Safer Drafting?

[evolutionmovement]

I can hardly imagine driving and having 50 feet of empty air between cars. Either it's 3 AM and nobody's out or traffic's too thick. I only draft truckers for short periods. Usually they're going too slow and I'd rather use more gas than fall asleep at the wheel. When they are moving along, I still don't like to draft for very long. I'm not much concerned about the safety aspect, more that I don't want to piss off a trucker that doesn't deserve it. I'd rather die on the road than of the cancer or alzheimers that run in the family. Not that I'd stick around long enough after diagnosis to let either one of those run its course.

[instarx]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Because not many bicycles have windshields?

However, if you stop to think about the mechanics of a truck wheel coming off (a pretty rare thing), or the more common tread delamination or blowout, it would seem that directly behind the truck is going to be one of the safer places. If a wheel came off, it A) would have some outward momentum from wobbling against the lug bolts; and B) unless it was on the rearmost axle, would hit the wheel behind and bounce away to the side.

Tractor-trailer wheels are not the same as car wheels. With split rim truck/trailer wheels it isn't the actual wheel coming off that is the danger, but the very heavy steel retaining ring that blows off that is so dangerous - and it isn't that uncommon. Frankly, I've never seen a trailer wheel come off (except in pieces) but I have often seen wheels that have blown apart with the ring acting as a projectile. After years of being in a truck-driving family and seeing what these things can do I never stay anywhere near the wheels of trucks on the highway.

[eco_generator]

Originally Posted by trikkonceptz

in order to get effective gains.

This is interesting to me. Lots of ecomodders do aeromods to their cars that will get them a 0.002% increase in fuel mileage and be happy they did something. But when it comes to the largest possible aerodynamic benefit the bar suddenly becomes much much higher when following vehicles on the highway.

I can't say I believe in "drafting" per say. I would loosely define that as being engulfed in the turbulent air. Open windows exhibit an alternating crosswind from the other vehicles wake and sometimes you can close in on the vehicle you are following without using your gas pedal

I just practice following people. I never want to be alone... or the leader in a pack of cars if possible. This idea nets me considerable gains. Not very scientific, but I have seen approx. 2 mpg differences when not being able to follow another car. Even if it's only a 5% difference when following another car with an assured clear distance, I'll take that all day since it costs nothing to try and just be behind another vehicle (truck or not).

[blownb310]

Originally Posted by instarx

With split rim truck/trailer wheels it isn't the actual wheel coming off that is the danger, but the very heavy steel retaining ring that blows off that is so dangerous - and it isn't that uncommon.

Point well taken, but I don't think there are many trucks on the road that use split rims anymore. They stopped producing those many years ago.

So, anyone else see any gains from side drafting?

[chuckm]

I sure have seen benefits from "side drafting" an 18 wheeler. That's my preferred method on the interstate. I just monitor the conditions around me and move aside for other vehicles as needed. Unfortunately, the vast majority of my driving is on two lane highways... if the 18 wheeler is heading in the wrong direction, the draft kinda sucks!

RE 18 wheeler tires coming apart: When I was in college, I was making a trip home one night. I was pulling up to pass this 18 wheeler on a two lane highway when I suddenly heard a huge BOOM! The rest seemed to happen in slow motion. First, a couple chunks of tire came off. Then a huge strip of full width tread peeled away and is coming directly at me (the driver's side rear-most tire had blown). I stomped the brakes and swerved toward the shoulder. The tread flipped up and a little sideways as it came off, and as I'm passing next to it, it stood a little higher than my car. During all this, the trucker slams on his brakes, engulfing me in a cloud of burnt rubber smoke, raining what I can only guess was the remaining bits of tire sidewall all over me. I pulled over into a gas station a couple hundred yards up the road and had a serious case of the shakes.
At any rate, from what I could see, there is no safe place to be when one of those big tires blows.

[slurp812]

Many people bring up how dangerous is it to draft, especially a big truck. Where I drive, there is lots of semi truck traffic, it cannot be avoided. So I make the most of it, drafting at a safe distance behind. Still some idiot insists on getting in there from time to time. The bottom line it driving is dangerous. Trucks add to this. I think as a group hypermilers drive better than most. Be careful out there!!!