stopped doing that a few years ago.

Every once in a while, I think about driving down again. But then I drive just 20 miles to work (or even a few miles to the store), or take a short jaunt down the highway, and realize that people are still asshats, and my tolerance for that has gone down to "zero". ("Paige Rage" followed by days of recovering from the stress). Unfortunately, I have issues with taking a bus or train that far (what if I want to leave and go home? And yes, I've been stranded before.), and I don't like not being the one driving (and yet, now I hate driving).

However, I've been finding places locally that remind me of home... The nearby river, beaches, high spots where I can see for miles, graves of ancestors and distant relatives, cool old houses...

I guess the point I'm making is that since my mask has dropped, I can't just disassociate and act like folks aren't asshats -- especially after being involved in two accidents that weren't my fault. I'm wondering if other autistics have similar issues. I know I used to LOVE driving, but now I dread it (unless I'm the only one on the roads, which doesn't happen very often).