Are Your Passengers Car Sick?

[Andrew T]

From the CSMA E-Mail News letter.

 

Tests prove it's the driver, not the passenger, at fault

A new study has shown that the way a car is driven impacts on the levels of motion sickness experienced by its passengers and driving at fast speeds is the number one cause of car sickness.

The test proved that car passengers, particularly children, who suffer from motion sickness are not to blame for their illness. In fact, it is the driver's actions which often cause the feeling of nausea while travelling in a vehicle.

Using a brand new machine that has never been used in the UK before, Britannia Rescue tested a range of drivers and examined their driving styles. The

[seatkid]

As I child, I suffered terribly from car sickness. Later on in life I realised I was only car sick when my Dad drove. Later still, I think I sussed the reasons. My Dad, and one or two other drivers I have encountered, tended to do constant right/left steering corrections even when driving in a straight line. Couple this with rear weak lateral damping in some cars (notably those with soft or spring leaf suspension), the driver doesn't realise how much he's swinging his rear passengers side to side. Sometimes this motion is circular. Abrupt deceleration/acceleration can also aggravate sickness, especially coupled with turning movements. This all makes sense when you look at the shape and position of the inner ear canal.

 

Sickness is aggravated by speed of course, but the message from this research

The message is simple

[greg_68]

Just for one occasion don't you just wish someone would pay you to come up with this drivel. (that's the report not the post)

 

Speeding along a winding country road.

 

Abrupt changes in speed.

 

Making sharp left or right turns

 

they all make passengers feel worse.

 

Wow I could never have worked that one out.

 

Please when the next pointless survey needs completing can I do it from the comfort of my armchair. Perhaps I could be a Doctor then.

[tim-spam]

My wife says I drive quickly, but neither she nor any of my children have ever suffered from either feeling or being travel sick. I'm not sure what that proves though.

[Guest MATT jr]

the driver does make a difference, i know when my mums driving almost evryone in the car feels sick, when dads driving, no problem.

 

i also find it helps if you can see where your going - eg, looking backwards makes it worse i found.

 

MJR

[Andrew T]

My wife sometimes feels car sick when she is driving herself, which goes against everything in the article. She reckons having the Airconditioning on makes the difference for her.

 

My kids have never been sick in the Galaxy (regardless of who is driving) but have been sick in my Civic which they hardly ever ride in.

I put this down to the loss of the high viewpoint in the Galaxy, but perhaps it was due to my cornering harder in that car because I almost never have passengers in it.

[El Dingo]

The rear end of a passenger jet does this (swings from side to side), especially the A340 and the Bae 146.

if you ever fly one of these, and are prone to travel sickness, try to get seats over the wings.

 

(Doesn't really answer the car sickness problem though... :) )

[anadin]

ive took my kids off roading, no probs , ten minutes after a drive thru , feel awful