Night Driving (cycle, dangers, road trip, drivers)

[IonRedline08]

I see threads advising people when they take road trips to not drive at night.

Call me crazy, but I almost always Road Trip at night. I love the lack of traffic, how quickly the miles tick by, the better radio reception, lots of things.

Anyone else the same way?

[allforcats]

Can't agree with you:
-- the damage headlights do to the retinas of the eyes;
-- the unfamiliarity the driver has with the roads and therefore the huge toll it takes on the body and mind to navigate in ignorance;
-- the extreme dangers of all the possible animals, small and huge, that will walk out right in front of your vehicle;
-- the darkness requiring greatly reduced speed for safe negotiating of the road usually leaving most night drivers angry that they couldn't cover much ground; and
-- the desperate wear and tear on both body and mind when natural human circadian rhythms are demanding rest, relaxion, sleep and renewal but are being forcibly suppressed by the driver.
For such critical reasons, I can't agree with you.

[Bydand]

I love driving at night. I find that with the reduced traffic and idiots on the roads, you can tick off the miles with less stress and headache. More trucks on the road, but 99.9% of them really are Professional drivers. While you tend to remember that 0.1% that shouldn't be in control of a tricycle, for me it just makes a more relaxing and mellow drive. Cooler temps without having to have the AC going full blast, and no lines at toll booths, gas stations, or places to eat make up for the minor reduction in speed due to the dark. I have actually hit more animals during the day than I have even come close to at night. The one thing I hit while driving at night was a big Owl that was after something and didn't notice the vehicle.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by IonRedline08

I see threads advising people when they take road trips to not drive at night.

Anyone else the same way?

There are three issues that I can see with night driving.

First, a lot of the warnings of "do not drive at night" refer to driving in Mexico. There are a number of reasons for that advice.

Second, you are more likely to run into impaired drivers. Impaired means drivers that are dozing and those that are drinking.

Third, as I get older, I find that my vision at night has deteriorated over the last 10-20 years. I USED to drive all night, but now, I do not like it as much.

[aus10]

I find myself like jlawrence. I used to love to drive at night. And there are many times when we must in order to get half way across the country on time for the job. But since we now drive a motorhome on long journeys, I'm afraid that unlike a car where we can just fix it ourselves and go on, we'd have problems getting major service at night. But it sure is much easier getting the "behemoth" as I call it through many a town without all the traffic.

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by IonRedline08

I see threads advising people when they take road trips to not drive at night.

Call me crazy, but I almost always Road Trip at night. I love the lack of traffic, how quickly the miles tick by, the better radio reception, lots of things.

Anyone else the same way?

Same here! My eyes are super sensitive to sunlight and it must more pleasant for me to drive at night. I also love the fact that there is less traffic.

Just make sure that when you drive a multi-highway at night that you NEVER, EVER drive in the left-hand (passing lane). If some drunken idiot or senile old phart is driving the WRONG way *that* is the lane he will be driving in. Many fatal, wrong way, accidents could have been avoided by NOT driving in that lane at night. (I believe that I learned about this factoid from the Michael Savage show - or some other talk-show guy, I can't remember now).

20yrsinBranson

[Woof Woof Woof!]

Originally Posted by IonRedline08

I see threads advising people when they take road trips to not drive at night.

Call me crazy, but I almost always Road Trip at night. I love the lack of traffic, how quickly the miles tick by, the better radio reception, lots of things.

Anyone else the same way?

You have to work harder to see and drive at night. Our eyes are made for daylight vision and we see much more detail during daylight hours. On a long haul, night driving is much more exhausting. That's why truckers make the most of daylight.

[Crew Chief]

I deliver to a large retail chain's stores and I LOVE driving at night! As said above; less traffic, drivers at night tend to "get it" more than the crowd that drives during the day. Yes, there are impaired & sleepy drivers out there at night. But you just watch out for them and drive accordingly. In inclement weather, I'd also rather be by muself. There's nothing like cruising along by yourself on a quiet back road with the snow falling quietly around you. No other drivers to worry about.... I love it! You'll find plenty of truckers that prefer driving at night. And many that prefer driving during the day. Most of the time, your pickup or delivery appointment drives when you'll be on the road, anyway...

Besides, "Blink, blink. Flash, flash." is more fun at night... (Or on the c b radio: "Blink, blink. Flash, flash. I'm too lazy to reach the dash"...

[Oildog]

As long as the weather is good, and I had a good night sleep before. As I get older though the new headlights hurt my eyes. I guess I tend to only drive major freeways at night. 4 lane roads leave to much chance for drunks and animals. I start a 45 mile commute at 6am and periodically have to slow for deer on the road.

[tvdxer]

Originally Posted by IonRedline08

I see threads advising people when they take road trips to not drive at night.

Call me crazy, but I almost always Road Trip at night. I love the lack of traffic, how quickly the miles tick by, the better radio reception, lots of things.

Anyone else the same way?

Other than the radio reception*, I don't like to drive at night - or take bus / train trips at night for that matter. I love to see the landscape of where I'm traveling, and it's simply harder to do that at night. Plus all the dangers others mentioned.

* I'm into DXing, which is the hobby of "hunting" and logging distant radio stations.