Sleepy?

[Dallas Baillio]

Sometimes while driving I get a bit sleepy. I'll stop and take a walk or get a cup of coffee of course but I am wondering what efforts others have of dealing with this problem. I have a couple of ideas that may help.

One, look for license plates from other states and keep a list. When you have seen 40 or more you still tend to stay alert looking for the elusive ones. I once traveled in Canada and recorded 9 of the 10 Canadian providences. I only lacked Prince Edward Island. Later on the same trip while driving down I-95 in Florida I was passed by a Class A from PEI.

Another idea is to rate homes you pass on a 1 to 10 scale. Rate both the house and site. By doing both you will encounter decrepit homes rated 1 on beautiful sites you will rate as 10. And the reverse as well. If you really play the game you will have ratings all over the map and rarely find a 1-1 or a 10-10.

What do others do to keep alert?

[bcope01]

Dallas, I watch the road while driving. Just watching out for the crazy drivers keeps me alert.

Bill

[jlef123]

My wife and I teach the AARP Smart Driver Course which was developed with the assistance of top experts in the field of driver safety. Fatigue is one of the many issues we discuss in that course. The techniques we discuss to combat drowsiness or fatigue include:

*Pulling over in a safe area and stopping; a 30 minute nap may help.
*Stopping and getting a caffeinated beverage.
*If drowsiness persists, stop driving.
*Plan on stopping at least every 2 hours or every 100 miles.

If you had asked your question in in our class our response would have been to follow the above ideas and the notion that driving is one of the most complicated things that you can do and demands your complete attention. All of your game suggestions may be fun for the passengers but are a major distraction for the driver. Any distractions may lead to a disaster.

I would highly recommend this course for anyone. While the course has been specifically developed for drivers over 50 it can be of value for younger drivers. The course is taught by volunteers and we, as volunteers are not paid to teach this course or advertise it. Taking the course may result in a discount from your insurance company. In addition to live classes the course is given online.

[Dallas Baillio]

How about this? As long as I don't close my eyes?