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?

I find it more tiring the older I get. Aging doesn't help!

It really depends on the road, restrictions and traffic.

The roads in the Midlands and SE are very congested, with losts of speed restrictions (where you have to concentrate even more) and "agressive" drivers (who will push in to make space or cut across lanes).
We have driven a lot in Ireland and on the Continent and could easily drive 2.5 to 3 hours without much tiredness. The motorways flow with less traffic, very few speed restrictions and drivers are much more courteous / forgiving. You could easily average 70mph all day, and on French motorways, and on several occasions we have spent 6 to 8 hours driving time in 1 day without much tiredness.

One of the worst driving experiences was through the peak district - every corner seemed to have its own speed limit, some of which were ridiculously slow. So instead of concentrating on the road and driving, so much more energy and concentration was required to process all the changes in speed limits. It was as if somebody has decided that drivers are incapable of reading the road and driving at safe speeds around bends... within the national speed limit. Within an hour i was fatigued and really did not enjoy the driving at all.

I love motorway driving!

I'm another who loves it, but then again caffeine, nicotine and jelly sweets are my best friends on the road so maybe that's why it feels like a party in my car. I have a weekly all-day meeting 3.5 hours from home and look forward to it so much; set off at the crack of dawn, work all day then home again (7 hours on the road) and I couldn't be happier!

I don't have a problem with motorway driving, I find the local roads more of an issue.

High levels of concentration required = draining

With me it's the fact motorway driving makes me very anxious and while I've got strategies to cope with this (I worked on it a bit with a counsellor at one point in time) - just running on that level of anxiety is draining.

I can do it, and I periodically make myself do it to ensure I remain able to do so (plus I live so bloody close to the motorway it's impossible to avoid), but I will never ever enjoy it.

I think it's the combination of sheer boredom yet utter focus at the same time

It was as if somebody has decided that drivers are incapable of reading the road and driving at safe speeds around bends... within the national speed limit.

10 days of driving in the Lake District has convinced me that many drivers are incapable of just that.

The number of numpties who 'flat' blind bends and roar over blind summits! Just because it's a national speed limit road, doesn't mean it's a good idea to drive at speed. And then there are the drivers who stop in passing places for a pee/fag/cup of tea while they enjoy the view, refuse to reverse to the passing place a car's length behind them, follow you bumper-to-bumper as you go up a winding pass - it's extraordinary.

Yet I really enjoy driving those roads (Mostly. Not so keen on the section at the bottom of Wastwater - drystone walls on both sides and few passing places.)

My DP reckons motorway driving is the easiest but I find it so tiring as you have to concentrate on three lanes and really focus on what's going on around you.

I also get what I call "motorway leg" where my whole right leg seizes up and I am in agony. I don't seem to get it when driving on A roads.

And I drive in the Lake District, Peak District or Yorkshire Dales most weekends and find that it's far easier to drive on "difficult" roads with tight corners etc than the motorway