Wanted: Documentation of Dangerous Drafters...

[lamebums]

Originally Posted by JusBringIt

I don't think hypermilers get that close to vehicle ahead and stay planted until said vehicle moves out of the way.

Well said.

[jlclarke]

I hope this doesn't sound too stupid, but I am not convinced that drafting a semi is all that dangerous. Given the relative speed (ie slow) of the trucks, the few lane changes, everyone's giddiness to get around them...they seem pretty safe to hang around. Given the fact that I'm in a tiny car with great brakes and a very short stopping distance and they have massive wieght and a very long stopping distance, I feel as though I should have ample time to respond to an aggressive braking maneuver from the semi.

As I drive the interstate, I always see trucks drafting eachother. If it is such a dangerous activity, why do they engage in it themselves.

I am just not convinced that it is the same thing as tailgaiting a Volvo. There is a major difference in my opinion. Am I way off base here?

[hobbit]

But you don't have time to respond to other things from the semi,
like chuckin' a fresh alligator or throwing up rocks. Not worth
it. Hopefully this clarifies your doubt before everyone jumps
in flaming you right and left...
.
_H*

[Chuck]

Originally Posted by jlclarke

I hope this doesn't sound too stupid, but I am not convinced that drafting a semi is all that dangerous. Given the relative speed (ie slow) of the trucks, the few lane changes, everyone's giddiness to get around them...they seem pretty safe to hang around. Given the fact that I'm in a tiny car with great brakes and a very short stopping distance and they have massive wieght and a very long stopping distance, I feel as though I should have ample time to respond to an aggressive braking maneuver from the semi.

As I drive the interstate, I always see trucks drafting eachother. If it is such a dangerous activity, why do they engage in it themselves.

I am just not convinced that it is the same thing as tailgaiting a Volvo. There is a major difference in my opinion. Am I way off base here?

Have you seen the thingys under the semi trailer's rear bumper? Without them, any car slamming into the back would have it's roof cut off, along with the head of the driver.

The biggest danger is close drafting prevents you from knowing what's ahead with very little reaction time....you have to be on pins and needles....I speak from trying it over two years ago and have not since. What if there is a traffic gridlock ahead? You definitely won't be able to anticipate and avoid it - not even a Nav device could help you on that one.

Even with $4.00 gas and $5.00 diesel, most semis are going over 60mph...the most serious hypermilers are going slower than that. For those willing to draft at 65-70, it still makes no sense from a fuel saving standpoint unless you are away from the urban areas, the drafting moment is too short in the city.

On top of the sustantial pragmatic reasons, is the PR reason - drafting gives hypermilers a bad name and preven otherwise interested drivers from at least trying hypermiling.

[ILAveo]

I see it pretty regularly on rural interstates. (I drive about 600 mi/week.) Commonly it is semi's drafting semi's --but I haven't seen any million mile safety award drivers doing it since I've been keeping track over about the last year. I can't say that I've ever seen or heard of an accident or near accident that resulted from close drafting semi's on rural highways other than gravel dings from equipment haulers. Not that I'm saying it's particularly safe. You might want to save that technique for the track; it's probably about the safety equivalent of smoking a pack a day....I haven't deliberately close drafted in several months.

You pretty regularly hear about 10-50 car pile ups in urban areas where everybody follows too closely. IMO increasing urban following distances is the main safety topic in this area that DOT, AAA, CMPG, everybody should be emphasizing. People just plain need to give bigger buffers. It seems like AAA etc. is missing the forest for the trees here. I honestly believe that next to slowing down, driving with buffers is the most productive hypermiling technique, but it more or less gets overlooked in favor of discussing drafting in the usual news article.

[Xringer]

Originally Posted by jlclarke

I hope this doesn't sound too stupid, but I am not convinced that drafting a semi is all that dangerous. Given the relative speed (ie slow) of the trucks, the few lane changes, everyone's giddiness to get around them...they seem pretty safe to hang around. Given the fact that I'm in a tiny car with great brakes and a very short stopping distance and they have massive wieght and a very long stopping distance, I feel as though I should have ample time to respond to an aggressive braking maneuver from the semi.

As I drive the interstate, I always see trucks drafting eachother. If it is such a dangerous activity, why do they engage in it themselves.

I am just not convinced that it is the same thing as tailgaiting a Volvo. There is a major difference in my opinion. Am I way off base here?

If you are driving in the right lane with the truck traffic, you should try to keep well away from trucks.
Not all truck drivers are pros and some of them have been known to make mistakes and even make panic stops.

If a truck is actually not speeding, I like to drive 8 or 10 seconds behind it, since
that gives me a good buffer and tailgaters can actually see the slow
truck in front of me and maybe understand why I'm driving 55 and not tailgate me..
The FE advantage comes when the truck gets to a hill and his speed slowly drops off.
That gives you (in the case car) a good reason to slow down too.
So, now speeders coming up behind you see the slow truck and understand
that you are just maintaining your buffer behind the truck..
They will fly by without even honking the horn at you!

I had a big truck pass me today and when he pulled back into the right lane, I couldn't
see anything up the road. I had to drop back about 80 yards before I felt safe.
Funny thing was, as I was dropping back, I could not see his rearview mirrors!
(Meaning he has no way of know if anyone is behind him)!

[snowcabbage]

I don't tail semis. Sometimes semis tail me. I see very few trucks abiding the posted 55 mph limit for trucks and other vehicles with trailers.

[fixedintime]

Originally Posted by jlclarke

I feel as though I should have ample time to respond to an aggressive braking maneuver from the semi.

I know a guy who was driving a work van with some good road clearance on the Washington DC Beltway. A small car with not so good road clearance was drafting on him - not that the poor fellow would call it drafting mind you. Suddenly they come upon some road debris. The fellow in the van had plenty of clearance and passed over the debris. The fellow behind him saw it about he time he hit it. The friend said the last think he saw as fiberglass going all over the beltway.

You may have time to respond to the sudden braking, you don't have time to see or respond when the semi goes over the muffler someone carelessly left in the roadway. You will see that about ten feet before you hit it.

[Xringer]

Originally Posted by snowcabbage

I don't tail semis. Sometimes semis tail me. I see very few trucks abiding the posted 55 mph limit for trucks and other vehicles with trailers.

So, if you get on a highway and want to drive in the right hand lane at 55, and there
is a 16 wheeler about 100 yards ahead of you, in the right lane also going 55..

Do you speed up and pass him? Or drop down to 50 until he is 900 yards ahead?

[LL3]

Originally Posted by Xringer

So, if you get on a highway and want to drive in the right hand lane at 55, and there
is a 16 wheeler about 100 yards ahead of you, in the right lane also going 55..

100 yards..that's about 18 car lengths. I say to stay where your at or slow down on a coast.