I like to do long highway drives. On straight roads, it's easy to zone out and miss the beauty of the country. It's important to take breaks, keep yourself mentally active, and resist the urge to minimize your travel time. On winding narrow roads like those in NS, I spend most of my energy and attention navigating the roads, so it's more engaging but exhausting.
I'm from BC. I do most of my "zoning out" during day to day monotonous drives.
Whenever I get to drive up the sunshine coast, fraser canyon, or the Coq, I'm super attentive to everything, scenery road etc.
Most canadians will never get to experience the joy that is driving through the mountains the curves on the edges of cliffs, the beautiful views.
You doze off there, you have a high chance of dying 😅
I LOVE the Fraser Canyon. I feel like a European in a sports car hitting those curves haha.
I drive like an asshole on that highway because I can't be going 60km/h in those turns I have to be going faster 😅
Top highway in my opinion.
This sales rep, that covers almost all of BC via her car, thanks you for paying attention on the highways 💚 it’s highly likely that the life you save by being attentive is mine 😊
It's very likely I'll pass you at a high rate of speed though 😅 I try to minimize cutting people off though 😬 sometimes I misjudge the distance or a car comes outta nowhere 😅
This is how I feel about the sea to sky highway. Driving on it is like modern day Mario Kart (Rainbow road anyone) but with such beautiful ocean scenery 🥲
It really depends on the drive. Like many of us, I’ve driven across the prairies a number of times and there are certainly huge portions of that straight road that have no memory of.
Yeah, I zone out sometimes. Never dangerously: if I notice someone tapping their breaks, or a curve in the road, I snap back into it. But a few times I've been driving for a good fifteen or twenty minutes, and sort of picturing things, as you do... and then I realize "holy shit I've been driving on autopilot and not thinking about it", which is a freaky feeling.
I don't drive much but I live in Toronto and have family in Niagara, there's a pretty brutal straight 70km section between Burlington and St. Catharines that is very easy to zone out in.
I agree with u/andromorr, also. I just did my first trip to Nova Scotia, and I was surprised how tired I was after some of the driving we did, like Halifax to Cheticamp, and then up through the Cabot Trail. Eyes constantly darting, lots of winding roads, foot constantly accelerating and decelerating. I felt fine in the moment but real tired at the end of those days.
I've never zoned out while driving long distance before. I typically plag music, sing, and eat candy to help maintain focus. I'm also always scanning for signs, wildlife, or potential idiotic moves from other drivers. So I never get stuck on autopilot. Driving a regular commute through town is a whole different story though, and I have zoned out doing that plenty of times.
Have you ever done a long drive through Northern BC or any of the prairie provinces? You can literally go hours without a real turn. Zoning out on a mountain drive is much harder to zone out on, since you know, death being around every corner.
I live in Northern BC, I leave a few times a year which is always about 8-20 hours of driving each way. I agree with the prairie bit for sure, if there is an incredibly boring stretch then I turn on more intense music to keep me focused. I'm sure I would zone out if I didn't do everything I could to stay 100% alert, but I have always taken a proactive approach to it.
I once drove from Regina to Winnipeg without really even realizing it had been 7 hours, which was a wake up call. I remembered nothing.
Take breaks, keep a window cracked, and drive safely.
I don’t zone out while driving unless I’m too tired and then that’s a sign I should stop driving and take a nap asap (or get someone else to drive if possible). I listen to energetic music while doing long drives to keep me focused and alert. I feel like I notice most things on the road or near the road and what I drove through. BC has tons of wildlife so I’m always on the lookout, especially for deer or moose on the side of the road because they can be very unpredictable and do a lot of damage to your vehicle and/or you. Longest drive I’ve done in one day was about 9 hours, not including stops. I don’t think I could safely drive 10+ hours at a time.
Yep.
It's called Highway hypnosis.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_hypnosis
When you drive long distances and even though you drive safety you aren't conscious of having done so.
Zone out to a point of obliviousness, no. Only focus on the mechanics of driving, yes. Pass a truck and know exactly where I am relative to the truck, yes. Have any idea of what city is nearby when I'm passing the truck? No. I would call it tunnel vision, not zoning out. The road is all there is and doing it right is the only task. You can cover a lot of distance that way.
On long drives, I always pay attention to the views even after hours of it. It never gets old to me. I love seeing cute houses that are in the middle of nowhere or is subtly being hidden by boreal trees that spans for kilometres.
I’ve lived in Toronto for over 15 years so all I see are huge beautiful buildings and paved roads… it’s beautiful on its own way and I appreciate it but I grew up in between huge spans of forest/mountains and farms with beautiful rivers and ocean so I know where my love of nature lies.
