Motion Sickness on the track

**Jeff** · 01-20-2007, 12:51 AM

I didn't know where to put this thread so it ended up here.

I have only been on two ride along in all these times I have been out to the track. Once with Brian in the Acura and once with some guy in a 911 GT III. Both times I experienced motion sickness, in the 911 it was much worse so I will describe it to you guys.

The first two laps were great...on top of the world. By the third lap (summit point) I was starting to feel dizzy and I was in a cold sweat. It was cold out side and the windows were down of course. By lap 5-6 I was hot...really hot. Leaning over and letting the air hit my face was the only thing that kept me from passing out. I started to feel like I was going to blow chunks in this fuckin GTIII...so I don't know if I was more sick or nervous. But I was fighting the urge to loose it.

Here is where it got scary... I started to go numb. It started at my body core, the sides of my torso. Then it spread out my arms and hands and out down to my feet, that tingling feeling. Then even my scalp went numb...couldn't feel my head...at all.

By the time I got out of the car I was about to pass out. All this was on an empty stomach. I didn't feel like I could eat for about an hour afterward. The numbness lasted about .5 hour.

Anyway, any ideas of how to fight/prevent this? Do I need to go to the doctor about it? I worry that this might affect my eventual driving on the track, and I mean if I can't even ride along maybe this is the wrong hobby for me.

***ViPER1313*** · 01-20-2007, 12:56 AM

<a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_sickness">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_sickness</a>

**Jeff** · 01-20-2007, 12:57 AM

I already read that. I'm more asking if this has ever happened to anyone else and is it nerves or motion sickness.

Nis01 · 01-20-2007, 01:07 AM

I've never had any issues with motion sickness on the water or on land but I know its pretty common. Have you ever tried using anti-motion sick products like "bonine" or something of the sort when you plan on doing a ride-in? I've heard they make a pretty night and day difference with alleviating the symptoms.

.RJ · 01-20-2007, 01:09 AM

Get some non-drowsy dramamine and take it BEFORE you get in any cars... if you are already getting sick there's nothing to do except lay down and wait for the "i'm going to die" feeling to go away. I have to keep some in my track bag.

ScottyB · 01-20-2007, 01:09 AM

i NEVER get motion sickness in anything except for one time: i was in the back of my parent's minivan coming back from a ski trip and we were goin over 33W to harrisonburg at a decent clip.

it has nothing to do with the track, but the reason i bring it up is that under normal circumstances i'm totally unaffected by motion sickness. however, that one time i was nearly incapacitated with sickness. i'm almost convinced its due to not being in control (way in the back of a floaty-suspension van, no clear line of sight out of the front of the car) and not being able to properly predict things to ready your mind. you are initially excited or too wrapped up to care, but eventually your body may not cope with trying to get a hold on the situation.

not a direct experience but it might help

BLINGMW · 01-20-2007, 01:17 AM

ScottyB Wrote:i'm almost convinced its due to not being in control

I think that's a big part of it as well. Don't assume that getting sick while riding will have anything to do with you driving. You might do just fine. Do one of the single sessions at Hyperfest or an autocross and you'll be able to answer the question without much $ investment. I only have problems on roller coasters, and I'm convinced it's because I'm not driving. Tongue

**Jeff** · 01-20-2007, 01:24 AM

I thought that might be the case, about me not driving. I am normally not at all affected by motion sickness. That is what made me think anxiety. I'll try some OTC meds for it next time, and get in a slower car!

**Goodspeed** · 01-20-2007, 01:43 AM

I never get motion sickness in airplanes or boats etc., but I have gotten it on ride alongs on track and on 33W once as Scotty describes. Usually when I get that sick feeling I just remind myself that it'll be over soon, and I take deep breaths which help a lot. I'll have to try some meds in the future though, because I think that method only works for so long before it just overtakes you. But no I've never had it that bad, it usually gets to a point and stays there. What is much worse for me are the helmets...I know they are mandatory and for my safety but they give me such bad headaches a few hours after I have to wear one for even 10 or 15 minutes.

Maengelito · 01-20-2007, 01:46 AM

TurboOmni08 Wrote:I have only been on two ride along in all these times I have been out to the track. Once with Brian in the Acura and once with some guy in a 911 GT III. Both times I experienced motion sickness, in the 911 it was much worse so I will describe it to you guys.

you can say it, i'm slow. 911s are fast Sad

but as stated before, to me its got everything to do with being in control. i can get motion sickness pretty quickly while on a boat or roller coaster. i've gotten some mild cases while riding with students as well, but nothing really severe. on track while i'm driving though, i never get it because i'm in control. i know it can be different for everyone, and i specifically state it to people when they ride with me to tell me if they're getting sick so i can pit in, but in my case, i can easily get sick if i'm not the one driving

PDenbigh · 01-20-2007, 09:29 AM

Jeff,

Don't sweat it. I get car sick if I am a passanger for a trip around the block. As soon as I take the wheel, I am fine. It all has to do with control. My inner ear knows the milisecond my brain says "Hit the brakes" and so there are no surprises.

You'll be fine when driving.

Peter

.RJ · 01-20-2007, 09:53 AM

PDenbigh Wrote:the milisecond my brain says "Hit the brakes" and so there are no surprises.

