To draft or slow down?

[R.I.D.E.]

I have moved over when the vehicle behind me got too close for comfort, especially if it has no effect on the overall traffic flow. This is rare around here. Generally my driving habits are constantly adjusted for the situation, with my basic premise being to have the least effect on other drivers unless they are totally inconsiderate. A good example is the space case tailgater, they dont know how to drive, just how to follow someone too closely to be safe, even on an empty road. They get the pulse and glide treatment.

regards
gary

[Hateful]

dodging traffic in reverse doesn't make sense to me; maybe for a tractor-trailer when there are No Truck lanes to the left.One problem I see is that when you start to move over into the left lane to let them by, the tailgater suddenly decides to pass with foot to the floor and hit you anyway. A safe driver is one that drives in a predictable manner. Going the speed limit or less in the right lane is what most people expect. The tailgater has two choices; slow down or pass. If neither of these is good enough,too bad.I'm sure everyone has heard complaints about slow drivers in the "fast lane".This works both ways.

[monroe74]

"dodging traffic in reverse doesn't make sense to me"

I only did it (let trucks pass me on the right) because of the very unusual circumstances (miles of visibility, no one else around). Normally I wouldn't do it.

And when cars came along (on the same road, in the same circumstance), I made them pass me on the left. It just seemed to make sense to do it this way (that I would move over for trucks but not for cars), for fairly obvious reasons.

If I'm on a road with only one lane in each direction, sometimes I'll move over to the shoulder to let someone pass me.

[rgathright]

Ok, please understand driving in reverse is rare for me as well. I only do it to avoid accelerating to 75MPH in my Jeep.

It doesn't make sense because the rude, tailgating drivers are likely "smarter" where you live. Your average speeder may know to stay in the left lane and fly by traffic. I live in Louisiana and drive through places like Vinton, LA; Vidor, TX and Beaumont, TX to get to Houston, TX. The "I rule the road" mentality is as strong as the moonshine sold at the local drive thrus down here.

[racertim]

I think I am going to declare drafting as the winner here. It seems a lot of people have the same problem of other people driving like idiots. Also, it seems as if there is more MPG to be had by smart drafting than slowing down.

Thanks for all the help thus far everyone, please keep your opinions on drafting vs slowing down coming.

[diver1972]

Originally Posted by monroe74

A few times I did something very unorthodox: I moved to the left lane to let a truck pass me on the right.

What's the benefit of this to you? What's the benefit of this to the truck driver?

[diver1972]

Originally Posted by racertim

Many times I see trucks coming up behind me at around 70-72mph and when there is a car in the middle lane, I see them get very close to me and have to use their brakes. I know they don't like this and it sure makes me nervous every time I see this in my mirror.

This happens to me quite regularly these days, but I don't care about it at all. I don't care if the other driver (i.e. truck driver or Joe Schmo) is "inconvenienced" by me abiding by the rules of the road. I don't care if they are less fuel-efficient and/or it adds 12 more seconds to their trip time by having to slow down and go around me. It's their problem, not mine. Perhaps they'll eventually learn to plan ahead and improve their driving skills.

Originally Posted by racertim

However, after putting gas in my car today, it was hard to argue with a 23% increase in fuel economy.

[diver1972]

Originally Posted by theholycow

This reminds me of a rant I have: Around here, if you're going slow in one lane (say, for example, the right lane) and there's nobody in the other lane, and a car comes up behind you going faster, they'll get right up close and then brake hard and tailgate forever. Why are people afraid to change lanes?

Yeah, I don't understand this at all! I assume that they're not really paying attention to their speed and they just accelerate until something gets in their way and then they just follow it. It's like they're just mindlessly driving. Scary. But they don't really bother me too much. I just ignore them for the most part.

Originally Posted by theholycow

Anyway, forcing those trucks to brake, besides being scary, wastes a lot more of their fuel than it saves of yours, if you're concerned about that sort of thing.

Not scary. They're "professional" drivers. Most have been very well-trained to avoid accidents. As a group, even with their extra mass, they're considerably more apt and able to avoid accidents than the average non-commercial driver. They have much more to lose (e.g. job, very expensive rig, trailer, and cargo) by causing, or simply being involved in, an accident than the average non-commercial driver.

[diver1972]

Originally Posted by 8307c4

For one it's a pain to switch lanes in a big rig.

A pain? Really? How?

[diver1972]

Originally Posted by theholycow

In some places, it's illegal to pass on the right (serves the jerks right, but the professional truckers OTOH don't need that); and in some places, it's illegal to cruise in the left lane (exposing you to a ticket by a power-tripping cop).

Yeah, I support ticket-writing for left-lane (or the 2 "inside" lanes on 4-8 lane interstates) losers who cruise along at the same flow (+/-2 MPH) as the traffic in the adjacent lane. Although I can say that I've never noticed anyone being stopped for that violation. I guess the cops, in some areas, are just very selective in which laws they choose to enforce.