How often do you take a break when on a long journey.

How often do you take a break when on a long journey.

Author
Discussion

tuffer

8,849 posts

266 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
quotequote all
When the fuel warning light comes on.

Gary C

12,315 posts

178 months

Monday 7th December 2015
quotequote all
It depends.

Did an 8 hour drive from dungeness to Lancaster last month with no problem, Was during the day, good nights sleep, company, full tank.

Drove from Lancaster to Chorley (where I lived at the time) and had to stop at forton services after 25 minutes as just finished a 12 hour night shift and was too tired to drive.

I think it's more important to recognise your tiredness and be brave enough to stop, by which I mean when you feel tired, you tend to wake up a bit when a stopping place comes available, you start thinking about pulling in, the change in awareness makes you feel more awake and less tired and the temptation is to think " I feel ok, just a few more miles, I will stop at the next place" then as the thinking process of stopping passes and the monotony kicks in, you feel tired again.

Done it myself on long drives to Austria on French m-ways at night.

PositronicRay

26,959 posts

182 months

Saturday 12th December 2015
quotequote all
My bladder regulates my breaks. I usually have my 1st one (break that is) after around 3 hours then every 2-3 hours after that. As has been said I let my body tell me when it requires a break.

My Wife incidentally will sit as a passenger up to 7-8 hours without leaving the car.

JonV8V

7,177 posts

123 months

Sunday 13th December 2015
quotequote all
AndrewCrown said:
Due to a crazy situation with the Fog and cancelled flights.. I did Heathrow to Munich and back last week..

Set the trip meter to zero and focussed on 100 mile increments... Stopping for coffee, leg stretch every 100 miles...
Kept off any carbs or sugar.

worked really well...
Good point about the diet. Sugar and carbs will cause your blood sugar to crash (unfortunate term) an hour or so later. Better of eating protein if you're hungry, so nuts and seeds rather than a chocolate bar or chips.

A big handful of wasabi peas would wake you up too especially if you thought they were yoghurt covered raisins in the dark!

tejr

3,101 posts

163 months

Thursday 7th January 2016
quotequote all
Around the 4hour mark.

I always try to drive point to point without stopping.

Emeye

9,773 posts

222 months

Thursday 7th January 2016
quotequote all
Keep Red Bull or similar in the car - if you do start feeling tired they will keep you awake until you can find a services to stop, though once you've had one you may find you don't want to stop!

jp-sr71

123 posts

184 months

Saturday 28th May 2016
quotequote all
Exmouth - Mandurah, WA non-stop.

1350km.

On single carriage roads.

First 5 hrs we saw no-one.

pim

2,344 posts

123 months

Thursday 2nd June 2016
quotequote all
Usually every few hrs.I've had a few near misses nearly nodding off driving from abroad.Not worth it.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Thursday 2nd June 2016
quotequote all
jp-sr71 said:
Exmouth - Mandurah, WA non-stop.

1350km.
Blimey. I'd have thought it was a lot further than that from Devon to the west coast of the states.

HustleRussell

24,602 posts

159 months

Thursday 2nd June 2016
quotequote all
Bladder and Stomach dictate.

Vipers

32,799 posts

227 months

Thursday 2nd June 2016
quotequote all
JRvaux said:
I am a working drummer and am going on tour this Friday for 10 days. I am driving my drums and myself all around the uk. The longest journey I have is from Aberdeen to Southampton which is 9 hours of continuous driving. I passed my IAM test back in 2002 so am probably a little out of touch. However what's the longest you would drive without a break? I can do up 4 hours before I feel that I must stop for a rest.
Aberdeen to London, we stop every 2 hours, first about 20 miles past the Broxburn roundabout, next Carlisle, when we nip in to ASDA to save paying motorway petrol, then 2 hours after that.

Always stay in the Premier Lodge at Tamworth so not a long day.


smile

Red Devil

13,055 posts

207 months

Monday 20th June 2016
quotequote all
Four hours is the limit of my range. I normally stop for a comfort break/snack/fuel top up at around three.

TooMany2cvs said:
jp-sr71 said:
Exmouth - Mandurah, WA non-stop.

1350km.
Blimey. I'd have thought it was a lot further than that from Devon to the west coast of the states.
Most people when referring to 'the states' mean the USA so I assume you have interpreted WA as being the State of Washington.
In fact Mandurah is in the southern hemisphere and over 4,000 miles further from Washington than Devon.

RobM77

35,349 posts

233 months

Wednesday 22nd June 2016
quotequote all
Every journey is different. My longest ever was 12 hours, only stopping for fuel. In the UK I tend to average a stop every two hours and in Europe I usually last up to 3 or 4. The reason for the difference is the lower traffic levels in mainland Europe and the higher standard of driving, both of which mean my brain has to do less!

Red Devil

13,055 posts

207 months

Sunday 26th June 2016
quotequote all
RobM77 said:
Every journey is different. My longest ever was 12 hours, only stopping for fuel.
Snap! The Highlands (Applecross Inn) to north Kent. 4pm to 4am. Quite spaced out by the time I got home. Was in convoy with a mate who had even further to go than me (Channel coast). He was properly cream crackered so I suggested he crash in the spare bedroom rather than a hedge/ditch!

Endless mind numbing miles on dark deserted motorways. The lack of needing to make significant driving inputs is extremely soporific. sleep

Chainsaw Rebuild

1,997 posts

101 months

Sunday 26th June 2016
quotequote all
PSV and HGV do up to 4.5 hours then take 45 minutes for example.

I used to do delivery and my tip is keep an caffeinated drink such as redbull or a pro plus tablet in the car. Then if you find yourself feeling sleepy and not near services you have an emergency fall back.

AL...Ease

2,679 posts

217 months

Thursday 30th June 2016
quotequote all
If you're comfortable and lucid it doesn't really matter. I've done plenty of 6hr+ stretches in one go in the right circumstances, but at night after a long day I sometimes can't make a couple of hours without needing to stop and refresh.

techguyone

3,137 posts

141 months

Thursday 30th June 2016
quotequote all
3 - 3.5 hrs, it's not the bladder or brain fatigue, it's having a sore foot being on the throttle all the time (gen 2 CRV), maybe with cruise control it would be easier.

AL...Ease

2,679 posts

217 months

Friday 1st July 2016
quotequote all
techguyone said:
3 - 3.5 hrs, it's not the bladder or brain fatigue, it's having a sore foot being on the throttle all the time (gen 2 CRV), maybe with cruise control it would be easier.
Which part of your foot hurts? Either there is something wrong with the car or you could improve your footwear or driving position...

qska

449 posts

128 months

Friday 1st July 2016
quotequote all
Normally, I can go for hours on end.

But when coming back from London to Oxfordshire, after work - I sometimes pull over at the services for a Red Bull.

45 miles on the M4, with the sun shining straight at you (on a sunny day, granted), the noise of the car.... gentle rocking..... is very very sleep inducing........


ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............

techguyone

3,137 posts

141 months

Friday 1st July 2016
quotequote all
AL...Ease said:
Which part of your foot hurts? Either there is something wrong with the car or you could improve your footwear or driving position...
Hrmm I just figured it was because of having my leg/foot in one position for an extended period,it happens with anything I drive but takes around 3 hrs to show.