IanH wrote:
M3RBMW wrote:
IanH wrote:
I think that the cause of driver fatigue has much more to do with driving when you know you shouldn't be, rather than trying to adjust your driving to stay awake.
If you read my post properly you would see that in my case the reason for being drowsy is boredom. I was NOT tired, stopping for a rest would have NO effect because soon after starting off again I would become bored and the drowsiness would start again.
By driving in my comfort zone I am alert and do NOT become drowsy.
Same road, same fitness level, same level of tiredness, same level of health, same level, or lack, of stimulants in the body - the only thing different was the 10mph and driving at a "natural" pace for me.
Surely this means I am safer at my "natural" pace than I am at a pace dictated by a number in a circle and enforced by scameras, remembering that my "natural" pace may be LOWER than the number in some cases!
I did read your post quite clearly Ross, and you'll see I apologised for taking the thread off topic. I quoted your post as it contained a precis of the argument by three individual posters.
My use of 'you' was not referring to you in particular. Perhaps I should have been more grammatically correct and said 'one'. Apologies for any confusion.
It is difficult to avoid "you" and being misunderstood. But "one" is a bit "QE2"
Quote:
I work shifts, round the clock, and something which never fails to surprise me is the speed that drivers travel at night time. It is significantly slower than day time. I don't think there's any added consideration for speed cameras, as this has not changed in my 9 years on traffic. If tiredness/ boredom was connected to slower speed, Im sure that people would drive more quickly at night time.
I find that people tend to drive a little slower because othey apply the rule of being able to stop in the distance they can see to be clear" rule regardless of ability. Of course - our - er - drug crazed scrotes are another matter - but we are talking Mr Law Abiding Average in this context.
I am sure this plays a major factor in the choice of speed used at night - and thefact the majority appear to do so - creates the 85th percentile of ca 65 mph in our patch - based on what the lads report.
Ian wrote:
But as I've said, I'm interested in finding out more, and assessing the arguments and facts on the subject.
I'm interested in your assessment of 'comfort zone' as being the zone which you retain heightened alertness.
So am I. I interpret this as a speed at which Ross feels he can stop comfortably in the distance he sees to be clear and a speed at which he is appying "relaxed concentration". In strictly legal terms - he may well have caused me to use my BiB instincts and take a look-see - and any action on my part would be dependent upon the excess speed and absolute danger and manner when stopped!
( I hate being called rude names!
)
Quote:
My own personal experience from last night (yawwwnnnn........), is that if I have a comfort zone ie my recognised piece of bed to sleep in, my slumber is deep and refreshing. Last night however a two year old had a bad nose bleed and my wife wouldn't let her sleep in her own bed. My 4 year old has a cough like a 40 a day smoker, so she had to be comforted in the same way. I was demoted to an uncomfortable corner of the bed, and I did not sleep well at all. I was therefore more 'alert' through being uncomfortable.
My brood are now - thankfully - older. But I know what you mean and kids come first. Had this when they were that age. Nowadays - they cause me headaches by running up bills. One expects me to subsidise his student loans - my daughter is on a gap year - having done surprisingly OK in her exams and costing me money and my youngest are stroppy teenagers. You have less "comfort zones" to come, Ian my pal - but you still love 'em!
Ian wrote:
I agree that it's a crap analogy, but I don't know if 'comfort zone' will keep you awake. Maybe it's a personal thing. I know if I have to do a response run at 4 in the morning, when you are normally at a low ebb, any tiredness seems to disappear until the job's over. I've become more alert, certainly, but I'd like to think that my response driving was outside what you would define as your (road going) comfort zone.
I think it is a case of body clock taking over. You are at work - and responding to calls and your pursuit advisers. We are really in a different slant from Joe Public - and it is difficult to explain but I do think we are ue to this kind of work as we do it all the time. It makes a difference - in my opinion. I think I adjusted to odd irregular hours years ago. Not sure how the Mad Doc and the medics across the family coped - as they appeared to continue studying and working silly hours without killing anyone. Mad Doc did tell me once that he has know idea how come no-one died on him and that he used to nip to the gents to look at some crib notes in despair.
Ian wrote:
My own experience would suggest that, yes we do have fatigue collisions on the motorway, but I don't think that we have any more per km or per vehicle minute than on A roads. Perhaps this is because of bends on A roads rather than despite them, perhaps drivers are woken by rumble strips on motorways which reduces the collision frequency. I'd like to know more.
So would I. Perhaps the hazard density of an A road and the constantly changing speed limits on someof them has and imapct. M/ways are straight and a bit monotonous - and even at high speeds there could be a switch off in some people. I would love to think that some people concentrate more at high speed because instinct tells them if it went pear shaped - it can kill - but we do not have any realistic data to support this - either.
And am led to believe that :
Ian wrote:
Perhaps though, people are just driving when they shouldn't be.
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