| Author | Message | ||
| Chuck Lott (Chuckmc8)
Rating: N/A |
It literaly is a pain in the neck to drive my MC8. I figured it was stress form the worn our steering box, but I have intregal now and it drives good....but somehow the seat position is awkward. I'm using the factory seat pedestal, with a new RV captain chair. the bus has the stock steering column. What I suspect,is that the relation of my foot and the accelerator pedal is the problem. I kinda press it with the ball and toes of my foot. after driving about 30 minutes,the right side of my neck and the muscle from my neck down to my shoulder shoulder aches badly. Anyone else had this problem? | ||
| Richard Ligon Rating: N/A |
Hi had same problem changed seats - height everything I could think of nothing worked. Then one day I adjusted driver side mirrors have hade no problem sence. Twisting neck wrong way and did not even know it. Now she is fun to drive. Hope this helps.. Take Care and Marry Christmas Richard & Tracey | ||
| DebDav (Debdav)
Rating: N/A |
I was told, years ago, to drive using one hand on the wheel. When I drive with two hands, I get a sharp pain in my upper back and neck that lasts for 2-3 hours after I shut down. We now drive with one hand and switch for comfort. Professional truckers-- Is this correct? | ||
| Marc Bourget Rating: N/A |
Chuck, Wow! A real PITN? The 30 min thing is a clue, as that's the typical time period re continuous stress for muscles to cry "uncle" and bite back. I suspect reaching forward like that (with the foot) torques and tilts the Pelvis, putting a stress up the spine and it transfers stresses up the spine until eventually aggrivates a "weak spot", here, your neck. Sounds like seat position, can you move it a little further forward or lower so you don't have to "reach" with your foot? OTOH, are you like me, does the belly get in the way? LOL! If advancing or lowering the seat reduces the onset of those symptoms, fine. Otherwise, you might try a Chiropractor or Physical Therapist. | ||
| Bill Gerrie
Rating: N/A |
Chuck I drove bus for 32 years and the secret is postion. There is a name for it like egronomics or something like that. It is relationship between the feet, seat, steering wheel etc. Your feet are on the pedals and your ankle is 90*. Your knees are slightly bent outwards and your upper leg is flat. That is controlled by the seat height and your back is fairly straight when you have both hands on the wheel. You can drive for hours like that without discomfort. Your mirrors have to be adjusted so you have as little movement as possible to see out. Hope you can get some relief by trying this. Bill | ||
| H3-40 Rating: N/A |
Hmm... I COULD say, sell the MCI and buy a Prevost but that might turn this into a flame thread! LOL I'm just being funny so don't take this serious!  Ace | ||
| Tim Hoskinson (Tdh37514151)
Rating: N/A |
Why I have never spent an uncomfortable moment in my 4104 GM. Maybe you should switch to a 4104. What do ya think? | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
Chuck - Ditto the seat height and cushion angle, and seat back angle. When it's all adjusted right, it's as comfy at the end of the trip, as it was at the start (it's another reason I kept the OE seat). DebDav - "I was told, years ago, to drive using one hand on the wheel. " Uhhhh.... yeah. At the -very least-, one. (HAR) Both would be nice, but you do have to shift once in awhile, turn on/off lights...etc.. But that wheel will near rip you out of the seat, power steering or not, if you hit a curb or jam a pothole on a turn. Do you really want to be that casual about driving an 11 ton rig? (We all do it, but it ain't right) | ||
| Stephen Fessenden (Sffess)
Rating: N/A |
An air seat helps too. Sitting in one position continuously, as in a car causes stress and pain. An air seat pedestal lets you move up and down and exercise the legs a bit. Try a block fastened on top of the accelerator pedal to see if it is just too long a reach for comfort. Just cut a 1 X 4 and A 2 X 4 to fit and secure it well for a test drive. Not jsut bungee cords. Cars can be set up with blocks on pedals for short drivers, so why not a bus. The new seat on the bus pedestal may just be too high. | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
Ergonomics. It's all about ergonomics! If you go here, and scroll down to "10) Industrial Medicine", you'll find some info regarding "proper" seat adjustment. It's worth the read. And at this site (The Queen wrote it herself!) has all you'll need to know: Ergonomics and Driving (I still have a pain in my butt, but in-laws are in-laws) | ||
| dave4106 Rating: N/A |
cruise control solves the problem. from pro o/o | ||
| don (Bottomacher)
Rating: N/A |
The six-way power bucket seat that I got from a junkyard Cadillac is the best friend my back ever had; less than $50, leather is perfect, and it has a big pocket on the back. | ||
| Cara
Rating: N/A |
John, Thanks for the link to Ergonomics and Driving. I have read about all the adjustments, but still have problems. I drive a school bus, not route work, but field trips (a lot of fun, kids are always in a better mood for trips). I do not have back problems so much, but terrible pain in my right shoulder only. I suspect it is the seat and the tendency of all the buses in the fleet to veer to the right causing the strain on my right arm keeping the bus straight.But since I am only 5 feet tall and considerably smaller than most of the drivers that the seats were designed for, I am stumped as what to do. I cannot figure out why the pain is only in one shoulder. I try driving with only one arm, but that does not seem to help. I use a lumbar cushion, which helps. I am better in the older buses without the fancy seats, but do not always have a choice of which bus I drive. Any suggestions for a tiny person in a big bus? We have our own MCI-9, but I do not drive it very often. Usually my husband would rather drive, and to tell you the truth, it is a nice break for me after all week in the school buses. Cara | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
