Drafting for economy

[yaris-me]

I've read about drafting behind big rigs and using the truck to reduce air drag. I bought a PLX Kiwi a few weeks ago and lately been using the MPG bar gauge. I return home late at night and the freeway is empty and at 80mph the current MPG gauge shows ~54MPG. Tonight I was behind a 70's Cadillac and decided to move up and draft. At about 40 to 60 feet behind at 80mph it was showing 60 to 70MPG. It's a short distance to get home about 6 or 7 miles and the trip gauge usually shows 34MPG. Tonight it was 36MPG. Not scientific, but certainly something to think about.:rolleyes:

[PETERPOOP]

Until they hit their breaks suddenly and you become their rear bumper ornament.

[SilverBack]

:laughabove:

Hit 'em hard enough and they can just tow you to the yard

[voodoo22]

Drafting is inexcusable under any situation on the road.:thumbdown:

If you want to kill yourself by engaging in high risk activities that's fine, but leave everyone else out of it.

[Woody_Woodchuck]

I agree close drafting or tailgating is dangerous. I have had luck ‘drafting’ trucks from a 3-one-thousand count back from them. True it is not nearly the gain from tailgating or surfing but very safe and does result in a mpg gain. I do not get a chance to do it much as the trucks are going well above the speed limit and I am well below it. Just make sure you can see the trucks rear view mirror so he can see you.

[mchllp925]

Drafting behind a tractor-trailer WILL get you killed or hurt. DONT DO THIS!!
:respekt:

[SuperFunBall]

I agree with with drafting too close, but what about keep a safe distance back (three seconds or more)? Do you still gain mpg's and still are being safe?

[yaris-me]

Drafting is inexcusable under any situation on the road.:thumbdown:

If you want to kill yourself by engaging in high risk activities that's fine, but leave everyone else out of it.

I was not tailgating. There was nothing unsafe, no traffic ahead or around.

[Tamago]

Drafting behind a tractor-trailer WILL get you killed or hurt. DONT DO THIS!!
:respekt:

yaris can stop faster than a semi ;)

[TLyttle]

True, but one MUST be paying attention ALL the time. The draft from a semi is effective at safe distances without tailgating, it just gets more turbulent the farther back you are. Around here, nearly all of the trucks are governed to just over 60mph, so it is hard to get a speeding ticket if you are following one.

One sees "drafting" during most races; a group of 4 cars can go faster than a single car can.

[firebob]

Grab the lane next to him about 35 feet off there back doors. Play around and you’ll find the right spot. Some times I can find if and just have to leave my big toe on the gas peddle. If you ride the center of the road about 20 foot off there back doors you can get pulled down the road and will still be able to see some of what’s in front of him.



I found the way to save big money on gas. We were in a dead lock traffic jam. I pulled out my tow bolt, some rope, and took the guy in front of me a cold soda. It took 2 min to get us tied up and I just popped the negative batter terminal, left it in neutral, and put the hand brake on a few clicks.

We got about 2 miles up the road with a slight hill in 3 hours like that then the guy got out of his truck and asked if we had something cold for him to drink. We ended up getting about 5 miles for 2 sodas, a large bottle of water, a few packs of nabs, and it took 6 hours. I don’t think his 2 ton truck even know we were back there for the ride.

[Tamago]

True, but one MUST be paying attention ALL the time. .

yes, that's what should do when you're behind the wheel

PAY ATTENTION ALL THE TIME

[supmet]

If you hit the back of a semi, you're retarded. I don't care how close you started.

Personally, I don't draft trucks, because I don't want to catch a 100 pound piece of rubber with my windshield. The failing economy will only cause the number of trucking companies who use re-tread to multiply.

[nemelek]

What's the difference between drafting and tailgaiting? 2 feet?

[Tamago]

What's the difference between drafting and tailgaiting? 2 feet?

2 feet and 200mph

[Tamago]

Grab the lane next to him about 35 feet off there back doors. Play around and you’ll find the right spot. Some times I can find if and just have to leave my big toe on the gas peddle. If you ride the center of the road about 20 foot off there back doors you can get pulled down the road and will still be able to see some of what’s in front of him.



I found the way to save big money on gas. We were in a dead lock traffic jam. I pulled out my tow bolt, some rope, and took the guy in front of me a cold soda. It took 2 min to get us tied up and I just popped the negative batter terminal, left it in neutral, and put the hand brake on a few clicks.

We got about 2 miles up the road with a slight hill in 3 hours like that then the guy got out of his truck and asked if we had something cold for him to drink. We ended up getting about 5 miles for 2 sodas, a large bottle of water, a few packs of nabs, and it took 6 hours. I don’t think his 2 ton truck even know we were back there for the ride.

sounds like something out of Haiti lol

[voodoo22]

I was not tailgating. There was nothing unsafe, no traffic ahead or around.

You said you were going 80mph 40-60 feet back. 80mph = 117 feet per second which means you were at best 1/2 second back. How is that no unsafe or tailgating?:iono:

[voodoo22]

yaris can stop faster than a semi ;)

Not under all circumstances. If you want to gamble with your life that's up to you, but keep others out of it.

[talnlnky]

unless the semi hits a wall, or flips on its side... yaris will stop faster.

For me... yeah.. safety is a big issue.. but so are rock chips... I HAVE TOO MANY rock chips from driving on highways... even with a 2-3second gap.

I wish I had those 3M decals put on my front bumper & hood at purchase.

[detroiter]

Only thing tailgating is going to get you is the guy in front of you pissed off and break-dancing to get you to back off.

That's what I do, someone's riding my ass...I'll jam on the breaks for a quick moment just to let them know back the hell up. As much as the people around here love watching it, this isn't nascar.

[supmet]

That's what I do, someone's riding my ass...I'll jam on the breaks for a quick moment just to let them know back the hell up.

I find downshifting and the ebrake a much better combo - no brake lights :evil:

[blacksandiegovitz]

Wow is it really worth it to you to save a couple bucks on gas to be stuck behind or "drafing" a semi doing 55 mph all the way down the freeway ????? I drive my yaris balls-out everyday , meaning banging out gears to 6k and driving about 85+mph on the freeway and I still get 30+ mpg's...

On a side note , drafting does gain you hugh mpg's (as proved on the show "myth busters") but is dangerous and its very boring to follow behind a big truck doing 50 .

[voodoo22]

unless the semi hits a wall, or flips on its side... yaris will stop faster.

Yeah, I wasn't at all clear with what I meant. What I meant was that saying a Yaris will stop faster assumes the Yaris driver is paying attention and starts to brake the exact second the semi driver does. From what I've read it takes an empty semi about 355 feet to stop from 60mph and a Yaris about 180 feet, but if you put good reaction time into the equation it takes a good Yaris driver over 200 feet to stop.

It doesn't take too long for an empty rig to stop in an emergency. If someone was drafting and not paying attention, it would only take a couple seconds of not realizing a semi was stopping to put a drafter in the morgue.

So many people tail gate or drive the absolute minimum distance back and give no thoughts to margin of error. That's why I will slow down and increase my gap in front of me often to try and compensate from someone driving too close to me on the hwy or even in the city.