AutSPACEs is in a public pilot phase until September 30, 2024. After this date we aim to keep this website available for viewing but closed for new input. We would love to hear your feedback on this pilot.
Read the FAQ to learn more about the pilot phase.Autistic people’s senses often work differently to those of non-autistic people, creating all sorts of challenges in day-to-day life. By collecting your experiences, we can learn more and use the information to influence decision-makers to make spaces more autism-friendly.
The bright white headlights in new cars are too bright. The older headlights were more yellowy and …
Autistic individual ExpandThe bright white headlights in new cars are too bright. The older headlights were more yellowy and not so bright. The new ones are blinding when you have to drive towards oncoming traffic. It's even worse if the driver (or car when it is automated) is slow to dip the headlights. The automatic dipping function doesn't seem to work around corners or even recognise my older car with soft yellow lights, so sometimes they don't dip until the last minute! The bright white lights dazzle me and hurt my eyes. It makes it hard to see the road ahead clearly. It's difficult to adjust afterwards. I used to be comfortable driving at night, but now so many cars have these very bright headlights I don't drive in the dark anymore and that can be very restrictive in winter when it gets dark very early. I live in a rural area where there is no public transport so I can not take a bus instead.
I don't think that manufacturers should be allowed to make car headlights so bright. It is dangerous as it dazzles oncoming traffic and makes it difficult to adjust to the contrast between the bright light and the darkness. I think it is also bad for people's eyes. They should make them more yellowy and not so bright. I just avoid driving at night now. If I have to drive at night I slow down when I get blinded by the oncoming traffic and keep my eyes on the edge of the road until they have passed. I haven't tried the yellow tinted glasses for night driving yet as I have read conflicting information as to whether or not they are safe and effective.
I try to go for a walk in the woods at least two times a week. This is a place with a gorge with a …
Autistic individual ExpandI try to go for a walk in the woods at least two times a week. This is a place with a gorge with a fast running river that comes from the hills, with thick forest on either side and countryside beyond that. It should be a place where a person can take a walk and enjoy fresh air from the trees and the river. I go in the morning and I can tell that the air is fresh, or at least it should be fresh. If there are no people there I can smell the lovely subtle smells that come from nature. But most mornings the air is tinted with the smell from people's fragrances. I can smell even if someone has passed 10 or 15 minutes earlier as the perfume smells get trapped in pockets of air and linger for a long time. These perfume smells are usually from the washing detergents that they use to wash their clothes, as well as the fabric "conditioners" or "softeners" and, worst of all, "scent boosters" designed to last and last. Some brands are stronger and more permanent than others, but they all taint the air, so I can no longer smell the river, or the trees, or the moss and earth and leaves underfoot. The nature smells make me feel happy and alive but the human chemical fragrance smells make me feel anxious and nauseous. The worst ones burn my throat and my nose. When I get closer to the people I feel panicky as the smell gets more and more overpowering, as though there is no space left in the air where the smell isn't. I sometimes have to cover my face as I walk past, this makes me feel embarrassed and awkward. It is strange that they seem so at ease in the cloud of strong perfume that surrounds them, strange that it does not also burn their nose and throat or sting their eyes. Strange that they do not themselves yearn for fresh air and to smell the forest that they have come to walk in. Modern laundry products have a stronger smell than they used to and the fragrances are also designed to be more persistent and enduring than they used to be. Even the stream close to where I live smells of these fragrances downstream of where the "treated" sewage is discharged into the water.
I don't think it's necessary to make these fragrances so strong, in fact I am sure it is harmful for people's health to be breathing this in all the time. When the air and the rivers smell of perfume then it has gone too far. We need clean air and clean water to live a healthy life on this planet. So do all the other creatures who live here. Manufacturers should not be allowed to make such strongly scented products. I think people have become desensitised to them which is why they make them stronger and stronger all the time. My experience of the whole world would be better if these fragrances did not fill the spaces where other people are. It's another reason why I avoid being in a space with other people. My tips for other people who experience the same thing is always to have with you a scarf or a neck gaiter made from natural fibres, so when you are forced to be or pass through somewhere with a strong and unpleasant smell, you can cover your face. I have a cotton scarf and a merino wool "buff" which definitely helps to filter some of the fragrance away. But sometimes I feel frustrated when the entire forest is polluted by these smells, I feel as though the right to clean air and to smell the pure forest smells has been taken from me by companies who do not care about the impact of their products. I think clean fresh air should be a right for all humans that we should try to protect. There are lots of things that we can choose not to do, but choosing not to breathe is not one of them.
The bright white headlights in new cars are too bright. The older headlights were more yellowy and …
Autistic individual ExpandThe bright white headlights in new cars are too bright. The older headlights were more yellowy and not so bright. The new ones are blinding when you have to drive towards oncoming traffic. It's even worse if the driver (or car when it is automated) is slow to dip the headlights. The automatic dipping function doesn't seem to work around corners or even recognise my older car with soft yellow lights, so sometimes they don't dip until the last minute! The bright white lights dazzle me and hurt my eyes. It makes it hard to see the road ahead clearly. It's difficult to adjust afterwards. I used to be comfortable driving at night, but now so many cars have these very bright headlights I don't drive in the dark anymore and that can be very restrictive in winter when it gets dark very early. I live in a rural area where there is no public transport so I can not take a bus instead.
