astraboy

I've done this many times over the years, the longest being a drive to leeds and back again in one evening.

I'm doing it this weekend as well, I'm bringing back the scumball rally car I have stored down in penzance this weekend and I will spend half the evening getting down there and the other half getting back

Even though its exhausting, I have come to the conclusion that I love doing it. The sense of purpose is only matched by the sense of acheivement when it comes to the end.

After parking the car and exchanging a mutual yet non verbal communication of gratitude for getting each other back home safely, its inside for a post stage beer then off to bed. Exhaustion means I'm asleep as soon as I lie down.

Here's to driving through the night. A more fulfilling experience than you might imagine
astraboy.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Know what you mean, it has to be on your own though, nice dry crisp night, some appropriate music.

808 State - Pacific
Doors - Riders on the Storm
Anything by the Eels
Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
Specials - Ghost town
William Orbit - Adagio
Aphex Twin - Work

boxst

I like driving and don't really find it a chore. I drove to Poland in 14 hours using the open roads of Germany and France. Almost a pleasure.

Steve

NotoriousREV

I love it, especially listening to late night radio programs you don't normally hear. Nothing but loads of trucks on the motorway. It's all strangely serene.

dpb

Recently completed a twelve hour drive to the pyrenees which finished at about 1 am with a couple of 20 minute breaks and i think i know what you mean funnily enough apart from the boring straight lines i became less tired as the trip wore on

Maz

iTrader: (34)

I thought it was only me who liked to drive alone going nowhere for no reason.

hrness

always drive at night when i go to north wales, yorkshire or cumbria. cant beat night driving especially the noises from a cooling engine in complete silence.

corradoboy

We go to Devon & Cornwall every year for a couple of weeks and always set off at about 2am, arriving for breakfast on the day of check-in. My record was Leeds to Newquay (don't go there any more, too chav), some 399 miles door-to-door in 4 hours You can't do that these days with all the (s)cameras, but I still make good progress on quiet roads and enjoy the first day of my holiday in relaxation instead of a traffic jam. When we leave we usually sort the checking out the night before so we can pack, get to bed early and be on the road by 3am, hitting home by 10-ish including stops during rush-hour. I wouldn't dream of trying to cover lots of miles in daylight with Britains congestion problems. Of course, I believe the problems are all our own doing, and if we could only get away from the 9-5 mentality and be more flexible with our lives, much of the road troubles could be eased.

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

After an argument with the missus I drove from cornwall to wales and back listening to dave pearced

C17RPA

i'd reather drive through the night.i've done alot of driving in france going from lake to lake just seems so much better

Simon C

Depends on the road I'm on.

Did Hertfordshire to Blackpool on a few occasions, the m1 and M6 have to be 2 of the most boring roads going.


On the flipside, I did East Shropshire to Norfolk, and loved it.

I'd love to do herts to Germany, ending up in the alps, but I want a new car to do it in, and having just moved, can't afford it this year so will have to fly.

v8voodoo

Dover to Cardiff and back to Dover one night, around 500 miles round trip.

Loved it.

Anytime I go back to Wales to visit folks, I always leave Dover at around 10pm arriving in Cardiff around 2am to check in to the hotel.

Shark Man

I used to. But it seems no matter what hour it is these day one seems to encounter other cars getting in the way of one's "enthusiatic" antics unles in the most extreme of backroads in the middle of nowhere.

My favourite hours were 4 to 5am, which in the summer is just at the crack of dawn. It was great, not a single sole on the road barring the odd milk float. The road was my own.

Now cars are every where - even on a sunday!

Seems nobody goes to sleep anymore.

53

iTrader: (41)

Coming back from holiday dead of night through to sun up arriving home for breakfast. Brilliant.

Fuzz

Crete to Cheltenham in 3 days... in a Landrover, only got out to pee and get some grub.
Slept in it too. Great fun

I used to just "go for a drive" at night round local hills and valleys with some appropriate music on repeat, however driving at night now seems to consist of slapping myself in the face in a vain effort to keep my eyes open...
just...one ... more... junction...


Andy

GarethE

iTrader: (1)

South Wales to Lossiemouth over night to visit my brother a few years ago was the best overnight trip I've done. Midnight leave S Wales, in Lossiemouth before 8am (I'm not saying how much before !! ).

