How long do you wait before re-fuelling? I enjoy flirting with an empty tank, so I wait until the pointer goes on E, then a little lower. Knowledge is such a powerful aphrodisiac. That pointer is simply telling me that I have 5 litres in the tank... the petrol station can wait.
Experts (don't ask me what kind of experts, let it suffice that they are experts), suggest that humans function on auto-pilot 90% of the time. We go through the motions, sometimes subconsciously and no, this is not the Saturday night binge with Johnny Walker-induced stupor that clouds your memory. We are programmed and we continue to programme ourselve to react involuntarily in most situations. I drive on auto-pilot. Ignition, check; random thought process, check; dodge wayward traffic, auto-pilot; destination reached, whoa, how did I get here?
Sometimes I do enjoy the ride - on open roads, watching the road extend behind me in the rear-view mirror. It's all about the conquered stretch of asphalt behind you and the unchartered concrete ahead. Then, there are the times I switch into auto-pilot and bask in the almost silent, steady drone of revolving wheels. As Goethe said, The present moment is a powerful goddess.