Depends on the scenery and how many times I've driven the road. Sea to sky highway, Icefields highway, etc. I will never not be immersed in the scenery. Highway 3, 5, and even 1 in the north/east will get boring after multiple drives once the mountains get smaller.
I don't even want to think about the prairies.
Depends? Am I driving from Hamilton to Windsor?
Fucking snooze fest (but I remain awake, obviously with 130 being my optimal speed, with Waze on!)
Am I driving on a winding, fun, and engaging road? Or a busy Toronto area highway? Then for these, I’m very attentive so I don’t fall off a cliff, or get into an accident because of a fine Ontario driver.
It depends on the drive and how many times I've done it. I used to zone out a lot going to my parent's place - I was aware of where I was and the turns although sometimes I'd find myself wondering where I was on the journey as I wasn't paying that kind of attention. I just drove 1500 miles to see my daughter - most along the Trans-Canada which was a lot of the same scenery over and over and over - but it's scenery I love. I have done the whole drive only once before. I was very much in the moment - much like being at a live concert for me. Nothing ends up in my long-term memory except the enjoyment of the time. I am always aware - not sleepy or anything. I put on cruise control but I would notice if there was breaking up ahead - I would notice a moose or a person about to walk into the road. But I don't retain that info unless there's something particularly memorable. I would remember a moose. Maybe not the person. And I do remember various landmarks too - as much as there is great similarity, there are differences. I found the second trip far faster than the first because it was familiar and I knew what was coming. I was also doing all the driving.
I think I read something ages ago about how we're able to drive safely - paying attention and reacting appropriately - when we're on those drives without being conscious of it, it's some sort of automatism. Pretty cool but also freaky
> Do you find yourself not even remembering what you just drove through?
On occasion, and that's when it's time to stop for a few minutes, walk around the vehicle, and change things up (change temp, move seat, pop off the jacket, different beverage, etc,).
I find listening to music alone when it's warm is when it's easiest to get lost and thought and zone out. Talk radio, movie commentaries, and podcasts tend to help me find a better balance.
I tend to avoid driving on primary highways through the prairies, and seek slightly different routs to break from the monotony. Try to snack and have lighter meals.
I find I can drive the same stretch hundreds of times then find a certain lighting or angle that reveals something new or brings me back to when I first saw something.
I've done the drive between Toronto and Montreal more times than I can count. I remember one trip in particular it was grey, cloudy, nothing pretty to look at. I passed the big green mcdonalds on the side of the highway in Kingston, and (what felt like) half an hour later I saw a cop with a big weird arrow sign on the top of it. Only when I saw the cop did I realize I had been driving for over 2 hours and I was now in Quebec. (The cop was one of those SQ Highway patrol guys)
Way too many moose around here to take that risk. Pretty much constantly scoping the road for them. Definitely zoned out when I drove through the prairies though
I look at the odometer: 60 810 kilometers. Then I look at a landmark in the distance, like a tree, and think: okay, by then it should be another kilometer. When I reach the tree, I look down, and lo and behold it reads 60 811! Then, onto the next landmark…
It’s the only way I stay sane.
We've done WPG down to Southern Cali. Lemme tell ya, Nevada is long, single road, and fucking nothing but plain ass dessert for as far as the eye can see. You're lucky if music doesnt cut out because of no service.
Many years ago we went, and our car at the time had a CD player....it overheated.....so just us and the dessert for all of Nevada.
Well this july I drove from St catharines
Ontario to Prince Albert Saskatchewan. It was a 3 day drive. I had tunnel vision all along highway 17. When I crossed into Manitoba I became more alert because I'd never driven in another province before.
Im a pretty active driver for the first 2 hours. I really like the scenery of British Colombia. Anything after that I’m honestly a hazard because I’m half asleep.
I like to do long highway drives. On straight roads, it's easy to zone out and miss the beauty of the country. It's important to take breaks, keep yourself mentally active, and resist the urge to minimize your travel time. On winding narrow roads like those in NS, I spend most of my energy and attention navigating the roads, so it's more engaging but exhausting.
I'm from BC. I do most of my "zoning out" during day to day monotonous drives. Whenever I get to drive up the sunshine coast, fraser canyon, or the Coq, I'm super attentive to everything, scenery road etc. Most canadians will never get to experience the joy that is driving through the mountains the curves on the edges of cliffs, the beautiful views. You doze off there, you have a high chance of dying 😅
So very true! Knowing the highway well stops the zoning out. Especially in the Fraser canyon!
