If your gonna draft, get a C.B.

[GasSavers_Scott]

Ever since gas went from 3.23 to 3.56 I have been drafting every chance I get. This incedent happened to me last week. I was on a long run on the 95 and I was jumping from the back of one truck to another. I kept about 2 car lengths or 50 feet back and I found a truck doing 60 to 65, my onboard mpg computer went from 25.8 to 27 mpg and I was nestled in for a long cruise. Just then the truck started speeding up, he was the only 18 wheeler out there so I changed lanes and stayed with him. He settled down to a 65 mph cruise and then started doing lane changes again, this time he speed up to 80 and I back off, but he slowed down and I pulled in behind him. Now he locked up his trailer brakes for a second and smoked me. At the same time another truck pulled up along side of me and was waving blowing his horn. Now the truck I was following pulled off, so I kept going.

As far as I can tell the trucker freaked out, I guess he thought I was following him. Maybe he had child support, or some issue with the law, or maybe he never heard of drafting for mpg, I don't know.

I have an old C.B. in the basement, I may have a hand held, but having been a commercial driver for a number of years I know the C.B. is a truckers best friend. All the years of driving I'v done, I can't tell you how many times I used a C.B. to communicate. With the fuel prices going higher, drafting a truck is an easy way to scoop up extra MPG. This is the first time I ever had a trucker do this, if I had a C.B. I may have been able to explain drafting to him.

From the years of cross country driving I used to do, I have only had 2 or 3 incedents with other truckers. 99.9% of truckers are great guys and gals. From all the truck stops and weight stations I'v been to, all the truckers are helpful, warm hearted, and ready to teach you all sorts of things. In convoys, they work together avoiding traffic, getting around weather, and letting you know where all the radar stops are. Believe it or not, unless you have a class A or B, they are a better driver than you, every 2 years they have to retest to stay compliant to keep their license and their job. Look up on line the requirements for a commercial class A or B, or take a class. So if your going to draft, get a C.B.