Blind Driving the Blind

My commute is functionally the same every. single. day.

270 to 495 to the GW Parkway to 123 to Military Ave. to Work
270 to 495 to the GW Parkway to 123 to Military Ave. to Work
270 to 495 to the GW Parkway to 123 to Military Ave. to Work
270 to 495 to the GW Parkway to 123 to Military Ave. to Work
270 to 495 to the GW Parkway to 123 to Military Ave. to Work

Every day. I may vary how I get to 270, but once I hit 270, it's the same. Every day.

So this morning I was driving along and flipping radio stations like an ADD kid after a gallon of red koolaid and a traffic report came on...which I listen to with great interest because traffic can make or break the morning and I've got solid meetings from 9 until about 2 and it's already 8:10...

"...and on the George Washington Parkway we've got an accident just south of 123 that's completely blocking the left lane...traffic stacks up and gets by to the right..."

...and I'm taking my exit and the internal monologue starts:

"Crap, that means everything's going to be jammed up on the parkway...I wonder how far back the backup is?...well, the traffic does have to merge left right there at my exit, so maybe it won't be so bad...but then, for a blocked left lane? No...that's going to be bad..."

(pause)

"Um...hey...I just got off the Parkway. I'm already at 123... Whoa..."

So, now I sort of wonder if I'm even conscious when I drive...or if maybe the commute is so ingrained in my musculature that my brain is largely checked out (except for when it needs to engage to mutter some annoyed insult about the stray beltway driver...).

I heard at a seminar this summer that 90% of what we do in life is habit-driven (needing almost zero thought-intervention from the ole gray matter)...and only about 10% actually requires our brain. How interesting to suddenly realize which category "commuting" falls into!