i used to scoff at those hand-wringing weirdos that said driving while tired was more dangerous than driving shitfaced. Tonight has changed that notion. Set the stage for you... I am going back to 11p-7am shift tomorrow and I figured I'd stay up tonight to prepare myself. Anyways, I figured I'd go out and watch trains go through. So I am heading down the road to vermont when I completely faze out and basically nod off... So there the Luminator is, pilotless, barreling down a highway at 55+mph!!! I woke up just as the drivers side wheels left the highway. Instantly, feet went to brake pedal. Nothing happening there, Sport. All I managed to do was initiate a slide. BANG! One fencepost. BANG! Two fencepost. BANG! CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK! Third and final fencepost. And now the car has entered a skid because I am in the deep, wet grass of a field and my particular Lumina is not equipped with Anti-lock brakes. The car makes one revolution and stops short of a stone wall and a swampy patch parallel to the road. Still in panic mode, I scope the meager gage cluster looking for warning lights, anything. The engine is still running and in "OD". Cautiously, I slam it back up into reverse and head back for my abbreviated debris field.
Without any drama, the Lumina is back on the highway, up to 60mph and still has me wondering what the hell had just happened?
I will say this, Chevrolet Luminas are tanks! Absolute Main Battle Tanks. The only damage was the license plate and a couple of dents on the hood from the flying fence posts.

If you are tired, do not drive.

I've almost fell asleep on the MassPike before....

I drove from the North Carolina mountains, all the way home non stop, 22 hours, (Actually, with a member of this site, Tracy.), then went to a UER meet in Toronto, (hour and a half away) drove her back to Hamilton, then returned home (still 2 1/2 hrs from Hamilton). About 45 minutes from my place, a castle jumped out in front of me.

This was the point where I decided it MAY be a good idea to take a nap in a parking lot somewhere.
Glad you (and the car) are okay!

I drove from Ft. Campbell KY. to Dallas leaving KY at about midnight. Normally it took me about 11 hours or so, this time I was home at about 9am. Thing about it was I remembered going thorough Memphis but thats it. I dont know if I was asleep or what but I made it.

I87 on the way home at like 3am is brutal

i have been having trouble sleeping lately. I think it is from sleep apnia (sp?), that thing where fat people like me stop breathing in our sleep and then start again... I mean, i used to be able to drive anywhere, anytime without fear... now, I can't even drive to work without almost nodding off. I have gained some weight towards the end of winter and am really feeling it.

i'm more pissed off than anything else... it was a good thing that my agricultural expedition was at 2am... imagine if I had barreled into someone? Damn.

Posted by Samurai i have been having trouble sleeping lately. I think it is from sleep apnia (sp?), that thing where fat people like me stop breathing in our sleep and then start again... I mean, i used to be able to drive anywhere, anytime without fear... now, I can't even drive to work without almost nodding off. I have gained some weight towards the end of winter and am really feeling it. i'm more pissed off than anything else... it was a good thing that my agricultural expedition was at 2am... imagine if I had barreled into someone? Damn.

Apnea...and yeah...this is scary...why didn't you tell me that you took out some fence posts?

Shael

You poor people driving measly state to state.

Posted by big dave You poor people driving measly state to state.

Vermont is only 5 miles away... i can see it from my porch.

samurai i am glad you are OK. for the sleep apnia i know how you feel, i went from 140 pounds 6 foot when i was 20 to 250 pounds now, anyways dusted off the schwinn see if i can get some of it off.

So why can't I stay awake when I drive to/from work? I'm 5'6, 135 lbs, healthy and eat well, and I'm usually nodding off 20 miles before I get home.

Sam really should go see a doctor about it.
As far as his sleep issues, he and I can go out and on the way home, at usually 8 or 9 in the evening, he's ready to fall asleep. No, it's not my company, he's just ready to go into a coma. He can go to a meeting fully rested and by the end of it, he's snoring like a freight train. He thinks he's narcoleptic.
Myself, I think it's because of the apnea, you don't fall into the deepest part of sleep where you actually rest. Something in your brain keeps you from getting there, because when you do get there, you stop breathing and wake yourself up. The problem is when you don't wake yourself up. This is one of the things they think happens with SIDS babies. But their brains aren't developed enough to start breathing again when the oxygen level in their blood gets below a certain level. Adults usually will start breathing again after 20 seconds or so, but not without being dragged awake.

Shael