Small correction here, taping the lens at the hyperfocal mark is not the same thing as what saved you that day. Hyperfocal distance puts everything from half that distance to infinity in "good enough" focus, which is fine for wide shots but it means your close stuff is soft and you give up any say in where the sharp part actually lands. Zone focusing is different, you pick your distance and your depth on purpose, like setting 10 feet at f/8 with a 35mm so you get roughly 7 feet to 20 feet sharp, which is exactly what you did shoot by feel. The tape trick works great as a reset point after you zone focus, but it is a starting mark, not the whole method. Keep the tape if it helps, just do not let it stop you from moving the ring when the shot needs it.

Reminds me of the time I spent a whole weekend chasing a fuel leak that turned out to be a loose B-nut.