Passenger Rides: Motion Sickness
Discussion
Genuine question, has anyone had any experience of passengers with motion sickness at track days etc? Or does anyone suffer from it but not have any issues when out as a passenger in cars?
I suffer very, very badly (shaky movies, video games, severe sea-sickness etc, they all effect me) and I remember reading journo articles before where they've mentioned other guys (it's never them!) getting sick whilst being thrown around a circuit by some super-quick driver. I'm off to Combe next week for the charity day and it's always been a dream of mine to go round the circuit, I'm wondering if I'm going to be ok in something insane like a Radical, or if I should head for something a bit slower.
I suffer very, very badly (shaky movies, video games, severe sea-sickness etc, they all effect me) and I remember reading journo articles before where they've mentioned other guys (it's never them!) getting sick whilst being thrown around a circuit by some super-quick driver. I'm off to Combe next week for the charity day and it's always been a dream of mine to go round the circuit, I'm wondering if I'm going to be ok in something insane like a Radical, or if I should head for something a bit slower.
Even people who don't normally get car-sick can get troubles on track. Even worse is riding the back of a Landrover Defender when someone who knows what he is doing is tooling around an off-road course.
I had to get out and walk back.
If you are normally OK you will probably be fine for a lap or two. If you are often unwell in a passenger road car you may wish to take travel sickness medication and arrive at the circuit by public transport or in a mate's car.
I had to get out and walk back.
If you are normally OK you will probably be fine for a lap or two. If you are often unwell in a passenger road car you may wish to take travel sickness medication and arrive at the circuit by public transport or in a mate's car.
I've had an experienced trackday driver (he drove an Elise very quickly) throw up in my Caterham at Bedford autodrome, and as said below don't wear a full face helmet as he was on the day, what a mess!
Also had my girlfriend throw up while passengering on an airfield day last month.
I'd suggest you discuss with the driver how you'll signal you want to return to the pits once out on track. That way if you start feeling ill you can get out on that lap. I reckon most people would be fine for 5 or so laps before feeling ill, maybe.
Also had my girlfriend throw up while passengering on an airfield day last month.
I'd suggest you discuss with the driver how you'll signal you want to return to the pits once out on track. That way if you start feeling ill you can get out on that lap. I reckon most people would be fine for 5 or so laps before feeling ill, maybe.
To reassure the OP I get motion sickness very badly indeed. I can't read a text on my phone whilst I'm walking without feeling sick and I can't even read the newspaper on the train! However, I've been racing for ten years without ever making myself sick and I've passengered a fair bit too without an issue. The only problem I've had was after a long day instructing a few years ago I started to feel sick - but I was in a racing Caterham at the time and it was on an airfield with a harsh surface.
Make sure that you sit in the front of the car and look out of the windscreen at what's coming and you'll be fine.
If it helps, having a sensitive sense of balance is what motor racing's all about.
Make sure that you sit in the front of the car and look out of the windscreen at what's coming and you'll be fine.
If it helps, having a sensitive sense of balance is what motor racing's all about.
I would avoid a Radical if you are a bit prone to it to be honest, although we haven't yet had someone throwing up in ours though. Although there is an argument that they are so stiff that there is much less pitching and rolling than a road based car so it shouldn't be so bad.
Once people are strapped in tight and holding on to the strap we give them to keep arms out of the way they seem to forget about anything else.
Best suggestion is the signal to the driver about coming in. In a Radical there is no conversation possible so it's all hand signals.
Once people are strapped in tight and holding on to the strap we give them to keep arms out of the way they seem to forget about anything else.
Best suggestion is the signal to the driver about coming in. In a Radical there is no conversation possible so it's all hand signals.
silverthorn2151 said:
I would avoid a Radical if you are a bit prone to it to be honest, although we haven't yet had someone throwing up in ours though. Although there is an argument that they are so stiff that there is much less pitching and rolling than a road based car so it shouldn't be so bad.
Once people are strapped in tight and holding on to the strap we give them to keep arms out of the way they seem to forget about anything else.
Best suggestion is the signal to the driver about coming in. In a Radical there is no conversation possible so it's all hand signals.
As I said above, I get more travel sick than most and I've been in a Radical as a passenger without a problem. Generally it's softer cars with loose damping that cause the problem.Once people are strapped in tight and holding on to the strap we give them to keep arms out of the way they seem to forget about anything else.
Best suggestion is the signal to the driver about coming in. In a Radical there is no conversation possible so it's all hand signals.
The biggest danger of having a ride in a Radical is that afterwards you'll want to race something similar!! I knew my days of racing Caterhams were numbered within about 10 seconds of climbing into a Radical for the first time!
RobM77 said:
silverthorn2151 said:
I would avoid a Radical if you are a bit prone to it to be honest, although we haven't yet had someone throwing up in ours though. Although there is an argument that they are so stiff that there is much less pitching and rolling than a road based car so it shouldn't be so bad.
Once people are strapped in tight and holding on to the strap we give them to keep arms out of the way they seem to forget about anything else.
Best suggestion is the signal to the driver about coming in. In a Radical there is no conversation possible so it's all hand signals.
As I said above, I get more travel sick than most and I've been in a Radical as a passenger without a problem. Generally it's softer cars with loose damping that cause the problem.Once people are strapped in tight and holding on to the strap we give them to keep arms out of the way they seem to forget about anything else.
