Safe Speed Forums

Having just read sixy's post on another thread, she posted the words, "in the zone"!!!!!

I love that

Encapsulates the reasons why I love driving, that does!

Empty motorway at 1 a.m.? I am bored. Cruise control set to 75 ish, nice ambient temperature in the cabin, ClassicFM on the wireless? Bored. Boredboredbored.

Yesterday, on the way back from Rubery with some precious cargo (Mrs Sigma!), I was wired and loving it! A rammed M5 and M6, constantly adjusting speed and position for better forward visibility. Decided that coming off at J1 of M5 was the best option, and going via West Brom and Walsall to join the M6 at J9. From rammed motorway to congested urban roads. All the time adjusting speed, checking mirrors, maintaining safe distance, occasional courteousness letting drivers into a queue, appropriate use of throttle, brake, and gears. The M54 was trouble, as we hit it at rush hour which = outside lane doing 55mph with 2 feet between cars, and inside lane doing 55mph but usually with 1 mile of safety in front. No matter. Come off at J3 and use A roads to Telford.

Joy.

I love being "in the zone" when driving.

I love being challenged by prevailing road conditions.

It makes you a better driver.

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Simon

Why thankyou!

Thing is, its so much less stressful if you're 'in the zone' - you're not having to fight to stay with it all the time.

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

arhh the M54, nearly home... don't see it very often now, J3's my Junction too!

Can't beat being in the zone, evey thing just seems to flow together. Like last night, I took in a little traffic jam slalom on the roads of Southend on the C90, brill!

If only The Zone could be bottled...

I suppose that, being human, some days we feel and act better than others. I am sure that I drive more competently on some occasions - am I "in the zone"?

Is this a question of mental comfort or level of alertness?

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Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

It's really a question of 'trusting your subconscious'. It's come up before:

The 'lizard brain': http://www.safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1531

Some materials in his thread: http://www.safespeed.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=68

Since then I have refined my view and now believe that driving takes place on three distinct mental layers:

- 'lizard brain'. Fast reactions learned through repetition. This is how you change gear, correct a skid or jump on the brakes in an emergency. There's some interesting material around the forums.

- 'subconscious'. Directing visual search, recognising and priotitorising hazards, risk assessment, concentration alerts (gets 'jumpy' if you haven't seen the road for 1.5 seconds), 'safe speed behaviour' and control. These subconscious skills are acquired through experience and virtually nothing else.

- 'conscious'. Legal compliance, route planning, fitness to drive, application of beliefs, style of driving decisions, and so on. Acquired through attitudes, beliefs, education and to a lesser extent experience.

The 'in the zone' experience is when you allow the lizard and subconscious layers to flow freely without unnecessary conscious control.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

There is, of course, the bell curve of performance against arousal, which means that you must have some stimulation to perform at an optimum level, but not so much as to overload your capacity.

There is indeed: http://www.safespeed.org.uk/arousal.html

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

Does this explain my "feelgood" factor when I am faced with - and successfully negotiated - challenging driving conditions????

I mean, some drivers act like cornered rabbits when faced with rain / snow / dense traffic etc. Eyes on stalks, maximum blood pressure, hands gripping the wheel like a testosterone-filled onanist on the short strokes.

But I love driving conditons like that! I see it as a chance to improve my driving skills, because driving is a constant learning curve (I'm sure even HPC members will attest to that).

I can't drive fast. The Stig does that, as does Walter Rohrl. I like swift and smooth, and the smoother the better.

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Simon

So I see!

Yours is much more 'parabolic' than the one that gets frequently rolled out at my work, which has definite y-axis asymptotes at either end of the 'bell', indicating presumably sleep at the low end, but at the over-aroused end a total capacity overload, resulting in the ability to select and perform even simple auto-motor functions.

Great simile Mind if I use it sometime?

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Malcolm W.
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not represent the views of Safespeed.

By all means.........

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Simon

Last week I drove from Illinois to north central arkanasa, about 600 miles (10 hours in total). Straight down Interstate 57 for the first 450miles then off on highway 67. Never had to slow for traffic once. Just set the cruise to 70 set the radio to Q101 then layback for the next 6hours hours till the fuel tank was showing empty.....................now thats the "zone"

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Speed camera policy Kills

... The bedroom zone.

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Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety