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A lot of good tips in this thread. The thing about NOT keeping your wallet in your back pocket is a biggie, and not just for driving. A wallet doesn't weigh much, but having one in your back pocket can wreak havoc upon your spine and pelvic alignment over time. I had a bout of nasty lower back pain in my 30s and my regular doc told to me to stop carrying my wallet back there and put it in a front pocket. Helped a LOT, and I was sure it wasn't going to. To this day, I still usually keep my wallet in the back, but if I feel a little tightness coming on in my back or hips, I increase the core workouts and stretches I do and move my wallet to the front for a few days. I never drive w/ my wallet in the back, even for a few miles.
I must be one of the lucky ones; the seat in my FRS fits me better than any car I've ever driven... 5'7", 150 lbs. I did a 500 mile trip a few days ago (and averaged 39.9 mpg!! I was so bummed when I saw it slip below 40 during the last three miles... ) and felt great the whole time other than being a little stiff until I stretched out afterwards. For long trips, though, I adjust the seat a little different than the relatively upright position others have described here. I find that position good for aggressive driving, but not for the long haul. My seat is set more like a recliner; I try to distribute as much weight as I can to as many contact points as possible, rather than having the weight of my torso more concentrated on my butt. Think of how an astronaut's chair is probably designed to distribute g forces during takeoffs. By reclining the seatback a notch or two more than normal, moving the chair forward a notch or two to compensate for the pedal reach, then pulling the steering wheel all the way back, you can set the seat so that even your upper back and mid back bears at least some of your weight. This, for me anyways, is a very comfortable way to drive, and it does require you to use your core muscles to sit up a bit once in a while, either just to shift your position 'cause it feels good to move a bit, or to see better around the side mirrors during sharp turns (am I the only one whose sightlines get blocked by the side mirrors when taking sharp corners driving around town? There's times I simply have to remember where the curb is or lane lines are 'cause I sure can't see'em). I like to feel the entire seat, from the front of the seat bottom to the top of the seat back, giving me support.
Another reason I bought this car is that it's one of the few newer cars that DOESN'T have a headrest that feels like it's forcing my head forward at a ridiculous angle, smashing my chin to my chest. I rented a Nissan Versa once; driving that thing was a nightmare. My head was shoved so far forward my windpipe was constricted and I could barely breathe. SOoo... that government-mandated (don't get me started) whiplash-preventing headrest spent the entire trip in the back seat, DEFINITELY not preventing whiplash.
Happy road trips to all.
Barry
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