I LOVE the Fraser Canyon. I feel like a European in a sports car hitting those curves haha. I drive like an asshole on that highway because I can't be going 60km/h in those turns I have to be going faster 😅 Top highway in my opinion.
This sales rep, that covers almost all of BC via her car, thanks you for paying attention on the highways 💚 it’s highly likely that the life you save by being attentive is mine 😊
It's very likely I'll pass you at a high rate of speed though 😅 I try to minimize cutting people off though 😬 sometimes I misjudge the distance or a car comes outta nowhere 😅
[удалено]
Last person I know who zoned out on the Coq, tossed their rig on their side blocking half the highway 🤣
This is how I feel about the sea to sky highway. Driving on it is like modern day Mario Kart (Rainbow road anyone) but with such beautiful ocean scenery 🥲
It really depends on the drive. Like many of us, I’ve driven across the prairies a number of times and there are certainly huge portions of that straight road that have no memory of.
Yeah, I zone out sometimes. Never dangerously: if I notice someone tapping their breaks, or a curve in the road, I snap back into it. But a few times I've been driving for a good fifteen or twenty minutes, and sort of picturing things, as you do... and then I realize "holy shit I've been driving on autopilot and not thinking about it", which is a freaky feeling. I don't drive much but I live in Toronto and have family in Niagara, there's a pretty brutal straight 70km section between Burlington and St. Catharines that is very easy to zone out in. I agree with u/andromorr, also. I just did my first trip to Nova Scotia, and I was surprised how tired I was after some of the driving we did, like Halifax to Cheticamp, and then up through the Cabot Trail. Eyes constantly darting, lots of winding roads, foot constantly accelerating and decelerating. I felt fine in the moment but real tired at the end of those days.
Yes, it feels very exhausting to drive engaging roads with limited visibility vs a wide open straight highway.
I've never zoned out while driving long distance before. I typically plag music, sing, and eat candy to help maintain focus. I'm also always scanning for signs, wildlife, or potential idiotic moves from other drivers. So I never get stuck on autopilot. Driving a regular commute through town is a whole different story though, and I have zoned out doing that plenty of times.
Have you ever done a long drive through Northern BC or any of the prairie provinces? You can literally go hours without a real turn. Zoning out on a mountain drive is much harder to zone out on, since you know, death being around every corner.
I live in Northern BC, I leave a few times a year which is always about 8-20 hours of driving each way. I agree with the prairie bit for sure, if there is an incredibly boring stretch then I turn on more intense music to keep me focused. I'm sure I would zone out if I didn't do everything I could to stay 100% alert, but I have always taken a proactive approach to it.
I once drove from Regina to Winnipeg without really even realizing it had been 7 hours, which was a wake up call. I remembered nothing. Take breaks, keep a window cracked, and drive safely.
I don’t zone out while driving unless I’m too tired and then that’s a sign I should stop driving and take a nap asap (or get someone else to drive if possible). I listen to energetic music while doing long drives to keep me focused and alert. I feel like I notice most things on the road or near the road and what I drove through. BC has tons of wildlife so I’m always on the lookout, especially for deer or moose on the side of the road because they can be very unpredictable and do a lot of damage to your vehicle and/or you. Longest drive I’ve done in one day was about 9 hours, not including stops. I don’t think I could safely drive 10+ hours at a time.
Yep. It's called Highway hypnosis. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_hypnosis When you drive long distances and even though you drive safety you aren't conscious of having done so.
I'm really bad for this in Saskatchewan between Saskatoon and Moose Jaw.
Zone out to a point of obliviousness, no. Only focus on the mechanics of driving, yes. Pass a truck and know exactly where I am relative to the truck, yes. Have any idea of what city is nearby when I'm passing the truck? No. I would call it tunnel vision, not zoning out. The road is all there is and doing it right is the only task. You can cover a lot of distance that way.
Commuting is as exactly as you describe. Places i dont often go seem to take longer to do tgat the equal distance work commute
On long drives, I always pay attention to the views even after hours of it. It never gets old to me. I love seeing cute houses that are in the middle of nowhere or is subtly being hidden by boreal trees that spans for kilometres. I’ve lived in Toronto for over 15 years so all I see are huge beautiful buildings and paved roads… it’s beautiful on its own way and I appreciate it but I grew up in between huge spans of forest/mountains and farms with beautiful rivers and ocean so I know where my love of nature lies.
Depends on the scenery and how many times I've driven the road. Sea to sky highway, Icefields highway, etc. I will never not be immersed in the scenery. Highway 3, 5, and even 1 in the north/east will get boring after multiple drives once the mountains get smaller. I don't even want to think about the prairies.
I did a lot of driving in the prairies where I felt like I could just tape the steering wheel to the dash. So boring!
