How Often: Do You Draft

"BJL" (simplifyandaddlightness) 08/22/2013 at 10:00 • Filed to: How Often

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For good gas mileage, you are supposed to draft. Mythbusters did a test on it a while ago, and the results were pretty good. However, as a truck goes up a hill, it is unlikely that you are willing to wait, or if the savings is truly worth it. So you ever draft?

I try to, but do not go out of my way to do so. I don't ride on the bumper either; I just stay about 100 ft behind, using the 2 second rule. I think it gives me about 2 extra mpgs, and I can feel the difference. What about you?

moarpowerr > BJL 08/22/2013 at 10:02

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No I usally don't because trucks usually kick up rocks and pebbles that hit my windshield. I am not willing to risk having it crack so I can get some better gas mileage

PelicanHazard > BJL 08/22/2013 at 10:03

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I'm a drafter of convenience. If I'm behind a truck and our speeds are amenable, I'll draft. Otherwise I'm slicing the air solo.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > BJL 08/22/2013 at 10:10

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You only get the benefit of the draft when you're right on the car (or truck) in front of you.

Honestly, it's unsafe, and personally I want to be in a position to see as far down the road I'm on as possible, with as much open road around me as possible.

Z_Stig > BJL 08/22/2013 at 10:10

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It doesn't save much honestly. Since a truck is already going slower than the flow of traffic, say 55 MPH, any MPG gains are due to you driving slower.

Also, when behind a tractor-trailer, you can't see what's happening up ahead.

Takuro Spirit > BJL 08/22/2013 at 10:14

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Don't listen to these other guys, it works. I drove to a concert far away one night, doing 70 the whole way and averaged 28MPG in my Subaru. On the return trip, there was a semi doing 70 the whole way, and I averaged 32MPG. It works.

However, if the semi's speed is too slow or inconsistent, or there's heavy traffic, I won't draft.

dinobot666 > BJL 08/22/2013 at 10:15

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If you've ever spent time behind the wheel of a rig, you'd know firsthand how nerve wracking this is for the driver. PLEASE STOP DOING THIS!!

NOT EVER AGAIN.

I cannot stress this enough. Please, please, pretty please stop.

duurtlang > BJL 08/22/2013 at 10:19

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No. Heavy trucks are physically restricted to 80 or 90 km/h in Europe. I don't want to go that slow on a highway.

PowderHound > BJL 08/22/2013 at 10:22

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I hate trucks and try to stay away from them as much as possible. Actually, I hate other cars on the road and prefer to be as far away from them as I can.

Chteelers > BJL 08/22/2013 at 10:44

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I once went on an all-night trip from NJ to Detroit for the FSAE competition. I rode along with a guy driving some beater compact pickup, and he proceeded to do all the following things at various points:

1) Drive over 120 mph for sustained periods

2) Drive without headlights in the dark until we came upon a slower driver in the fast lane. Then, just as we approached the car, he'd suddenly turn the high-beams on. This sufficiently startled the cars, and they would immediately move over.

3) Draft maybe 2-3 feet behind 18-wheelers, at freeways speeds. This was close enough that he could actually remove his foot from the accelerator completely and we wouldn't slow down. We would coast for a while being sucked along by the trailer. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't experienced it.

I of course don't recommend any of that, and am fortunate to have survived the trip. Not sure whatever happened to him, but very much doubt he had a promising future of motoring.

davedave1111 > BJL 08/22/2013 at 10:56

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Never, ever draft trucks on open roads. In almost all cases, the turbulent air behind a truck doesn't extend nearly far enough for you to get a benefit and also be a safe distance back. You need to be within a car length or so of the back of the truck to see any real gain.

Your best bet for drafting trucks (unless you're going to sit on the bumper, which is crazy) is actually to be in the next lane over and just behind. But don't do it, because that's usually in their blind spot.

