Ever Fall Asleep While Driving?

[1969912 0]

I did it once while driving home from a graveyard shift at FFTF while working my way through college. Drifted into the gravel area separating the lanes, got sideways, and took out a "yield" sign. The next day I told the security checkpoint guards about it (thinking I'd have to pay for the sign), and the guy said "you're too honest" Scary stuff though...

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[kbordson 8]

I don't know about falling asleep... but I have driven so tired that I began hallucinating. That was when I was in South Dakota... and luckily there was never any real traffic issues.... but I distinctly remember seeing the huge bales of hay turn into snakes and move onto the highway infront of me.


THAT woke me up very quickly!

[1969912 0]

Quote

I don't know about falling asleep... but I have driven so tired that I began hallucinating. That was when I was in South Dakota... and luckily there was never any real traffic issues.... but I distinctly remember seeing the huge bales of hay turn into snakes and move onto the highway infront of me.


THAT woke me up very quickly!

I thought that only happened to truck drivers using "specialty" no-doze pills.

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[CSpenceFLY 1]

Yes I have but worst then that, I was flying from Orlando to Atlanta one night in a Piper Tomahawk. I fell asleep somewhere in south Ga. when the radio got quiet between Jax. center and Atlanta. Scared the shit out of me. Had no idea how long I was out when I woke up.

[ryoder 1,384]

Don't remember falling asleep, but one time on non-stop a Chicago->Denver drive, I woke up bouncing around in the grass median at 65mph. I just hate waking up like that.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[DavidB 0]

Only once. The car was 19 days old & I'd paid cash for it. Nearly totaled it.

When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.

[jumpingjunkie81 0]

Not entirely, but I have been so tired that I started going cross-eyed and had to pull over to sleep!

[JohnMitchell 14]

Quote

I began hallucinating. I distinctly remember seeing the huge bales of hay turn into snakes and move onto the highway in front of me.

Are you sure it was lack of sleep? Weren't on the way home from a rock concert?

I've never fallen asleep driving, but I've driven to exhaustion, coming damn close. Now I try to plan ahead better.

[kbordson 8]

Quote

Are you sure it was lack of sleep? Weren't on the way home from a rock concert?

The only rock concerts that Rapid City ever gets is... well..... ok... no rock concerts. (source)


Lots of rocks! Really cool ones. But not so many rock concerts.

[hallux 0]

yes i fall asleep when im driving, but only when im sleepy

[Superman32 0]

I did a rotation where the hours were from 5 am to 10:30-1100 pm, and every 4th day about 30-34 hours calls (with absolutely no sleep/nap).
I used to fall asleep at every single traffic light . Once, I parked the car outside of my house and couldn't make it out of the car before sleeping for about 2 hours in the car.

Those were 3 miserable summer months. I never saw sun light - drove to and from work in the dark --during the f'ing summer

The most miserable part was the fact that, when on call, we would get there before the nurses. They would work an entire shift, go home come back and nearly finish their shift, and we were still there.

Inveniam Viam aut Faciam
I'm back biatches!

[Nataly 38]

Quote

I don't know about falling asleep... but I have driven so tired that I began hallucinating. That was when I was in South Dakota... and luckily there was never any real traffic issues.... but I distinctly remember seeing the huge bales of hay turn into snakes and move onto the highway infront of me.

Oh MAN.. I can relate to that.. I drove from Canada to Florida non-stop after working a long shift.. I think it took me something like 32 hours.. I was dozy and hallucinating and must have been all over the road at one point..

It scared me afterward how stupid and careless I'd been - I realised how lucky I was that nothing happened. I learned my lesson.. NEVER again..

Now I either take a nap before heading off, or I break up long drives so I never have the opportunity to *get* tired.

Edit: spelling

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

[Croc 0]

In 1971, after a long sleep-deprived weekend of partying and then finishing a night shift at the mill, I fell asleep on my motorcycle. Woke up when I hit a telephone pole.

Youth.

"Here's a good specimen of my own wisdom. Something is so, except when it isn't so."

Charles Fort, commenting on the many contradictions of astronomy

[millertimeunc 0]

I've definitely had hallucinations driving back from the DZ late on a Sunday night. Coming back from Palatka on SR-100 in Florida one Sunday, I thought I saw a herd of deer run across the road and I slammed on the brakes...there was nothing there. I've also had thoughts like "wow, I'm pretty tired. I'm sure glad I'm not the one driving back...oh crap, I'm driving right now."

The best things in life are dangerous.

[lippy 771]

I don't know how many times rumble strips have saved my life (or at least the truck I was driving) but it's been a few. In Canada, and my last assignment in the US, I was covering a few districts and had a lot of driving to get to my satellite districts. A lot of late nights on the road.

I got nuthin

[hobie331 0]

Spent all night partying at Zhills then flew back to MCI in MO. Drove to Manhattan to eat with friends then headed on home. About an hour into drive the little grooves on the side of the road woke me up and saved me from hitting a bridge support.
Didn't have a problem staying awake after that.

It's a gift, I don't try to explain it.

[wildWilly 0]

Never fell asleep, but I have on occation started seeing double.
I have lost a very close friend who fell asleep while driving from Toronto to Calgary. It was near Winnipeg and he had been driving non stop.
It wasn't the first time he had crashed from falling asleep either. If he had his seat belt on he would have been alright.
So if you are going to sleep and drive wear your seatbelt. RIP Wade

Willy

growing old is inevitable, growing up is optional.

[prepheckt 0]

Yes, I have while driving home. I was unaccustomed to getting up at ungodly hours and I would fall asleep when at stoplights, thankfully, my foot wouldn't come off the brakes, and I'd wake up after about fifteen seconds or so. I never hit anyone or anything, only I'd wake up in terror and realize what I had done.

"Dancing Argentine Tango is like doing calculus with your feet."
-9 toes

[CSpenceFLY 1]

Quote

So if you are going to sleep and drive wear your seatbelt.

I don't mean to laugh but I need to make that into a t-shirt.

[The_Don 0]

Yep. One time. Driving a friends van pulling a trailer full of moto-x bikes.

On our way back to Michigan from Florida.

Fell asleep in Kentucky. Lucky to be on a flat spot on the mountain.

Never again.

I am NOT being loud.
I'm being enthusiastic!

[BillyVance 34]

Never fell asleep on the road. Started to nod off? Yep. I pulled over right then every time. When I had a Mazda B2000 pickup with a camper shell on the bed, I slept in the back a few times on long drives because I was too cheap to pay for a motel room. By long drives, I mean trips of 20 hours or longer.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban