Driving Tired - a Tale of Utter Stupidity

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petri oosthuizen

Grumpy Mutt
WD Vendor
Joined
May 18, 2020
Messages
23,480
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12,842
Location
Bethlehem
Bike
Yamaha XT 600 Z
Last Thursday Night, Bea and I left for Bloem at night - 22h00. She had to finish work, and I had to pick up a Land Cruiser on a Carrier from the Cape at around 07h00 the morning.
No issues, I love night driving.
We arrive there around 01h00 in the morning. I'm still WIDE awake, had some coffee and so on.
JUUUST when I was about to eventually fall asleep, sommer on the couch, my phone rings at 03h15.
The truck is near Smithfield, somewhere there, hydraulic fault. I tell the Driver to get to Bloem.
He gets to Bloem, stops at a place where another Driver helps him, some little "axle" or bearing, all good.
I follow them to the N1 Engen, and we offload the Cruiser. Around 05h45 now.
I now go back, to my Sis in Law, and asks her son to drop me off AGAIN at the Engen, and I pick up the Car.
Its around 08h00 now.
Quickly go to town, pick up something at Safari 4x4, have a Coffee and yet another Bioplus, and go back to Bea - AGAIN - to see if she's OK, - she stayed over that Saturday night.
Its about 12h00 now.
Get fuel, another Coffee, smokes, and start driving back.
THIS is where the STUPID part starts.
All goes well up to Winburg........remember, I havent slept since the Thursday morning at around 05h00. Actually aybe slept for one hour, if that much.
Its the Friday afternoon now, around 14h00.

And..........I start hallucinating.
I'm half asleep behind the wheel, without actually knowing it.
Brake maybe ONE METER short of a Hilux in front of me. Get out, walk around the Car, get in again.
Wakes up when a Huge "SCANIA" badge is almost on top of me. Stop, get out, rinse and repeat.
Miss a taxi standing alongside the road by inches, just past Senekal. Rinse and Repeat.

I should have been dead.

I'm very very serious here.
Actually too damn embarrassed to tell this story of UTMOST stupidity, but maybe, just maybe, this may help someone else.

DONT DRIVE IF YOU HAVENT RESTED.
That black coffee and Bioplus sachets may help, but, if they "wear out", they wear out QUICK QUICK.
This is 100 Times more dangerous than drunk driving I think........because you go fast, your brain isnt functioning.
I sound like an old Ballie here.........but PLEASE TAKE NOTE, Guys.
 
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