I’m rethinking letting students into my cars on the track. I had a student a few days ago get motion sickness while she was driving (very slowly too). We were only out on the track for about 4 minutes just going over the line at parade lap speed for the first session of the day. She said she was getting motion sickness and had to go in. We were 3 corners away from the pits when she said that and we made it halfway down the pits... then she projectile vomited all over the driver’s side. I’ve had people get motion sickness while in the passenger seat (but never throw up), but I did not think it was possible to get motion sickness while driving + so quickly for so little motion.

Anyone else ever experience something like that with a student? I'm really happy I took my daily driver that day as I normally would go out with the student in my car first to show the lines rather than explain them.

 

No, never did. But I did have a couple of erratic ones that once shown smoothness in my car I had to come off, pull over because they started to show hurling symptoms; one did as soon as I pulled over in the pits.

 

Jeez, that's surprising honestly. I wonder if nerves had something to do with it, or just ate something bad. Otherwise how would she drive every day?

 

Not surprising at all. Look at how many folks get sea sick or have nausea in a sim.

I have heard of between 15-20% of RIDERS getting nausea (a few hurling) in the car. It’s an inner ear thing.

 

I've had it as a driver a few times on skid pads and short technical tracks in high heat conditions. I have also had motion sick passengers. If I don't know them well I ask first if they've ever had issues and check with them for a thumbs up a couple of times on the out lap. Learned that the hard way. Some friends use the scopolamine patch or tablets.

 

Except the post said she was a DRIVER, not a RIDER. So stownsen914 might have it.

 

Never has happened in my car or while I was driving a student (in either car), I do check in with passenger with thumbs up if they go quite, and have never seen / heard of it from a student while they were driving. One friend / passenger did come close on a Ring ride along (in a rental) and he was a "boater" with sea legs.

But have seen it happen in other ride-along cars, so I snagged / carry a few United air sick bags in the glove box, inform the student/passanger of them & there location, and then also jokingly explain the "down the inside of their shirt" technique to reiterate the "don't mess up the interior" thinking and to give them "options". I also avoid giving student ride-alongs right after lunch.

Good reason to insist on close chin helmet...

 

Wait, so the student was driving your car? Why weren't they driving their own car?

 

I tend to get a little vertigo the first time I ride passenger each weekend. I don't get nauseous, but my equilibrium will be a little off. Some water and something with some sugar is a quick fix. Aside, I see the love for Swedish Fish now...

Later in the day, and by the end of the weekend, it doesn't happen.

 

"down the inside of their shirt"

You sir win the internet for today..............

 

I had this happen with a student. It was his first time ever on track so he asked if I could I took them out in my car in a intermediate group to show him passing educate, where the flag stations are, ect so he wouldn't have a sensory overload his first run. We went 5-6 laps at 50% pace before he said I had to pull off as he had to throw up. I pulled off onto a EV access road were he opened the door and just let it go. The student lived local to me so my wife actually drove him and his car home as he said he didn't feel fit to drive.

 

I don't have a motion sickness problem on the track as long as I am doing the driving. I am/was an instructor and have come oh-so-close to puking in the right seat of a student's car while instructing. Quite embarrassing actually to have to ask your student to pit because you're dry heaving. I haven't instructed since. I limit my right seat time to only a few laps at a time and only when I am the student. Kind of disappointing to be honest, but easy enough to work around, knowing the potential consequences! I haven't tried patches or pills, but I would be open to doing that if I needed to be in the right seat on a regular basis.

 

Scopolamine patch?

 

She was driving her own car.

haha I instantly thought about carrying barf bags but then with 99.9% of the helmets people use it's not easy to use one. She had a closed chin helmet too, and it didn't stop that much :S.

I'm definitely going to remember the 'down the inside of the shirt' technique. I think I'm going to also insist on the visor down barf shield.

 

Wearing a head sock also provides a vomit containment function!