I don't think of it in physics terms, but I'm in the same boat as you. I look at it in a more timeline(s) perspective, but I don't know how to explain it.
>Meanwhile, there's plenty of normies who get challenged by a 2D roadmap.
Ain't that the damn truth.
>Steering a dirt track car with the throttle is a good analogy. Doing the same over jumps is even better.
It's a helluva rough dirt track because sometimes you don't see the road change in front of you soon enough, and so you make that turn, hoping that the vehicle you're in doesn't over turn. Then you realize you're on both the original road and the new road all at the same time. Makes following map a bit more challenging.