Drowsy Driving

[clovenhooves]

Day or night, driving while tired a leading cause of accidents

Daytime - that's the surprise.

Any drowsy driving stories, people? Damn, I'm sleep-deprived today and will be doing a little driving, but I think my car's noisiness is enough to protect me.

[Zinergy]

Sometimes the noise will lul you into a daze.

[SMWS6TA]

^^^
my kids get knocked out every time on a long cruise

[0rion]

Sometimes the noise will lul you into a daze.

yep....several years ago I worked about 45 minutes from home. I was driving home one night after working some OT and was tired as hell. Zach was a baby and me and the wife were just always tired trying to juggle working 2nd and 3rd shift and then being up early with him all day. I was bringing him home after my shift at like 2am and pulled over in a gas station and slept 30 minutes before finishing the drive. I've done that more than once at different times. I used to work 2nd shift and then drive home 10 hours to Missouri on the weekends to see the family. I would pull over in a rest area and sleep a half hour or so and then be good to go.

[GTP231]

Day or night, driving while tired a leading cause of accidents

Daytime - that's the surprise.

Any drowsy driving stories, people? Damn, I'm sleep-deprived today and will be doing a little driving, but I think my car's noisiness is enough to protect me.

You enjoy posting your bad ideas?

[KahanaReef]

^^^
my kids get knocked out every time on a long cruise

It didn't even take my son a short cruise. When he was a baby and would get fussy, all I had to do was put him in his car seat, set him in my car and start it up. That was it. Didn't even have to leave the driveway. Worked like a charm every time

[Zapper2003]

Every day. It's my medications...they say will cause drowsiness, blurred vision, and shouldn't operate equipment. If I did that, I'd be out of a job, so I continue. What the hell else can I do.

[0rion]

It didn't even take my son a short cruise. When he was a baby and would get fussy, all I had to do was put him in his car seat, set him in my car and start it up. That was it. Didn't even have to leave the driveway. Worked like a charm every time

sure you didn't just have an exhaust leak?? Not sure what it is about kids and cars but it knocks almost all of them out. As the driver it pisses me off to go on a long trip and watch them get all comfy and sleep while I'm stuck driving 10 hours. Then the wife falls asleep so I periodically have to hit the rumble strips to wake her up. If I'm suffering I need company.

[Y2KPewterSS]

How about drowsy posting on internet forums?

Posting while tired is a leading cause of internet ignorance.

[konigandy6]

MV2 drives drowsy every time... and he holds NASCAR, LeMans, SCCA, and GrandAm championships.

One time he was sound asleep, and won the NHRA drag title in a Powerwheel.

[79TransAm]

I work overnight 12 hour shifts. My first shift back after my son was born I was about 3 mins away from my home and was about to go onto an overpass and I remember thinking "don't fall asleep" well needless to say I did and jerked myself awake about halfway across the bridge

[Spikito]

Pretty sure my story will take the cake.

After college I got a night shift job at the hospital, 2 months later I bought myself a graduation present, 2000 Camaro SS. My first LS1.

The only time I could meet up with the guy was in the AM after a shift, which was fine, we were meeting about 45 minutes way from my house got off at 7 am, figured id be back home, in bed by 11. Well we had issues at the bank and were there until noon, then my mom heard I was in town (bought the car in the town she lives) so she wanted to see it, then I found out it was the 100th birthday of a family friend, so I had to stop and see her.

So now its about 5pm, been up 24 hours, and I really need to go home because I had a hot date that night, first date with the girl that ended up marrying me. I get ALMOST home, and the steady hum of my brand new LS1 put me to sleep, I missed a curved, hit an embankment and pulled a Dukes of Hazard at about 70 mph. How it didn't total the car Ill never know. bottomed out like hell, crack the front fenders, and front fender wells, bent the k member, cracked the front rims, basically rolled the car up like a taco. I really do think the only thing that saved the car was the strut tower brace. But after new rims, all new front suspension, and a trip to the frame straightener, she was back on the road a month later.

air bags didnt deploy either..weird

Where as I spent 3 months in rehab and still have back/walking trouble.

[67CamaroRSSS]

This one time, in band camp.....



zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[67CamaroRSSS]

OK, for realz now (this was back about 84 or 85)....


Went to the Grand Canyon with the wifey (I lived in LA at the time). Left there after dark (after a day of hiking the trails) headed home (westbound on the 10).

I remember going the speed limit in the fast lane. When I was woken up by the rumble strip I was all the way to the right going way over 100. Damn good thing there was no other cars around.

[clovenhooves]

Holy cow - from the stories here, the article is onto something.

I've only had it happen to me once (that I know of). I was driving to college, and I guess I hadn't slept much recently. I remember struggling to not swerve into the 3-foot-tall median (or whatever it's called) while in the left lane. I've rarely driven long drives regularly or used empty roads where there's little to keep me alert. Also, I don't use cruise control, which I suspect makes it easier to fall asleep. Oh, another thing I don't do is tune into mind-numbing music like (offending some readers now) jazz radio.

[KahanaReef]

sure you didn't just have an exhaust leak?? Not sure what it is about kids and cars but it knocks almost all of them out. As the driver it pisses me off to go on a long trip and watch them get all comfy and sleep while I'm stuck driving 10 hours. Then the wife falls asleep so I periodically have to hit the rumble strips to wake her up. If I'm suffering I need company.

Heh... no leak. Just a cam, LTs, true duals and glasspacks As far as long trips go? Sleeping kids are quiet kids and I'm all for it

[Zapper2003]

One time in an AWD GMC Safari van (hope the boss doesn't read this!) I was heading into town in the a.m. and for whatever reason be it day dreaming or dozing off, I ended up going off the right side of the road on a left hand curve. I tried to veer back on, but it was no use, and with a road sign headed straight down the middle, I jerked the van to the right into a field. Drove a good 200 yards across a farmers field at 55+, somehow skimmed over a ditch, and onto the dirt road adjacent to the road I had just been on. The van was FILTHY with hayseed, and the only damage was a support rod that ran from the inner fender to the corner of the plastic bumper cover had broken free of said cover.

[clovenhooves]

Every day. It's my medications...they say will cause drowsiness, blurred vision, and shouldn't operate equipment. If I did that, I'd be out of a job, so I continue. What the hell else can I do.

That's scary on many levels. I don't like getting into anyone's personal life, but if you're not joking, change what you take. For example, switch medications, (an oft-practical option that doctors almost never mention) take a non-drowsy supplement that helps the condition and enables taking less of the bad stuff, or take a safe energy-booster that fights sleepiness.

[Zapper2003]

It used to be worse, my body has grown accustomed to the side effects now for the most part. The only real time I get tired like that is after a meal, especially lunch.

[98TransAmWs-6]

This thread is scary on so many levels. In VA you can't even pull over to rest your eyes it is illegal to do so on the shoulder and there aren't enough rest stops. We have some stupid laws here.

My boys always fall asleep to both the TA and my Daytona.