I only got two days of riding in this week so I’m hoping to make up some miles this Sunday. Wednesday I took the girls to school, Friday I was supposed to pick-up my son, and Thursday I was tired from only about 3 hours sleep the night before (no, I wasn’t up all night playing Halo 3).
I actually felt like riding Thursday morning but don’t when I’ve not slept. Sleep deprivation has a major negative impact on my riding as it lowers my awareness – not good when surrounded by cars – and I tend to get point fixated. The point fixation is extremely frustrating and not safe. For those of you not familiar with the term, point fixation is when you find yourself staring at a point on (or off) the road. Because the bike tends to go where the rider is looking point fixation is very dangerous.
I find that rides on my Harley-Davidson Sportster are more enjoyable the further up the road I can get my mind. This takes active concentration, not just sitting back and following the road or, worse, the cars in front. This is why I don’t ride when I’ve not slept.
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Saturday, September 29, 2007
Sleep Deprivation and Riding
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