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I need help from the veterans as to how they deal with being tailgated while pulse and gliding. I don't mind the ones that go around me pretty quickly. I just struggle with the ones who pulse with me, glide with me and stay way too close. I am usually able to resist the temptation to raise my pulse point or to just cruise at a steady 55 until they pass. I resist them by thinking about the tank I am working my butt off to maintain, but I still get a little rattled.

How do the rest of you deal with this?

Honestly, if they hang around through a few cycles I'll just let the glide last longer so that they end up going even slower. Eventually the person behind me gets the point and pulls around when I start speeding up again. The beauty of P&G is that you can do this without fear of "trapping" the person behind you -- you'll always end up going faster after a bit and then the traffic delta (in speed) isn't as great and anyone behind you will have an easier time of getting around you.

Or you found someone who is misinformed about drafting. ;)

All I do is raise up my glide point from 10mph under to 5mph under the limit. I've been going the speedlimit usually for the past few years so I'm used to people being behind me on these 30 and 40mph roads.

If some tailgates and P&G with you doesn't that decrease your drag?

If some tailgates and P&G with you doesn't that decrease your drag?

It just might, but who wants it?? It's dangerous as all get out.
I've found, btw, there are "serial tailgaters". These are the guys (and gals) who just won't go around you, even with ample room. I go to the other lane with these idiots. Then I see them somewhere tailgating someone else, as speed doesn't seem the reason they tailgate. The must enjoy it. (hey maybe they are drafting. LOL!)

BTW, I also will increase the delta. Though around here, I don't think true P&G makes sense. You do it within the terrain, that often means you want to be gliding down the hills, and not trying to glide UP hill, which doesn't work so well.

--des

Take Wayne's advice, and drive way to the right. This tends to have people go around more quickly. They don't know what you are doing. They are clueless. My dad taught me to drive at a constant speed. He taught me that was what good drivers did. So, I can understand both positions. Today's drivers have been conditioned to be very impatient. When you glide, you drive them nuts. Put a CleanMPG.com bumpersticker on your car and perhaps they will visit - and then understand.

My dad taught me to drive at a constant speed. He taught me that was what good drivers did. So, I can understand both positions.

It hasn't been that long since I thought this was how you were supposed to drive. :) It never even entered my mind that someone might have been doing this on purpose. I just figured they never learned you needed to step on the gas going up hill to maintain speed. :)
I've made quite a change over the last year and a half!


Tonight I had someone following very close on a 2 lane highway and I was going between 50 and 55. It's rolling hills for the most part, but on one long flat section that allowed passing I tried to slow a little and stay to the right. Didn't work. It was nighttime though, so I thought maybe they didn't know the roads. I run across my fair share of drivers that pass anywhere they can, safe or not, but I do think with all the multi-lane freeways, it's kind of a lost art that alot of people don't feel comfortable with on a 2-lane road.

-- Rick

Take Wayne's advice, and drive way to the right. This tends to have people go around more quickly. They don't know what you are doing. They are clueless. My dad taught me to drive at a constant speed. He taught me that was what good drivers did. So, I can understand both positions. Today's drivers have been conditioned to be very impatient. When you glide, you drive them nuts. Put a CleanMPG.com bumpersticker on your car and perhaps they will visit - and then understand.

I do hang to the right and have my handy-dandy "Hypermiler" sticker on my window. I hope it's easier in Eldersburg than it is between Baltimore and Washington where I hang out!

Nah, the folks over here drive over there (mostly commuters). I've spend many hours on I-95, 295, and Rt.1. They are quite crowded at the rush hours (actually choked). Our office was in Columbia off Rt 175. Now we are off of Rt 100. I take Rt. 40 versus 70, to some back roads through part of Ellicott City, and then over to Rt. 103. There is over 2 miles of good FASing hills, and it turns an 18.6 mile trip into only 16.5 miles of ICE. On the back roads, I can pretty easily do my thing. BUT, it takes 10 more minutes to get to work.