This got me thinking as yesterday I actually drove through the day (Which is rare) and was parked up for 9pm, bedded for 10pm and back up at 5.30am using the alarm but could have slept on. I had no problem sleeping.
Usually we drive through the night and bedded through the day, but with noise (Traffic etc), the heat (Well summer was bad), the daylight and other things like going to the shops or watch TV and make something to eat etc could be lucky to get 5hours max of sleep!
Im more than sure other drivers are in the same situation. So my question is do you seriously think that 9hrs SUPPOSED daily rest is enough considering the hours that some of us put in? If some of us average poss 5/6 or even 7hrs sleep were still 1.5hrs+ short of the reccomended daily sleep so what badness are we doing to our bodies? Are we playing with our minds/health? ALthough some of us may not feel tired, we all know what the consequences are if you come across someone whom falls asleep at the wheel…!
i think if your on a night out and you in your truck you would find 9 hours OK cos your at work already, but if you go home you tend not to go to bed straight away and mite only have 5 hours sleep when i did tramping i tend to have about 7 .5 hours sleep but when i was home it was always less and when i went back to work i always felt tired
It is if you hit the sack as soon as you park.
Not enough if you have a one hour drive home and back. As I did in one job I had a few years ago. I had to be back in the yard nearly every night for reloading over night. I could have stayed in the cab but between shunters running around all night and trying to get some kip in an Actros, I chose to go home.
Enit how many people pull the parking brake, clothes off and straight into the bed…?
11hrs off when sleeping through the day is far to much time to take off, especially if you go to sleep within an hour of parking up, as 4 or 5 hours later, poss 6hrs, back up for nothing to do, then when you are ready for going more or less tired again with boredom.
scottishcruiser:
Enit how many people pull the parking brake, clothes off and straight into the bed…?
I used to do that, used to finish driving about 5am-6am, in the winter still dark and quiet so would fall asleep straight away. I found if i stayed up and the sun started coming up, things got noiser and would find it hard to get to sleep.
Nine hours is great on nights out, but hate them be coming home every night, since its an hours drive to work and back, when i get home from work i usually can’t get to sleep straight away so another hour, then an hour in the morning to get up, get washed have something to eat and do a few things before work means getting very little sleep.
I do it occasionally but don’t make a habit of doing it three nights in a row.
I’m a tramper and refuse to have nine off. Ten is my minimum. That gives me JUST sufficient time to chill, eat, relax before going to bed.
If I’m going home then from my place of work to getting back is a minimum of twelve. I can’t understand these drivers that work 15 then have nine off then work another 15, for me it is a safety hazard because I’m simply not rested enough. There is more to life than work and whether tramping or not too much actual on duty time work can’t be healthy.
I get more rest and relaxation when tramping than I do if I get home. I’m in bed for 9 and ready for 6. There are exceptions when the job prevails but it’s not regular for me.
As said above, each to their own but with the pattern I work I still do over 60 per week. That’s more than most industries and I get the privilige of sleeping in a large can at that!
Rick B:
I’m a tramper and refuse to have nine off. Ten is my minimum. That gives me JUST sufficient time to chill, eat, relax before going to bed. There is more to life than work and whether tramping or not too much actual on duty time work can’t be healthy.
I reached that conclusion years ago.My plans now if I don’t stay retired are one week on doing one return trip continental run and then one week off.I’m never going to be a millionaire so why bother trying.
scottishcruiser:
11hrs off when sleeping through the day is far to much time to take off, especially if you go to sleep within an hour of parking up, as 4 or 5 hours later, poss 6hrs, back up for nothing to do
If your sleeping through the day , get yourself some thick lined blackout curtains and ear plugs. A few tinnies or bottle of diesel before bedy byes and you’ll be out for the count. You might need to wire your alarm clock up to your toes.
when im at home i hate having 9 off. i normally start a 4am so when im home i get up at 3.30 am so when ive done a 15 which leaves me finishing at 19.00 i get home about 19.15 so i go to bed at about 21.00 so that leaves me 1.45 mins with my family plus a crappy 6 hours sleep which definatley aint enough for me. by thursday im knackered.
when im away in the lorry i sometimes go to bed about 20.00. im not bothered about watching telly more concerned with trying to catch up a bit of sleep.
to be honest i get that much kip in the day i dont need much at night, most days ill get at least 4/5 hrs waiting to be tipped or waiting for a collection ,so 9 hrs off is plenty
ady1:
to be honest i get that much kip in the day i dont need much at night, most days ill get at least 4/5 hrs waiting to be tipped or waiting for a collection ,so 9 hrs off is plenty
Me too fella . I love split rests & that 3 hour break in the day. Had one on Monday & two last week.
steve_24v:
I would say it depends on the individual…
I try and keep my days consistent by starting at 6am and am happy with a 9 off in the truck, find 11’s a little boring.
Not always easy to do if your tramping on general. Unless your already loaded for tomorrow. Get your head down during evening rush hour. All you have to do then is find a take away and fat lay-by.
Depends entirely on the individual. Except for odd occasions I have about 4 hours sleep a night, and have done for the last 35 years, so 9 is plenty for me.
, get yourself some thick lined blackout curtains and ear plugs. A few tinnies or bottle of diesel before bedy byes and you’ll be out for the count. You might need to wire your alarm clock up to your toes.