Fatigue a nightmare waiting to happen

[festus]

FATIGUE A NIGHTMARE WAITING TO HAPPEN

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HOW TIRED IS TOO TIRED?

I would like to ask every member who carries or operates a firearm to consider the following...

LIVES are at stake when we strap the big iron on our hip (to quote Marty Robbins) if we are too tired to function safely and rationally.

It has been shown in studies that a tired driver is often as dangerous or more dangerous than a driver who is over the legal limit (drunk or impaired). This begs the question...how tired is too tired?

In the military we had a strict bottle to throttle rule (12 hours from last drink to any equipment operation). This was for the safety of every one around us. We also had a very strict crew rest policy to prevent us from using flawed judgment when maintaining or operating multi-million dollar aircraft and other expensive hardware. (again lives are at stake and it was to protect every one around us)

Let us look at a few facts.
1. When fatigue sets in your decision process is compromised in both speed and assessment accuracy.
2. When fatigue sets in you "SEE" things without fully comprehending the big picture.
3. When fatigue sets in it is nearly impossible to focus and many of us have learned to navigate through the situation on "AUTO-PILOT" due to military or first responder type training.

Now lets look at a couple of different situations...we've all been there...

Driving at night just trying to put some road behind you; when you realize that the next rest stop is 75 plus miles away. You are now in nodder-ville and driving by center-line turtle and shoulder buzz stripe braille.

You have just worked an extended shift due to a rush order at "the plant" (12 plus hours) and when you get home the wife wants to go to the outlet mall because you don't work the next day.

In either situation you may be too tired to responsibly carry a firearm. I want you to realize this is coming from a very gung-ho gun guy who would carry at every available opportunity. I think that whether or not you are too tired is a call that only you can make. It is my wish that you would perform some sort of self check to determine a go; no go type matrix in your thought process. It could mean the difference between the accidental shooting of a kid with a toy gun or you yourself getting shot because you could not react to a very real and present danger and being able to confront a stressful situation while maintaining control and doing all the right things.

Nutshell...please ensure before you head out the door that your head is 100% in the game...all of us are counting on you!

[BlackieChan]

This is a very good point. If you are tired you won't be as aware and quick as you are if you are well rested. This erodes your first safety barrier of situational awareness, you might not take as much notice of the guy the crosses the street and follows you.
Reaction times are longer.
And you may be more irritable, making it more likely that you escalate something that you should walk away from.

Being tired is just another mental impairment.

[BlackieChan]

This would be especially useful to take into account for a home defense scenario.

[Felix]

Festus...I haven't heard that name since the early 60s when Festus Haggen (Ken Curtis) joined Gunsmoke.

Anyway, back on topic, you won't find me quibbling with the points you've made about fatigue affecting rational judgment. I agree wholeheartedly. Well said!

[santa]

Being tired is a problem while carrying a gun. Perhaps a deadly one. Thanks for bringing this up.

[S&W645]

....
You have just worked an extended shift due to a rush order at "the plant" (12 plus hours) and when you get home the wife wants to go to the outlet mall because you don't work the next day.

.......

Not only does the time play a factor but also how long you work that schedule. We worked 12 hour shifts for two weeks and pulled an 18 hour shift 1800 Friday to 1200 Saturday. The day shift would be off from the end of their day shift at 1800 Friday till 1200 on Saturday. They would work the next 18 hours until replaced at 0600 on Sunday by what had been the former night shift. Repeat every two weeks. For up to 3 months straight. Along about day 30 you would get to the point where you couldn't remember how you got to work. Some days we pulled 24 hour or longer shifts. On the job for up to 36 straight hours out of 48 hours. 84 hour work weeks place health issues at risk also.

[G50AE]

Not only does the time play a factor but also how long you work that schedule. We worked 12 hour shifts for two weeks and pulled an 18 hour shift 1800 Friday to 1200 Saturday. The day shift would be off from the end of their day shift at 1800 Friday till 1200 on Saturday. They would work the next 18 hours until replaced at 0600 on Sunday by what had been the former night shift. Repeat every two weeks. For up to 3 months straight. Along about day 30 you would get to the point where you couldn't remember how you got to work. Some days we pulled 24 hour or longer shifts. On the job for up to 36 straight hours out of 48 hours. 84 hour work weeks place health issues at risk also.

I once worked two jobs and was at one and only one time either on clock or in transit between jobs for 38 strait hours. When it was over I had a horrible hangover from all the coffee I drank. I will never do anything that crazy again. Sixty hours a week is fine for me, anything over that is nuts.