Asleep at the handlebars?

[Khunajawdge]

Lately on day rides, I find myself drifting. Am becoming afraid I'll fall asleep while riding, usually on my last leg later in the day.

Can someone here point me to a thread having to do with techniques for defeating sleepiness while riding?

Yawn. :glare:

 

[Spud]

Start imagining, as vividly as possible, things like road rash, scattered parts, broken bones, ambulances, outrageous bills, pickup grills heading straight into your face, etc. If that's still not working, holy shit, PULL OVER and take a NAPPY!

 

[Ignacio]

Can someone here point me to a thread having to do with techniques for defeating sleepiness while riding?

It's cutting edge technology. You do what's called, "Pull over and go to sleep." If you time things correctly you can time it so that sleepiness hits when you're riding by a rest area or a hotel.

You can't "defeat sleepiness". ...not without delving into the dumb region of using illegal substances anyway. And don't do that! Just pull over and sleep. SERIOUSLY! One micro sleep is one too many...especially on a motorcycle.

You can, however, possibly manage fatigue before you get sleepy. That article is the best I've ever seen and written by an LD rider with the medical chops to speak authoritatively on the subject.

 

[Fairlaner]

Thats a timely post George, I was driving home from the Grand Canyon Skywalk on thursday with friends in the car when I too actually feel asleep at the wheel fortunately for me my buddy was in the passenger seat and awake........

I have been driving for 34 years and this is something that I have never ever done, needless to say it freaked me out a bit.......

Normally when i get tired while driving I open the window and have a smoke, on this trip however I had a car full of anti smokers so being the polite chap that i am I was refraining.....

But in the future I will say **** that, you wanna see Skywalk in my car you have to put up with me smoking.....

Just my rant on the subject.

R

 

[SacramentoMike]

That was a very informative article, but once the "sleepys" hit, you're past any help except rest. I was riding a road called U.S. 12 in Idaho, a gorgeous road, leading up to the famous Lolo Pass into Montana. It's where I found the sign below, something to thrill the heart of any motorcycle rider.

But after 50 or 60 miles or more of riding along this very scenic river in gentle sweeping curves through beautiful pine forests with occasional striking mountain vistas (and following the too-low state limit of 55 mph, a limit I'd heard was very strictly enforced on this road), I was getting . . . bored! And SLEEPY.

When I realized I was fighting just to keep my eyes open--in the middle of the afternoon--I pulled into one of the "Sportsmens' Access" spots that lead down to the river and just laid down in all my gear and fell asleep for at least 30 minutes. MUCH better, and I finished that gorgeous ride feeling refreshed and much much safer. It's something I've done a couple of times since, and I don't think there could be any substitute for it. Ride safe, George.

 

[jwhite518]

Two words: Power Nap.

Two more words, related to Ignacio's link to the Don Arthur article: Read it.

Over and out.

 

[Windjammer]

For me, falling asleep has always been easy. I can powernap at the drop of a hat.

The downside is I fall asleep a little too easily when bored. Long drives in a car and riding a motorcycle on a long straight highway at night often leave me fighting off sleep. Yep, I've fallen asleep while riding - if only for a couple of seconds. Scared the crap outta me. And it ain't like I hang around all sleep deprived either. I get proper rest more often than not. I just fall asleep too darn easy. And it ain't always practical to pull over and nap, although I've done that. Some tricks I've used to "wake up":

Stop and get some food. Eating wakes me up - sugar content helps a bit. A short stout coffee helps too. Even eating hard candy or mints can keep me alert until the next rest stop.

Pull off and just walk around for a few minutes to get the blood flowing.

In a car, chatting on the cell (hands free, of course) keeps me alert on long boring freeway drives. This is one of the most effective tools I've used. Beats falling asleep when travel involves a deadline.

Attempts to keep myself awake by force of will alone have never worked very well.

