Weird thing happened while driving

[cdd]

So, I was happily driving along on a fairly long journey (2h) when I suddenly, sort of, woke up.

Not woke up in the normal sense, just a sudden coming to attention, combined with the realisation that I couldn't remember any of the past X minutes (nor the value of X). I would happily say I had fallen asleep actually except that surely if that were the case I would have crashed into the nearest curve/obstacle that didn't require some sort of active steering to avoid. Nor did I feel particularly tired.

having experienced this I have some questions for metropollers who drive, along the lines of

1- is this usual
2- did i fall asleep and not know about it
3- would i have avoided an accident if a hazardous situation had come my way
4- have you experienced this?

[Dr Lobster*]

yes, quite frequently - but it's not usually on long journeys that i've not done before or recently, but on the one i do every day to work - i can't usually remember anything about it unless something interesting happens.

[Gavin Scott]

That's not so much weird, more damned scary. Sounds like you had a "microsleep".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsleeps

Microsleeps (or microsleep episodes) become extremely dangerous when occurring during situations which demand continual alertness, such as driving a motor vehicle or working with heavy machinery. People who experience microsleeps usually remain unaware of them, instead believing themselves to have been awake the whole time, or feeling a sensation of 'spacing out'. One example is called "gap driving": from the perspective of the driver, he or she was driving a car, and then suddenly realizes that several seconds have passed by unnoticed. It is not obvious to the driver that he was asleep during those missing seconds, although this is in fact what happened. The sleeping driver is at very high risk for having an accident during a microsleep episode. Many accidents and catastrophies have resulted from microsleep episodes in these circumstances.

If you're driving after a long day, or late at night - keep your window open and the radio on.

And for god's sake be careful, Denman.

[Cache]

Yeah, Microsleeps are very common.
The best thing you can do is to keep the radio on, take regular breaks, and if you even feel a HINT of tiredness, pull over and rest for about 5 minutes. Set an alarm on your phone and just go to sleep. Even 5 minutes sleeping can prevent these Microsleeps for another hour apparently.

[Pete]

It's a nasty thing isn't it. The worst moment is always when you think "I have no idea what colour that light was" after you just passed a traffic light.

[marksi]

Welcome to the normal driving experience of a shift worker.

[Nini]

You're a danger to us all, Mark.

[lukey]

Is it really a 'microsleep'? I thought it was quite common for confident drivers to get to a point where the processes of driving are so ingrained they no longer consciously have a frantic running commentary of "where's that car, what exit am I taking, how far away is that?" etc. and can just drive quite safely without having to conciously engage in the process. As dangerous as it sounds, I'm not sure it's really any different from being able to sort of distance oneself from a task they're doing, and then realise it's just...done. If I think even of video games, I often completely space out from the actual game but still play it perfectly normally, because the combination of mental processes are so finite and mechnical, I suppose.

[Nick Harvey]

I'm with the good Doctor on this one.

I rarely get it now, but when I used to commute the same route, day after day, I would frequently get that sensation.

You'll be pleased to learn that, in about fifty years of driving, Mr Plod has never visited me a few days later to discuss an incident that I couldn't remember.

(Whenever Mr Plod visits a few days later, I always remember cutting the idiot up and pushing him into the hedge because he was driving like a complete plonker!)

[Ronnie Rowlands]

Probably unrelated, but my Granddad used to drive long distance lorries for 'Cadbury-Schweppes', starting his shift at 7AM and delivering at pubs, finishing 12 hours later. At each pub he stopped off at, he had a drink and was drunk by the time he got half way through the shift.

Did that for over 10 years and never had a crash. Well, none that he can remember, as he once put it.

[Nini]

(Whenever Mr Plod visits a few days later, I always remember cutting the idiot up and pushing him into the hedge because he was driving like a complete plonker!)

Didn't know you were the sort to chop people up and leave their remains in your hedge because they drove badly.