Tailgating

Recoup · Guru

Tailgating

the rocket · Guru

Wow. that is really interesting. i will check this next time we hook up the van.

Duh · Guru

Sounds odd, I wonder if their onboard computers are more powerful than yours and overiding the readings, giving theirs instead of yours when they are in range? confuse

Recoup · Guru

Duh ,I see what you mean , but it happened also when vans like the Ford transit or simular went past, but then the gauge did not get so high, maybe 12 to 15 ltr ,can't remember.

Hans

03_troopy · Guru

Yes it does happen. The following vehicle tends to get sucked along by the vortex of the vehicle in front, causing more load on the leading vehicle. The same reason why you use less fuel when you are tailgating another vehicle. Race drivers use it to their advantage when they tuck in behind a leading vehicle and just sit there cruising while the car in front does more work to maintain his speed, causing his vehicle to work harder, and use more fuel.

Sheba · Guru

Don't know about the rest of it, but to save a quarter of a tank of fuel, you need to drive at 90kph, instead of 100kph. This is based on RACQ findings. I have proved that to be correct. Don't know if you'd save much doing 95.

Cheers,

Sheba.

justcruisin01 · Guru

03_troopy wrote:
Yes it does happen. The following vehicle tends to get sucked along by the vortex of the vehicle in front, causing more load on the leading vehicle. The same reason why you use less fuel when you are tailgating another vehicle. Race drivers use it to their advantage when they tuck in behind a leading vehicle and just sit there cruising while the car in front does more work to maintain his speed, causing his vehicle to work harder, and use more fuel.

Exactly, & if they sit in just the right spot for a while they will slow you down due to the drag, then blame you for slowing down.

dazren · Guru

Sheba wrote,

Don't know about the rest of it, but to save a quarter of a tank of fuel, you need to drive at 90kph, instead of 100kph. This is based on RACQ findings. I have proved that to be correct. Don't know if you'd save much doing 95.

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True ?? In some cases ! But cannot be taken as a hard and fast rule for all vehicles ?? it all comes down to that magic word '' torque'' and also Gearing on the vehicle, at 90 K some vehicles could be very happy, at that and be revving freely,, other vehicles would be Lugging badly at 90 k especially when towing, and nothing sucks the juice as bad as a Lugging engine ! not to mention the engine damage it can cause ??

Most vehicles If Not Towing ?? would be fine at 90 k and be very economical, But if towing ?? the whole scenario changes, from vehicle to vehicle

Sheba · Guru

Sorry Dazren. I forgot to say that was Non-towing. Probably not very relevant here.

Cheers,

Sheba.

dazren · Guru

smile No need to say sorry Sheba, your post was correct, smile I also read the racv report and my only concern is that they were to ''generalised'' in the explanation, but if NOT towing, the idea is fine ?? Less speed = less throttle= less fuel smile

Delta18 · Guru

It is well known that tailgating saves fuel for the rear vehicle as the front one is in effect, towing the rear vehicle. This is why trucks on long hauls do it. The theory is the same for sports, in competition cycling a bunch of riders will form behing one or two so they do the job of punching a 'hole in the air' to give those behind an easier run.

Physics tell us though that there is 'nothing for nothing' so those front riders tire quickly and are replaced by new front runners.

Back to vehicles, the rear vehicle is getting a 'tow' the front one (in your case, you) is doing the towing thus more fuel used.

Duh · Guru

Wow, I knew those tailgating could save fuel by travelling in the vacuum behind another vehicle (less wind resistance) but never realised it was at the expense of the lead vehicle who was in effect "towing" it............learn something every day!

Sheba · Guru

Duh wrote:
Wow, I knew those tailgating could save fuel by travelling in the vacuum behind another vehicle (less wind resistance) but never realised it was at the expense of the lead vehicle who was in effect "towing" it............learn something every day!

Same here Vic.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

I often feel intimidated in my little car when tailgated by much larger vehicles... maybe they think a Mazda 2 will give them some fuel savings? I used to think the drivers were just bullies!

