Why do I find motorway driving so draining?

[JellySlice]

I drove from the SE to the Lake District yesterday. Probably my longest drive ever, as dh generally does the long-distance driving. He usually does it in 3 legs, with one long meal-break and one quick cup-of-tea-break. I insisted on 3 long breaks, and boy did I need them. By the time we arrived I was utterly shattered, dizzy with fatigue and jittery in my body.

Why does motorway driving do this to me?

because of the intense concentration that it demands, and you might have been sitting tensely for hours as well.

I think it’s because you have to be even more on the ball than you do with any other type of driving. Having to watch all 3 (or more lanes) being aware of everything and it all happening at speed. Even more so if your not used to it

Did you have kids with you? I used to love long drive before having kids. Maybe you're just worn out from concentrating!

it is beyond boring. just miles of road.

I find motorway driving difficult. The longest drive we did was from Portland OR to Manchester NH. 51 hrs straight driving!! DH and I took it in turns, we only stopped for fuel and thats when we switched drivers.

We slept for a day when we got home.

How long did it take?

I regularly do 3-5 hour drives. Before baby, probably stopped once on the 5 hour. Rarely for the 3. Didn't find it particularly taxing. With a baby, obviously need to stop regularly and find that more taxing cause it takes such a lot longer! I'd rather just get it over with.

Have never felt jittery or unwell though. Are you a nervous driver? Maybe you were tense and need to find a way to relax more?

It's about 6h driving. I did it in roughly 1.5h stretches.

I'm not a particularly nervous driver. I've been driving for 30y. Plenty of motorway experience, which is how I knew I didn't want to do more than 1.5h at a time.

Maybe it is the combination of having to sit relatively still for so long while remaining constantly alert.

I prefer motorway to town driving. Don't understand the needing more concentration comments though. I find my concentration similar on all roads, and tend to find more hazards in built up areas.

The constant vigilance, boredom, slight acknowledgement that if you make a mistake people can die, keeping stuck in the same position for hours on end.

In many ways it is easier than A or B road driving, but you do need to concentrate very hard, which can be exhausting.
And yes, as Lemony said, the constant thought of motorway deaths...
My fear is getting stuck between two trucks in the 'slow lane' and getting squished.

It’s so boring. My regular long drive is 3 hours, London to Wales. SO DULL.

I’m with you. Drove for 6 hours yesterday and after 1 hour I felt I wanted to lie down for a bit. Made it with a lot of coffee and stops and then didn’t sleep last night because of coffee. Hope for sleep tonight

I think just travelling long distances is tiring no matter if you are driving, on a coach train or plane even if just in the uk

I find driving in central London tiring as there is so much traffic but then motor driving can be tiring though I quite enjoy it if traffic is moving smoothly listening to my play list or audiobook and find it more tiring in the day than at night (though if a long drive will nap before) I love driving at night

I would have struggled with stopping for 3 long breaks, on a six hour journey I’d have stopped only once otherwise it would have dragged out too long. Any chance you could be coming down with a cold or illness though?

I found this too when I used to do some longer distance driving years ago.

I think it is why I am now a much more local driver. Motorways may be long and boring, but they are fast and often very busy, which takes a lot of concentration. That can be very draining.

It depends a lot on the motorway and conditions. Free moving, traditional 3 lane motorway is fine. Congested sections, 4 lanes and controlled conditions on smart motorway increase the amount of awareness that you have to sustain. Following the M1 from London and the M6 to the Lakes is a lot of tedious and busy motorway with little respite along the route.

Switching into gamer mode

It's hardcore. I take driving very seriously and I'm autistic as well, so notice every little thing. Motorway driving for me is very intense and involves high levels of concentration. In a satisfying way though - I love it and I'm very good at it. I just go into a zone when I'm driving. Its utterly exhausting though.

I expect its that, but on a less intense level?

It's boring...
That's what I think anyway. Just the road rolling under you, drone of the engine, dull views for the most part. Especially with cruise control, it's like watching paint dry at 70mph.

I had this recently. Anything over 1.5 hours made my eyes feel like they wanted to close and made me feel drained and quite ill.

Lovely fab physio diagnosed tension headaches....on the motorway my head was jutting forward a little and our heads aren't designed to do that for long, the neck muscles at the base of the skull react by getting tense and that causes the issues with the eyes and some tension at the base of the skull.

He changed my seating position in the car dramatically. Did you know that a head rest is there for you to actually rest your head on while you drive? The clue is in the title (as well as stopping whiplash in an accident). He also said to stop every 45 mins.

Problem solved

It’s so boring. My regular long drive is 3 hours, London to Wales. SO DULL.

Did that every week for 7 years. Almost always late at night, so at least there wasn’t much traffic.

I only drive cars with hard suspension. Helps to keep you alert if you can feel the road. Singing at the top of my voice and fruit teas were the other tricks.

I love a road trip and would happily do 12 hours drive in a day if needed.

I'm an HGV driver, and we're taught to keep our heads moving so as to sweep every mirror every 5 seconds. This avoids neck tension. Even so, a two hour session is the most I can manage without a 5 minute break. I once did 4 hours nonstop with a high value load, and it was like being drunk when I got it there.

Mentally, it's kind of boring but you still have to stay alert, you can't doze off. That's gonna get draining I think.

Physically, you're sitting one spot for a long time unable to move much, except for holding your right foot in a precise position for long times. (Unless you have cruise control). If that seat isn't comfortable and well-adjusted - and you'll need a nice car for it to be comfortable - then no wonder it wears you out. I feel physically stiff and aching after a long motorway drive in my car

Any chance you could be coming down with a cold or illness though?

I think that was it. I was just finishing a cold when we left to go on holiday.

Drove back yesterday, took even longer for various reasons, but this time I was fine.

Not that I would choose to do all the driving again! I'd rather revert to our previous system: I drive the windy, hilly, travel-sickness-inducing section and dh can do the booooooooring other bits while I sleep entertain children and sleep enjoy the landscape and sleep.

I find loud music helps greatly in long drives. Sing along to break the monotony. Queen for open motorways. Green Day for traffic jams.

I hate motorway driving and I’m not usually anxious anywhere!
I arrive sweating and hot and exhausted. For me it’s hard labour!