I don't see anything bizarre in your post; it is funny/interesting and a great question (what use feelings about past events might be).

I think of feelings as being unconscious, kind of like dreams and their symbols. So, I use the feelings as information to tell me more about myself and how I view myself, others, and situations I am or have been in. If I have a strong reaction to a memory, it is, to me, like having a strong reaction to a dream about prior people or events; it just says I am working on better understanding that part of my life.

High speed driving is very scary; I still remember when my oldest brother was supposed to be taking my other two brothers and myself to church and was doing a little drag racing of his own, over 80 mph and this back in the 1950's. I was in the backseat and felt very unsafe and begged for him to slow down. I believe my next older brother was able to get him too. I just realized writing this reply that my oldest brother has always been "like that" and I think it is a telling event in our 60-some odd year history together?

There, a piece of good information for me, a pattern of behavior that helps me in the present with my feelings about my brother in the present.

Don't know what your memory and feeling of "speed" and danger (now there's a dream symbol if ever there was one) might be telling you; if it were my memory. . . :-) I'd see how your boyfriend's behavior was out of your control for a long time and your later actions, truly in self defense and that you have been in there feeling and working for you a long time too, being as good to yourself and helping yourself as well as you could/can.