03_troopy · Guru

Some migrating birds use the same theory when travelling. Ever wondered why they travel in V formation? I find the best way to stop tailgaiters is to sit on a ton thutty... and if they persist, slow down, let them pass and drop a solid steel bullbar on their klakka and see how they like it. Hmmm i think the birds do something like that too.. except they spell it cloaca....

Recoup · Guru

So what do you do when somebody is tailgating , sucking your fuel out of your tank? Hand full of gravell? confuse

Hans

Duh · Guru

Someone told me that if in daylight, to turn your park lights on and off a couple of times, they think you are hitting your brakes and back off.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

cops in WA are on the lookout for tailgaters for the next few weeks so be on the lookout if you are a tailgater.

Duh · Guru

A cop actually told me about using your parkers as in my previous post, but said don't touch your brakes, just keep at the speed you are travelling.

Beth54 · Guru

Putting on the hazard lights is another good deterrent.

rmoor · Senior Member

I was heavily tailgated today by a white van belonging to a "car repair" company called Schmick.
One of the worst I have copped so I emailed the company tonight, be interesting what sort of a response one gets - if any?
It is just me being a cranky old fogey or is tailgating getting worse?
Not so long ago I posted on here about coming home on the Tuggeranong Parkway and when we hit the two chevrons distance at 100 KM p/hr warnings , I was the only one observing the "warning", and I thought Canberra people were supposed to be intelligent?

Today I didn't have the van on, just the ute, moseing along at the speed limit, 100KM's....

Some extracts from my email spray to the company :

" It may well be prudent for your company to increase your motor vehicle insurance policies, or, do away with them completely based on the performance of one of your drivers today.
I doubt that any motor vehicle insurer would be likely to honour a claim for one of your drivers I encountered today.
Around 4 p.m. Friday evening 8/12/2023 I was severely tailgated by one of your vehicles for around 8 to 10 KM from Orange NSW at the speed limit of 100 KM per hour.

A white van bearing your company logo, ILN 8MV sat at best two car lengths off my vehicle tailgate and at times to within one car length on more than one occasion.

had to slow down in the left lane of a passing lane to about 70 to 80 Kms to get rid of your idiot. As you would know in your line of work, tailgating at Roo oclock in regional areas is effectively suicidal.

After getting rid of your employee the white van then sped up to speeds of around 115 KM in a 100 Km zone and shot off into the distance. I normally dont get this keyed up with tailgaters, this effort today was possibly the worst I have ever encountered in 49 years of driving.

You may also have to ramp up your workers compensation insurance policies, as I think this employee is simply an accident waiting to happen

It is also a VERY bad look for your company and a very bad advertisement for your firm, particularly in these days of social media.
You need to counsel your drivers to act in a lawful and sensible manner in future.
There was also a passenger in the vehicle, I trust at least one of them will give your boss a truthful account? "

I know I am turning into an old fogey, but seriously, why should we have to suffer these young fools on our roads?????
The one that really gets on my goat is the one that sets themselves on your butt, then just sits there, an overtaking situation presents itself and they still sit there???? Got me???
Why cannot they sit back 200 metres if they have no intention of passing you when you are slap bang on the speed limit.

I DO have an answer, they have $&!% for brains.

Bicyclecamper · Guru

Sheba wrote:
Don't know about the rest of it, but to save a quarter of a tank of fuel, you need to drive at 90kph, instead of 100kph. This is based on RACQ findings. I have proved that to be correct. Don't know if you'd save much doing 95.
Cheers,
Sheba.

Those findings must be correct. If I do 100kmphr, on my 411cc bike, I only get 395km to the 15lt tank. If I do 90kmphr, I get 453km to the tank, another reason why I mainly only do 90kmphr. Currently only paying a $1.69 a lt so it's a bit cheaper again at the moment.

Izabarack · Guru

Sheba wrote:
Don't know about the rest of it, but to save a quarter of a tank of fuel, you need to drive at 90kph, instead of 100kph.

