Eat & Drinking while driving

[seagull]

When driving a car you can choose, should you feel hungry or thirsty, to pull over at any time, or within a few minutes if on a motorway, and address the need.

When driving a train, especially something like, for example, Euston to Preston via West Midlands, which is at least 3hrs 15 minutes and can be well in excess depending on delays, and often with no pause of more than a minute or two anywhere, there is no such option. It's not just about the fact that a bite to eat or drink can be very useful for aiding wakefulness after a 3 a.m start, but one way to help prevent or reduce Irritable Bowel Syndrome is to try and keep mealtimes as similar as possible each day, and there's no way that the alloted Personal Needs Break times come even remotely close to doing that.

Freight drivers can be even longer in the seat of course: however often with longer time stopped waiting at signals than passenger drivers.

 

[Atishyou]

You can eat or drink whenever you want, driving or not.

You’re expected to be professional enough to not start eating a roast dinner after passing a single yellow or coming into a station for example.

What if I've already started cooking it on the hotplate?

 

[Ianno87]

It's just about possible to manage 2 hours but not recommended unless a going home train.



Do you not think it's possible to fully concentrate while having a sip of water or a swig of tea.


I know the track is rough in places but most drivers can manage to swig tea from a mug that (normally) has a lid on with a sip slot. Nobody is suggesting having tea and kebab while crossing points, approaching stations, reds and cautions, while speaking with signaller or any other time of heightened alert, but it really is possible for a driver to multi task at most times.

And if they do spill and hot temperature causes them to jump, that's where the dead man's pedal/handle comes in. Whilst it's a delay, it would not lead to an unsafe situation.

Far better than a dehydrated / unfocused driver who just needs a bit of caffeine to maintain alertness.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I know the track is rough in places but most drivers can manage to swig tea from a mug that (normally) has a lid on with a sip slot. Nobody is suggesting having tea and kebab while crossing points, approaching stations, reds and cautions, while speaking with signaller or any other time of heightened alert, but it really is possible for a driver to multi task at most times.

Fair enough (to yourself and all who responded) - I was just surprised.

 

[MML-Ben]

Do you not think it's possible to fully concentrate while having a sip of water or a swig of tea.

Yes. But as I’m not a train driver or work in the rail industry I thought I’d ask the question. It seems you really have to be on the ball to get a driver’s job, going through psychometric tests etc.. yet their happy for you to be munching a sandwich while driving. I’m not knocking it, it’s something I’ve thought about for a while, I’m just trying to expand my knowledge of an industry I know very little about and feel lambasted for doing so.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Yes. But as I’m not a train driver or work in the rail industry I thought I’d ask the question. To those in the know it seems crazy to suggest otherwise. Now I know.

It's not a stupid question

It's one thing drinking/eating whilst driving and another thing whilst sat at a station awaiting time if it's a longish booked stop. But drivers are professional people and know when its safe to take a swig from a coffee cup or a bite from a sandwich. I wouldn't imagine any driver swigging away whilst clattering over complex junctions with the carriages swaying to and forth

 

[MML-Ben]

It's not a stupid question

It's one thing drinking/eating whilst driving and another thing whilst sat at a station awaiting time if it's a longish booked stop. But drivers are professional people and know when its safe to take a swig from a coffee cup or a bite from a sandwich. I wouldn't imagine any driver swigging away whilst clattering over complex junctions with the carriages swaying to and forth

Thank you, the more responses I read, it does make sense they’re allowed to eat and drink when it’s safe to do so.

 

[43066]

I read (possibly on here) of a driver who would set up a Chinese takeaway on the desk of a HST

HSTs have a certain knack. If you put your coffee in the wrong place it will rapidly end up on the floor due to vibration.

The sweet spot is to the left of the desk, between the brake plunger and the GSMR housing.

 

[Darandio]

It reminds me of a programme I watched some time ago with double manned freight trains travelling over great distance in Australia. As dawn breaks one cracks open the coolbox and proceeds to do a cooked breakfast on the train stove. I could sign up for that life!

 

[MissPWay]

It's not a stupid question

It's one thing drinking/eating whilst driving and another thing whilst sat at a station awaiting time if it's a longish booked stop. But drivers are professional people and know when its safe to take a swig from a coffee cup or a bite from a sandwich. I wouldn't imagine any driver swigging away whilst clattering over complex junctions with the carriages swaying to and forth

One of the ways my old DM checked how well you “knew the road,” at night was seeing who grabbed hold of their cup of tea at the appropriate moments in an HST.

 

[Puppetfinger]

I'd be worried if the Driver of any train I'm on didn't have at least a thermos cup with a coffee and or a bottle of water, especially if its an early or late turn! Common sense approach has to be the way.

 

[bengley]

HSTs have a certain knack. If you put your coffee in the wrong place it will rapidly end up on the floor due to vibration.

The sweet spot is to the left of the desk, between the brake plunger and the GSMR housing.

Do you sign HSTs?

 

[43066]

Do you sign HSTs?

Nope. I applied for the job but got rejected.

I just hang around at stations a fair bit .

