Night driving .... AAHHHHHH!

Absolutely hate night driving. I usually wind up with a load that leaves very late, I will grab it and shut down an hour or two later to get back to day running.

Tried that rain-x stuff, but I need to get it off my windshield because of streaking and glare in the rain from oncoming cars. That scares the crap outta me when I can't see very well.

 

I can drive sundown to sunup; A/C on, coffee, XM radio, betel nut tucked in my jaw. I don't use tobacco, but the betel nut works like a suped up wad of caffiene & nicotine.

 

Yeah about 4 to sunrise I called the witching hour. You mainly get sleepy from eye strain and circadian rhythm. If I had time a 20 minute nap would do wonders. You don't want a long nap, just a quickie to rest them eyes.

If I was desperate a Starbucks Doubleshot done me wonders. Not the big can, the little 6oz black ones. Go to a Starbucks and it's not on the menu but they will make you a Doubleshot on ice that's 3X as strong. It has 5-6 shots of espresso in it. They taste good and you will be wired!

Other than that loud rock and chewing on ice kept me up. You can be dozing off and something about eating wakes you up but you'll put on the calories. That's why I chewed on ice.

One trick is to dim your dash lights and toys to the point you can barely read them. The dash lights close your pupils causing more eye strain. Dim them and you'll say "Wow" as your night vision increases tenfold instantly.

Glasses are important too if you had bad eyes. I didn't wear them in the daytime but if I didn't at night my eyes would hurt from seeing double vision of lights.

 

sunflower seeds.....i have driven nights for 21 of my 22 yrs drivin....

 

You can do the same with red tinted sunglasses at night. This increases your night vision. Military pilots wear these before night flying.

 

If I have to drive the graveyard I will make my bathroom breaks farther apart. I cannot sleep if I have to go number 1. Also if you have a friend back home that is up late call them and argue about politics or religion, anything to angry up the blood.

 

This is exactly why this whole 30 minute break nonsense is so stupid. I liked to stop every 2-3 hours, stretch, go to the bathroom and walk around for 15 minutes and go. Now we're forced to take 30 so there goes at least one break per day right there. Now I just try and push as far as possible without stopping.

 

I have never had trouble running all night as long as I got 4 hours of sleep that afternoon, no coffee or nicotine never acquired the habit. A/c or heat on whichever is needed with the window cracked 2 inches tunes on real low I always turn the cb up if I see a truck on coming in case there is usefull info he wants to pass along. I like to hear what the truck is doing crazy I know. My trouble lately is from around 2 till 6 in the afternoon.

 

Keep sipping water. And take bathroom breaks where you actually walk to a bathroom, if possible. Guarantee you're dehydrated.
If you're on the side of the road, take a couple laps around the truck to get blood flowing.
A few deep breaths.
Otherwise you just have to sleep.
Good luck
Mary