In my youth as solider I once had to drive 14 hours from original Home in Finger Lakes Region to Georgia one time to catch an Army Flight! Ah my youth!
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Long distance driving, how do you stay awake?
- Thread starter garybUK
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Rest as well as possible the night before. Pack/prepare the night before.Brisk shower. Coffee with light or no breakfast.Try to leave at sunrise. Chocolate or other snakes in car with coffee and cold water....snacks already open so as to not have to be opened during drive. Plan some stops to FORCE a break/ walk. Use your watch or phone to make you pull into rest stops or gas stations...NOT on the highway. Also, I constantly change radio stations so my interest is challenged and I don't get too into anything in particular. Make 7-8 hr. drives during many holidays...used to make ~10 hr. drives during most holidays. Get well rested the night before/prep to be in the car right after your shower.Hey all,
Does anyone have any tips on good ways to entertain myself/keep awake on a long distance drive back to my hometown?
I'm looking for good types of music, podcasts, audiobooks etc, also if anybody has any good suggestions on how to stay awake that would be good.
I'm driving about 1180km or 720miles with a hour stop over on the ferry at Calais, I am driving back Thursday after work and return on Sunday, (from Heidelberg, Germany to Manchester).
It's great my trip is also co-insiding with my new iPhone 4GS 64gb being delivered to my parents address on the Friday
Thanks
Gary.
Now that would really keep your attention, but you need to be watching signs, traffic, weather, etc.
Trying hard to rest will only wear you out.
LOL! I meant 'snacks'....Obviously I need some COFFEE!Now that would really keep your attention, but you need to be watching signs, traffic, weather, etc.
Trying hard to rest will only wear you out.
I download a few RadioLab podcasts…always keep me attentive. Swap those with sing-along-loudly music…and of course coffee. On very long trips, I get out of the car and RUN into the store for coffee/decoffee ? and then take advantage of walks at rest stops, and always short naps when sleepy…always. Did a 14,000 mile road trip to Alaska and back that way.
Well, I did it. I landed the big job.
What’s interesting, is when I had my post secondary interview on the phone, I was asked about my commute and my overall safety as a concern from the agency I’m working for. Altogether, since I do make my own schedule, I decided to actually rent a condo on the days I’m working and then the following day, I’ll travel home.
I just wasn’t comfortable with the idea of slamming energy drinks (Which is toxic anyway), or just stopping for breaks (Which would just prolong the commute even longer.) And the idea of listening to ‘loud music while the windows are down on the Highway at speeds of 75MPH’, is just another strong indicator you shouldn’t be behind the wheel if you need those types of distractions.
When we hear about ‘road safety’, it’s to the likes of ‘Don’t drink and drive’, or ‘Put your phone down’, but it’s equally as important to make sure you’re alert and those drowsy drivers are just as much of a risk [Or greater] as an impaired driver or distracted driver when looking down at a smart phone. So in that sense, knowingly that I can focus on my sleep and safety, I’m totally at peace renting a condo until we build in this new city.
When I was younger I drove from Fort Gordon GA to my home in NYS Finger Lakes was 14 hour trip! This was for Thanksgiving Holiday before my final trip! That’s longest trip I ever did only stopping to use the head!
I may have an undiagnosed case of A.D.D. (attention deficit disorder).
But I always look around at the scenery. quick glances here and there. I've done 12 and 16 hour straight drive trips. I always liked looking at billboards, quickly glance out at the fields, canyons, mountains, hills, etc. and other cars on the road, I just think about them and find them interesting (and possibly daydream about them?) look at the other car tags and where they're from, where they're going.
Maybe I'll see them at the next gas station or food stop, etc. (has happened many times)
Oh and be prepared, plan early, start early, pack what you need.
Loud music is only temporary (at least for me) to do a quick "jam session" to get my energy up when I'm feeling a little bored. Anything more than 1 hour I get listening fatigue.
keep your mind and imagination going, keep thinking about things and you'll stay awake and attentive (at least its more *natural for me* to do these things)
But I always look around at the scenery. quick glances here and there. I've done 12 and 16 hour straight drive trips. I always liked looking at billboards, quickly glance out at the fields, canyons, mountains, hills, etc. and other cars on the road, I just think about them and find them interesting (and possibly daydream about them?) look at the other car tags and where they're from, where they're going.
Maybe I'll see them at the next gas station or food stop, etc. (has happened many times)
Oh and be prepared, plan early, start early, pack what you need.
Loud music is only temporary (at least for me) to do a quick "jam session" to get my energy up when I'm feeling a little bored. Anything more than 1 hour I get listening fatigue.
keep your mind and imagination going, keep thinking about things and you'll stay awake and attentive (at least its more *natural for me* to do these things)
I used to drive around NSW a fair bit for a job I had some years ago. I never used chemicals of any sort (coffee, Vit D, etc). It's just too dangerous. When necessary I would pull over and have a little sleep. And breaks every two hours. And proper food. KFC just settles in the bottom of your stomach and stays there, plotting vengeance on you.
Of course, staying alert had its benefits. I came around a blind corner into a roadworks area and a 40 km speed limit. I slowed down, just in time to see the police lady in her car, with radar, in the blind spot.
I tried listening to audiobooks, but that didn't work so well, so I just went back to listening to whatever radio stations were in the area. Most FM stations only had a range of 50 km, so that meant changing stations about every hour.
Of course, staying alert had its benefits. I came around a blind corner into a roadworks area and a 40 km speed limit. I slowed down, just in time to see the police lady in her car, with radar, in the blind spot.
I tried listening to audiobooks, but that didn't work so well, so I just went back to listening to whatever radio stations were in the area. Most FM stations only had a range of 50 km, so that meant changing stations about every hour.