 

[LCC106]

Nope. I applied for the job but got rejected.

I just hang around at stations a fair bit .

Yes. But as I’m not a train driver or work in the rail industry I thought I’d ask the question. It seems you really have to be on the ball to get a driver’s job, going through psychometric tests etc.. yet their happy for you to be munching a sandwich while driving. I’m not knocking it, it’s something I’ve thought about for a while, I’m just trying to expand my knowledge of an industry I know very little about and feel lambasted for doing so.

Nothing wrong with expanding knowledge but your name suggests you are a MML employee so people may assume. If you qualify any future questions to say you aren’t an employee people may elaborate further.

 

[43066]

Nothing wrong with expanding knowledge but your name suggests you are a MML employee so people may assume. If you qualify any future questions to say you aren’t an employee people may elaborate further.

Erm, nope. His username doesn’t suggest that at all. Maybe he just likes the midland mainline?

 

[LCC106]

Erm, nope. His username doesn’t suggest that at all. Maybe he just likes the midland mainline?

True. Maybe I’m reading too much into it.

 

[StephenHunter]

It reminds me of a programme I watched some time ago with double manned freight trains travelling over great distance in Australia. As dawn breaks one cracks open the coolbox and proceeds to do a cooked breakfast on the train stove. I could sign up for that life!

How common were fry-ups on the shovel back in steam days?

 

[philthetube]

Thanks for the welcome, my “obvious reasons” were I just thought maximum concentration was required at all times, alas not.

There are not many drivers who concentrate 100% all the time, in fact it is virtually impossible to do, you are actually trying to concentrate on nothing much of the time, try watching a chess match and fully concentrate on that and nothing else, and see how long it takes before your mind wanders. As a train driver you should be fully aware of your surroundings and what is going on, there is a difference. There is no job where this would be expected of you.

 

[Bigfoot]

There are not many drivers who concentrate 100% all the time, in fact it is virtually impossible to do, you are actually trying to concentrate on nothing much of the time, try watching a chess match and fully concentrate on that and nothing else, and see how long it takes before your mind wanders. As a train driver you should be fully aware of your surroundings and what is going on, there is a difference. There is no job where this would be expected of you.

I would say that only air traffic controllers at a very busy airport are the only ones that have to concentrate almost continously. I believe (although don't quote me on exact timings, I'm remembering them from an atc documentary) that they have to have a break of 15 minutes after 45 minutes of work.

 

[43066]

I would say that only air traffic controllers at a very busy airport are the only ones that have to concentrate almost continously. I believe (although don't quote me on exact timings, I'm remembering them from an atc documentary) that they have to have a break of 15 minutes after 45 minutes of work.

Have you ever been a train driver, or an air traffic controller? I bet you’ve done neither job...

 

[SignallerJohn]

How many drivers carry a lucozade bottle? One thing I don’t envy you lot on is the lack of time to go loo!

 

[Skie]

Just don't drink from the wrong Oasis bottle...

 

[Butts]

It must be a real pain if you are a smoker and can't have a tab with your brew these day's.

Wonder if any Drivers still have a sly one in combination with a can of air freshener outwith metropolitan areas.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

I know the track is rough in places but most drivers can manage to swig tea from a mug that (normally) has a lid on with a sip slot. Nobody is suggesting having tea and kebab while crossing points,

The ketchup and brown sauce stains that are occasionally seen on the top and side of the cab as well as the spilt sugar all over the desk suggest otherwise.

It must be a real pain if you are a smoker and can't have a tab with your brew these day's.

Wonder if any Drivers still have a sly one in combination with a can of air freshener outwith metropolitan areas.

Yes haha, entering a cab with a strong smell of air freshener is definitely a clue to what a previous driver may or may not have been doing. I don’t smoke but I still like to use air freshener anyway which means some people get the wrong idea haha

 

[dk1]

That's interesting, I always assumed it could be a distraction.

It's more of a distraction if I'm hungry.

 

[2192]

Please don't eat too much while driving. A recent Police TV traffic documentary said drivers who fall asleep on motorways often do so soon after having stopped to have a meal.

 

[ExRes]

Please don't eat too much while driving. A recent Police TV traffic documentary said drivers who fall asleep on motorways often do so soon after having stopped to have a meal.

Precisely, that's why train drivers don't stop for their meal ......

 

[LCC106]

Precisely, that's why train drivers don't stop for their meal ......

Seriously, the very early morning starts one day mixed with a couple of hours later the next and back to early earlies the next present more of a risk for falling asleep! You NEED to eat and drink to stay awake sometimes!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Please don't eat too much while driving. A recent Police TV traffic documentary said drivers who fall asleep on motorways often do so soon after having stopped to have a meal.

Yes, eating something light is probably better than a Domino's. The reason this happens is that the body diverts blood flow away from the brain to the stomach to digest the food, it's the reason office workers tend to be dopey from about 1 to 3pm. And the harder the food is to digest, the more blood is needed (and longer).

 

[ExRes]

it's the reason office workers tend to be dopey from about 1 to 3pm

What's the excuse for 8 to 1 and 3 to 5 then?