Ever fallen asleep while riding?

[Rincewind]

Sleeping while riding - ever happen to you?  I have nodded off quite a few times, but only for a moment.  Rain, slab, and after-meal riding are the most dangerous times for me.  I usually try to pull over and do something to wake myself up and get back in control.  

I used to sleep on the back of my dad's bike when I was young.  Then when riding with him recently, on slab, after hours of rain, I nodded off again.  My sense of balance woke me back up right away.  After pulling over I said what happened, and he (a long-time rider) seemed to react like that never has happened to him.

[sammyseaman]

Excellent poll. One of the reasons I avoid the slab as much as possible is I can hardly stay awake on them. I get the same way when mowing large lawns and when I'd have to disc the field as a kid. It's weird because I've never been the napping type. How anybody can do an Ironbutt without serious drugs is beyond me  

[miles]

Following tail lights makes me sleepy.

[gregm784]

Sleeping while riding - ever happen to you?  I have nodded off quite a few times, but only for a moment.  Rain, slab, and after-meal riding are the most dangerous times for me.  I usually try to pull over and do something to wake myself up and get back in control.  

I used to sleep on the back of my dad's bike when I was young.  Then when riding with him recently, on slab, after hours of rain, I nodded off again.  My sense of balance woke me back up right away.  After pulling over I said what happened, and he (a long-time rider) seemed to react like that never has happened to him.

I used to fall asleep on my dad's bike when i was kid too.  hehe

I've only done it a few times.  When i'm riding two up my other half can see me getting tired and either has me pull over or punches me in the kidneys a few times.

[FiremanBob]

The trick to overcoming the boredom of slab riding is to go fast enough to make it interesting.

[stromgal]

Yeah, it happens occasionally. I once dreamed that there was a passenger on my bike who had just fallen off.... boy did that wake me with a start.

[sammyseaman]

The trick to overcoming the boredom of slab riding is to go fast enough to make it interesting.

Yeah, but I ride a Thruxton......  

[Rincewind]

Yeah, it happens occasionally. I once dreamed that there was a passenger on my bike who had just fallen off.... boy did that wake me with a start.

Maybe I should make a Hallucinations While Riding poll next.

[JReazor]

  I've ridden while sleepy but I've never actually fallen asleep. That seems like the kind of thing you'd only do once.

[stealth1]

Most people who have fallen asleep while riding will be unable to respond to this poll.

[bluepoof]

I started nodding off on the first day of my 6 week trip in 2008. I had to pull to the side of Highway 25, only about 75 miles from home, and nap under a tree until I could keep my eyes open again.  That was the worst I've had.

[919]

I rode through the night one time on slab and as the sun was coming up I had to squint, with my eyes almost shut squinting I could feel them get really heavy.  My brain started justifying closing them just for a minute.

That's when I knew it was time to stop, I slept around back of a Mobil station with the camera aimed at me and the bike for a sense of security.  Woke up a couple hours later and rode on for another 5 hours or so to home.

[DNA]

On several LD rides or in Rallies - I have had issues in the 12-4 am time and puled off before I nodded off.

Last time, my 20 minute cat nap lasted over an hour so i was really exhausted.

Leaning to manage fatigue and sleep is key to LD rallies.

[jfusaro]

fall asleep while riding, are you freakin crazy

[TriumphTiger1050]

Nope.  I have been in my zone alot but conscience to my surroundings

[steve.ski]

Long ago coming home from my GFs house on my GSXR750, I dozed off for a bit lying down on the tank bag on the 55 freeway coming up on the 405. It was wee morning hours, kinda cold, I was tired and when I woke up it seemed that I was going to hit the back of the car in front of me. Maybe it was kind of a hallucination, I don't know. Anyway, it scared the sheet out of me, and then when I get home I could not fall asleep from the adrenaline rush.

Since then, a couple times I've stopped and found a park bench to nap on.

[Phenix_Rider]

I rode through the night one time on slab and as the sun was coming up I had to squint, with my eyes almost shut squinting I could feel them get really heavy.  My brain started justifying closing them just for a minute.

Yep.  I get that from time to time when driving, and once while riding.  That "justifying" is automatic and in the background.  I get mad and start yelling at myself when it happens  At least until I can find somewhere safe to stop and take a break.  Only happens when I'm really dragging ass.  If I'm actually ok, I can drive 10-12 hours without stopping except for fuel.  If it's been a bad week, watch out.

[darkstarmoto]

I fell asleep once while driving home around 2AM in my Blazer when I was 19 (lifted on 42's..tire noise put me out)...drifted to the side and basically jumped a guard rail which threw me right back out to the center lane and nearly gave me a heart attack. I was scared out of my mind ( nearly in tears kinda scared). Drove up and down that same strip of road for better than a 1/2 hour making sure I hadn't hit anything else.

I have never put myself in a situation that would cause that to happen again especially while riding. I'll pull off at the 1st signs of feeling drowsy and do something to get my heart rate up and feel wide wake again. If that doesn't work I'll try to grab a quick nap. Avoid big meals while you're out...never fails to make the eyelids feel heavy. I also avoid riding in severe heat if I can...really puts a hurting on ya.

[MK96xj]

Yes, I have fallen asleep and came to what seemed like a 1/4 mile later.  

You start dancing and shaking and singing loudly just to avoid it again. That time I was only a few miles from home.

The last time was my iron butt where I would start dozing right about the time I needed gas. Some jumping jacks, a caffinated drink and I was good to go for another 250miles.

[DRam]

I marked awakened by rumble strips, but it was really the gravel shoulder.  I'd put in three 20-hour days finishing a term paper.  At three AM Monday morning it was finished.  I showered, geared up, kissed the wife goodbye and headed out on a 130 mile ride to school and an 8:00 AM class.  Eighty miles later the bike started bouncing and wobbling.  I still think it was divine intervention that kept the bike right side up until it got slowed down enough to make it back onto pavement.

It was really irritating when the professor decided to extend the deadline because only two or three of us finished on time.  On the other hand, it was the only A+ I ever received.