Late night driving advice

vanity ^ | me

[gop4lyf]

I will be driving from Dallas to Navarre, FL (Pensacola area) in a few weeks. I will be driving at night so that my 3 year old can sleep most of the way. I figure it will be much easier that way. I have two questions for my FRiends, if y'all would be so kind as to lend me your pearls of wisdom.

First, I would like to listen to a "books on tape" or audio book if you will type of recording. I assume that they can be found on a CD or mp3 download. I do love to read, but have never listened to a book before. I like authors like Clive Cussler, Stephen Hunter, Vince Flynn, Brad Thor, etc. Basically anything where the good guys whoop some bad guy butt. How do the audio books sound? Is it just some monotoned guy/gal reading the lines, or is there more inflection? Any suggestions on what to listen to?

My second question, has anyone tried 5 hour energy as a way to keep awake and stimulated? I don't drink energy drinks, just usually iced tea or water. I am diabetic so I can't drink anything with too much sugar in it. I won't go into sugar shock or anything, it just makes me have to go to the restroom really bad. I plan on sleeping most of the day before so that hopefully I won't be so overly tired. Thanks for all advice y'all may have!

[tanknetter]

I completely agree with what others have said: don’t try an overnight drive. Especially if this would be the first time for one.

I tried an overnight drive once in my life. And only that once. I’d done plenty of nighttime driving, but never a full overnight. I came close to killing myself, and possibly others, several times. Despite multiple stops for Starbucks (double espresso shots) and Red Bull. No one knows how their body will handle it until they’ve tried it, and if their body can’t handle it they may find out too late ...

[TNoldman]

Drive in daylight hours - stay away from rest stops - stop for fuel at well occupied , brand name gas stations - carry Pepper Spray and or handgun you are familiar with - protect yourself and baby. God Bless Your Safe Travels. Ps: I am traveling by myself right now!

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I drive at night and love audio books - for me mp3 download works the best as it’s all on my device (phone, ipod whatever) and no need to worry about CDs.

5 hour energy? Never used it myself. But know some that have. From what I have been able to gather the biggest no-no is having more than one. Folks have gotten really sick from drinking more than one of these things. I personall would just stick to coffee.

[Sherman Logan]

I would have been dead many years ago if not for recorded books. I never sleep better than when behind the wheel, and music makes it worse.

Highly recommend the Aubrey/Maturin series on CD. The reader is spectacularly good, as are the stories.

Approach books “read by the author” with fear and trembling. It’s an entirely different skill set. Some people have both skills, but not many.

An exception was Clarence Thomas’ autobiography. Listening to his story of what was done to him in his own words was intensely moving.

Stay safe.

I don’t personally agree with the “drive during the day” types. If your car is reliable, I find night driving, at least on the Interstate, no problem. Assuming you can stay awake.

You should give some thought to what you will do if your car breaks down. Possibly I’m jumping to conclusions, but if you’re a lady, being unarmed at the side of the road leaves you at the mercy of whoever stops. It will probably be a fine gentleman like me, but nothing to bet your lives on.

[Sherman Logan]

One more thought. If there’s a book you particularly enjoyed reading, try it in audio.

At least for me, it’s a completely different type of experience reading and listening.

[Ray76]

To stay awake do not eat much if at all. If you eat try to eat just protein. Chicken is good or a burger without the bun or any condiments. Eating will make you sleepy within the hour, try not to do it.

Drink water, coffee if you must.

Stop for gas and toilet. Walk around a little. Keep rolling.

Most of all keep rolling.

[Ticonderoga34]

5 Hour Energy help keep me awake on a all night trip from Ohio to Florida. It took a while for it to kick in.

Unless your a night shift worker, I would suggest you drive during the daytime and sleep at night. I work nights and I still got sleepy driving at night.

[libstripper]

I’ve driven through the night a couple of times and always ended up miserable. My advice is DON’T DO IT, especially with a 3 year old child. It’s a lot better for him to end up tired and cranky after a 10 hour day time drive than dead after
you fell asleep a the wheel at 3:00 a.m. and drove of the interstate at 70 m.p.h.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Early am departure is better. I used to leave the Bay Area at 4:00 am to beat the commute traffic, make only one stop for a half hour breakfast on I-5, then get to Las Vegas a little after 12:00 noon. 555 miles on the odometer. Godsmack is great desert driving music.

Then you can take an afternoon nap. :)

[Secret Agent Man]

expect your chances of getting pulled over to go up. Most stops of people are done after 10 pm. I know you’re doing highway, I am just saying be aware that your chances of being stopped by officers increases when you travel at night. Have recording devices on. And I would recommend if you don’t have multiple adult witnesses travelling with you and that will be awake, to get a dash camera to at least record what’s going on in front of you so that you have evidence that may support any incident you could get into.

