The night I lost six hours on the A66 near Penrith

Right, I've been reading this forum for about three years and finally worked up the courage to post my own experience. This happened to me in March 1998, and I've never really talked about it properly until now.

I was driving back from my girlfriend's place in Carlisle to Manchester around 11 PM. Clear night, decent visibility, bit cold. The A66 was basically empty. I remember passing through Penrith and thinking I'd be home by 1:30 AM. Next thing I properly remember is pulling into a service station near Stockport and the clock said 5:47 AM. My watch said the same. My petrol gauge showed I'd only used about a quarter tank, which made no sense - I should've needed a full tank for that kind of driving.

I've never had epilepsy or blackouts. I don't drink and drive. My car was completely fine, no damage, nothing weird. But I genuinely cannot account for those hours. My girlfriend at the time thought I was taking the piss, and I haven't mentioned it to anyone else except my wife, who basically tells me not to be daft. But something happened that night, and I'd like to hear if anyone else has had similar "missing time" experiences, especially on that stretch of road.

Mate, the A66 between Penrith and Appleby has got form for this sort of thing. My old boss swore he'd had something similar happen in the late '80s. Have you tried hypnotic regression? I know it sounds a bit woo, but there's a woman in Stockport who specializes in this - she's actually quite reasonable and not mad as a badger like some of them.

Could you have just dozed off? Not trying to be dismissive, genuinely asking. If you were driving at night on a boring dual carriageway, your brain might've switched to autopilot and you genuinely won't remember it. It's more common than you'd think. The fuel thing could be explained by inaccurate gauges, especially on older motors.

This is fascinating. Did you experience any physical symptoms afterwards? Soreness, marks on your body, unusual dreams that night? Sometimes people report odd sensations or small injuries they can't explain. Also, was your car's electrical system behaving oddly - radio, lights, anything like that?

Have you tried hypnotic regression?

No offence but that's pseudoscience nonsense. The human mind is suggestible under hypnosis - you'll end up "remembering" whatever the hypnotist plants in your head. This is either sleep deprivation or a genuine mechanical issue with the car's instruments. Not everything needs aliens involved.

I don't want to alarm you, but you should get blood work done. Seriously. Missing time can sometimes indicate carbon monoxide poisoning from a faulty exhaust. It causes confusion, memory loss, and can make you drive dangerously without realising. Get your car properly inspected before you drive it again.