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enord
Lv 5
enord asked in SportsAuto RacingNASCAR · 1 decade ago

Tailgating big trucks 4 energy conservation?

seems that 18 wheeler in front cant stop fast enough to make me crash into it so why cant i tailgate it closer so to save gas?

16 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    No, we may not be able to out stop you empty, but we definately CAN loaded. Why? More brakes, with more pressure on the tires pressing down on the pavement. What's that mean? That means our brakes will not lock up when we're loaded, and we will stop quicker than a car that locks it's brakes up.

    BTW, if you ever decide to do it to me, LMK and I'll let you find out what aluminum tastes like. Then, you can buy me another brand new $60,000 Hopper bottom trailer, and pay the $60-70,000 damage to the truck from the trailer getting slammed into the back of the cab.

    Oh...one other thing....you do know that the trailer lights are operated through a TEMPORARY connection, that has been known to fall out of the socket from time to time? What do you do when the truck in front of you sees something down the road, and slams on the brakes, after the plug has fallen out of the socket? That's right, you find out what aluminum and plastic tastes like.

    In short, DON'T DO IT. IT'S NOT WORTH YOUR LIFE, and it's not worth my time stopping to fill out the paperwork on why some ___________ decided to try drafting.

  • Ezz
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    Yea like everyone said it was done on Mythbusters, and the only reason I declined any was that Grant was playing with the throttle 2 ft away from the truck but still was saving quite a bit of gas doing it. The reason why its dangerous is that even though your car can probably stop much faster then that, the reaction time you have immediatley drops so if for that one split second you look off to left or right that truck might already be jumping on the brakes you dont dont have time to realize it.

  • 1 decade ago

    Drafting is great for the race track but I prefer to stay far enough away from the trucks on the highway so I know I can stop if something happens. I have seen the temporary connections fall apart since my dad drove truck for a few years. I would rather get a couple less MPG than to be dead if there was an accident.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Yep it's called "drafting" I'm all for it!

    Here's proof it works

    Drafting behind a big rig will improve your car’s fuel efficiency.

    confirmed

    To test this myth, the build team procured a car, a big rig, and a device that could measure a car’s fuel efficiency. They then drove the car behind a moving big rig at various distances ranging from 100 to 2 feet and measured the amount of fuel the car consumed. The Build Team discovered that the closer the car was to the big rig, the less drag is produced, thus the more fuel saved. At just ten feet, the car managed to increase its fuel efficiency by 40%. Drafting at two feet was slightly lower than the ten foot distance, mainly because Grant had to keep working the car pedal to maintain distance from the truck. However, that did not dispute the fact that drafting actually can increase your car’s fuel efficiency.

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  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    Ok my thinking: The 18-wheeler in front can't stop fast enough indeed. But if the 18-wheeler hits another car/18-wheeler(accident scenario)and stops right away, the 18-wheeler behind you won't stop fast enough...You'll end up looking like Megatron's favorite sandwich...flat and full of metal. Doesn't that give you the feeling you should give up trying to end up 6 feet under in a wooden/tin box? seriously, give up. There's more to life than chasing the Grim Reaper. |V| @ [) |\| E $ $ doesn't mix well with driving.

  • DEE W
    Lv 7
    7 years ago

    Whatever gas savings will be used up in your funeral procession.

  • 1 decade ago

    Yeah, thats true and since they put out a draft, just get behind them and let it pull you down the Interstate.

    Saving gas Rules!!

  • 1 decade ago

    Go right ahead,but a better position is between two truckers,called the rocking chair.Hides you from those pesky Highway Patrol guys.

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    6 years ago

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  • 1 decade ago

    Because when you are on the cell phone and putting you're makeup on while reading the newspaper, you're reaction time would be slowed and you would be eating the "HOWS MY DRIVING" sticker.

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