WJ

 

[Bogey907]

I found that when I get bored and a little sleepy on a long ride, it helps to pull out my cell phone and surf the internet. In fact that's what I'm doing now and (*^%*&0@$#sdf*&( +++ NO CARRIER

 

[bikesniffer]

Lately on day rides, I find myself drifting. Am becoming afraid I'll fall asleep while riding, usually on my last leg later in the day.
Can someone here point me to a thread having to do with techniques for defeating sleepiness while riding?

Yawn. :glare:

I'd check for chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep apnea a.s.f

Alfred

 

[Khunajawdge]

You can, however, possibly manage fatigue before you get sleepy. That article is the best I've ever seen and written by an LD rider with the medical chops to speak authoritatively on the subject.

Thanks IGGY and all. The article was "the genuine article" that I was looking for!

Many good points ideas introduced here!

Let's all keep our eyes open out there! :blink:

 

[madmike2]

Two words: Power Nap.
Two more words, related to Ignacio's link to the Don Arthur article: Read it.

Over and out.

10-4! Yep! You betcha! Gunny! +100! Me too!

On our way home from Skagit WFO bluestreek and I were getting the nods droning down I-5. We pulled over at a rest area Oregon and took a 15-20 minute power nap. Steve noted..."Great idea!"

FJRay and I did the same riding to his place from Park City. We rode from Ketchum ID through the Sawtooth and then Hell's Canyon, stopped at a rest area for relief and threw our jackets over a couple of big boulders and took a nap. Aaahhhhhh! Then we rode to his place in La Pine.

Try it, George, they really work.

 

[johnny80s]

This happens to me a lot. Driving and riding especially on the freeway can put me to sleep. Cruising down the road is very relaxing. I now know that when that first yawn hits to pull off the road and get a snack. I find a few almonds, hershey bar or a granola bar will help break the sleepiness and I can go back on my way. The most important thing is to know when you are tired and stop whether it is for a short snack or a nap. Too many hershey bars are not good either...

Another trick is to talk to someone. If I have a buddy on the radio that helps and I also voice dial my phone and talk with a friend or my wife. Most of my friends have received a call from me when I was riding and tired. Five minutes on the phone can really clear the cobwebs.

 

[dj bill]

rest stop,mastubate,good to go.

 

[RenoJohn]

rest stop,mastubate,good to go.

why stop?,

might as well be cumin' and goin' at the same time

 

[Old Michael]

rest stop,mastubate,good to go.

why stop?,

might as well be cumin' and goin' at the same time

George?

You gettin' all this?

 

[Bugnatr]

Lately on day rides, I find myself drifting. Am becoming afraid I'll fall asleep while riding, usually on my last leg later in the day.
Can someone here point me to a thread having to do with techniques for defeating sleepiness while riding?

Yawn. :glare:

3-4 pm is a natural "sleepy time" for the human body. I usually stop for a coffee about that time and I'm good to go. This method won't get you throw into jail like djbill's.

 

[Khunajawdge]

rest stop,mastubate,good to go.

why stop?,

might as well be cumin' and goin' at the same time

George?

You gettin' all this?

Yep, like Bug says, I don't want to end up in jail.

 

[reecebike]

Go ahead fall asleep youll either wake up or you want!!!!

 

[Draggon Rider]

Lately on day rides, I find myself drifting. Am becoming afraid I'll fall asleep while riding, usually on my last leg later in the day.
Can someone here point me to a thread having to do with techniques for defeating sleepiness while riding?

Yawn. :glare:

Driving 30K miles a year for work (alot of late night driving) I've learned to reconnize when I getting to the danger point. I keep a bottle of NO-DOZ in the center console. But besides that pull over, either take a nap or get out and walk around. I don't ride the bike enough to fall asleep on the bike, but I'm sure it can happen.

The way I know I'm getting to the point of falling asleep is the discomfort I feel in my eyes, the watering and struggleing to keep focused. The first time I feel asleep at the wheel was 20 years ago and it scared the poop out of me. After that I don't risk it, I pull over and take a nap, 20 minutes usually does it for me.