Drafting - pros & cons

[elhigh]

As much as it adds to your mileage, the risks aren't worth it. Trucks run a lot of recaps, and never mind what the recappers say, too often those things delaminate and that tread's got to go somewhere - maybe through you.

Ever watch Mythbusters? They did a sequence on this very scenario. Gory.

Fuzz will pull you over for tailgating around here. If you're running in a convoy with other like-minded folks, that's one thing, but it's too stressful for me to cuddle up behind someone else on the road who isn't expecting it. I need to see what's going on, and the not-lead-sled-dog view isn't going to give me that.

[Lazarus]

I agree. Having seen the damage cause from tire parts flying and watching a civic smash a huge box of something the truck went right over, It's just plain dangerous IMO. YMMV

[Big Dave]

Drafting does work and you don't even need a semi. A big SUV does nicely.

All the same my poor ol' nerves just won't take much of drafting closer than 75-100 feet.

[WaxyChicken]

When i was driving from South Carolina to AZ i would draft behind my parent's U-Haul most of the way. I was getting great gas savings - they would fill that u-haul up twice before i filled my Toyota corolla up once. Often times I'm sure i was less than a foot from them. They would call back on the hand held CB we had and ask "Did we lose you? we can't see you anywhere"

i don't have the nerves for that any more.

Big-Rigs will call back to a rig behind them and say "Can you help me wipe my ass?" then the rear simi will start drafting YOU and see how you like it, effectively crunching you until you move.

I suppose that what i'm trying to say is that I used to draft. these days I'm smarter.

[3lr]

Originally Posted by bestmapman

The biggest problem are the small stones or gravel that chip the windshield and or paint.

I like stonechips, they work for me... just like dimples on a golf ball
as far as the windshield, it is quite safe when you are 6-8'
from the big rig bumper )

Numerous windshields of mine have gotten chipped while parked, rarely while driving.

[RH77]

Used to do it -- not anymore. Not worth it. I saw a pallet board go through a minivan windshield, kicked-up by a truck. Everyone was alright, but the image sticks and you don't want to be next.

RH77

[LibbyMetro]

also semi's arent the only drafteing tool out there, you get a nice conversion van cruising around and that will punch a pretty big hole in the air too

[hondaworkshop]

Drafting too close to a semi also blocks your view of upcoming traffic lights, potentially robbing you of an opportunity to coast down to a stoplight instead of driving to it. In that way, if you are drafting, you are adopting the draftee's stoplight policy. I know that sitting through a light I could have coasted to kills my mpg.

[budomove]

life is definitely less important than mpg.

drafting is asking for disaster, no matter how far back.

But, I do it too.

We ALL need to start looking at our priorities.

[BrianAbington]

I tried this the other day...I got up behind a semi...not so close I feared for my life but enough that the shaking from his wind turbulence stoped...and my economy guage jumped from 18mpg to 26mpg.