12 interesting safety facts...

[Oakie]

Oh and... random question... I've never heard of anyone falling asleep while riding a bike... but does it happen? Is it common?

A woman I used to work with used to fall asleep while pillioning on her partner's bike. Bit inconvenient I guess when your pillion starts leaning to one side on a straight piece of road.

[Eurygnomes]

On the Grand Challenge 1000 miles in 24 hours ride about 3 years ago, a guy on a Beemer fell asleep and rode into a storm drain filled with water. Apart from being soaked through, he was unscathed and despite the bike being about 80% submerged, it started first crank after having been retrieved. Bike was largely unmarked too!

Obviously the bike was more relaxed while he was asleep as well! My friends were in a rolling car (in sand dunes) and the only one who came out completely unscathed (although all were relatively minor accidents) was the one who was asleep! All were unbelted (so you can drag bodies out easier).

[dveus]

from the Akilla website (http://www.akilla.co.nz/)

11. A United Kingdom study of a truck fleet showed that serious crashes soared half an hour after the consumption of fatty or sugary foods.

I spent alot of time around truck drivers when I was young, so this doesn't surprise me, as I doubt there would be many minutes of the day where they havn't had fatty or sugary food in the last half hour.

[DingDong]

Yeah, I've nodded off on my bike... but you wake up real quick

[Lou Girardin]

It's responsible for more accidents than the LTNZ will admit. Because it is difficult, if not impossible, to prosecute drivers for being tired. And there's no money in doing so.

[Jantar]

Do you mean the actual drivers themselve?

Oh and... random question... I've never heard of anyone falling asleep while riding a bike... but does it happen? Is it common?

I have also fallen asleep on a bike once. It happened at around 4:00 am on a gravel road. I can remember going into a twisty section, then the next thing I was down on the road and waking up after negotiating some of the bends. I now recognise the signs of sleep approaching.

[myvice]

Had my son nod off and it freeked me out as we were passing a line of trucks at the time, I'v dozed myself on a bike once and in a car a couple of times, not a good look

[Will]

About a year ago someone riding their bike fell asleep while riding thru the Paraparas. He was on a BMW and had cruise control on. Got a broken ankle.



Also I have been behind someone who failed to take a corner. We had just had lunch half an hour earlier. I think it was related to the food. I don't eat any fatty carbohydrate foods when I am riding because it makes me sleepy. By the way, he walked away from the accident. He had landed in a blackberry bush, so he was asked allsorts of things about berry season etc. Also another good reason for wearing protective clothing.

[Jackrat]

I've done it.. been woken up by a pothole and very big "<<< 35kph <<<" sign.

I've been very close to it after a trip from Ak to Wellywood an back,realised what was going on so stopped at a camping ground in Taupo,rented a cabin an crashed big time.I also had to pay for the three bludgers I was riding with.
They addmited they'd been on the verge as well but nobody wanted to be the one to say so.
Lucky for all involed I have no pride what so ever.

[bgd]

Over here a couple of years back a guy fell asleep at the wheel, crashed down an embankment and ended up on a railway track. Train hits his car, derails and a number of people died. He survived and was jailed for 5 years (I think).

Lots of coverage about the dangers of sleep deprivation and driving after that one.

[scumdog]

It's responsible for more accidents than the LTNZ will admit. Because it is difficult, if not impossible, to prosecute drivers for being tired. And there's no money in doing so.

"Course there's money in it!!

Last one had to cough up $500 + $130 costs 'cos he fell asleep and crashed.

[XP@]

Seems to be a topical subject, there was an article last night on Cambell Live.

It seems some truckies are working too many hours...

Be wary of the big things on the road.

[Holy Roller]

Used to joke about the bike being on auto pilot to my work mates as most mornings I did not remember how I got to work. One day I fell asleep only to recover as was hard over in the gravel, don't know how i did not crash. As others have said I now know when to have a rest.

[thehollowmen]

I used to have blackouts when I was a teenager. was scary to wake up and find the car idling along by itself in a padock... stopped driving soon after that until everything was cleared up.

I do think it is a problem, and we do have 'driver reviver' stops down with free coffee here in the south island.