Question for truckers...

[userman]

Originally posted by: Eli

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?

Dur. I knew that.

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.

When you total your car do not make a thread wanting people to feel sorry for you.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: redly1
While I see the fact that it is against the law, why are you calling Eli an Idiot or premature for doing this.

Plus, his story sounds a little sarcastic (eh?)

It was a little. But I really was curious why they were giving me a hard time about it, when I had been doing it for the last couple of weeks without any problems. I was curious to know if they generally disliked the practice, or what.

Just FYI - even at a distance where I can still see their mirrors, it still improves my MPG. So I'm going to see if any drivers freak out on me while maintaining that distance.

Also, since I'm really only on the highway at night, they DO know that I'm there because they can see the sidecast from my headlights.

Would I like it if people constantly drove in my blind spot? No. But it's not comparable. It's not like I'm surfing along side the truck, trying to stay invisible to them. That would be stupid, idiotic and dangerous.

I do understand if some drivers don't like it when they can't see you behind them, but I still maintain that it presents little to no safety issue to anybody.

It might be slightly dangerous to me(more like my car) if the truck had a blowout.

Again, I understand the drivers wanting to keep track of all cars on the road, that's just common sense.. But someone directly behind you obviously presents the least risk. The moment I tried to change positions, you would be able to see me. Shrug.

The reason I ask is because I'm not out to piss anyone off... just playing games really, seeing what kind've MPG I can get.

I was behind a FedEx truck for over 40 miles a few days ago, and during that 40 miles I averaged over 90MPG.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: userman

Originally posted by: Eli

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?

Dur. I knew that.

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.

When you total your car do not make a thread wanting people to feel sorry for you.

Oh please.

The only risk is rear ending them, and I'd have to be asleep at the wheel for that to happen. When a truck hits its brakes, all I have to do is let off the gas and I slow down as fast as they do, nevermind if I involve my brakes.

This is a moot point of the argument, I'm not following dangerously close. Even half the truck length back will give MPG improvements.

When I had my Focus and went warp speed everywhere, I saw people doing it all the time.. I had figured that ever since the Mythbusters segment on it, it had gotten more popular. Since the Insight doesn't lend itself to much over 60 without a severe MPG hit, and trucks in Oregon don't really go over 60.. it was just natural.

 

[fatpat268]

Originally posted by: compman25

Originally posted by: KK
I like drafting behind them too, but it's had to find one going 95mph.

If it says "Swift" it isn't.

Or Schneider.

Big orange trucks with a 63.5 mph limit.

 

[BoomerD]

I gotta hope you're drafting one of these truckers and a cop catches you at it...then you can compare the gas savings to the fine.

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
I gotta hope you're drafting one of these truckers and a cop catches you at it...then you can compare the gas savings to the fine.

I'll let you know the moment I get pulled over for it. lol

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: Eli
Would I like it if people constantly drove in my blind spot? No. But it's not comparable. It's not like I'm surfing along side the truck, trying to stay invisible to them. That would be stupid, idiotic and dangerous.

Huh? It's pretty much the same thing. You are IN their blind spot. When you're invisible, they have to constantly stay on their toes and monitor their mirrors to see if you suddenly pulled out from behind them and are now next to them in their other blind spot. This takes away from their ability to look to the FRONT (which is a safety issue), their ability to monitor their speed (which is economics), and is also much more tiring and stressful than if you're visible and they can just check to make sure you're still there with the occasional mirror-glance.

It's comparable to some teenager that constantly rides his skateboard up to your car at a light and holds on to the back for the next ten blocks. Sure, it won't hurt YOU if he gets into an accident, and the cops will probably relieve you of any blame...but you're still in some way responsible for his life, it makes for a big hassle that could have easily been avoided, affects your fuel mileage slightly, and leaves you distracted and less able to focus on other cars and the road.

Eli, you drive an Insight. You have no need to tailgate. The MPG meter is NOT a videogame...you don't have to go for the high score. Tailgating semis is dangerous to you, distracting (therefore dangerous) to them, and as a consequence dangerous to everyone else on the road. Maybe not to a phenomenal level, but believe me, there are very few car accidents that couldn't have been avoided if someone had been paying a little more attention, following a little further out, feeling a little less pissed off at some other guy on the road when someone else ran the light...

 

[angminas]

Pretty much everyone in this thread is telling you to stop drafting semis, for like 800 different good reasons, and you're still arguing? I guarantee you that you are not impressing anybody whose high opinion means anything. Seriously, you drive a 40lb. Insight that already gets 95mpg and you draft semis? Have you never heard the phrase "reaction time"? How about "next of kin"? How do you think you would like it if somebody camped an invisible cardboard box right on your ass at highway speed? Have you never compared the height of the truck's bumper with the height of your car's bumper and done the math? Are you thinking of your family, or the EMTs who get to clean up the brains of people who do tardiculous stuff like this? Do you seriously think half the trailer length is enough following distance?

I cannot believe I'm reading this! I know you're not that stupid. Oh, ok, I get it, I call shens, Eli isn't really foolish enough to tailgate semis in a Radio Flyer and then argue with a bunch of geniuses about how cool it is, ha ha, you almost had me.

 

[Allanv]

I used to drive semis many many years ago, now let me warm you that one day you will meet an unladen one that had to make an emergency stop. (You will Die) they stop very very quickly and dont think that you will just have to let off the gas. You will die.

hit the brakes then the trailer brake = a very quick stopping distance and 1 dead kid that wants to save a few cents.

I see it on our motorways a lot and those cars are not looking to save a few pence they are just driving behind when the truck brakes they under estimate the stopping distance and splat into the back and death is all they get.

Do your self a favor and eat 1 less burger if you want to save money.

