Still Waters Posted June 15, 2015 #1 Share Posted June 15, 2015 You may have noticed it the last time you went on a long journey -- by foot, by car or by plane: the outbound portion of your trip seemed to take a lifetime, while the (more or less identical) leg that brought you home felt like it flew by. Scientists have noticed this "return trip effect" too, and are beginning to hone their understanding of why we experience it. http://www.latimes.c...0610-story.html 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightly Posted June 15, 2015 #2 Share Posted June 15, 2015 (edited) You may have noticed it the last time you went on a long journey -- by foot, by car or by plane: the outbound portion of your trip seemed to take a lifetime, while the (more or less identical) leg that brought you home felt like it flew by. Scientists have noticed this "return trip effect" too, and are beginning to hone their understanding of why we experience it. http://www.latimes.c...0610-story.html oya, i've noticed that many times. i think maybe the bolded above is the key ..taking the same route both ways. On the way there.. i think perhaps you are paying more attention, and may be a little more anxious about the trip. On the way home, or back, you tend to relax a bit more. If you take an equal length but entirely different route back ... it won't seem any shorter. * Edited June 15, 2015 by lightly 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissJatti Posted June 16, 2015 #3 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Of course it will longer going on holiday/trip, you have kids and elders screaming. "Are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet" It's the excitement that seems like the time goes slower going than coming 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paperdyer Posted June 16, 2015 #4 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Sounds like someone's looking for some grant money to study this further. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithisco Posted June 16, 2015 #5 Share Posted June 16, 2015 I have been considering this for some time and have come up with a theory that seems to make some sense that Lightly touched on: When travelling a new route your brain is more alert to your surroundings, everything is new so needs some subconscious sorting and classifying, possibly even looking for "threats" as a survival mechanism. On the way back, your brain recognises the surroundings and so does not need to store the information again, this means you do not need to watch your footfalls as closely. Possibly related is the strange sense of time distending when in a threatening or potentially dangerous situation (reports of experiencing slow - motion when drowning, falling from a height etc) - when your situation is not potentially threatening then perhaps your perception of time returns to "normal". Just a thought 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedOctober Posted June 16, 2015 #6 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Hike the Grand Canyon and this won't be the case. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiltedmusician Posted June 16, 2015 #7 Share Posted June 16, 2015 I've heard that this is how ocean currents were discovered. Sailors noticed that it took fewer days to return from a trip every time they went to a particular location and a current was discovered along their route. I think it's the same thing mentally. You fight your way there and then drift back home where your own fridge and chair await. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRYSiiSx2 Posted June 16, 2015 #8 Share Posted June 16, 2015 It's anticipation. Nothing more. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumball Posted June 16, 2015 #9 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Not for me but I'm usually hungover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little_dreamer Posted June 16, 2015 #10 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Return trips seem longer to me because I usually just want to get home. Also there is no sense of anticipation, so the time just drags on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McFakename Posted June 17, 2015 #11 Share Posted June 17, 2015 Moved to be closer to my wife's family but now have to drive over 2 hours to visit my family. My wife and I have noticed this and discuss it every other trip or so. Best I could come up with is looking forward to being back in the home aka comfort zone...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundew Posted June 17, 2015 #12 Share Posted June 17, 2015 On very long trips, and sometimes on short ones, I have noticed just the opposite. I feel like it takes forever to get home. Perhaps it's because I enjoy being home more than being away. So it could be it is anticipation that makes the trip seem longer or shorter depended on where you would rather be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grandfunkrailroad Posted June 18, 2015 #13 Share Posted June 18, 2015 Well when walking home from the supermarket with my bags full of groceries, the returntrip feels a lot longer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still Waters Posted June 18, 2015 Author #14 Share Posted June 18, 2015 I think it mostly depends where you're going and the reason for going there. If it's to do something you like or are looking forward to, the journey to get there can feel long and drawn out. If you'd rather not be going then your destination seems to arrive all too soon. Coming home I usually find journeys do go much quicker regardless of where I've been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nothinglizx2 Posted June 18, 2015 #15 Share Posted June 18, 2015 its more anticipated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfluder Posted June 26, 2015 #16 Share Posted June 26, 2015 The writer of this article has apparently not flown back from NY to LA between two very large, very sleepy people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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