Is this possible / How far can you drive?

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TopGearFan08

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Simple question,

I'm planning to drive from Calais in France to Berlin in one stint.

It is 580miles and mainly Autobahn.

I'll be driving it overnight, having slept all day.

Car is a 2008 Volvo S80 Diesel.

Do you think this is possible to do without being in danger of falling asleep at the wheel?

Just looking for an experienced answer from someone who has tried similar long journeys.

As a side note, what is the longest journey you have made in one stint? Fuel stops allowed.
 
It's only an 8-9 hour drive if you do it in one shot, that's not that long. I've done 800 mile drives in a day before and while it's not the most comfortable thing ever it is possible. Just take some good music or an audio book and just take it easy. If you feel yourself getting tired or loosing concentration pull over at a rest area or service area and walk around for a a couple minutes, get something to drink, stretch, and use the restroom. Then when you feel you are able to get back in the car and drive.

If you feel like you are really tired, pull over and rest. Close your eyes and get some sleep. It will make your trip longer for sure but you won't end up dead.
 
I would advise against it.

I would add that my dad drove from Santander to Sheffield in pretty much one hit in a Triumph Spitfire - resting on the ferry - in order to go to the dentist. This was in 1965 however.
 
TopGearFan08
Car is a 2008 Volvo S80 Diesel.
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Do you think this is possible to do without being in danger of falling asleep at the wheel?
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Oooh, well... ;)



It depends really. What's the longest distance you've driven before? Personally I've only ever driven 1/2 of the distance you'll be doing (in one go, at least), so the thought of doing such a marathon is something I can't quite get my head around.

Personally I wouldn't. I can fairly happily do my house to Leeds without too much discomfort/depression, and that's a 4 and a half hour journey. But I've always stayed overnight and travelled back the next day, so I'd most probably book a hotel in Dortmund or something and pace myself over a couple of days. I wouldn't do it at night either, but that's just my personal preference.

My best advice is that if you are going to do it, start practicing. Try doing half that distance in the dark beforehand and see how you cope. It might be a waste of diesel, but at least you won't be thrown in at the deep end when you do actually do it. You don't want to end up sleeping in a petrol station car park at 3 in the morning - it'll just ruin your trip.
 
TopGearFan08
Simple question,

I'm planning to drive from Calais in France to Berlin in one stint.

It is 580miles and mainly Autobahn.

I'll be driving it overnight, having slept all day.

Car is a 2008 Volvo S80 Diesel.

Do you think this is possible to do without being in danger of falling asleep at the wheel?

Just looking for an experienced answer from someone who has tried similar long journeys.

As a side note, what is the longest journey you have made in one stint? Fuel stops allowed.
Click to expand...

Yes, it's do-able, but you'll need to stop at least once for food and good walkabout. If you feel sleepy, you must stop and rest. Your Volvo is likely to need a fuel stop anyway, so stop at 300 miles, eat something, top off the diesel, and carry on. Also, you must actually sleep during the day before. It's quite difficult to significantly alter your sleep patterns this way.

My long-range driving is curtailed by the needs of the wife and children at the minute. I reckon that with a stop for food, and DVD players in the back, we can do 500 miles in a day, and (prior to having Jessica who needs to be fed & exercised every 2 hours) we could non-stop 300 miles.
 
Though I'd advise against long night driving (the bright lights strain your eyes rapidly - get those yellow night time driving sunglasses if you get the chance), you will be able to manage easily if you're rested and fit. I've done 1200KM+ a few times in one stint.

What helps me is to drive actively. You don't want to sit in the right lane for the entire trip doing 115KM/H, you'll fall asleep in four hours.

Oh, and '08 Volvo you say? Enjoy looking at this for the entire trip:

driverfatigue2.jpg


[edit]: Are you familiar with autobahn driving?
 
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Famine
I would advise against it.
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+1

I'd say don't do it without at least a good rest during the trip.
Some factors come into play here, but mainly 2:

1) Experience in medium/long stints - in my honest opinion, nobody should have experience in really long periods of constant driving, because it's just dangerous (see point #2).
If you've only driven short distances before without resting, it's even worse.

2) Dangerous - Yes it is, simply put. After quite a while driving (which varies from one person to another), muscle control and agility is severely affected without the driver noticing, apart the fact that the brain starts going in cruise-control, which means it won't be as alert and ready if something unexpected happens.
Both of these contribute to the fact that, in the event of you needing a quick and precise reaction, your body won't be up to the task.


