# How long have you ever driven, non-stop? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 23, 2020, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298 "2020-09-23T10:32:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/41 "2020-09-23T20:09:55Z")
Nothing but gas, and frequently left the truck running while I filled. I think I did a drive-thru for food once. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/42 "2020-09-23T20:19:25Z")
Calgary to Vancouver, around 600 miles. No stops for anything, including gas. Drove all night, and then parked at the ferry terminal at about 5:00 am, waiting for the ticket booth to open. ---
**Author:** ![thdudescar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thdudescar/32/4638_2.png) [@thdudescar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thdudescar)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/43 "2020-09-23T20:31:15Z")
Ft. Myers, FL to New Orleans. Wife and changed out driving. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/44 "2020-09-23T20:57:36Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Not counting gas or pee breaks basically border to border. 1275 miles from north of Burlington, WA to where I live in SoCal. I used to do that run twice every summer around the 4th of July. I’ve made a similar run (Port Townsend, WA to Huntington Beach, CA) several times. My best time was 1100 miles in less than 19 hours. The longest stint between any stops is the entire width of Oregon (about 300 miles) since I always gas up in Vancouver, WA or Yreka, CA. I hate that you can’t (couldn’t) pump your own gas in Oregon. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/45 "2020-09-23T21:13:43Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > A couple of decades ago I was pursuing a **[SaddleSore 1000](http://www.ironbutt.com/themerides/ssseries/)** , a documented motorcycle ride of 1000 miles in under 24 hours. Most folks who do this elect to complete the whole thing in a single waking period, but I set it up as 750 miles in one day followed by 250 miles the next morning. Keeping my stops short and infrequent was key to allowing a decent night’s sleep in the middle, so several times I rode until the low-fuel light came on, nearly 250 miles between stops. This sounds worse than it is: unlike a car, you can actually stand up on a motorcycle while riding, giving you a chance to straighten your knees and hips and restore some circulation without having to stop. I did exactly the same thing, also decades ago. Somewhere in a box somewhere is the notebook in which I kept a log of the whole thing, but it would take me days to find. Anyway, there must have been some long stretches in there. I was riding a pretty comfortable bike, the weather was fine, like you I got some sleep in the process, it wasn’t all that terrible. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/46 "2020-09-23T21:34:20Z")
469 miles, from New York City to Cleveland Hts., OH, with my two cats and some house plants. I don’t remember whether I stopped for gas. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/47 "2020-09-23T22:39:20Z")
If a gas stop is the limit, 425 miles, quite routinely in my younger days. If it’s only gas and toilet stops, 28 hours or so. Moving van, meet the middle of the US. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/48 "2020-09-23T22:49:54Z")
Around 500 miles, since that was close to the limit for my old BMW. I have a large bladder and don’t really eat/drink much. Including up to 15 minute breaks, 22 hours. Long in _time_, not so much _distance_–I was stuck in a massive traffic jam for much of that. The actual driving wasn’t so bad, but the fact that I spent hours and hours in traffic moving less than the first-gear idle speed in my car made it pretty miserable. I really wish I’d had my Tesla then; Autopilot is fantastic for creeping along in dense traffic. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/49 "2020-09-23T23:19:27Z")
I drove from Schenectady to Washington DC to pick up my daughter from college with only a couple of stops for gas and to grab food. Took about 8 hours. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/50 "2020-09-23T23:36:02Z")
I have made multiple trips from Omaha NE to Memphis TN which is about 720 miles stopping only for restroom breaks and gas stops. The time averages about 12-14 hours ---
**Author:** ![Tabco](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tabco/32/7644_2.png) [@Tabco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabco)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/51 "2020-09-23T23:43:08Z")
About five hours nonstop. Including breaks for gas, about 13-14 hours. ---
**Author:** ![toledojim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@toledojim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toledojim)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/52 "2020-09-24T00:15:36Z")
780 miles, never got out of the car or stopped for anything other than toll booths. Toledo to Lawrence, Ks. My wife was a grad student at KU. A Jayhawk. (The car had two tanks, about 20 gallons each). ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/53 "2020-09-24T00:29:02Z")
When I was 31 I drove from Boca Raton, Fla., to Silver Spring, Md., with stops only for gas when absolutely necessary. I think I made two stops. The whole trip was 1000 miles, and took about 17 hours, so about 333 miles and 5.3 hours for each leg. I was pretty tired but otherwise suffered no ill effects. I wouldn’t recommend it, though. I also had three cats in the car. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/54 "2020-09-24T01:42:47Z")
I’ve done 400 miles without stopping at all - that’s about the best I could do on any of my cars before having to stop for gas. The longest I’ve done “continuously” counting stops for gas and food but not sleep is 800 miles. Twice. I should have learned after the first one. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/55 "2020-09-24T01:52:18Z")
I certainly drove 4-5 hours continuously in Europe (mostly France). In good weather on a toll motorway with no traffic jams, that’s about 400 miles. Of course, my bladder was much stronger then than it is now. My car was a diesel, so could get 600+ miles per fill-up. I wouldn’t try such a drive now. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/56 "2020-09-24T01:53:06Z")
If stopping gas counts then this is mostly about how big your gas tank is and what your MPG is. I’ve been about 350 miles of continuous driving in my Mazdaspeed3 which would be about 6 hours. If you don’t count brief fuel/restroom stops I’ve driven 12+ hours in a day a few times. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/57 "2020-09-24T02:57:46Z")
Impressive! My stupid Ford has 2 tanks with about 35 gallons total, good for about 300 miles. But It can haul lumber. ---
**Author:** ![mandala](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mandala/32/95_2.png) [@mandala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mandala)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/58 "2020-09-24T10:23:48Z")
Well I did mean truly non-stop, but it’s interesting to note how far folks have driven with only gas and pee breaks. Driving 212 miles (with 3 rest breaks) nearly wiped me out, so it’s astounding to hear folks merrily driving hundreds of miles with all body parts cooperating. 😲 BTW, I-70 that I took could do much better in terms of providing functional rest areas. The RAs are spaced out ridiculously far apart, and then one stop had their biofacilities closed, and instead had portapotties, and not exactly in good order either. We ended up scouting gas stations for public restrooms, and not finding any, we had to hold it in until we reached the destination. That could have ended very badly. 😬 ---
**Author:** ![Tusculan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Tusculan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tusculan)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/59 "2020-09-24T13:11:26Z")
I’m a bit surprised that 2 hours was really so harrd on you. Maybe driving an SUV is actually more taxing than a normal car? In The Netherlands it is reecommended to take a break every two hours, which implies that most people actually will easily drive much longer than that. I have on one occasion driven 4-5 hours really non-stop, but admittedly at the end of it my backside started to hurt from sitting. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2020, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298/60 "2020-09-24T13:31:28Z")
On a long trip I often just keep driving until my fuel gauge is near empty. No rest breaks, no bathroom breaks, no food breaks, no switching drivers. In my current vehicle I can go a little more than 400 miles. In my last vehicle, it was over 450. If I had a big enough gas tank, I’m sure I could go over 600. It’s easier in my current vehicle because it has cruise control. You can’t use it in heavy traffic, but there are always stretches of road where you can use it. It gives you a chance to stretch and move your leg, which helps prevent cramping, stiffness, and such. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-have-you-ever-driven-non-stop/921298.md?page=4)