Tips and Tricks
We have all been on a long car ride, and sometimes they feel like they last forever. So you can imagine how bad it would feel to be cooped up in a car for 4-5 hours at a time, but when you take a look at long distance drivers, you will actually find that they can spend up to 10 hours a day in a cab. For this reason, if you are a HGV driver and you want to make your journeys a lot more relaxing, or less boring, try some of the below tips to get started.
Book Tapes
Instead of turning on the radio, you should try and do your best to listen to an audio book during your drive. Audiobooks remain to be a great way for you to pass the time and you won’t have to worry about how long the drive is taking. You can even work through a series of books, or try something new. Either way, you will be actively engaging your brain when you are out and on the go so you won’t have any worries there.
Food and Water
On top of that, you should also have plenty of water on-hand. When you drive when you are hungry, you will find that it can make you irritable and it can even cause you to lose concentration as well. This is something that you will want to avoid and you will also want to make sure that you do everything you can to keep yourself refreshed and energised.
Download a Podcast
Listening to music on a long journey is great, but quite often it can all start to blur into one, leaving you bored and alone with your thoughts. Depending on the type of music you like, it could also distract you or make your tired, which is even worse. To keep yourself alert and entertained, try downloading some podcasts to listen to on the journey. There is a podcast for almost anything, and listening to discussion about something you find interesting helps to keep you engaged and lets you explore your interests while driving. You can listen to lectures, comedy shows, debates, TV shows, educational talks and more, so why not try going through the libraries of millions of podcasts to find one you like?
Open your Windows
This might sound silly. But no matter what the weather you should make a point of opening your window every once in a while. The blast of fresh air will help keep you awake and alert, as well as being an invigorating change. If you’re travelling down country roads, it can be nice to take in the scenery for a while, but on motorways you may only want to open your window for a short time to refresh the air in the vehicle.
Stop Regularly
Where you can, make some time to stop driving, have a stretch and walk around. For HGV drivers this can be a bit challenging, but it is important for your safety and sanity. Staring at roads all day can take its toll on anyone, so taking frequent rests helps break up the monotony and gives you a chance to reinvigorate yourself. Even something as simple as pulling over to buy yourself a coffee and walk around the shop can do wonders.
If you have any tips, feel free to post them and help other drivers out as well. Other tips include opening your window to get some fresh air and even to stay more awake so do keep that in mind when you get started.