As said, and if you do decide to do it, stop immediately (road permitting)as soon as you feel tired or slightly sleepy. Seriously.
Coffee/loud music/open windows only work to a certain extent. I wouldn't gamble.
About 10 years ago, I was driving on my way back home with my mother next to me and my brother on the back seat. I was only driving for less than 2 hours, but I had been up since early, done quite a bit of heavy work, and the sun going down right in front of me made the perfect scenario for my body to say "dude, I'm going to bed, see ya later"...

Next thing I know, without me even realising, my eyes were shut and I was sleeping. What woke me up was my mother's high pitch scream when I started going straight and the road had a very slight left turn.
Fortunately, the run-off was immense on that spot and nothing major happened, but to this day I still remember that as if had happened just a few minutes ago. Could've killed me and them right there because of something that stupid.
Needless to say, nowadays I don't even start the car for something other than a 5min drive (urban) if I'm feeling exhaust or something of the sorts.
 
I've not driven a diesel, but I've driven cars with a 300 or 350 mile range, and used that as my stops. I'm more comfortable with a stop every 2 or 2-1/2 hours for a stretch, and that stretch reduces fatigue immensely, and is well worth the 10 or 15 minutes it takes. So I'll be making 1 rest stop between fuel stops, on the whole.

8 or 9 hours non-stop is just goofy, IMHO. You'll get cramps, your eyes will hurt from lights in the darkness, and constantly having to adjust to the different light conditions as you pass lit areas and dark areas.

You say overnight after having slept during the day, but for how many days. You CANNOT suddenly just switch your diurnal schedule overnight, as it were. The term "jet lag" really means something, and you'll be looney-tunes about 3 hours in if you don't take some stretch breaks. Maybe even then, though.
 
During college I would hit the road anytime I had a three day weekend. It was an 11 to 12 hour drive and I would pull an all nighter with stops only for gas and food.

This one time at....I didn't even have a working radio for the trip.

My family always took long road trips as I grew up so it never really sunk in that it was a bad idea. I love me a good road trip!
 
A few weeks ago my brother left my mom and dad's house at around 1pm. He called to tell them that he was home at 3pm the next day.

Twenty-six hours - 1500 miles (2400 km) alone.

He's a loony.
 
I've done roughly 1200km in one sitting. No rest, but I didn't need it. I woke reasonably early and drove through to the evening. It was tough, and the '93 Escort I was driving did take a toll on my tuckus (seriously, nothing but ass pain for 2 days afterwards).

And as mentioned, don't try to man it out. You don't know just how far you push yourself until you've fallen asleep, which is too late. There's no point in risking your and other lives in finding your limits.
 
TB
Twenty-six hours - 1500 miles (2400 km) alone.
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That's a pretty good pace, but it's not an insane pace.

Insane is:

Summer of 2007 a motorcyclist decided he would set a long-distance riding record. There is an association that tracks registered documented rides, starting with 1000 miles in 24 hours. They also have 1500 miles in 36 hours, 1500 in 24, 50 hours coast to coast, and they have similar categories for other locations to accomodate Europe, Asia, and Australia. They don't track time so there's no speed records, they just track documented distance within the time limit.

The 1000 in 24 is called a Saddlesore. The 1500 in 36 is called a Bun Burner. The 1500 in 24 is called Bun Burner Gold, or BBG. Someone years ago had done 2 (or was it 3?) consecutive BBGs. This guy decided to do a week's worth, and thus set a standard nobody would eclipse. Now, it's not something he just went out and did, he had serious planning and preparation. On a motorcycle that's an oil change every two days, a new rear tire every 3 days, a new front halfway through, and of course fuel stops, which take time. He carried an auxiliary tank on the rear rack of the bike so he only refueled twice each day. He equipped the bike with an automatic chain oiler and ultra-bright auxiliary lights. He'd scouted the roads, used a different route each day, and had multiple alternates available in case of construction, weather, other unforeseen events. He trained physically, knowing his rides would be about 19 hours each day. He had about 4 hours sleep each day, and while sleeping his "crew" would wash his clothes, work on the bike (aforementioned oil and tire changes, etc.) and prepare his food.