Dont forget to consider the head winds in choosing what speed to maintain on the vehicle speedo. Have helped out a couple of rigid thinking Land Cruiser drivers towing big vans at their OCD mandated 120Kph into a 25 Knot headwind on the Barkly.

Mein · Senior Member

" ... to save a quarter of a tank of fuel (i.e. 15 litres), you need to drive at 90kph, instead of 100kph. This is based on RACQ findings." versus the actual information stated on RACQ's website of 4.6% / .51 litres per 100 km fuel saving for doing a range of fuel saving techniques.

The nonsense people post on this forum!

msg · Guru

Mean, I wonder if you noticed that those posts were 2013 . RACQ may have revised their numbers over the last TEN years.

Hitting the road · Senior Member

It is not uncommon...drivers tailgating on country roads to "save" fuel. Used to do it ourselves when younger on a longer trip when in more than one car. The "loss" of the lead vehicle was never a big deal, but the "tow" for the 2nd was advantageous.
Years ago when I was trucking, there was a company based in SA running across the Nullabor, their drivers would often run up behind their mate in the truck in front, sitting no more than a couple of metres off the lead vehicle...up to three of them would be doing it.

Asked the question if the leader had to brake hard for some reason, then they would likely run in to them as they would have no time to stop...the response was that being so close the impact would be pretty minor anyway...

But, when it comes to furl consumption, if one is really really deadly serious...pump the tyres up, and run the skinniest tallest highway tyres you possibly can. Wind all windows up, turn off the air conditioning...do not fit a roof rack, bull bar or any other items that can cause drag...fold the mirrors in too. Fit a vacuum gauge if a petrol engine and find the speed / engine revs with the lowest vaccum reading.
Or...just drive to conditions...lol

peter67 · Guru

Or just go like the clappers and have some fun instead of being tight fisted and miserable.

yobarr · Guru

peter67 wrote:
Or just go like the clappers and have some fun instead of being tight fisted and miserable.

Agreed. If you can't afford the fuel, you can't afford the car.

For those of us who don't give a stuff about fuel costs, much humour is created by those who bleat and moan about fuel costs, among myriad other trivialities.

Life's too short to worry about such things. As my Mother used to say:-

"Live for today, and live in Clover,

'Cos when you're dead, you're dead all over" R.I.P Mum.

-- Edited by yobarr on Sunday 10th of December 2023 11:34:35 AM

BAZZA44 · Senior Member

Hitting the road wrote:
It is not uncommon...drivers tailgating on country roads to "save" fuel. Used to do it ourselves when younger on a longer trip when in more than one car. The "loss" of the lead vehicle was never a big deal, but the "tow" for the 2nd was advantageous.
Years ago when I was trucking, there was a company based in SA running across the Nullabor, their drivers would often run up behind their mate in the truck in front, sitting no more than a couple of metres off the lead vehicle...up to three of them would be doing it.

Asked the question if the leader had to brake hard for some reason, then they would likely run in to them as they would have no time to stop...the response was that being so close the impact would be pretty minor anyway...

Back in the late 1970's early 80's Ipec trucks on the Hume Hwy would follow the leader like that, front truck had headlights on and others behind just parkers. Could be 3 to 5 trucks travelling like this. One night the first truck ran off the road and the others just followed him, They lost a few trucks that night.

Barry

yobarr · Guru

BAZZA44 wrote:
It is not uncommon...drivers tailgating on country roads to "save" fuel. Used to do it ourselves when younger
Back in the late 1970's early 80's Ipec trucks on the Hume Hwy would follow the leader like that, front truck had headlights on and others behind just parkers. Could be 3 to 5 trucks travelling like this. One night the first truck ran off the road and the others just followed him, They lost a few trucks that night.
Barry
Similar situation occurred at Coopernook about 20 years ago when 4 B-Doubles from same company were involved in domino effect when front truck braked and the others were too close for drivers to react! Cheers