I wouldnt go quite that far :lol:

PDenbigh · 01-20-2007, 10:53 AM

.RJ Wrote:
PDenbigh Wrote:the milisecond my brain says "Hit the brakes" and so there are no surprises.

I wouldnt go quite that far :lol:

Ok, with the exception of turn 10 at Summit with RJ riding shotgun.

**JohnC** · 01-20-2007, 11:25 AM

I get all kinds of motion sick. Cars, planes, trains, flight simulators, video games, etc... In fact, I think I sold you my copy of GTA because I couldn't play it without getting nauseous. I have to drive everywhere - I just got back from a business trip where I did 15 hours of driving in two days. The *one* short trip that I was a passenger, I had to roll the window down and stick my head out in the 20 degree air to avoid an incident.

Dramamine seems to help a little bit, especially on planes and the subway. Doesn't do much for me in cars.

The absolute worst situation is being in the back seat of a car thats not being driven smoothly - ie, creeping along in traffic, with lots of brake stabbing and inconsistent acceleration. Makes me sick just thinking about it.

As for driving on track though, I was totally fine. Just like Pete, if I'm driving, I'm fine.

Dave · 01-20-2007, 11:55 AM

as everybody has said before, it's a control thing. When you're behind the wheel, you'll have no problems.
A little scientific stuff here too. I would bet that when you had your severe case, you also (though you may not remember) were taking very shallow breaths as the ride continued. This, in turn, does not get enough O2 into your brain, and you essentially suffocate yourself. If you force yourself to breathe, normal (maybe a little large) breaths, it will probably help out a lot, as it will encourage blood flow and your blood will have a greater oxygen content.
I'd also not be surprised if you found that you had started to fixate on something in the cockpit. You probably found it very hard to pull away and look at what is going on outside, I.E. tunnel vision. If you force yourself to be more aware of what is happening outside of the car, your neuron activity will pick up, you'll become more alert, and it can pull you back out of the tunnel vision. Once you become more cognisant of what is happening, you can remind yourself that you're having fun, you need to relax, and soak up the more exciting parts. I firmly believe that a driver's mind has so much data that it is picking up and interpreting that it just totally rules out the chance for it to even think of getting sick, hence why the driver doesn't get motion-sickness.
Trusting the driver is important. Subconciously, your brain might have been saying "oh God, this guy is going to kill us" and you may have started to shut down. You hopped into one of the most powerful cars you've ridden in, saw speeds that you probably hadn't seen in a long time, and were exposed to G forces that you definitely weren't prepared for; your body's response is definitely called for in this case :-).

Next time. Take some Dramamine in the morning, I've heard great things. Don't seek out the fastest car on the grid. If possible, ride with somebody you know; they'll be familiar with you, you'll be more comfortable to tell them what you are feeling, and you'll have a better idea of what you're getting yourself into. While in the car, make yourself breathe normally, don't focus on the driver's actions, things in the car, etc. Watch the track, other cars, flag stations, anything to essentially force ADD to kick in.

As for my own experiences, I had a very quick instance of this riding with RJ in the teg in race prep a while back (very minor instance for a few turns before I relaxed) and also in a 911 at Summit b/c I was too busy looking at the insides of the car, watching the driver's feet and hands, that I lost the total picture. I started tunneling on the dash and it got a little scary for me. Took about a lap to pull back out, but was fine after that. The longer that you allow yourself to snowball into the trap, the worse it will get. If you realize it is happening and immediately start to work against it, you won't have to suffer anywhere close to as long; I think the afteraffects increase exponentially as you allow yourself to spiral downwards.

A very lengthy response, I know, but hopefully my interpretations make sense, might actually have some grounds to the truth (sounds good if nothing else), and can help you or anybody else who might suffer from this.

white_2kgt · 01-20-2007, 11:56 AM

That must be a weird feeling, can't say it's ever happened to me. I remember this one time we were out on a tour boat and a storm came up (Atlantic ocean near Myrtle Beach), everyone was leaning over the side blowing chunks, I was standing at the front of the boat having a blast, I was about 12-13 at the time.

Maengelito · 01-20-2007, 01:46 PM

white_2kgt Wrote:That must be a weird feeling, can't say it's ever happened to me. I remember this one time we were out on a tour boat and a storm came up (Atlantic ocean near Myrtle Beach), everyone was leaning over the side blowing chunks, I was standing at the front of the boat having a blast, I was about 12-13 at the time.

you're lucky. motion sickness is the worst. as i've heard it described and i completely agree, there are three stages to motion sickness:

1) you think you're gonna die

2) you hope you're gonna die

3) you're scared that you're not gonna die

**Goodspeed** · 01-20-2007, 01:56 PM

A little off topic, but does anyone else get the headaches from helmets? Seriously....even helmets that fit me fine and aren't too tight, even on occasion a little too big, give me raging migraine style headaches for the rest of the day, even if I only wear them for 10 or 15 minutes total.

Evan · 01-20-2007, 02:44 PM

Never gotten motion sickness, and Ive spent quite of time in the passenger seat on track (and too often with unsmooth drivers) although I hear that Im the minority. Especially at a track like shenandoah circuit.

Dave · 01-20-2007, 02:48 PM

Evan Wrote:Especially at a track like shenandoah circuit.

god, I can only imagine what that would be like with a newB/somebody unfamiliar with it

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