His certified ride was 7 consecutive 1500-mile days!! (You can Google BBG Hell Week.) He reported that the last day was of course the most difficult. It was the slowest, as he didn't need to return in time for sleep, but still, he made the last 24-hour period by less than a half hour, IIRC. Most of the riding was in Nevada, and the speed limits were largely ignored in order to meet the required 75mph average allowing for 4 hours rest.

So now that I've completely derailed the thread to absolutely no purpose, I'll try to put this on topic by saying that folks who drive (or ride) long distances regularly will absolutely recognize the value of rest periods during the trip, and of planning the trip to accomodate whatever eventualities might arise. If you haven't even been 3 hours non-stop (and most of us haven't,) then thinking about 8 or 9 is not wise.
 
I usually need little more than chewing gum, rock and roll, and gasoline to regularly pull 600+ mile drives. (But I'm an American with wide open roads and little traffic, only 20, and not completely sane)

Hrm... I think from my Mom's place to Fargo was 634 miles. So that's the longest I've ever driven solo. Two stops, gas and then food.

I started keeping time from between my Dorm Hall (Churchill Hall at NDSU) and the Intersection of I-29 and MO-152. Average trip time was about 7 hrs, 45 minutes with stops to eat and one or two fuel stops. Once I made it from Fargo to Kansas City in 7 hours, 10 minutes.. through blowing snowdrifts in South Dakota. Left the dorms at 3:15 and I was home for Spring break before 10:30AM. No wonder my poor Mercedes is dead.. He didn't know how to act at speeds below eighty. 22,000 miles of highway driving in one year. :lol: It probably was very confused as a commuter car. "What!? You mean I have to accelerate from a STOP!? And slow down in three minutes! Screw this. I'm out."
 
I'd say that it's possible. My cousin and I drove from Florida to New Hampshire without stopping. I drove South Carolina but other than that he did the entire trip by himself only stopping to rest for a half hour and the occasional bathroom break. That's a 27 hour drive if you stay the speed limit, he did it in 21 hours.
 
My job involves me needing to drive hundreds of miles in a day. However, I will only drive a maximum of 400 miles in one day (my most recent was Glasgow and back in one day from Newcastleish) but there was a good two/three hours break between each 200 miles for food etc. I can do 300 miles in one go with only a short break or two and that is my maximum in that respect as I get bored and tired.

If you've never driven a long distance before, then I'd advise against it, I've been doing long distance treks for around 5 years now so I'm used to it. You need to build up your tolerance - 100 miles for me now is like popping to the shops :lol:

I will give you an invaluable tip - if you start to feel tired then stop at the nearest services and purchase an Expresso or Red Bull. Drink this then have 20-30 minutes sleep/rest. The time asleep will be enough to recharge your batteries and also to let the stimulant get into your system, you should then be ready to go again. I've never needed to implement this, but wouldn't hesitate if ever I do get to the point I'm so tired I'm in danger of nodding off (driving home after a night shift can be SCARY!)
 
Famine
I would advise against it.

I would add that my dad drove from Santander to Sheffield in pretty much one hit in a Triumph Spitfire - resting on the ferry - in order to go to the dentist. This was in 1965 however.
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Wow, that is proper Yorkshire dedication!
 
UnoMOTO
During college I would hit the road anytime I had a three day weekend. It was an 11 to 12 hour drive and I would pull an all nighter with stops only for gas and food.

This one time at....I didn't even have a working radio for the trip.

My family always took long road trips as I grew up so it never really sunk in that it was a bad idea. I love me a good road trip!
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I think I'd run out of country on a 12 hour road trip...
 
Longest I've done in one day was from North of Leeds down to Gatwick Airport (South of London) to pick up my girlfriend and then back to North of Leeds in one day. Google maps reckons that's a 498 mile round trip and an 8 hour 40 minute journey. And the weather was typically British for a lot of that way.

I was surprisingly fresh after that actually (not bad in the Fiesta), though I recall sleeping very well that night.

The most tired I've been on a car journey was after driving down to Manchester from Newcastle for a gig (142 miles, took over 3.5 hours in traffic), standing up for the whole gig (circa three hours from getting out of the car to getting back in) and then driving back to Newcastle (142 miles again and nearer 2.5 hours this time), arriving at 2am. By the time I got back I was virtually asleep on my feet. I never want to drive that tired again.

