The first law of thermodynamics is your friend. If you are gaining, someone else is losing.
Why do continue to argue when everyone has told you what you're doing is unsafe and toolish?
Originally posted by: Eli
Hmm, I never thought about that before. Are you sure it actually causes the truck to use more energy? The truck is already pushing the air out of the way, I'm just following in its wake? Curious.Originally posted by: teknoid
First off I work for a trucking company (IT Director). We have around 400 trucks on the road. I hear from our drivers every day and they have some fairly "colorful" things to say about tailgaters.
The one thing that hasn't been discussed here is basic physics. It takes X amount of energy (I.E. fuel) to move a truck and a car down the highway. Drafting the truck adds to its load. Yes you're saving gas but you're costing the trucker fuel.
Our drivers make a monthly bonus based on number of miles driven and average MPG. If they hit their numbers they can take home up to an additional $1200 every month. If you're impacting their MPG in even a small way you're taking $$ out of their pockets. How would you like that?
I guess the good news is that if you're stupid enough to make a habit out of tailgating you'll very likely not live long enough to procreate.
Originally posted by: dainthomas
Originally posted by: Eli
Hmm, I never thought about that before. Are you sure it actually causes the truck to use more energy? The truck is already pushing the air out of the way, I'm just following in its wake? Curious.Originally posted by: teknoid
First off I work for a trucking company (IT Director). We have around 400 trucks on the road. I hear from our drivers every day and they have some fairly "colorful" things to say about tailgaters.
The one thing that hasn't been discussed here is basic physics. It takes X amount of energy (I.E. fuel) to move a truck and a car down the highway. Drafting the truck adds to its load. Yes you're saving gas but you're costing the trucker fuel.
Our drivers make a monthly bonus based on number of miles driven and average MPG. If they hit their numbers they can take home up to an additional $1200 every month. If you're impacting their MPG in even a small way you're taking $$ out of their pockets. How would you like that?
I guess the good news is that if you're stupid enough to make a habit out of tailgating you'll very likely not live long enough to procreate.
The first law of thermodynamics is your friend. If you are gaining, someone else is losing.
Why do continue to argue when everyone has told you what you're doing is unsafe and toolish?
Originally posted by: Eli
Dur. I knew that.Originally posted by: Xyclone
Originally posted by: Raduque
Originally posted by: Eli
How do I know at what distance they can see me?
If you can't see both his mirrors, he can't see you.
QFT. Did you sleep through driver's ed, OP?
Yeah, I understand I guess. It's just a peace of mind thing for them.
That's understandable.
I'm still going to find drivers that don't care, though.
Originally posted by: Dirigible
I find the idea that it costs a trucker fuel to have someone draft behind them very hard to swallow. In fact, I won't believe it unless I see actual data. As a cyclist, I draft off other cyclists all the time, and they off me. It makes a huge difference to draft behind another cyclist. Amazingly huge. Yet, when someone drafts behind me, I notice no difference whatsoever. None.
To be clear, I'm not advocating drafting right behind a truck. I'm just doubting that it costs the trucker money.
Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
Originally posted by: Dirigible
I find the idea that it costs a trucker fuel to have someone draft behind them very hard to swallow. In fact, I won't believe it unless I see actual data. As a cyclist, I draft off other cyclists all the time, and they off me. It makes a huge difference to draft behind another cyclist. Amazingly huge. Yet, when someone drafts behind me, I notice no difference whatsoever. None.
To be clear, I'm not advocating drafting right behind a truck. I'm just doubting that it costs the trucker money.
yeah, i don't see how this makes sense either.
he's already displaced the air in front of him. how does the air behind him affect him?
That's my thinking, too. The air is being displaced anyway, and it leaves a sort of "bubble" behind the truck. Without a car there to take advantage of it, it's just being wasted - the work that went into creating that bubble is simply going nowhere. But if there's a car there, it's taking advantage of the work that's already been done.Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo
Originally posted by: Dirigible
I find the idea that it costs a trucker fuel to have someone draft behind them very hard to swallow. In fact, I won't believe it unless I see actual data. As a cyclist, I draft off other cyclists all the time, and they off me. It makes a huge difference to draft behind another cyclist. Amazingly huge. Yet, when someone drafts behind me, I notice no difference whatsoever. None.
To be clear, I'm not advocating drafting right behind a truck. I'm just doubting that it costs the trucker money.
yeah, i don't see how this makes sense either.
he's already displaced the air in front of him. how does the air behind him affect him?
Originally posted by: alkemyst
It's drafting, not drifting and most people don't do it close enough to be worthwhile.
Most of the idiots here have no idea anyway....most truckers don't care if you are doing it. If you do hit them it's going to be a non-issue with them anyway.
They really hate the lane changers though. Esp the ones that fly up and cut in front of them only to hit their brakes.
He's not gaining, he's merely minimizing the losses.Originally posted by: dainthomas
Originally posted by: Eli
Hmm, I never thought about that before. Are you sure it actually causes the truck to use more energy? The truck is already pushing the air out of the way, I'm just following in its wake? Curious.Originally posted by: teknoid
First off I work for a trucking company (IT Director). We have around 400 trucks on the road. I hear from our drivers every day and they have some fairly "colorful" things to say about tailgaters.
The one thing that hasn't been discussed here is basic physics. It takes X amount of energy (I.E. fuel) to move a truck and a car down the highway. Drafting the truck adds to its load. Yes you're saving gas but you're costing the trucker fuel.
Our drivers make a monthly bonus based on number of miles driven and average MPG. If they hit their numbers they can take home up to an additional $1200 every month. If you're impacting their MPG in even a small way you're taking $$ out of their pockets. How would you like that?
I guess the good news is that if you're stupid enough to make a habit out of tailgating you'll very likely not live long enough to procreate.
The first law of thermodynamics is your friend. If you are gaining, someone else is losing.
Why do continue to argue when everyone has told you what you're doing is unsafe and toolish?
Originally posted by: Dirigible
Originally posted by: dainthomas
Originally posted by: Eli
Hmm, I never thought about that before. Are you sure it actually causes the truck to use more energy? The truck is already pushing the air out of the way, I'm just following in its wake? Curious.Originally posted by: teknoid
First off I work for a trucking company (IT Director). We have around 400 trucks on the road. I hear from our drivers every day and they have some fairly "colorful" things to say about tailgaters.
The one thing that hasn't been discussed here is basic physics. It takes X amount of energy (I.E. fuel) to move a truck and a car down the highway. Drafting the truck adds to its load. Yes you're saving gas but you're costing the trucker fuel.
Our drivers make a monthly bonus based on number of miles driven and average MPG. If they hit their numbers they can take home up to an additional $1200 every month. If you're impacting their MPG in even a small way you're taking $$ out of their pockets. How would you like that?
I guess the good news is that if you're stupid enough to make a habit out of tailgating you'll very likely not live long enough to procreate.
The first law of thermodynamics is your friend. If you are gaining, someone else is losing.
Why do continue to argue when everyone has told you what you're doing is unsafe and toolish?
I find the idea that it costs a trucker fuel to have someone draft behind them very hard to swallow. In fact, I won't believe it unless I see actual data. As a cyclist, I draft off other cyclists all the time, and they off me. It makes a huge difference to draft behind another cyclist. Amazingly huge. Yet, when someone drafts behind me, I notice no difference whatsoever. None.
To be clear, I'm not advocating drafting right behind a truck. I'm just doubting that it costs the trucker money.