I rely on background noise when I’m working. Sometimes it’s music, mainly Jazz as there’s lots of energy but no words to distract me. If I’m working outside the office, I’ll go to a coffee shop just to have the bustle around me, without actually paying attention to it. Often though, I’ll just use car videos.
The best for my purposes tend to be track-day videos, especially from the Nürburgring. Videos from the Nordschleife tend to be long and without dictation or music. I’ll choose a particular car, and just have the noise of the motor revving out in between bits of subtle tire squeal and the occasional lull as the driver creeps by on-track incidents.
The other day I came across something a little better on the Pure Roads YouTube channel. In addition to the song of a Caterham 485 as background noise, I’ll occasionally take a break from whatever I’m working on to enjoy the driver working through the Swiss Alps.
The videos on this channel have everything I care about in driving vids. A view of the driver’s steering and shifting movements, decent audio from the external mic, and a view of the scenery. Which in this example takes advantage of the Caterham’s open cockpit.
The beautiful views and ‘just right’ pace make for a good watch. You’ll have a hard time choosing between taking in the expansive scenery, or the hairpins constantly challenging the driver. Happily, the videos are long enough for you to enjoy both. The only thing to look out for is the eventual tug you’ll feel to tackle those roads yourself.