someone that distracted shouldn't be driving...at all.

Can anyone say Common Sense?

SIMILAR EXPERIENCE

I've driven about 50 miles along the wrong road, missing a connecting freeway interchange -- when exhausted following an exceptionally long and draining day.

We can call this phenomenon "the doctor was in," as I had no conscious recollection of driving -- and clearly I was NOT asleep at the wheel.

BETA-MODE

Entering into the beta-mode of metal overwhelm is a daily occurrence for everyone, particularly when there is just too much stimulation to deal with, as our minds are designed to and do LIE to us very often and deceptively.

The supermarket gorilla costumed irritant in the aisle experiment, proves that people are very often not conscious of what we nominally would consider exceptionally odd. When interviewed after passing by huge gorilla costumed experimenters, most people reported "not seeing anything outstanding"

WAKING UP

BTW, what brought me back to conscious awareness, was seeing and understanding a very unique sign ( like 'entering Croatia' ) that I was well familiar with from other completely different trips along that 'wrong' freeway ( not toward my home ).

The 'me' that was driving that day, was not the 'me' that is typing right now -- but is was a part of my human core functioning, that nurturing life provides -- like breathing -- to keep us alive.

After that very illuminating experience, I decided to always stop for a nap or rent a room, if even remotely close to feeling so exhausted.

AMERICA ON AUTO-PILOT

How is ~ 300 million people driving their lives toward the edge of oblivion, any different ?

Is not our entire social dysfunction dedicated to OVERWHELM, to max our rapacious usurpation ?

What exceptionally distinct and scintillating SIGNs-of-the-times will awaken more and more ?

.... me thinks this woman just had.. too much ... time on her hands ... or in desperate need of some fresh air. hugs

nspire, you denfinately have too much time on your hands. how about some fresh air? hugs .... and i don't have enough time so i didn't complete reading your long story. another hug

not only did she cross 3 or 4 national borders without noticing that she was going the wrong way, but consider how long it takes to travel 900 miles... she would have been driving for more than 12 hours. I'm guessing about 16, if her average speed was about 90-100 kph.
ok, maybe she didn't pay attention to the German, French and Croatian road-signs, but how on earth does one not notice driving for over 12 hours without reaching the destination?????
I think this is either BS or there's a lot more to the story.