[LouD]

I love books on tape during the day. When I had a 1.5 hour commute each way, I belonged to Audible.com, and downloaded several to my MP3 player. Now you can buy them on iTunes, or most public libraries have them on CD. If you have a Kindle, you can have it “read” a book to you, if that setting is enabled for that particular book. It’s a robot voice, so it’s not the dramatic rendition you’d get from a decent Audible or similar book.

However, that’s during the day. Books on tape tend to make me zone out at night, and make staying awake a challenge. I recommend music. When I used to drive through the night a lot, back when I was young and stupid, I’d even sing along with Frank Sinatra, windows down and sunroof open on the Jersey Turnpike - DIY Karaoke helped keep me alert.

[tsomer]

My advice:

Buy one of those GPS contraptions.

Plot your route so that you avoid cities at rush-hour.

It’s better to leave around 5-6 am and drive into the light.

Don’t get off the high-way if you can help it. Some of those exit ramps will take you into hell itself.

For books-on-tape get novels, not essays, heavy classics or advice books. Historical stories, fictional or well written narratives are okay. Shelby Foote’s Civil War histories are great. A good story will keep you at the grind.

[Yosemitest]

I recommend you sleep at night and find a hotel after 12 midnight.

Route: I recommend I-20 East to I-55 South to I-12 East to I-10 East To Florida Highway 87 South to Navarre.
"OKALOOSA ISLAND" Something To See

If you've got help driving and want to save some time go I-20 east to Jackson MS and then take Highway 45 South to Biloxi, Mississippi, and then I-10 east to Florida Highway 87 South to Navarre.

[TurboZamboni]

“Earth in the Balance” by Algore.
you won’t stop laughing.

And just hit the deer. don’t swerve to try to avoid them.

[real saxophonist]

A friend and I drove from Georgia to Colorado. Mostly me driving, because it was my car. We ended up crossing the Mississippi River in the middle of the night.

My friend was quite disappointed about that. He had hoped it would be during the day, so he could see things and take pictures.

So that might be something to consider, if you want to see any landmarks.

[SamAdams76]

The overnight hours belong to the truckers and when I am driving long distance, I'm glad to yield the highways up to them. I'm usually checked into a motel by dark and I'm up bright and early the next morning to resume my trip.

Otherwise you are just going to get in the way. Also, as others have pointed out, any motorist becomes a magnet for law enforcement after say 10 or 11pm. They will stop you under the pretense of speeding, excessive lane shifting, etc., but what they are really looking for is to see if you have been out drinking so expect the full flashlight/spotlight treatment when you get stopped.

Then you have the issues of fatigue and not seeing the road properly, which only worsen as you get older.

Nothing good comes from overnight driving unless you make your living driving a big rig and you know every inch of every interstate.

[Gay State Conservative]

Driving all that distance,at night,at 70mph? Aren't you afraid of falling asleep (or at least getting drowsy) behind the wheel? Aren't you afraid of *others* who might be sleepy...or drunk?

[gop4lyf]

Thanks again for the replies. As for me, I am a big ugly bastard that no one in their right mind wants to get squirrely with. My wife is coming as well, and she will sleep during the trip and she and my sister, that’s who we are going to go see, will watch my son when we get there. I have driven most of the route several times before, so I know where it is safe to stop. I am allotting 3 to 4 hours at the most between each stop.

My wife has told me I “better not be listening to any damn books on tape!” Her words. I reckon she thinks it will put me to sleep.

I lived in Louisiana for several years and my wife is from there, so I am fully expecting that Louisiana State Police may be pulling us over. It happens. They love vehicles with Texas tags. Oh well, they won’t find anything interesting on me. I won’t be speeding at all because my Dodge Ram gets poor enough gas mileage as it is.

[Yosemitest]

Oh, staying awake while diabetic: Eat salads and don't eat dressing or any carbohydrates that convert to sugar easily.
Stay away from bread, milk, potatoes, or any white foods.
Don't eat pasta, sandwiches, or pizza.
You can eat meats, but no gravy.
Get you some regular beef jerky or cheese for a snack.
Drink water or coffee for caffeine, or diet cokes.
When you get to where you want to go to sleep, just eat a slice of bread and drink a glass of milk.
Have a safe trip, and if you go the I-12 to I-10 route north of New Orleans, be sure to stop at the rest stop just west of where I-12 becomes I-10 again.
On the south side of the interstate, you'll see the lunar landing module "The Eagle".
Its a great stop for kids to reach out and touch history.
But the internet says that there's one in Hwy 607, Westonia, MS.

[Yosemitest]

Audio Book, click on it.
Better yet, buy both of them in audio CD.