Most idiotic thing i have ever read on the board.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Allanv
Most idiotic thing i have ever read on the board.

You don't read the forum that much

 

[OrganizedChaos]

Not a truck driver but i don't care in the slightest when people tailgate me.

Op should bolt a bigass electromagnet to his front bumper.

 

[Turin39789]

Yea, what everybody else has said, and look forward to catching a shredded tire if they blow one.


If you're going to do it at least get a cb radio and tell them you're the bandit and you want to sit in their wind tunnel for 3 minutes.

 

[Exterous]

I've got another question for truckers:

When you get over and the brake lights flash twice is that like a thank you? I usually see that happen when trucks pass other trucks or when I let a semi over into the other lane near on-ramps

 

[Allanv]

Originally posted by: Exterous
I've got another question for truckers:

When you get over and the brake lights flash twice is that like a thank you? I usually see that happen when trucks pass other trucks or when I let a semi over into the other lane near on-ramps

Yes its a Thank you

 

[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.

 

[Blieb]

You need a CB radio. Get permission.

Otherwise you're gonna get your ass beat on the side of the road.

 

[AlienCraft]

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.

There is no "free lunch" in physics.
OP, your desire to save gas does not relieve you of your obligation to obey the traffic laws.
Grow up a little more, you're being childish.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: fatpat268

Originally posted by: compman25
I stopped driving this last June, I hated when 4 wheelers would do that, mainly because we can't see where you are or what you are doing. And, even if you rear end the truck, the wreck can go on his dac record and screw him. And as for trucks tailgating each other, we can be in direct contact with each other, usually you get a loud "brake check" over the radio. In a car you can see out your rear view mirror, trucks don't have rear view mirrors, so that also makes us a little nervous---was that a cop behind me I can't see or just a black car?

I asked my dad about this, who is an OTR driver, and he gave me almost the exact response.

Common sense. Think about it, if you're driving a huge rig, you want to make sure where everything is on the road. Truck drivers get blamed for just about everything if an accident occurs that involves a truck... so naturally many truck drivers don't like it when they can't see what you're doing.

Not to mention the fact that you'd have to be following dangerously close for it to benefit your fuel economy.

Eli, do you like it when vehicles tailgate you?

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

as someone else said, if that truck has to lock up his brakes due to an accident or deer strike or the like, you will die. Your reaction time will be the difference. You'd be surprised how fast a semi CAN stop when it has to.

 

[Bootprint]

Don't forget trucks don't need to use the brakes to slow down, they can slow down pretty quickly with engine/jake braking and with that you won't see nice tail lights.

Also do you want to be that close to a trail when a retread tire comes apart.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: Eli
Do you guys generally not like it when cars drift behind you, or what?

if i were a trucker i sure wouldn't want someone sideways behind me.

 

[OdiN]

We can only hope that his car gets rammed underneath a truck and we don't have to read his posts anymore.

 

[compman25]

Originally posted by: Eli

Originally posted by: BoomerD
I gotta hope you're drafting one of these truckers and a cop catches you at it...then you can compare the gas savings to the fine.

I'll let you know the moment I get pulled over for it. lol

Since you're in Oregon don't come to WA. They now have signs up just for that, giving trucks space and that they'll ticket you for not giving them space, front or rear.

Also, since I'm really only on the highway at night, they DO know that I'm there because they can see the sidecast from my headlights.

If we can't see you in the mirrors, we can't see the "sidecast" from your lights. You don't have 1,000,000 candle power lights. They aren't that bright.

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?

And in a truck those MPG's goals are down to the hundreths. Companies take mpg seriously, a fleet of trucks getting 6.50mpg is alot cheaper to operate than a fleet getting 6.00 mpg. Here in WA I never averaged over 4.5mpg, going from Spokane to Seattle every night hauling 105,000lbs with a piss ant 300hp engine. Hitting mpg goals takes work.

 

[Eli]

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.

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.

Guys, look, I'm not stupid. It's not like I'm following 3 feet behind the trailer or anything crazy like that. I think you've got the wrong impression.

It was actually just a simple question, I didn't know what they thought about the practice.

And jagec's explanation makes sense, I wasn't thinking about it like that before. It would indeed be more stressful.

Remember my intent on starting this thread: My goal isn't to piss anyone off. I had never encountered problems in the past, so I was merely curious.

I'm aware of stopping distance, reaction time, etc... lol.

If they don't like it, I will back off. Like I said, not out to make anyone upset., which is why I asked.

Edit: I would also like to add that I'm extremely courteous to truckers in general, disregarding my little bit of experimentation here. I always get out of the way when they're merging, and I never cut them off. I know this pisses them off to no end. I always make sure there is plenty of room when I switch back to the truck's lane.

 

[teknoid]

If you're asking if I have "scientific data" to support the fact that a truck uses more fuel with a car drafting then no I don't.

I did however get pretty good grades in physics and I can say with a high degree of certainty that it takes more fuel to move 84,000 lbs (80,000 lb truck / trailer + 4,000 lb car) down the road than it does to move the truck alone. Like was said earlier "there is no free lunch". Would it be a dramatic difference? Not likely. But when you consider that we track MPG down to 3 decimal places (X.XXX) with the threshold of getting bonus or not at 6.000 MPG (or better) then it wouldn't take much to cost a driver a BUNCH of $$$.

I don't know about you but I get pretty pissy when I feel like someone is taking money out of my pocket. The difference in dollars to the driver between making bonus or not is $6400.00 per month (gross) versus $5120.00 per month. If I thought your actions could cost me $1280 I wouldn't be too happy with you.

Of course it been a whole lot of years since I sat in a physics lab so perhaps the basic laws of physics have changed since then.