Bicycle Mechanics - Often often do you cross thread? It's effect?

I am a stickler at having my chains checked.. Sometimes lots going on while out on the bike...Traffic..Talking to cycling buddies...Just oblivious to everything, while watching the hawks/fultures circling overhead.. Or watching the scenery.
Particularily, on night rides..Not sure what gears my chain is postioned in .
How often do you think you cross thread your chain..I suspect I find myself doing such once / twice a ride...Think for short periods of time.?
How long does it take to stretch your chain doing this...?
Sorry guys...Edit function won't let me delete the first word Often in heading for how

Every now and then I cross chain when down shifting and still in the big ring up front. I would not worry about it to much as long as the chain is the right length(It will go into the big-big without ripping the der off, but also has some der tension in the small-small) It is hard on the chain mostly because the angles are kind of extreme. It also does not give you optimum gear choice in one direction or the other.

I only have problems at night.... or If I am in a hardcore race when you don't have time to think. Otherwise it's habit to know what gear im in or to quickly check.

Brendon

Missed shifts in high torque scenarios can trash a chain by twisting the side plates
and occasionally even popping a side plate off a rivet. Doesn't happen often but
results in need to remove and replace a couple of links. Sometimes the chain just
gets noisy or sticky but other times it jams or even comes apart. Steve