Motion sickness on track

[Evoluzione]

Does anyone else suffer from this? I get it every time when driving at a circuit and wondered if anyone else did or knew of any (non drowsy) cures.

[motco]

Evoluzione said:

Does anyone else suffer from this? I get it every time when driving at a circuit and wondered if anyone else did or knew of any (non drowsy) cures.

Yes I do occasionally in my Westfield. Mainly when some unexpected sideways action happens. I can chuck it round with abandon as long as it doesn't come unstuck. Then I'm hors de combat for an hour or so. I've done it on the road too when I had a 2.8 Capri and there were no cameras on the road from Edinburgh to Newcastle. Lovely road but with three dimensional bends: up,down, left, right and any combination thereof. Stugeron works well but it may be sedative though. I avoid it.

[poppopbangbang]

Evoluzione said:

Does anyone else suffer from this? I get it every time when driving at a circuit and wondered if anyone else did or knew of any (non drowsy) cures.

At the point when you apply steering lock for turn in where are you looking?

[doogalman]

Happens a lot here at the Nürburgring due to the elevation and direction changes. I have instructed a few guys that have made them self I’ll. Normally shorter driving stints can help. Also make sure you look far ahead at where you want the car to go.
Not nice, but can be beaten.

[Evoluzione]

poppopbangbang said:

Evoluzione said:

Does anyone else suffer from this? I get it every time when driving at a circuit and wondered if anyone else did or knew of any (non drowsy) cures.

At the point when you apply steering lock for turn in where are you looking?

I'm generally sliding sideways, full oppo lock looking and waving at the crowd
Seriously though, I guess at that point i'm looking for the apex.

[Mrs Muttleysnoop]

I have big problems with motion sickness but taking ginger really helps ie biscuits or ginger shots.

[QBee]

I get it badly as a passenger at all times. It is about what is going on in your inner ear, your body's perception of motion.
I also get it mildly as a driver if i do a session straight after lunch, but that's pie and chips related, combined with my very slow digestive system.

I had training from an ex-racer instructor at one track day. His task was to make me faster out of the corners.
I tended to spend my cornering time looking at the apex, whereas he got me looking further ahead, to where i wanted to be leaving the corner.
I think this might help with your motion sickness, as you will be looking more ahead than down.

Medication - I seem to remember a product called Kwells was doled out to me and my brother as kids when we got car sick.
Never noticed them making me sleepy, but you would need to test that away from the track, as everyone is different in their reaction to medication.

[mmm-five]

I only get 'car sick' if I'm a passenger and the driver has the cabin too warm.

Other than that, I'm fine with sideways, on-the-grass, spinning, up on 2 wheels, etc.

If I'm wearing a helmet (full face, but rally style peak with no visor), I will try to remember to take my contacts with me - otherwise it's just glasses.

Edited by mmm-five on Monday 1st April 11:06

[motco]

One thing that I find is a contributory factor is wearing glasses for long sight. These are positive lenses unlike the more common short sight lenses which are negative. This means that any movement of the lens/frame with respect to the eyeballs is magnified. A crash helmet grips the side of the wearer's head and as it moves a small amount due to bumps (Westfields are not not renowned for their smooth riding suspension!) the arms of the specs are moved up and down. This can make the wearer's view of the track difficult and will, no doubt, exacerbate motion sickness. I have tried swimming goggles in my distance dioptre value and because these have no arms but rest against the bony orbit surrounding the eye socket, they are far more stable. Sadly it is nearly impossible to put a full-face helmet on while wearing swimming goggles! Oh, yes, and one looks a little odd...

[the_stoat]

I use Kwells when on track, other than a dry mouth no other side effects.

[hunter 66]

yes passengers often experience the joy of motion illness .....

[Peanut Gallery]

Not a track connoisseur, however have had really good results with chewing gum. Chewing gum and track work may not be mixable though.

Also recommend travel bands that go round your wrists.

[Elderly]

Peanut Gallery said:

……. have had really good results with chewing gum. Chewing gum and track work may not be mixable though.

At the last track day I attended, the briefing included the instruction that chewing gum was a no no.

[JamesL]

Had this at Cadwell recently and Kwells sorted it for me, like the guy above dry mouth was the only side affect.

No drowsiness but I don’t tend to have that reaction to medication anyway so results may vary.

[Tri_Doc]

You can try a P6 accupuncture band, combined with antihistamines - cinnarizine, meclozine, dimenhydrinate, cyclizine, chlorphenamine, and promethazine (Cetirizine and fexofenadine are ineffective).

Of those antihistamines, cyclizine is the only one listed as non-sedating in the BNF.

Promethazine found in lots of different brands of motion sickness tablet, but is quite sedating. Hyoscine is an alternative found in Kwells etc, but again, can sedate.

[addz86]

I quite often make my self travel sick on track, Cadwell is worse than others with that bump down Park straight and all the elevations.

I find trying to drink lots of water and a lot of Caffeine helps as I often get a migraine as well as sickness. Also keep snacking rather than eating a big meal.

I switched to an open face helmet which helps quite a bit too

[motco]

addz86 said:

I quite often make my self travel sick on track, Cadwell is worse than others with that bump down Park straight and all the elevations.

I find trying to drink lots of water and a lot of Caffeine helps as I often get a migraine as well as sickness. Also keep snacking rather than eating a big meal.

I switched to an open face helmet which helps quite a bit too

Driving an open car is better than a closed one is better too, in my experience.

[AshVX220]

I don't motion sickness when I'm driving on track, but as a passenger I'm terrible. So much so, that I rarely accept passenger rides now and if I do I can normally only handle a 2-3 laps before I need to come in.

[Evoluzione]

Thanks for the answers, i'll try some of the suggested ones out. I'm never actually sick, I just feel sick in my stomach all day long, it really spoils it. It's weird as it's something I never get in any other situation.

[RobM77]

Interestingly I've never had this in 20 years of track driving. I say "interestingly", because I suffer terribly from motion sickness: I can't read on trains, or even glance at my phone whilst walking. I also last about 5 minutes with Oculus Rift before having to stop. I wonder if, as others have suggested, it's to do with sight lines and where you're looking? I've done some instructing and that's made me giddy at times, because I'm often looking in different places to where I would be when I'm driving. I tend to follow the standard advice of looking a long way ahead, so even though I do look for the apex at turn in, I tend to take the whole bend in, right up to just beyond the exit, so I can plan my line in entirety.