A wake up call - literally!

Andy

Honorary Member
Warning: This video features an idiot - unfortunately, the idiot is me
🙁
Despite taking rests, & without any real warning, I fell asleep at the wheel 2 miles from home returning early hours of the morning from our festival gig in Stonehenge (circa 3 hour drive). Luckily, the noise of the hedging woke me up quickly enough to correct just in time. Back in the day, I could breeze a 20 hour day & long drives, but no more. Lesson learnt, it's stay overs from now on.

We drummers often forget or dismiss the dangers of driving after a long day + performing. Age certainly increases risk IMHO.

 
Wow, glad you’re ok! I know 3 musicians that had similar experiences. The first was seriously injured, the second is disabled from the accident, and the third did not survive. He left behind a wife and newborn baby. Be careful my friends.
 
Very lucky.

I would burn myself with a lighter to stay awake. It works but I dont suggest it.
 
Whew!
Part of the reasons why I don't like driving home by myself after a gig.
I don't miss those nights at all!
 
I’m looking at a late-night 3-hour ride tomorrow evening. Thanks for the warning.

And what’s with all the dash-cams? Why does everyone on the planet have one except me?
 
Woah, I’m glad you drifted to the left mate! Glad you’re ok! (y) Thanks for sharing, very important under discussed subject amongst musicians…pull over and kip where safe to do so if you start to feel sleepy guys!:)
 
I’m looking at a late-night 3-hour ride tomorrow evening. Thanks for the warning.

And what’s with all the dash-cams? Why does everyone on the planet have one except me?
I think it's partly insurance/security reasons, and partly hopes they'll capture a wild dash cam video for youtube. Search there, countless examples.
 
Well saved, Andy, lucky to still have you.

Be careful out there, everybody. :)
 
And what’s with all the dash-cams? Why does everyone on the planet have one except me?
It's justiciable in Germany to have one permanently running. It's only allowed to record the absolute minimum needed to prove your point and only if it's occasion-related. Everything else would be a reason to get sued because of privacy breach. Problem is: the driver is not allowed to operate any kind of device like mobiles, tablets, cameras or whatever while driving, typical catch-22.
 
Whew !!! Serious close call. "Lesson Learnt" ... I believe you.
 
Thanks all for concern & humerous comments. I posted this more as a reminder that this stuff happens, & sometimes with terrible consequences.

Paul, I'm saddened to hear of your musician friend's fates - just heart breaking.

I was lucky on multiple counts. The car went a full 2.5ft into the hedge. Road hedges here aren't decorative things. They're typically 100's of years old with branches 4"+ thick, so capable of serious damage. The summer growth threw me a lifeline. The noise woke me in time for me to react. Hedges are cut back hard each autumn. If this was winter, it would have been a different story.

I drive an Audi A6 Allroad 4wd station wagon. It's well built & safe, plus it can traverse terrain without getting all upset. If I was driving a compact lightweight, it wouldn't have ended well.

FYI, car sustained a busted grille & mirror, plus panel damage along the full length of one side. All fixable much easier than fixing me, so I'm grateful. Certainly ate up the fee I got paid for the festival, & it was a damn good payer!!!
 
Holy crap Andy...you sure keep your guardian angels on their toes! Yes sleep over and give them a break ha ha.

I am having serious qualms myself about gigging on days I'm working electrical. I fell asleep in 2017 driving home from a gig but caught myself before my van jumped the guardrail and plunged 25 yards down to concrete and other drivers. THAT shook me up.

Glad you caught yourself, phew!

I remember that road too!
 
Holy crap Andy...you sure keep your guardian angels on their toes! Yes sleep over and give them a break ha ha.

I am having serious qualms myself about gigging on days I'm working electrical. I fell asleep in 2017 driving home from a gig but caught myself before my van jumped the guardrail and plunged 25 yards down to concrete and other drivers. THAT shook me up.

Glad you caught yourself, phew!

I remember that road too!
25 yards down to concrete - that wouldn't end well :(

That road - it's the last corner before you enter our nearest village Larry.
 
Glad you're well, Mate.
I too learned long ago to only go so far out for gigs IF I have to return to the house the same night.
 
I did the same thing coming back from a gig Andy, except I dozed off just before a left bend. I knew I was tired and wanted to pull over and nap, and I was litteraly 15 seconds from being able to safely do so. Next thing I know I'm waking up to the sound of the tires on the gravel from running onto the shoulder and all I saw was field. I tried to swerve hard to the left but by that time the right side had slipped low enough into the ditch that I had no grip. Deeper into the ditch I went and rammed right into a culvert and off went the airbags. 2:30am in mid January in and the temp is around -23C (about -9F) and no one around. Sucked lol. My 24" Sonor S-Classix bass drum was in the front seat, and except for a few bent tension rods all was well. The car, not so much.

Dozing off is an issue for me so anytime I start feeling sleepy I reach for a bag of sunflower seeds I always keep in the glove box. I didn't have any that night! They are great because they keep you busy, and once you start its hard to stop!

Glad everything worked out for you in the end!
 
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