Mental math for staying alert on long road trips

[josephusminimus]

During the last decade of my final career I spent a lot of time on the road in New Mexico and found myself susceptible to highway hypnosis and even a tendency to doze at the wheel.&nbsp; I was considerably concerned about this because I couldn't seem to keep it from happening and it appeared to be getting worse, rather than better.<br /><br />Eventually I developed a foolproof method of avoiding it, and the method became a habit and enjoyable hobby.<br /><br />Using the distance to the destination, my watch and the mile posts I began running constant time/distance/ETA calculations as I drove along.&nbsp; <br /><br />If that became too easy I'd memorize the license tag numbers and states of origin of all the cars that passed me during the interims between mile posts, just to complicate matters.<br /><br />Every few miles I'd test myself on the tag numbers and states to make certain my mind was still performing as it should.&nbsp; When I found I couldn't remember the last dozen tags and states I'd stop and stretch my legs, walk around a few minutes.<br /><br />Which added drama to the time/distance/ETA calculations when I got back on the road.<br /><br />Keeps a person awake over those long miles.

 

[VanTrekker]

Good point.&nbsp; That works.<br /><br />I do something similar on bike rides too.&nbsp; They can get boring without a radio...<br /><br />I'll say to myself, "I'm at mile 15 out of 25... traveling at 15 mph (4 miles per minute so that means there's 40 minutes left" etc... With a bike computer, then I break it down further.&nbsp; It helps...&nbsp; The same thing works on the exercise machine - I use a countdown timer and calorie counter to set little goals and check progress.<br /><br />V.T.

 

[SoulRaven]

try pulling over for a power nap... As a truck driver I came upon the remains of many cars with badly hurt or dead people in them... What ever the reason from being tired to being drunk it does not matter, pull off the road and take a nap or sleep all night... Remember, its not just you on the road that you could take out, because ya "Just gotta get there"...

 

[josephusminimus]

try pulling over for a power nap... As a truck driver I came upon the remains of many cars with badly hurt or dead people in them... What ever the reason from being tired to being drunk it does not matter, pull off the road and take a nap or sleep all night... Remember, its not just you on the road that you could take out, because ya "Just gotta get there"...

SoulRaven: The math exercizes worked for me, but if I ever have a problem again I'll take your suggestion.&nbsp; Thanks,

 

[Simran]

During the last decade of my final career I spent a lot of time on the road in New Mexico and found myself susceptible to highway hypnosis and even a tendency to doze at the wheel.&nbsp; I was considerably concerned about this because I couldn't seem to keep it from happening and it appeared to be getting worse, rather than better.

<br /><br />What I found works for me is a 10 minute nap. <img src="/images/boards/smilies/sleep.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /><br />I know it doesn't work for everyone though!<br /><br />gus

 

[SoulRaven]

Yup as a trucker doing long haul we called them power naps... A nice 15-30 min. nap does wonders, and if you sleep longer it was meant to be...

 

[Simran]

. . . if you sleep longer it was meant to be...

<br /><br />I've had a few of those naps stretch out to 1-1.5 hours before too <img src="/images/boards/smilies/sleep.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" />&nbsp; <img src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" alt="" align="absmiddle" border="0" /><br /><br />gus

 

[ttpadilla]

I have to say that I envy your mental acuity, Jack.&nbsp; My memory used to be my greatest asset, so the memorization part might have worked for me.&nbsp; But mobile math?&nbsp; Probably not.&nbsp; I love math, but I really have to work at it. <br /><br />Getting sleepy when driving is a huge problem for me.&nbsp; It doesn't matter how much sleep I've had, being in a moving vehicle makes me sleepy... I have found that the only thing that keeps my mind active is listening to Classic Radio shows, preferably police shows, mysteries, suspense.&nbsp; Comedies are alright, but even precious Gracie Allen gets on my nerves after a while.&nbsp; I love The Shadow, Johnny Dollar, Dragnet, Suspense, The Whistler, and so on...

 

[SoulRaven]

You have to make it a point to meet John and Jenn, they have a huge collection of great classic radios shows... Here is one of their pages... http://hitekhomeless.net/<br /><br />

I have to say that I envy your mental acuity, Jack.&nbsp; My memory used to be my greatest asset, so the memorization part might have worked for me.&nbsp; But mobile math?&nbsp; Probably not.&nbsp; I love math, but I really have to work at it. <br /><br />Getting sleepy when driving is a huge problem for me.&nbsp; It doesn't matter how much sleep I've had, being in a moving vehicle makes me sleepy... I have found that the only thing that keeps my mind active is listening to Classic Radio shows, preferably police shows, mysteries, suspense.&nbsp; Comedies are alright, but even precious Gracie Allen gets on my nerves after a while.&nbsp; I love The Shadow, Johnny Dollar, Dragnet, Suspense, The Whistler, and so on...

 

[ttpadilla]

Thanks, Steve, I look forward to that!

 

[josephusminimus]

<br /><br />

I have to say that I envy your mental acuity, Jack.&nbsp; My memory used to be my greatest asset, so the memorization part might have worked for me.&nbsp; But mobile math?&nbsp; Probably not.&nbsp; I love math, but I really have to work at it. <br /><br />Getting sleepy when driving is a huge problem for me.&nbsp; It doesn't matter how much sleep I've had, being in a moving vehicle makes me sleepy... I have found that the only thing that keeps my mind active is listening to Classic Radio shows, preferably police shows, mysteries, suspense.&nbsp; Comedies are alright, but even precious Gracie Allen gets on my nerves after a while.&nbsp; I love The Shadow, Johnny Dollar, Dragnet, Suspense, The Whistler, and so on...

<br /><br />Haven't thought of those shows in a lot of years.&nbsp; Nice memories.<br /><br />I suppose a person just has to find whatever works.&nbsp; Mine did for me, though most of my acuity isn't actually mental.

 

[josephusminimus]

A friend recently sent me his old laptop - a Sony with an 8x13 screen and 198Kb RAM I'll be using to run Delorme Street Atlas 2009 and Terrain Navigator with the GPS sensor on the dash, USB plug to the comp.<br /><br />Opens up a whole new set of possibilities for the math thing, double checking mental calculations.&nbsp; Carrying pi as far as possible&nbsp;to the right of&nbsp;the decimal, prime numbers, you name it.<br /><br />

 

[Sheryl]

Very loud, ear splitting music with open windows and lots of coffee. These days, if we get tired driving, we usually just pull over and nap for awhile. We are never in such a hurry anymore that we have to drive while falling asleep. It's just too dangerous.

 

[peacetara]

The absolute best thing I ever heard to stay awake and alert:<br><br>Roll down the window and hold a $100 bill out the window while driving.&nbsp; You *WILL* stay awake! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br><br>Personally, whenever I get tired of driving (usually after an hour), I just pull over and hang out a while, which means I never ever make it anywhere quickly, but I don't like to be in a hurry anyway!<br><br>With Love,<br>Tara

 

[josephusminimus]

I wonder if a $10 bill would work.&nbsp; I keep my $100s folded up inside my boot under the insole.&nbsp; Take them out one at a time when life demands it.