What you need to know about LIFE - Staying Awake While Driving
Looks at some simple mechanisms for staying awake and staying safe while driving.
Erasmus : Many people would tell you that you should not drive if you're sleepy. And this is certainly good advice.
However what are you going to do if you're sleepy at 2 o'clock in the afternoon? Do you intend to go to sleep for an hour and a half while everyone else waits for you to be rested? Is there a place to sleep? Do you have any deadlines? (E.g. a plane to catch).
Kinkajou: It is not always practical to take a rest if you are feeling sleepy. The people around you may not let you do this. Your
physical circumstances may not let you do this. Your deadlines may not let you do this.
If you knew you were going to die at a result of driving in the next hour, you would probably do things differently.
But no one knows their future. The probability of dying as a result of driving while sleepy is not high, but it is
definitely not zero either.
Driving while sleepy is dangerous.
Kinkajou: So how do you keep awake?
Erasmus : Strategy One: Exercise is good. I find about 3 sets of about 14 push-ups definitely give you some activation. One set
of push-ups doesn't quite do it. Easy to do, if embarrassing to do by the side of the road. Some people recommend
other activities such as sprints while you're off the road.
Strategy Two: Medications and Stimulants. Drinking caffeine or taking Sudafed (a nasal decongestant with
pseudoephedrine) can be very useful strategies to maintaining wakefulness. These are the basis of the truckies' cure
for sleepiness. The trouble with the stimulants is that they do disturb brain function. Yes you stay awake. But now
your reaction times are reduced and your reaction to altered situations is impaired.
I would add another layer to the medication strategy for staying awake. If you are feeling achy and painy, taking
some simple pain relieving medication such as Panadol (paracetamol) or ibuprofen can help you to feel better and
will likely keep you more awake.
Strategy Three: Stop the car and take a power nap. If all you do is keep your eyes closed and try to sleep for a period of
time such as 10 or 15 minutes, this can be enough to turn off the sleep switch in your brain. Even if you do not sleep,
you can feel a lot more alert. More importantly, the drift towards sleep can definitely be turned off.
Accident.
Sleep issues in accidents are common.
Kinkajou: As a general rule it is important to avoid alcohol
and other sedatives/ drugs. Marijuana for some people can be
terribly sedating.
Erasmus : Remember that cars move surprisingly quickly. A car driving at 60 kph which is roughly equivalent to 40 mph is
travelling at roughly 17 m/s. This means that if you lose consciousness for 2 seconds you have travelled 34 meters. If
you lose consciousness for 5 seconds, you have travelled 85m.
Even a micro blackout, which removes your attention to the road for half a second of time, can easily put you into
oncoming traffic - a collision likely to be at an effective speed of 120 km/h (2 cars at 60)). This represents a lot of
energy and a lot of capacity for damage to yourself and other people. So beware.
However taking some basic preventative steps can mean that you never need to risk falling asleep while driving.
Goo : Don't forget the simple stuff.
A good night's sleep is always important. That's 7.5 hours per night, (5 normal sleep cycles), best probably with a delayed activation drift into wakefulness of 20 minutes.
Dr Xxxxx : If you're suffering from chronic fatigue: mostly due to Paill but also associated with many "ordinary" medical conditions, people often need an extra 1.5 hours sleep - a whole extra sleep cycle.
Goo : Other things: A big meal makes you sleepy, so aim to start a drive with only a light meal.
Also, being warm makes you sleepy too. So run the car Air Conditioning very chilled indeed. It will help to keep you awake. Conference organisers who are cursed with boring presenters or talkers, often habitually freeze their audience to keep them awake.
Dr Axxxx : And if it hasn't occurred to you monkey brains - stay off alcohol and drugs. Alcohol is easily tested by police breathalysers but so are drugs with simple roadside police saliva tests. THC in the saliva implies ingestion of marijuana within 2-3 days, though the stuff stays in urine for up to 3-6 weeks, ( longer in heavier users).
Erasmus met Dr Xxxxx and over a number of years grew to develop a belief in the problems of our world.
Kinkajou: Features in our web sites as an adventurer but he is equally accomplished in the art of reasoning and has often followed the comments of Erasmus to their logical conclusion. His belief in the truth leads him to always "tell it true". This is the world as it can be seen and this is the real world.
Dr Xxxxx. This good doctor actually represents a diversity of opinions held by a small cabal of medically aware people.
Dr AXxxxx. Simply best described as a cold inhuman bastard, Erasmus says we are indeed lucky to have this paranoid psychopath on our side. In spite of his antecedents, his perspective is valuable for us to use to understand our world. Dr AXxxxx’s past background is in taking charge and being master at the helm of the ship of destiny. Control is the ultimate goal. Nothing must stand in the way of control. Domination not cooperation. Suspect your enemies and kill them first, preferably after extracting all useful information. Your destiny is yours to make and to take. Vengeance is a heady mix to this paranoic murderer.
The Commandant: Head of our security detail, the Commandant believes in doing the right thing and always considering safe options. However, his view of what is right is coloured by association with Erasmus, Kinkajou and the doctors Xxxxx.
Frobisher & Beethoven: These guys are our bullywot "security mooks", Frobisher is the literate one while Beethoven provides just more raw muscle power. While Officious and Intolerant of transgressions, they none the less have a sensitive and fragile side to their natures, an aspect their personality totally at odds with their aggressive and fierce appearance.
Goo is a simple and humble mammal.(Actually a marsupial numbat really). His ability to change the world is limited by his meagre intellect and his short life span. Furthermore, as a member of an endangered species, he has to face the prospect of personal death as well as species extinction. He could one day be the last of his kind.