I don't think that manufacturers should be allowed to make car headlights so bright. It is dangerous as it dazzles oncoming traffic and makes it difficult to adjust to the contrast between the bright light and the darkness. I think it is also bad for people's eyes. They should make them more yellowy and not so bright. I just avoid driving at night now. If I have to drive at night I slow down when I get blinded by the oncoming traffic and keep my eyes on the edge of the road until they have passed. I haven't tried the yellow tinted glasses for night driving yet as I have read conflicting information as to whether or not they are safe and effective.
I try to go for a walk in the woods at least two times a week. This is a place with a gorge with a …
Autistic individual ExpandI try to go for a walk in the woods at least two times a week. This is a place with a gorge with a fast running river that comes from the hills, with thick forest on either side and countryside beyond that. It should be a place where a person can take a walk and enjoy fresh air from the trees and the river. I go in the morning and I can tell that the air is fresh, or at least it should be fresh. If there are no people there I can smell the lovely subtle smells that come from nature. But most mornings the air is tinted with the smell from people's fragrances. I can smell even if someone has passed 10 or 15 minutes earlier as the perfume smells get trapped in pockets of air and linger for a long time. These perfume smells are usually from the washing detergents that they use to wash their clothes, as well as the fabric "conditioners" or "softeners" and, worst of all, "scent boosters" designed to last and last. Some brands are stronger and more permanent than others, but they all taint the air, so I can no longer smell the river, or the trees, or the moss and earth and leaves underfoot. The nature smells make me feel happy and alive but the human chemical fragrance smells make me feel anxious and nauseous. The worst ones burn my throat and my nose. When I get closer to the people I feel panicky as the smell gets more and more overpowering, as though there is no space left in the air where the smell isn't. I sometimes have to cover my face as I walk past, this makes me feel embarrassed and awkward. It is strange that they seem so at ease in the cloud of strong perfume that surrounds them, strange that it does not also burn their nose and throat or sting their eyes. Strange that they do not themselves yearn for fresh air and to smell the forest that they have come to walk in. Modern laundry products have a stronger smell than they used to and the fragrances are also designed to be more persistent and enduring than they used to be. Even the stream close to where I live smells of these fragrances downstream of where the "treated" sewage is discharged into the water.
I don't think it's necessary to make these fragrances so strong, in fact I am sure it is harmful for people's health to be breathing this in all the time. When the air and the rivers smell of perfume then it has gone too far. We need clean air and clean water to live a healthy life on this planet. So do all the other creatures who live here. Manufacturers should not be allowed to make such strongly scented products. I think people have become desensitised to them which is why they make them stronger and stronger all the time. My experience of the whole world would be better if these fragrances did not fill the spaces where other people are. It's another reason why I avoid being in a space with other people. My tips for other people who experience the same thing is always to have with you a scarf or a neck gaiter made from natural fibres, so when you are forced to be or pass through somewhere with a strong and unpleasant smell, you can cover your face. I have a cotton scarf and a merino wool "buff" which definitely helps to filter some of the fragrance away. But sometimes I feel frustrated when the entire forest is polluted by these smells, I feel as though the right to clean air and to smell the pure forest smells has been taken from me by companies who do not care about the impact of their products. I think clean fresh air should be a right for all humans that we should try to protect. There are lots of things that we can choose not to do, but choosing not to breathe is not one of them.
I went to bonfire night and the loud bangs have heightened my anxiety levels. It didn't help I was …
User has not answered if they identify as autistic ExpandI went to bonfire night and the loud bangs have heightened my anxiety levels. It didn't help I was not warned in advance so I can cover my ears.
Probably helps if I get noise cancelling headphones so I can cope with fireworks display better
There are certain clothes shops I just can't bear to go into as they're so bright and even with a l…
Autistic individual ExpandThere are certain clothes shops I just can't bear to go into as they're so bright and even with a large open space it feels overwhelming. The fact that you then have so much visual and touch input when 'browsing' clothes just makes it impossible for me to enter these places.
Make lights less bright and don't have white walls in large spaces. It feels like a void.
I was waiting for a 272 bus late in the evening at 10 pm with a suitcase trying to travel to my da…
Autistic individual ExpandI was waiting for a 272 bus late in the evening at 10 pm with a suitcase trying to travel to my daughter’s house to stay the night before we went on holiday the next day. The digitalboard said my bus was coming in 3 minutes then it disappeared 2 minutes later and it read 13 minutes. I saw that notice go down to 3 minutes then due . This second bus then disappeared. The time was now nearly 11 pm. I asked other people waiting for the same bus what their travel apps said. One man with a small baby in a pushchair said he was getting a message saying ‘ the service was in big demand …. What does that mean. No 272 buses came yet other services had plenty of vehicles comin at regular intervals. Then the digital board blanked out 272 completely. I’m panicking, knowing l can’t walk that far with the suitcase. The guy with baby kindly offered me a free share of his taxi to where we were both going. As our taxi arrived a completely empty 272 bus ghosted by. It stopped by us even though there were no passengers flagging it down.