Best suggestion is the signal to the driver about coming in. In a Radical there is no conversation possible so it's all hand signals.
The biggest danger of having a ride in a Radical is that afterwards you'll want to race something similar!! I knew my days of racing Caterhams were numbered within about 10 seconds of climbing into a Radical for the first time!
Tiff Needell drives ours on those sessions quite a lot. You think you're going quick, then you go out with him!
Mind you, SWMBO was persuaded to sit in with me at Brands some weeks ago for the first time. Even though it was 5 ducks and drakes laps of the Indy she couldn't resist punching me on the arm a lot for going too fast!! Women eh!
Only car I've passengered in where I've felt queezy was a Monaro, one of the slower cars I've had a track passenger ride in but the walloy nature of it didn't agree with me. I wasn't sick but if i'd have been in the passenger seat for much longer I may have been. In the passengerseat of crazy bike engined things etc I'm fine.
I've never suffered as a driver or passenger on track but did once feel slightly strange as a passenger in a 250bhp mk1 Escort testing on a rally stage. I soon told myself to stop being such a pussy and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the stage 
I've had to return a couple of passengers to the pit who were turning a slight shade of green.
I've had to return a couple of passengers to the pit who were turning a slight shade of green.
silverthorn2151 said:
RobM77 said:
silverthorn2151 said:
I would avoid a Radical if you are a bit prone to it to be honest, although we haven't yet had someone throwing up in ours though. Although there is an argument that they are so stiff that there is much less pitching and rolling than a road based car so it shouldn't be so bad.
Once people are strapped in tight and holding on to the strap we give them to keep arms out of the way they seem to forget about anything else.
Best suggestion is the signal to the driver about coming in. In a Radical there is no conversation possible so it's all hand signals.
As I said above, I get more travel sick than most and I've been in a Radical as a passenger without a problem. Generally it's softer cars with loose damping that cause the problem.Once people are strapped in tight and holding on to the strap we give them to keep arms out of the way they seem to forget about anything else.
Best suggestion is the signal to the driver about coming in. In a Radical there is no conversation possible so it's all hand signals.
The biggest danger of having a ride in a Radical is that afterwards you'll want to race something similar!! I knew my days of racing Caterhams were numbered within about 10 seconds of climbing into a Radical for the first time!
I've only ever given people passenger rides in Caterhams etc, but I'd love to take people out in something like a Radical. Most people probably don't have a clue how fast a dedicated racing car is. Number one on my list would be my girlfriend, so she'd put my Elise or BMW into context next time I take a roundabout a bit quick 
Hi ukaskew,
I'm also going along to the charity day at Combe next weekend. Come along and have a chat in the paddock, I'll be in the red Radical SR3, reg no. SR 56 BYE. Maybe worth trying a slow lap around the paddock first before committing to going out on track? If you want to go on track I have no problem in doing a slow lap first so you can let me know if you want to come straight back in or stick with it and go for another a bit quicker. Either way, it's for charity and no doubt the organisers don't care if you do one lap or 5 or 6 (can't remember which) as long as they've got your money. If you want it to be flexible it can be from what happened last year.
Appreciate car sickness can happen on track, I've had passengers suffer in a Caterham, a Noble and the Radical. I think it largely depends on what type of movement triggers it. For me, putting my head down and reading in a wallowy saloon car is definitely a bad idea but no amount of chucking about in a track car gives me a problem. Obviously that's not the only reaction that can occur and others suffer differently. I've taken a couple of passengers out before who know they could be prone and we've stopped early as a result. No problem to me, I'd rather that than have to clean it up afterwards
Let me know if you're interested and to look out for you on the day. Will need a slight bit of organising as they just marshall a queue of people who then get in the next available car but I can't see we can't get round that one.
I'm also going along to the charity day at Combe next weekend. Come along and have a chat in the paddock, I'll be in the red Radical SR3, reg no. SR 56 BYE. Maybe worth trying a slow lap around the paddock first before committing to going out on track? If you want to go on track I have no problem in doing a slow lap first so you can let me know if you want to come straight back in or stick with it and go for another a bit quicker. Either way, it's for charity and no doubt the organisers don't care if you do one lap or 5 or 6 (can't remember which) as long as they've got your money. If you want it to be flexible it can be from what happened last year.
Appreciate car sickness can happen on track, I've had passengers suffer in a Caterham, a Noble and the Radical. I think it largely depends on what type of movement triggers it. For me, putting my head down and reading in a wallowy saloon car is definitely a bad idea but no amount of chucking about in a track car gives me a problem. Obviously that's not the only reaction that can occur and others suffer differently. I've taken a couple of passengers out before who know they could be prone and we've stopped early as a result. No problem to me, I'd rather that than have to clean it up afterwards
Let me know if you're interested and to look out for you on the day. Will need a slight bit of organising as they just marshall a queue of people who then get in the next available car but I can't see we can't get round that one.
Best thing is to take some travel pills of something beforehand anyway... it won't do you much harm, and quite often the feeling of motion sickness is made worse if you're worried/thinking about it.
I'm actually glad to hear others here have a similar problem. I thought I was the only one who could drive round a track all day and be fine, but stick me in the passenger seat and a couple of laps is all it takes for me to be feeling dodgy!!
I'm actually glad to hear others here have a similar problem. I thought I was the only one who could drive round a track all day and be fine, but stick me in the passenger seat and a couple of laps is all it takes for me to be feeling dodgy!!
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