Drafting? Yay or Nay

That might even be the case. I've been fortunate enough to not ever have needed to find out just how fast I can stop loaded, at least on dry pavement. I try to drive so that I don't have to find out. In icy conditions, there's no doubt the loaded truck can stop faster.

I had a good brake check the other day while running empty, 4 wheeler ran a stop sign in order to get in front of me on the highway and misjudged my distance from the corner. Had there been somebody on my tail, I don't think it would have turned out well for them.

I think reaction time is the thing to remember for anybody drafting. If everybody had an instantaneous reaction time, drafting would probably be perfectly safe. I think most people just count on their brakes to stop them and forget that it takes 3/4 of a second to even get your foot on the pedal. At highway speeds, you travel a long way in 3/4 of a second, and if the vehicle in front has already slowed by 20mph before the driver in behind even has their foot on the pedal, if they're close enough to be drafting, they probably won't be able to stop in time. Which is too bad for them, but in doing so, they are causing me a huge inconvenience that I would rather do without.

 

simply insane, of coarse that gods way to rid us of morons

 

correct me if I am wrong, but "Drafting a truck," is referencing to the now more than common act, of a four wheeler (car, van, pickup truck, or suv) riding my ###, because the air barrier my truck creates will save you on fuel?
This is not just annoying, but a fatal practice! You do realize, that if your riding up the crack of someones trailer, they may not be able to see you..... and if they have to stop suddenly, or even slow down just a tad, because of a road hazard, you DO NOT HAVE THE STOPPING DISTANCE TO STOP SAFELY. and next thing you know your wedged under the Dot bumper, with your blood, guts, and limbs, smeared all over the back of someones trailer. Think before you act. Learn to drive more safely.
Look up "The smith system of driving." Learn it, practice it religiously, or else you're just going to wind up a statistic.

 

Oh, I was just draftin' a big truck, tryin' to say fuel and I think I pissed him off or somethin' ...... DDDDUUUUUUUHHHH!!!!! Let's see now..... how much fuel did you save? Oh I'm sure it was at least 3 cents worth over about a 10 or 15 mile ride. And for that you want to endanger your life and mine? Yeah, Life is a video game!!!!! When you crash, you just hit the d*mn restart button and start over. What is it with these freakin' morons and their thinking today, or should I say the lack of thinking. And no, Truckers don't mind if you draft them, just as long as your next of kin wipes your blood and guts off of the back bumper, when EMS peels your *ss off of it.

 

Don't you realize the closer a car rides to your DOT bumper the softer the hit will be if you hit your brakes? He will only be going a mph or two faster than you if you suddenly hit the brakes. The harder collision would be if he was following you at a greater distance and you had time to slow down 20 or 30 miles an hour before he ran onto you. So follow close and live!

 

Ummm... if the other driver follows at a further distance, they'll be able to stop and won't hit you at all.

So follow close and risk death, follow safely and live!

 

Be safe folks!

Before you consider drafting, check with the Big truck driver to see if he has his doubles/triples endorsement first.
If he DOES, ---- hook a tow-bar to his ICC bumper on the trailer.
Much safer that way.

Of course, y'all should expect to pay the goin' freight rate per mile. So, keep track of your odometer.
Bummers when you're over-charged for the trip.