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← Return to Driving with Numb Feet.
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The problems I'm having trying to drive with neuropathy in my feet isn't the numbness, it's the pain. It's gotten so bad in the past few months that my wife has had to take over driving duties whenever we go somewhere together in her minivan.
Even with the driver's seat all the way back, just the pressure of putting my right foot on the accelerator, and especially the brake pedal makes the pain and burning go through the roof. I can handle the pain for short distances, I took her van in to get it serviced one morning last week, but anything more than that, and she has to do the driving. I drove a truck for a living, and have always done the driving. I can still drive my S-10 p/u when I need/want to, it has more legroom, but I'm still in pain by the time I get home. This is beyond frustrating.
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The missing the pedal while driving problem is not due to numbness. It is called Proprioception. This Wikipedia link explains how your brain remembers the position of your limbs (or in our case, fails to). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprioception
You CAN learn to improve this missing function by practice. I bought an inexpensive backup camera on eBay along with a small video display screen. I mounted the camera below the steering wheel facing the pedals. It has an LED that illminates that area. Every time you switch feet from gas to brake glance at the screen to see where you foot is and adjust it if nessecary. After a few weeks you will improve on getting the position right the first time.
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I hear you. I can no longer drive without extensive pain. My wife does the majority of the driving now. Even with her driving, I find it difficult to travel more than about an hour away. Limits our traveling pretty much. I will likely have to get a mobility scooter before too long so I can at least navigate longer "walks". We enjoy Longwood Gardens but I can no longer navigate the 1000+ acres on foot. I have to rent a scooter there. It's always a blessing to see the beautiful flowers and displays.