An explanation on the digital board saying there was a disruption in my service. The travel apps saying there were delays with a prediction of how long the wait might be. Finding better phrases to use other than the service is in great demand. So frustrating. A way of making an enquiry about a service that makes sense to an older person like me. Better lighting at the bus stop. Thank you to the kind parent who got me to my daughters.
I can find it stressful when I'm trying to concentrate and get interrupted. Especially if I'm doing…
Autistic individual ExpandI can find it stressful when I'm trying to concentrate and get interrupted. Especially if I'm doing something complicated or don't have a lot of time.
I need a private space and to dedicate time to focus when I have a big deadline coming up or something I need to work on
Air conditioner attack. hypersensitive to inappropriate cold air and nauseating stabbing sounds. Ex…
Autistic individual ExpandAir conditioner attack. hypersensitive to inappropriate cold air and nauseating stabbing sounds. Example in a yoga class… air conditioner cold air shocks my system temperature-wise, i’m extra hyper vigilant and i can’t concentrate I’m so cold and assaulted by cold air that hurts and stabs - needles in my eyes. and scratches on my skin. This is bad enough but in addition; the sound of the machine is excruciating to me, it makes me feel sick, angry, trapped, stabbed, verging on tears (can often result in tears, meltdown, panic attack). Sometimes I am determined to do the class even if distressed, but this has bad effect on me for the rest of the day and days after, sometimes its too distressing and i leave, and then feel annoyed i couldn’t do the class, wasted money and feel ashamed/disruptive/sad. I understand some people like the effects of an air conditioner and that it may be turned on during a class so I prepare for this.. I make sure i am early so that i can get the position in the room that feels the least effect of the fake air, i bring a bag of layers of clothes/jumpers to put on if it is turned on, i bring earbuds to block out the stabbing and grinding feeling i get form the sound of the machine. This is all quite a lot of effort and organisation for my working memory differences, already overwhelmed nervous system, and it prevents me hearing clearly the teachers voice and music and the extra clothing often gets in my way and further stresses me. It also upsets and saddens me when the people who request the coldest mode of air conditioner say after class that they want and like to get hot and sweat in class to loose weight - if they were distressed by being hot i can understand why they would request the cold air conditioner on, but they state they want a hot exercise class - i do not understand as this makes no logical sense. So on top of my sensory distress i am so confused by people. It makes me sad as i’m not able to relax and enjoy the class because they request the machine on and on coldest mode, and yet what they say after class is counter to their actions and so it feels like i was put through unnecessary distress. (if the air conditioner doesn’t go on i can enjoy the class, or if i am able to do all my adaptations i can be ‘okay’. But if one adaptation gets misplaced or some other thing distresses me (a list or story for another time..) things get extremely overwhelming very rapidly)
if people are choosing to attend a hot physical exercise class and want to feel hot, please don’t request cold air. Changes in temperature are very distressing. If air conditioners need to go on please think about turning them off for certain times; for example in relaxation/mindfulness part of an exercise class - distress is heightened at these times. If other people don’t have any particular feelings or thoughts when they are in rooms with air conditioners, just to let them know that my experience of them is assaulting disorientating cold, a constant punching and stabbing to my body and mind, churning in my stomach, choking my throat sensation, hammering or pitchforking in my head, palpitations in my chest/panic and fear/ - panic attacks or meltdowns that happen there or later on when i find a safe place alone. This can take days to recover from.
I was staying with my family. I was tired from a busy day, and light felt very intense. It was stil…
Autistic individual ExpandI was staying with my family. I was tired from a busy day, and light felt very intense. It was still daylight outside, and the light from the windows was as much light as I could cope with. This much light, I felt like inside my head was swimming and like I was out of touch with my body. I knew I was overstimulated. We had plans to play a board game together. A family member turned the lights on in the room. That really hurt my head right away and I covered my eyes to block the light and said that it was too bright for me. Someone turned off one of the lights, but left the other one on. I can't remember who because I was not able to process anymore. Someone said some words along the lines of "We do have to have some light on to be able to see" in an emphatic tone which suggested I had asked to play in the dark. I did not respond because I was too overwhelmed. I went to bed and under the covers to block out the light. I did not get to play the board game, it was played with out me.
I think some mutual understanding about the light levels required by different family members would have made me feel better. When sensory needs do not line up, it is difficult to find the solution, but I felt I was treated as riduculous for having needs. I have many friends who would have been happy with the same light level to play games in with me - this had helped me understand that I am not being difficult on purpose and have the confidence to leave a space that is not ok for me. Perhaps some different types of lights could help the situation too, but as it is not my house, I do not have that choice.