Cara - I had almost always put the bus seat low enough to have my feet flat to the floor, then raised the rear of the cushion to give me enough height over the steering wheel. The seat back was then adjusted forward, to give my back enough support while steering, or clutching (or applying brakes if it was a schoolie). I'm no expert in argonumics (I can't even spell it), but I do know that if my upper torso isn't above the steering wheel, so that I can sit like the wheel's a table, my back and shoulder's going to give me a real pain. Likewise, having my feet not comfortably resting on the floor, will bring on a case of sciatica. There should never be pressure where your legs bend at the knee, either. So, if you angle the cushion, you can avoid that. I'm not all that much taller than you, btw. Learning to work and live without pain isn't always easy, when the devices you have to use are designed for those 6'2" and above. Conforming to the ergonomic engineers doesn't always work, for us. And yes, charter work is a fantastic way to earn money! Stay sane. | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong)
Rating: N/A |
Over in the transit world, where back injuries are a common worker's comp complaint, there was a study done by somebody to help find a way to improve driver's health. Can't remember who commissioned the study (I think it was SEPTA, but not sure), but the results were: Adjust seat height so feet are flat on the floor, knees level with hips. Seatback adjusted so that ear, shoulder and hips line up vertically. When foot is placed on throttle, knee angle should be no more than 45 degrees - adjust seat forward or back to accomodate. There should be no pressure on the back of the knee from the seat when your foot is on the throttle. If there is, the seat's too high. The study showed that this posture reduced pressure on the lower spine and relaxed uppper shoulder stress. FWIW, RJ PD4106-2784 Fresno CA | ||
| JJ Rating: N/A |
Marc B, What's this with the belly? You pregnant again? ...JJ | ||
| Marc Bourget Rating: N/A |
Again? Wadda ya mean again? Never was a first time! Actually, I've more or less maintained my weight and don't really suffer from the "big belly" condition, (suet or fetus) just an expression of emphaty in case the original poster does. Besides, I heard long before I met you to not risk "exposure" in your presence! LOL!!! I'm really not that kind of guy! | ||
| Roderick W. Chandler (Rod)
Rating: N/A |
John MC9 Most things Seats, Headroom etc. in vehicles are designed for the average person which means about 5'9". Being over 6'2" causes as much problems as being 5'. Bus seats and car seats are not designed for people who are tall any better than people who are short. | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
Rod - You're correct, the "average height" for men, is 5' 9". I'm not "too tall", nor am I "average height, so I can't speak for those of you that are, but I do know well about being on the short side of life. While being above average height might cause some physical discomfort in some unusual circumstances, being less than average height can make a normal task impossible without assistance of some sort. Aircraft pilot positions are not designed for an individual under 5' 6" (it was damned difficult for me to reach the pedals in a lousy Cessna 150!). Buses have come a long way in providing for the shorter driver, much thanks to the women that now share that vocation, providing the demand. For those of us that are shorter than average height, "ergonomically designed" means nothing... | ||
| Mike (Busone)
Rating: N/A |
I am 6'3 and find it difficult to fit in most cars. When my beater pickup died I bought a little Nissan pickup. I had to recline the seat way back to see out the windshield and not have by head touching the ceiling. My next pickup will be a school bus, LOL. | ||
| Chuck Lott (Chuckmc8)
Rating: N/A |
OK- Here's the top ten suggestions on the PITN- In order of least to most expensive: 1. Learn to spell ahruenomucs. 2. Adjust seat. 3. Lose weight (losing weight is expensive,ask my wife). 4. Become taller. 5. Become shorter. 6. Buy an air seat. 7. Buy a 6 way Cadilliac seat. 8. Install tilt steering column. 9. Buy a 4104. 10. Buy a Prevo. | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
Or stand up and drive, like the UPS guys. | ||
| Cara Rating: N/A |
Thanks for all the info. guys. I am considering have about 5" added into my spine. I drove one of the old Blue Bird Buses with a minimally functional seat (kind of like an old fashioned pickup truck seat) which actually helped quite a bit after all the adjustments and an added back support of my rolled up jacket after the sun came out. I cannot adjust the fancy International seats so that I can reach the floor believe it or not. Then I always seem to be off-center from the wheel trying to reach the pedals. Might be time ofor a new career. It has always been a problem to fit in any type of conventional chair, but when the bilges in the boat need to be cleaned, guess who gets to do that being the only one that can fit down there? Cara | ||