As far as fuel saving on a highway run goes, just pump your tyres up a couple of PSI. It's a better trade-off of safety for economy as long as you're not driving hard anyway, and you'll save a similar amount of fuel.

pdx107 > Z_Stig 08/22/2013 at 10:58

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Except in Oregon where rural speed limits are at 55mph so it isn't quite as bad

thebigbossyboss > Chteelers 08/22/2013 at 11:05

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Good god!! "Drive without headlights in the dark until he approaches a car in the fast lane." Here in Canada, even on freeways there are no lights outside of populated places and or exits, so if you drove 120 mph in the pitch black, how could you see? TThat's terrifying.

ddavidn > BJL 08/22/2013 at 11:34

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No no no no... never.

Also, that Mythbusters episode only proved that you can get a little bit better mileage if you are like a foot behind the truck, IIRC. You should give trucks room. They need space, in front and behind.

liquid_popcorn > PowderHound 08/22/2013 at 11:46

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This. All I want is open road.

HammerheadFistpunch > BJL 08/22/2013 at 12:44

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you are never supposed to draft, the mythbusters pointed out that to get any real benefit you have to throw safe following distances COMPLETELY out the window. Not worth it.

delete-me-please123 > BJL 08/22/2013 at 13:12

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F-MPGs

Dusty Ventures > BJL 08/22/2013 at 13:52

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I draft sometimes while towing one of the race cars cross-country, but only through the plains states or at night, when I can count the number of cars on the road on one hand. I've seen improvements of as much as 20% (a big deal when your mileage is that bad) and despite what a lot have said here it doesn't require getting within a car length (in fact on the Mythbusters episode their economy improved by 10% at 100 feet, which was their starting distance). And in fairness, I have a CB half the time and when I choose a truck I spend the first ten minutes or so slightly out of line, sitting in his mirror so he knows I'm following him. I've also had trucks draft me, and a lot of times when I or my dance partner exit the highway a friendly flashing of lights or beep of the horn is exchanged (there tends to be a mutual respect amongst vehicles towing trailers, so long as both are respectful and competent).

I actually have a pretty cool truck drafting story. I'm eastbound on I-80 in Utah at about 1 AM towing the desert truck and I find a FedEx Custom Critical truck that's doing my desired speed (75). I tuck in behind him and for 100 miles we just fly. We come up on Tooele and I'm out of gas, so I decide to exit. So does he. He goes to one station, I go to another, we honk a friendly goodbye. After I fuel up I get back on the highway, but the fastest truck I can find is doing 68. Whatever. I get behind it and follow that one for 20 minutes, then I see a truck coming up in my mirror, moving at a pretty good pace. Suddenly it starts flashing its high beams like mad. He passes me and its the same FedEx truck from before. He actually slows down, waits for me to drop in behind him again, and we go at it, ruling the road together until the east side of Salt Lake when I finally lost him on the hillclimb. But it made my night.

Dusty Ventures > ddavidn 08/22/2013 at 13:54

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Actually they got a 10% improvement at 100 feet

ddavidn > Dusty Ventures 08/22/2013 at 13:55

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Apparently I need to re-watch that episode. I swear they concluded differently. 100ft is a good following distance.

Dusty Ventures > ddavidn 08/22/2013 at 14:15

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Allow me to assist

Chteelers > thebigbossyboss 08/22/2013 at 14:20

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Exactly. This was the middle of PA, so quite dark. Although, you'd be surprised how much you can actually see with ext / int lights both off, and just using moon and other drivers headlights. But yeah, it was super dumb. He just laughed every time he basically appeared out of nowhere with bright lights behind a driver.

thebigbossyboss > moarpowerr 08/22/2013 at 14:26

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My former roommates brother was killed by a rock from a dump truck he was following (not drafting, at least I dont think) that went through his windshield.

Thunder > BJL 08/23/2013 at 14:19

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Extremely often.

GreenN_Gold > Chteelers 08/23/2013 at 14:21

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This is also highly inadvisable, but I had a buddy shut off his headlights when we cruising on a pitch black highway out in the middle of nowhere. He only turned them off for a couple seconds, and that was terrifying enough for me.

Silvermannn > Dusty Ventures 08/25/2013 at 14:21

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It's the little things like this that can really make someones day.