When I draft a semi with a 40 foot box at '1 semi with a 40 foot box ' back, I STILL get huge increases in mileage, AND he can see me in his mirrors, and likely, I am not going to hit him, or run over the deer carcass that comes swirling out from under the truck.

I find that truckers who are bothered by this let me know, and I either back off, or go around...

MM

 

I agree that the title was an exageration. I am guilty of the occasional hyperbole (gross exageration for the sake of effect) . I think the ensuing discussion was more balanced though (you might not agree).

If you don't practice what is being discussed as controversial (from a safety standpoint), then great. You were not the subject of the article, and if you don't practice these methods then you should not be offended. You might not agree with some, but it was not personal.

On another note, I don't get why Gary is turning it into a pissing match between him and John regarding Wayne's opinion of their respective hypermiling technique. Nothing to do with the topic at hand.

Maybe you are right and it has gotten too hot. Steel can only harden once it cools.

Cheers

 

Exactly. There are many ways to draft that are safe. Just because Wayne chooses the less safe way people come down on him. But if someone said they drove 80 on the highway there would be praise comming from a bunch of people posting on this thread.

Everything is too dangerous when it isn't something you aren't comfortable with, but when you are comfortable going 80MPH you don't think it is dangerous. I say anyone speeding on the highway is at as much if not more risk than Wayne puts himeself in.

I don't hear of too many accidents happening because someone is driving slow. It is almost always someone going too fast hitting something or someone, or someone that is distracted.

Next time you answer your phone or change your radio station while driving think to yourself "I'm driving more dangerously than Wayne." Because you are. He is VERY focused when he drives. He knows everything going on around him and takes more caution when driving than most of us. Even in a close draft he will probably notice any debris or brake lights long before you do traveling 10 car lengths away.

I think speeders and distracted drivers should be banned from the road. A highway full of people inspired by Wayne Gerdes would be a much safer highway.


Here are the glossary items we have on drafting. Note that there are more than one way to draft as mentioned earlier in this thread.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/gloss...earchoptions=3

When people do drastic things to get better mileage you can bet they are very focused on the act of driving. So more Wayne Gerdes and less Speeders.

 

I don't care how focused he is, if the truck blows a tire or slams on his brakes, Wayne is going to hit him before he even has time to hit the brake, let alone if the truck starts throwing back rocks or carcasses.

 

Let me know if you guys are going to start making out so I can go to the bathroom or something.

<kidding>

 

Dennis (who wrote the article in question) should have interviewed the people in this thread as they seem to know more about what Wayne is doing than Wayne himself. We are relentlessly being told he is constantly drafting on the freeway under all circumstances. It's insinuated he pulses and glides on the freeway or other road in heavy traffic with a 20mph or greater differential...it's amazing what people from afar "know" about stuff.

 

You can insinuate whatever you want. Look at the picture. That is too close to be able to react. Sure he can stop before the truck can but you have to factor in reaction time.

 

At least we know he won't be running into the arms of Wayne Gerdes anytime soon!

Too funny guy.

GaryG

 

Sure, sounds like fun. But if we end up in the same car I'm rolling down a window!

Details will be posted here somewhere?

 

It is my opinion that draft was to close also, and I think Wayne was under pressure by the situation he was in (running late with his group). That's no excuse, but I think he said he wish he had let the other cars go ahead and left him behind. However, those that have seen him in action, know he is like a race car driver that expect bad things to go wrong ever second while he is driving under those conditions. Most accidents happen when people don't expect one.

If you look close at the picture, it appears he was in a position that the truck driver couldn't see him drafting and therefore shake him off. Look how centered he was so he could not be seen in either of the truckers mirrors.

When Wayne was driving my FEH on the highway and drafted, he was nowhere near that close to a trucker at anytime. In the article, the writer commended that a SUV cut between Wayne and his draft target. The SUV driver thought there was enough room, so Wayne must have been in a much safer distance than the photo. People draft all the time and don't know it. Most people that leave enough room for someone to cut between them get tired and close the gap most of the time. That's how people drive normal, so why make a big deal when people use it to save gas.

There is a good distance and compromised that I use to not **** off the truckers, but will still yield excellent mileage at a safe distance IMO. Its been a long time that a trucker has express anger of me drafting, but it use to happen I admit.

Those that are expressing the BIG DANGER here must not drive the highway during rush hour because everone is tailgating, but that's not dangerous drafting according to some here.

GaryG