I gave a mate a lift up and picked him up after he'd had a few pints - he was chatty all the way to Birmingham, but then the booze kicked in and he nodded off. He woke up a bit later saying, "sorry about that, I must have dozed off - where are we ?" - "Carlisle" my reply !!

Great run.

Gareth

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

for some reason im naturally nocturnal, i prefer working nights and watching the sun come up. must be the dj in me

rather sleep through the day and come around at night. never really driven much at night apart from the work commute, but i could just picture it now...

4am julys summer morning, some nice winding a-roads in the yorkshire dales, "solarstone - seven cities" kicking in on the stereo.... absolute bliss. just watching the sun come around now after a grueling 8 hour shift at work.... i love it, i really do.

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

I hear Roy Orbison likes to

valentines

spoilt only by the idiots leaving the pubs/clubs and doing 10MPH less than the speed limit, to try not to be noiced

WRX_Dazza

Zombie Nation blasting out, with your right foot buried in the axminster lol



way to go....

one of my best driving moments was coming off the hook of holland ferry on a lovely early, slightly misty morning!!! was many years ago, but can remember it all like it was yesterday!!!

Bakerman

Yep love it.
Twice a year do Oxford to St Tropez both ways in one go overnight, 950miles almost door to door. Get a good MP3 CD compiled and only stop for diesel once.
It is surreal though when it starts getting light about 3am mid July.

StickyMicky

love it, as long as i`m not feeling tired, but driving on the roads when you dont see another car for miles is bliss


until you relise its a police car

andy97

iTrader: (1)

There a no speed limits between 12am and 5am

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

I've done this for many years, from being 19 and driving my MkI Escort down France through the night, to regular trips from Scunny to Limoges in the Scoob and the wife's Xantia over the last 6 years.

It USED to be amazing: you could drive for miles in France and see not a soul, all the villages in complete darkness, towns deserted, with all traffic lights switched to flashing orange, (have a look and then go).

Good headlights, an extra pair of Cibie Super Oscars, there was little to beat it. Even the roads from Scunny to Dover were relatively quiet after 11pm.

Now, it's just a pain in this country, cars and lorries out and about at all hours. Especially lorries The M25 from Dartford to the M11 or the A1 is awful, and can still gridlock at night, the lower M11 and A1 are packed, the A14 is deadful and has SPECS cameras along almost it's whole length, and the A1 doesn't calm down until north of Peterborough.

Even if France, except for very rural areas, or the A16/A28, you see loads of stuff.

ChefDude

how can your concentration levels be adequate for safe driving for "...twelve hour drive to the pyrenees ... with a couple of 20 minute breaks ..."



(dpb) is driving your job?

Sosbanite

Absolutely love it.
If planning a Friday run down the M4 to J48 I always leave the house after 9pm and avoid the bulk of the traffic and coppers! Same on the return run on a Sunday and take half the time of leaving earlier.
Driving across northern Europe and into southern Germany overnight is also a favourite.

CooperS

Volkswagen - Night Driving by Golf

dunx

iTrader: (3)

My favourite "job" was to get from Beverley to Preston in Lancs. by 7 AM.... mid-winter clear sky full of stars, empty M62, little traffic, no (s)cameras and an average over 70 mph. That was a few years back mind.

DunxC

P.S. Road rallying in the 70's... out all night, Cibies, and sarnies, a flask of coffee and Mk II's flying everywhere..... Me chasing in my Imp ! Bliss !


P.P.S. WYIOC AM run mid-summer 5 AM depart ! Look out bunnies....

Shark Man

Wouldn't get away with that these day: Well, not in certain parts of South Wales.....

My Aunty had wee problem with some small hour rally wannabes.

Problem was solved when she and the people in the cottages opposite (the only dwellings for a mile on a rarely used back road to nowhere) put some strategically placed bolders in the road.

Pity those rally wannabes didn't have sump guards and beefed up suspension....owch, nasty.

fbladerrv900

If ive gotta do a long trip then its allways at night,

I used to work away alot and would often finish a 14 hour shift in a hot kitchen and then drive 400 miles home,

sleep allday, wake up, walk the dog, **** the wife then drive back... the next night, lol...

My last proper long drive was a trip from bristol to margate(kent)then up to edinbourgh in a night, Ohh with a three teir wedding cake in the back seats lol, that was 13 hours driving with just petrol and pee stops..


I look fooked in the wedding pictures