When I was younger I would get road hypnosis, particularly at night.
Don't even have to be tired, just start "zoning out" completely despite doing things to combat that (roll down windows for fresh air in my face and blast music).
I feel like this lightened up a bit in my late 20s.
In any case, I love that I now live in a city where I don't have to drive and do not own a car.
A few years ago I nodded off on a 50mph thoroughfare. I was jet lagged from a transpacific flight a day earlier; I knew I was falling asleep, but there was nothing I could do to stay awake, and there was no exit I could take. Eventually I drifted into the lane on the left, hit a cargo truck, bounced off and hit another car on the right. Thankfully no one was hurt, but it could have turned out really ugly.
Don’t drive when you’re jet lagged — or fatigued, generally speaking.
Probably extreme sleep deprivation? It can be hard to evaluate the width/safety of a shoulder in that state, or even ascertain whether you're looking at a shoulder or another lane. Scary stuff.
I thought I am badass and would not start falling asleep while drivning ever but as I got older I noticed it gets worse for me so I get breaks after 3hrs of driving.
I thought you could not get sleepy on a motorbike, because it is loud and you get constant airflow. Got enough road at night and I also had to stop every 2hrs and do sit-ups get some water and only then hit the road back.
