Wanted: Documentation of Dangerous Drafters...

[Chuck]

The sky is falling - the sky is falling - the sky is falling - the sky is falling

Hypermilers draft semis - hypermilers draft semis - hypermilers draft semis - hypermilers draft semis

It's time for the propaganda and posturing to end and the proof to start.

I want proof that dangerous hypermiling is epidemic - at least semi-commonplace.

Most hypermiling stories have drafting 18-wheelers injected...some stories accuse hypermilers of drafting as the story line. Same with rolling stops.

Enough of the hearsay, blogs, the trucker's forums, speculation.

What I'm asking for is reports from law enforcement that drafting and the like is more common than sightings of BigFoot and UFOs - that rolling stops are increasing by economy cars - not boys in sports cars. Other evidence would be links to accidents cause by a slow driver - presumably a hypermiler.

We have at least one member from the AAA - substantiate your charges.

The morning of Aug 4, 2008, all of North Texas heard me on clear channel WBAP I come to a complete stop 30 yards from the Richardson Police Department HQ typically at 6:30am - up to 50 patrol cars could be in the parking lot watching me - I should be the easiest pullover for a rolling stop in Richardson's history.

People get killed daily by speeders, drag racers, drunks, druggies, road ragers, distracted drivers - probably 90+ fatalities every 24 hours....is there even one serious hypermiling-caused accident in a month? For some reason, the hazards of hypermiling is reported as though it's more lethal than any other threat on the roads.

Substiante this.

[SpartyBrutus]

I've done it before - happens pretty often when you are in the slow lane with other semis.

Most of the time it is not on purpose as the semis tend to stay in front of me.

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by SpartyBrutus

I've done it before - happens pretty often when you are in the slow lane with other semis.

Most of the time it is not on purpose as the semis tend to stay in front of me.

I think the question is did you get stuck behind a semi in traffic, or were you intentionally drafting?

The semis pass me.


Another thought: how many in the general public can say they speed only once a week?

[SpartyBrutus]

I intentionally stay in the right hand slow lane at or 5 below the limit. This often leads to semis being in front of me. Some pass me, some stay in front of me. Some are closer to me than others - if they get "too" close, I either slow down or speed up/pass them.

[Chuck]

Think that means you are not drafting

[degnaw]

I see a lot of people tailgating semis, but it's usually just a line of 2-3 cars in the left lane stuck behind a truck that's passing another truck. As for trucks in the right lane, I've never seen any non-truck (aside from me) stay in the right lane for more than 5 minutes at a time. So I'm going to say "None" for the poll.

[lamebums]

Last time I drafted any truck at all was back in June when returning from Philly into a headwind and with corn meth (E10) in my gasoline tank. Barely pulled 50 MPG. I followed two, sometimes three seconds behind.

I haven't gotten close to a semi since. Usually they fly on by, Psl + 10 or more.


I get close-drafted by a semi about twice a week if that helps?

[azraelswrd]

Delta

You can't find proof if none exist. I asked for the same thing the first day AAA declared war on hypermilers -- nothing. A month later -- still nothing.

I have never seen anyone death drafting a semi. On my travels, people race up to them only to jump into the next lane and repeat the speed/brake mambo. And if they were drafting it wasn't to save on fuel but in an attempt to speed but the semis were just in their way.

I may settle in behind a semi but because I don't want to drive fast and a semi makes for a good lead blocker. No one tailgates me here because they see that there is 10-tons why I'm going as fast as I am (so they just do the speed/brake mambo). I try and go for a 3-4 second buffer.

[Chuck]

This is a put up or shut up theread for those that scream semi drafting and other dangerous hypermiling practices are all around us....I'd love on a TV segment for an AAA representive to be asked to produce the evidence - I'm not holding my breath.

The implied picture many articles and spots portray is hypermilers are the only drivers you should fear.... wacked out nerds buried in the dashboards lacking common sense or concern about other drivers...these are the actual near misses that happen daily - not the distracted cell phone driver, the Fast and Furious racer, driver that fly 2-3 lanes to make an freeway exit only twenty yards ahead. {sigh}

[azraelswrd]

You'd probably be holding your breath until we send a man to Mars.