| john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Rating: N/A |
Stop getting older! Those aches and pains are more noticeable as you get older. | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
"Stop getting older! " That just results in extreme stiffness, tremendous bloating, and a very foul odor.... | ||
| Buswarrior (Buswarrior)
Rating: N/A |
Hello driving pains. Have someone stand in the stairwell and watch your driving position carefully. This will have to go on for 15 or 20 minutes, because you won't sit properly for evaluation until you forget you are being watched. Of note, what is the angle your head is tilted at, and how far out from your body are your elbows? Driving chin up, to balance the weight of your head is a common problem in upright seating positions, when the seat back angle won't let the weight of your head sit above your spine. Coupled with this, if your elbows are out away from your body, you are reaching for the wheel, which may contribute to the chin-up attitude of your head. Also as each year goes by, many of our aging spines and necks are changing attitude, such that the adjustments of yesteryear don't work anymore. You really want to get your heel on the base of the pedals, otherwise all the muscles in your leg have to hold down the pedals, not just your ankle. As well, pressure on the underside of the leg, as noted earlier, isn't good. At cruise, the perfect angle for your foot is 90 degrees to the leg. Back in the pre-cruise control, mechanical motor days, a fuel-wise owner operator would set the throttle linkage with a carpenter's square for the RPM's desired for economical speed to match their foot position. After all, you will drive at whatever speed is easiest for your ankle to hold. Nothing is much worse than a pedal that forces your ankle to one extreme or the other of your ankle's articulation over a long drive. I have had to shim the base of a newer Freightliner electronic accelerator pedal almost half an inch to solve this problem. Solution for some neck discomfort: try to sit closer to the wheel, and perhaps a little lower. Few, if any, of the newer seats and pedestals let the seats drop as low to the floor as some of the older ones. Old time bus and truck drivers liked to sit quite low, of course getting full upper body purchase on a manual steering system would have been part of the motivation. I'm 6"4" and prefer to sit pretty close to the bottom of the seat's travel. I am very prone in many seats to sit chin-up. In large part due to the popularity of the high backed seats to curve in at the top, catching my upper back, setting my upper body a little forward, instead of arcing into where the 85th percentile's neck is. Also, many of these sexy "supportive" shaped seats actually force my taller shoulder blades in, forcing a sort of stooped attitude. Also, beware of your sunglasses. Those sunglasses with the lighter tint at the bottom? You might be looking out through the lighter tint. Perhaps the appearance of a second chin over the years also helps push one's chin up....? It's your bus, make it right for you! happy coaching! buswarrior | ||
| RJ Long (Rjlong)
Rating: N/A |
A note about sunglasses: After trying numerous types over the years, for me, the BEST sunglasses are ones with "polaroid" lenses. Altho they're not as dark as others, the polaroid material removes the glare from the incoming light - a major eyestrain culprit. Easy test to see if your sunglasses are removing the glare: Park your car in the sunshine in such a way that you can see the reflection of the dashboard in the windshield. Now, put on your sunglasses. Do you still see the reflection, even if it's darker? If so, the glare's still getting by. When you try the same experiment with polaroid lenses, the reflection is gone, completely. These lenses even reduce the glare from oncoming headlights at night, altho no one recommends driving with sunglasses during this time of the day! It's also amazing to see the difference when looking at snow on a bright sunny day w/ and w/o the polaroids. Used a LOT by professional and serious hobby photogaphers, too! Besides finding polaroid sunglasses at your local Walgreens, they're also available for prescription lenses. IMHO, a good investment. FWIW, RJ PD4106-2784 Fresno CA | ||
| John MC9 Rating: N/A |
A side note regarding the Polaroid glasses.... Looking through tinted, UV protected windows can result in a major change of color in a wide rainbow manner. Thankfully, most windshields are not tinted. (made me feel like I wasn't on drugs) Also, having to wait 60 seconds for the picture to come through and finding it is underexposed........ | ||
| Tim Strommen (Tim_strommen)
Rating: N/A |
I think you mean "polarized" sunglassess. A micro-optical grating that filters light (photons) that are spinning on a certain axis. Typically when a photon contacts a surface (aka. reflection) its direction of spin changes. By using a polarizing filter, you can remove the glare (via reflection - as the photons will have changed direction from that of the directly viewed light) and the over-all light levels will apear reduced. Cheers! -Tim | ||
| David Dulmage (Daved)
Rating: N/A |
Edwin Land, inventor of the Polaroid Land camera, spent a great deal of time on research and development of polarizing film, looking for ways to reduce the effect of bright headlights from approaching cars at night. Hence the trademark Polaroid which was used for many years on polarized glasses as well as other products which used the developments from Edwin Land and the Polaroid Corporation. (Somewhat like referring to as refrigerator as a Frigidaire!) |