How do people listen to audiobooks when they're driving?

[blunthead]

How do people listen to audiobooks when they're driving?

They can't; I say they pretend. I say test them. I think cops should have to make drivers prove they've been absorbing actual literature encouraging them to drive through the median.

 

[Dana Jean]

How do people listen to audiobooks when they're driving?

They can't; I say they pretend. I say test them. I think cops should have to make drivers prove they've been absorbing actual literature encouraging them to drive through the median.

I can. I have. I do. Again, it's a matter of training your brain.

 

[signals2112]

What's a good place to start with audio books? Something on CD preferably, so I can listen in my car, and save my place.

 

[chief4db]

What's a good place to start with audio books? Something on CD preferably, so I can listen in my car, and save my place.

I think a good audiobook depends more on the reader. Will Patton who did dr. Sleep and craig wesson who did 11/22/63 or dick hill whose done a lot 8ncluding most of reacher books really make the experience that much better. Right now free on audible for download is Joe hill Locke and key. The music they use really sucks u in. Cool feeling. It's like how the music gets u in a scary movie. Same thing but with words

 

[muskrat]

The trick is to relax: put on the cruise control, ease the seat back. You'll wanna keep a knee free for steering so you can drink a few beers, torch up a spliff. You know what? Screw the damn audio book, put on some Allman Brothers, maybe some Credence.

Not really.

 

[Gerald]

I think SK listens mainly when driving the interstate highway- a long, non traffic stretch of miles upon miles of boring road. Many people put their cars on cruise control as they drive the interstate. The audiobook actually helps keep you awake during those long stretches.

It's probably very different in America from Europe - much longer emptier highways I guess? Stephen said something to that effect in his conversation with Lee Child too, that there is still a lot of empty land in the US.

 

[Gerald]

I can't even concentrate on audio books when I'm not driving. I've tried listening while taking a bubble bath with the lights off (the most relaxing thing I can think of) and my mind wandered too much to absorb the story.
I need to see words.

Maybe it's that too. I also find it quite hard to listen to audio books anyway, let alone while driving. My main problem is that it feels to me like rushing through a book. I like to think about certain sentences for a while, take the time to visualize them, but then the audio book is already on to the next thing.
It all depends on how much you like the voice though. But I can just visualize much better when reading than listening.

 

[Gerald]

The biggest problem for me with audio books is that I may miss out on subtle details of the book when it comes to spelling of names, etc.

That bothers me too, when there are a lot of unusual names. I feel like I have to look those up later, but then you might as well read all of it anyway.

 

[Gerald]

Listening to audios really is an acquired skill. Especially in today's world when we have attention spans like rabid squirrels. It's a matter of training your brain.

I think with a book it's easier to dose yourself. You can flip forward to see how long the chapter is and see how many chapters there are.
Also in a book it's easier to flip back when something is referring to an earlier moment you want to look at again.

I prefer books, but it's not like I can't listen to audio at all. Reading is more active somehow, you're discovering the words yourself, they're less presented to you. And you are looking at a page, when listening you might look out of a window to something that may distract you.

Also in a book each character has their own voice in your mind, they don't all sound like the reader, even when he/she makes an effort to do different voices (when a reader does that well, it definitely helps me to get more involved).

I think it might help too if the reader is a well known actor, like the ones that have read King stories. If it's a person you like and are familiar with, it's easier to listen to what they're saying.

 

[AnnaMarie]

I have trouble doing anything while listening to audiobooks.

When watching tv, I sit and sew. Doing that while listening to an audiobook leads to pulling out and re stitching. (Especially when the book was I was born on a blue day. My sewing requires counting. That book is an autobiography by an autistic man obsessed with numbers.)