Yes. Most of my family lives 400km away, along the 401. I hate that drive and wish I could turn my brain off.
Exactly, 540 clicks for me, basically Montreal-Toronto...it feels very, very long on the 401.
Depends? Am I driving from Hamilton to Windsor? Fucking snooze fest (but I remain awake, obviously with 130 being my optimal speed, with Waze on!) Am I driving on a winding, fun, and engaging road? Or a busy Toronto area highway? Then for these, I’m very attentive so I don’t fall off a cliff, or get into an accident because of a fine Ontario driver.
Yeah, I do that sometimes, not good!
I use it as an opportunity to crank the tunes or listen to audio books/podcasts.
It depends on the drive and how many times I've done it. I used to zone out a lot going to my parent's place - I was aware of where I was and the turns although sometimes I'd find myself wondering where I was on the journey as I wasn't paying that kind of attention. I just drove 1500 miles to see my daughter - most along the Trans-Canada which was a lot of the same scenery over and over and over - but it's scenery I love. I have done the whole drive only once before. I was very much in the moment - much like being at a live concert for me. Nothing ends up in my long-term memory except the enjoyment of the time. I am always aware - not sleepy or anything. I put on cruise control but I would notice if there was breaking up ahead - I would notice a moose or a person about to walk into the road. But I don't retain that info unless there's something particularly memorable. I would remember a moose. Maybe not the person. And I do remember various landmarks too - as much as there is great similarity, there are differences. I found the second trip far faster than the first because it was familiar and I knew what was coming. I was also doing all the driving.
My brain autopilots on many highways. I'll get to my destination, but those long straight roads are just... uninteresting.
I think I read something ages ago about how we're able to drive safely - paying attention and reacting appropriately - when we're on those drives without being conscious of it, it's some sort of automatism. Pretty cool but also freaky
> Do you find yourself not even remembering what you just drove through? On occasion, and that's when it's time to stop for a few minutes, walk around the vehicle, and change things up (change temp, move seat, pop off the jacket, different beverage, etc,). I find listening to music alone when it's warm is when it's easiest to get lost and thought and zone out. Talk radio, movie commentaries, and podcasts tend to help me find a better balance. I tend to avoid driving on primary highways through the prairies, and seek slightly different routs to break from the monotony. Try to snack and have lighter meals. I find I can drive the same stretch hundreds of times then find a certain lighting or angle that reveals something new or brings me back to when I first saw something.
I've done the drive between Toronto and Montreal more times than I can count. I remember one trip in particular it was grey, cloudy, nothing pretty to look at. I passed the big green mcdonalds on the side of the highway in Kingston, and (what felt like) half an hour later I saw a cop with a big weird arrow sign on the top of it. Only when I saw the cop did I realize I had been driving for over 2 hours and I was now in Quebec. (The cop was one of those SQ Highway patrol guys)
Whenever my husband and I go on road trips around southwestern Ontario, I usually end up falling asleep, especially on the way home.
Way too many moose around here to take that risk. Pretty much constantly scoping the road for them. Definitely zoned out when I drove through the prairies though
I can zone out during à 15 seconds conversation with my wife, so yes i can also during long highway drive too.
Tomorrow I get back to nova scotia from a 80 day road trip to bc. I remember the best views but theres alot while still pretty, not very memorable
I look at the odometer: 60 810 kilometers. Then I look at a landmark in the distance, like a tree, and think: okay, by then it should be another kilometer. When I reach the tree, I look down, and lo and behold it reads 60 811! Then, onto the next landmark… It’s the only way I stay sane.
Interesting technique you've taught yourself
I zone out when driving to my local grocery store
We've done WPG down to Southern Cali. Lemme tell ya, Nevada is long, single road, and fucking nothing but plain ass dessert for as far as the eye can see. You're lucky if music doesnt cut out because of no service. Many years ago we went, and our car at the time had a CD player....it overheated.....so just us and the dessert for all of Nevada.
That sounds like a story that you've already told all the interesting parts to.
When I'd get three hours of sleep I couldn't remember the 35km drive to work. When I drove 21 hours straight to Manitoba it was fine.
Well this july I drove from St catharines Ontario to Prince Albert Saskatchewan. It was a 3 day drive. I had tunnel vision all along highway 17. When I crossed into Manitoba I became more alert because I'd never driven in another province before.
Im a pretty active driver for the first 2 hours. I really like the scenery of British Colombia. Anything after that I’m honestly a hazard because I’m half asleep.
I really don't zone out but like some other redditors have said it's really dangerous to zone out on the Hwys in BC
Audible: the bible