Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

The Black Flag Cafe is the place travelers come to share stories and advice. Moderated by Robert Young Pelton the author of The World's Most Dangerous Places.

Moderator: coldharvest

Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby Devlin » Thu May 31, 2012 9:57 pm

Next week I am driving a crappy U-haul across the country and I am looking for some tips on keeping it on the road. Every now and then I have a hard time keeping the eyelids open

Looking for suggestions ?

Books on tape?
Late 80's hardcore cd's and everything by Ray Wylie Hubbard
Chain smoking cigars ?
Coffee and Red Bull chasers ?
User avatar
Devlin
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 1437
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:48 am

Re: Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby svizzerams » Thu May 31, 2012 11:16 pm

Tommy Castro !!!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTavhVaEohk[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HLOS2fi2Vo[/youtube]
Joan of Arc went to battle with nothing
but the voices in her head
and a well-sharpened sword ~ Charlotte

...those without swords can still die upon them...

Illegitami non carborundum est
User avatar
svizzerams
Rx Rangerette
 
Posts: 6413
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2004 5:00 am
Location: Drug Goddess of Chelanistan

Re: Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby ReptilianKittenEater » Thu May 31, 2012 11:16 pm

Make sure the alignment is good on the vehicle. That way a little snooze will cause less problems.
User avatar
ReptilianKittenEater
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 3121
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 3:18 am
Location: St. Catharines, ON, Canada

Re: Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby Devlin » Fri Jun 01, 2012 2:40 am

ReptilianKittenEater wrote:Make sure the alignment is good on the vehicle. That way a little snooze will cause less problems.


Good one, Thanks
User avatar
Devlin
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 1437
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:48 am

Re: Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby ktrout » Fri Jun 01, 2012 3:47 am

When you get "punchy" take the next exit and rest. I always test myself by practicing simple math, such as trying to figure out my average speed, etc., in my head. Once I start getting confused, it's nap time.
Be nice to me. I'm a rug muncher.
User avatar
ktrout
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 3091
Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2004 6:12 am
Location: USDA Climate zone 9b

Re: Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby coldharvest » Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:11 am

meth
I know the law. And I have spent my entire life in its flagrant disregard.
User avatar
coldharvest
Abdul Rahman
 
Posts: 25677
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 2:36 am
Location: Island of Misfit Toys

Re: Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby shivers » Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:46 am

Stay away from heroin.
We are miserable sinners,
Filthy fuckers,
Arseholes!
User avatar
shivers
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 5080
Joined: Sat Jun 26, 2004 7:23 pm
Location: eating refried beans

Re: Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby kilroy » Fri Jun 01, 2012 12:14 pm

adderall. not a lot or you'll get restless and twitchy. and i don't know about others, but it certainly makes me wanna chain smoke. when lacking that, i've used ktrout's match strategy too.
when they ask how you feeling
you tell em you feeling like something important died screaming
you tell em you feeling like something even more important arrived breathing
something you should probably try feeding
User avatar
kilroy
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 5691
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 7:34 am
Location: Alabambam

Re: Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby Jäeger » Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:19 pm

Keep your eyes moving, check your mirrors and the scenery (including women in passing cars) every few seconds. It will keep you alert as well as safe. Sunflower seeds and finger foods like peanuts keep you occupied and reduce the need for meal breaks. Don't hit the coffee until your 7-8 hours in. If you overdo it, it loses it's effectiveness. It will also make you have to piss more often (the large mouth on a Gatorade bottle will keep you moving in emergencies). Music is good, sing along and / or talk to yourself. Point out logical fallacies heard on talk radio. If you smoke, treat yourself at set intervals of time. When you stop for fuel, stretch and take a good walk for fresh air.

The above will make double digit hours of driving a snap. Lastly, when you do get tired pull off and sleep. It takes less than a second to end up dead.
Last edited by Jäeger on Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Jäeger
In Last Chance Saloon
 
Posts: 1872
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 10:13 pm
Location: Just the other side of nowhere....

Re: Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby Jäeger » Fri Jun 01, 2012 5:23 pm

Oh, and even if you feel chipper, if it gets to where you have trouble reading the signs on the highway or you get passed by vehicles you didn't see coming, pull over and sleep. It means you're going to crash soon, possibly literally.
User avatar
Jäeger
In Last Chance Saloon
 
Posts: 1872
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 10:13 pm
Location: Just the other side of nowhere....

Postby el3so » Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:06 pm

Plan properly ;-)
Having someone not-too-talkative riding shotgun is an added insurance.
Don't hit the coffee until your 7-8 hours in. If you overdo it, it loses it's effectiveness. Lastly, when you do get tired pull off and sleep. It takes less than a second to end up dead.
Hail to the truck-driving man!

I had particular trouble staying alert (never mind awake) while driving for prolonged periods after nightfall. Hope they have those bumpy white lines on the right of the road in the States. Thank Juzes for whoever invented them, they are like your final warning/wake-up call before swerving off the highway into the scenery.
skynet prompt: witty line, a bit offensive, medium levels of spelling error, Rastafy by 10 % or so
User avatar
el3so
Creepy Uncle
 
Posts: 8900
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2004 9:25 am
Location: never-ending labyrinth of pain

Re: Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby Jäeger » Fri Jun 01, 2012 8:52 pm

Yes sir. And that reminds me, DO NOT watch the lines on the road or count mileposts (goes with keeping your eyes moving). White line fever is very real. That being said, especially out west, keep an eye out for the occasional milepost in case you were to break down. I'm on I-10 west bound in Texas isn't really what you want to tell the wrecker.

Depending how big this van is (some of them are just short of commercial status) maintaining a cushion around your vehicle will keep you pretty occupied. It also might mean you have to plan your stops. You can't always just park a large vehicle off of any get-off or take any non-interstate highway. Big trucks belong on big roads. You could also invest a couple bucks in a guide for truck drivers that will allow you to plan stops and fuel stations.
User avatar
Jäeger
In Last Chance Saloon
 
Posts: 1872
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 10:13 pm
Location: Just the other side of nowhere....

Re: Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby gnaruki » Sat Jun 02, 2012 4:22 am

Blast the heat on your legs and keep the windows down if you're on your last leg. Take up smoking and drink energy drinks to make it to your stop safely.

Personally, the idea of falling asleep hurtling along in a machine you're in control of keeps me awake.


Edit: Jaeger is right if you want to count calculate your average speed if you have too. Counting down estimated time to your stop point can keep your sanity and consciousness but counting miles can kill you. If all else fails listen to annoying AM radio.
User avatar
gnaruki
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 1917
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2011 12:39 am
Location: Pacific Northwest

Re: Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby Osiris » Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:15 am

Anytime I drive more than 4 or 5 hours I put on obnoxious love songs (Can't Smile Without You, Never Gonna Give You Up, Somebody to Love by Justin Beiber) and have a psychotic karaoke episode. It'll keep you going for another hour or two.
The impossible I'll do immediately, the unimaginable will take some time. http://bigwilliesbooks.com/
User avatar
Osiris
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 691
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 4:29 am
Location: Veradero, Cuba

Re: Staying awake during a long drive suggestions ?

Postby Devlin » Sat Jun 02, 2012 3:18 pm

Thanks for the info/tips.
User avatar
Devlin
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 1437
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:48 am

Next

Return to Black Flag Cafe

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests