Moments of disorientation

[shesulsa]

I have a rather long drive to our training facility which involves a dark country road or two. When it's raining and it's nighttime, you don't have moon or stars to help light the road at night.

I was driving on this road the other night and suddenly had a sense that I didn't know where I was ... and my engine was overheating. I've driven this road hundreds of times, yet on this one particularly cold, wet, rainy night, I had to pull over to allow the vehicle to cool off. I had a general idea where I was on the planet, however for about a minute, though calm, I could not remember if I'd passed a particular small town or not. Was I south of it? north of it? Where's the nearest mile marker?

It was a short-lived experience but it made me take better notice of the road I've driven so often in the dark and in the rain. I realized that there are some mileposts missing - especially on the return trip - and wondered how I would describe exactly where I am to the authorities should the car die or get in an accident if I weren't right in front of a house or near a posted mile marker?

So I was wondering how many of you who must drive similar routes - to anywhere, really - would be able to accurately orient yourselves and direct authorities to your location should you require rescue? Without the use of a GPS, of course.

 

[michaeledward]

Quite probably, it was your familiarity with the road that put you in that situation. Because you know the road, you have driven it so frequently, your consciousness was not required to execute the driving task. Your mind was able to turn its attention elsewhere (something you learned in class, some future event causing concern, etc).

At times like this ... where we wonder how can we get along without (fill in the blank) ... I just try to remind myself, that human kind has gotten by for four million years on this planet. Most of those without roads or cars or GPS's or cell phones.

Makes you wonder, how many skill have we lost, with all our added convienences.

I will share this ...

Yesterday, I wanted to check the balance on my credit card from the website ... for the life of me, I could not remember the URL ... I visit the site fairly regulary ... but www.cardmemberservices.com would not come into my memory. When I could finally recall that web address ... I just felt OLD.

Thinkin' about that song .... 'Don't worry, Be Happy!'

 

[Lisa]

I have had periods of the very same phenomenon you are talking about Geo. The drive out to my inlaws for example. Must have driven it a few hundred times in the past 21 years. Last summer I turned down the road that leads to their place and completely missed the last turn. I know it is four miles from the end of the pavement but I kept on driving and by the time I "woke up" I was two miles north of their place. I turned around and it was such a weird feeling approaching the turn off from the other side, luckily there were landmarks to tell me where to turn. If the car would have over heated or died, etc. I would have been able to tell the authorities what road I was on, but probably not how far north I was, my mind was a total blank.

 

[Martial Tucker]

It's my understanding that most, if not all of today's cell phones have a built in "locator" function that allows the phone's location to be pinpointed by emergency personnel. This assumes you are in an area with cell coverage. My phone is from Sprint, and it does allow you to disable the function, but I keep it on. Even if you are unconcious, if authorities are notified that you are missing, if your phone is on and you are in an area where you get a signal, you can be located in an emergency. The locator function is emergency-only, and cannot be (legally) used to track your normal movements.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

Cool! Well, not cool. The phenomenon is sometimes called jamais vu and is the opposite of deja vu. Instead of being in strange surroundings that seem familiar, you're in familiar surroundings that seem strange.

It is, indeed, very disorienting. On the occasions it has happened to me, I just wait for it to pass.

 

[Navarre]

It's really amazing how powerful, and fragile, our minds are. That we can retain a lifetime of information yet it can all break down in a second is a sobering thought. Still, we're better than a Windows product.

 

[jdinca]

If I can get into a location, I can get out. Doesn't always mean I can tell you the name of the streets though. As for regularly traveled routes, yeah, I can guide someone in with little problem.

I have been having a problem in a neighborhood where one of my kids has a friend. For the life of me, I cannot remember turns when I'm driving there and I've gotten lost twice in the last two weeks. Driving out? Piece of cake.

I've heard that's one of the first signs....

 

[Navarre]

Is it just me or do most males and females work out directions differently?

When I try and get directions I want to know Exit numbers, names of streets and roads, and total miles on a given route. Most women seem to guide themselves more by landmarks.

For instance, going to my wife's house I know I need to take Exit 62 off of I-75 South, drive 15 miles and turn right onto Route 80.

My mother-in-law's original directions were to turn left onto the first freeway into Lexington, drive until I see a sign for Dale Hollow Lake, go toward the lake until I see a "checkerboard" house (she meant a white house with black shutters) and turn right.

 

[shesulsa]

I go by both. I prefer Highway names and numbers, exit names and numbers, street names and addresses, but I also like landmarks because in my travels I've experienced tampered-with signs (pointing the wrong direction for a highway), missing signs (darn sign-stealers) and just plain old bad directions.

 

[Navarre]

I prefer a bit of both myself. I go primarily as I described though it's good to have a landmark refernce.

It reinforces that I'm going in the right direction. It does seem though that the more commonly a route is driven the less likely one can remember landmarks or even road signs/numbers.

 

[kroh]

I sometimes have the same issue but instead of location it is time. I work strange hours and sometimes when I am sitting at home motionless, I have a tendancy to fall asleep (serves me right for only getting two hours or so a night). If I wake up after a short nap and see it dark out and the clock says six...I run around like a maniac because I have to be to work in five minutes. It is rather comical when my wife comes out of a room and says , "Whatcha doin'?" with the wifely **** eating grin on her face.

Regards,
Walt

 

[arnisador]

I could get lost in my own driveway. But yeah, I have had this sort of "that's not familiar" feeling before...a few months ago I nearly passed my exit on the highway on the way in to work because it didn't "look right" to me. Afterwards I thought, What was I thinking? I drive this short route 5 times a week!

 

[TigerWoman]

I go by both, visual and numbers, actually both at the same time are helpful.

Regarding disorientation, what about going through a stoplight and wondering a few moments later if it was truly green. Or getting all the way through town, but not remembering it much because you were heavy in thought. I call it driving on automatic. Hopefully our "automatic gear" would kick in for a self defense situation since we practice so much and know the road. TW

 

[bluemtn]

I prefer having both, although I can usually follow either just fine. I really don't like using mapquest for unfamiliar areas- that site isn't known for giving very accurate directions (in my experience).