As Milford says you've got to build up a tolerance. Uni to home is 90 miles and it feels like nothing any more as I've driven it so much, and in normal conditions that 3h+ drive to Manchester doesn't feel too long, but anything more than that and you start to notice it.
 
i say go for it, and especially enjoy the autbahn.

My dad and i drive in 2003 from austria to valencia (to do my formula racing license there with BMW) and we did straight in 11 hours, only stops for gas. distance was 2500km all during night and it was a sunday night.
at one point we actually averaged 171km/h :D that was of course on the Autobahn... right... anyways .
Just make sure you always have water in your car, at least 1 1/2 liter for emergencies.

Chris
 
The furthest I've driven in one trip was the 440 miles from my house in Hampshire to the Nurburgring. Despite only getting 5 hours sleep the previous night, I felt fine once I arrived; however, a combination of having to stop for fuel every 150 miles or so, and the novelty of driving on the continent having never done so before, kept me going. I did feel it upon waking the following morning though. That was leaving at 11.30am and arriving about 8.30pm, not including the hour time difference. Your journey is doable, but as others have mentioned, regular breaks are the key.

The only thing I would express trepidation at is driving through the night. Is it necessary? You'll find the trip a lot easier and safer to do during the day, unless you usually work night shifts or somesuch.
 
What everyone else said.
I do almost the same as Milford everyday, 5 days a week for my job.
When I get tired, I chew gum, turn choons up, open a window, drink redbull/rockstar and smoke.
Don't try the last one.
It's a long trip you're talking about, but as long as you're sensible, and don't put pressure on yourself to do it all in one go, you'll be fine.

I do 80K miles a year average, and most of those are in GM motors.
Fordvo's are much more comfortable, and have good sound systems, so crank it up and don't listen to The Orb....

:irked:👍
 
Driving by day will certainly be easier. It won't be nighttime, and since you're used to sleeping when it's dark, your body won't have that reaction to fall asleep. And there will be more cars on the road. Other cars will keep you much more attentive and stimulated than seeing only endless lines on the road.

However, I love driving at night. I think it would be amazing to do a long road trip through the night. It's just so relaxing.

Oh, and I did a 9 hour drive from West Michigan to upstate New York. The only issue I had was an anxiety thing where I could not concentrate on driving at all, which was scary. But that's an ADD/me being weird related thing, so I imagine a normal person could do it. Dad and family also do 9 hour drives between Seattle and Boise without any trouble. And that's 500 miles. So the distance thing shouldn't be an issue at all.
 
It's possible, but if you are going alone its going to be incredibly boring.

I myself have drove from Billings to Denver (about 550 miles) in a single sitting, with two stops for gas, and another time to salt lake (also about 570 miles), but I had a friend where we switched off driving every two hours.
 
I drove from gold coast to mackay in a day... resting about 1hr along the way for lunch.

1200km or 750miles..
 
Beerz
That is the whole problem... ;)
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Yes, rather :lol: I think a better term than relaxing may have been "less stressful". I do really enjoy driving at night because without the other traffic driving is much more fun, even if it's on the motorway. I suspect that if you didn't have the natural inclination to fall asleep at night it would be much safer driving at night too simply because you remove much of the risk associated with other people making mistakes.
 
I would say that 580 miles in the same day shouldn't be a problem, as long as you go about it sensibly.
I regularly drive down to Italy in 1-1/2 days.
The first day is typically driving from Ostende to Innsbruck for an overnight stop.
I have some rules though:
1) Drive for 2 hours, then stop for 15-20 mins. Get out of the car, eat something, drink something. Walk about and talk to people.
2) I don't drive over 85mph. Going faster won't make much difference.

The common error people make is to drive until they feel tired. Do that and you will feel tired all day. Even if you still feel fresh, don't be tempted to drive longer than 2 hours without a break.

Ostende to Innsbruck is 660 miles. Leaving Ostende at 8 am gets me to Innsbruck around 7 pm, including all my stops.
 
Back when I was young, in the 1990's, I made this 653 mile trip from deep South Texas to Ruidoso, New Mexico (and back)....six years in a row. There's no snow skiing in South Texas, and Ski Apache near Ruidoso was the closest destination. You will notice that the shortest route does not include any travel time on Interstate Highways.
laredoruidoso.jpg


These days, it kills my back if I drive more than 6 hours straight.​
 

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