Joined: May 14, 2005 Posts: 2123 Location: Along the banks of the muddy Mississippi
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 10:34 am Post subject: Re: Huge trucking company cuts speed to 60mph
cube wrote:
You guys think we'll have a 55 mph national speed limit reintroduced to save fuel?
That's what happened with the last oil crisis. Or maybe everybody will just voluntarily start dropping their speed?
FWIW, I've been driving 55 mph on the highway for the last two weeks and I have noticed a 20% increase in mpg. I plan to continue driving slowly. Plus, it seems more relaxing to end up at the rear of the traffic pack than to always race to be at the front. _________________ “Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.” (Ted Perry)
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 2:13 pm Post subject: Re: Huge trucking company cuts speed to 60mph
TheTurtle wrote:
cube wrote:
You guys think we'll have a 55 mph national speed limit reintroduced to save fuel?
That's what happened with the last oil crisis. Or maybe everybody will just voluntarily start dropping their speed?
FWIW, I've been driving 55 mph on the highway for the last two weeks and I have noticed a 20% increase in mpg. I plan to continue driving slowly. Plus, it seems more relaxing to end up at the rear of the traffic pack than to always race to be at the front.
I drive 65 to 70mph. and I get passed up on the freeway on both sides ALL the time in sunny California.
Some people get mad as hell because I drive within speed limits and I'm not on the far right. That's fine with me. I've NEVER believed that the far right lane of a freeway was reserved for legal speed limits while the left lanes are for driving 20mph over the limit.
That's just dumb and stupid and ALL the other drivers can get as mad as they want for all I care.
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 2:41 pm Post subject: Re: Huge trucking company cuts speed to 60mph
pup55 wrote:
Quote:
draft off the truck, which lowers truck milage
Sorry, but you are going to have to explain to me why drafting off of the truck affects the truck in any way, except annoying the driver.
The truck has already expended the energy to move the air. What happens behind the truck would seem to be irrelevant.
The act of drafting decreases the pressure between the drafter and the draftee. This places a load on the truck.
There is no free lunch. If you really benefit from drafting, the load has to be transferred to the truck.
Think of it as an invisible trailer hitch. _________________ "Don't ever become a pessimist... a pessimist is correct oftener than an optimist, but an optimist has more fun, and neither can stop the march of events."
Robert A. Heinlein
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 5:52 pm Post subject: Re: Huge trucking company cuts speed to 60mph
Quote:
Get that bicycle in a pace line, you will know why real quick
The frequent viewers of PO.com know that I am a competent biker.
I agree that it greatly benefits the draft-er, which is to say, the biker, or goose, or whatever immediately behind.
But I still have to be convinced that the presence of a drafter makes a measureable difference to the lead biker, or goose, compared to riding with no drafters.
Joined: May 18, 2006 Posts: 4330 Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 6:01 pm Post subject: Re: Huge trucking company cuts speed to 60mph
pup55 wrote:
Quote:
Get that bicycle in a pace line, you will know why real quick
The frequent viewers of PO.com know that I am a competent biker.
I agree that it greatly benefits the draft-er, which is to say, the biker, or goose, or whatever immediately behind.
But I still have to be convinced that the presence of a drafter makes a measureable difference to the lead biker, or goose, compared to riding with no drafters.
It does. I can't remember where I read it, but yes it does. The bigger the pace line the faster ya all go,,,,,,,,,,untill the big hill or tight corner. If'n your in back when the leaders quicken the pace, then you get your arse kicked.
Joined: Dec 18, 2004 Posts: 4365 Location: One Mile From the Columbia River
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 6:15 pm Post subject: Re: Huge trucking company cuts speed to 60mph
I've been driving no more than 55 since I read LATOC back in mid-04. Saves $$ and I'm NEVER any longer in a hurry to get anywhere ... heh. _________________ Everything is Impermanent. Shakyamuni Buddha
Joined: Apr 28, 2005 Posts: 3626 Location: West shore Lake Eire, MI, USA
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 6:21 pm Post subject: Re: Huge trucking company cuts speed to 60mph
vision-master wrote:
pup55 wrote:
Quote:
Get that bicycle in a pace line, you will know why real quick
The frequent viewers of PO.com know that I am a competent biker.
I agree that it greatly benefits the draft-er, which is to say, the biker, or goose, or whatever immediately behind.
But I still have to be convinced that the presence of a drafter makes a measureable difference to the lead biker, or goose, compared to riding with no drafters.
It does. I can't remember where I read it, but yes it does. The bigger the pace line the faster ya all go,,,,,,,,,,untill the big hill or tight corner. If'n your in back when the leaders quicken the pace, then you get your arse kicked.
Turbulent airflow from the first position creates a slight vacuum behind that bike/vehicle. As you add more objects to the train the flow becomes more and more laminer flow, IOW the air drag is reduced to a maximum extent.
This only works to everyones advantage when the vehicles/bikes are basically the same outside size. When a car drafts off a semi it reduces the cars energy requirement, but not that of the truck, because the car is sitting in the slight vacuum region and being sucked forward slightly but is not promoting laminar flow around the back of the truck because it is too different in size and shape compared to the truck. _________________ Oxygen: - An intensely habit-forming accumulative toxic substance. As little
as one breath is known to produce a life-long addiction to the gas, which addiction invariably ends in death.--Isaac Asimov
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 7:13 pm Post subject: Re: Huge trucking company cuts speed to 60mph
I love it. Respectful differences of opinion are what makes a forum great.
This is clearly a job for the Mythbusters. Actually, we should consult Airlinepilot, because the USAF ought to know the truth as it applies to jet fighters flying in formation.
Anyway, I have an anecdote for you. I was driving earlier today, at a normal freeway pace out here in suburbia, and found myself following too closely behind a mazda, going much more slowly than the rest of the traffic, so slow as to be a traffic hazard, compelling the rest of the vehicles to swerve wildly to another lane to avoid this traffic obstruction.
I approached carefully and keeping a safe distance, looked at the speedometer: 55 mph. incidentally, the speed limit on that stretch is....55 mph.
So here is someone trying to be responsible, obeying the speed limit, trying to save fuel, and almost turning us all into a flaming mass of twisted metal.
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 7:48 pm Post subject: Re: Huge trucking company cuts speed to 60mph
Quote:
Dear Mythbusters:
Peakoil.com is a community portal dedicated to the issue of hydrocarbon depletion, with over 50,000 discrete visitors per month.
We the forum dwellers of peakoil.com have another question on the issue of drafting, namely what is the effect of the vehicle that is being drafted, i.e. the truck in front?
Does a vehicle that is being drafted experience a decrease in fuel efficiency?
Many of our members are faithful viewers of your show, and would be delighted for any help on this issue.
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 8:24 pm Post subject: Re: Huge trucking company cuts speed to 60mph
MD wrote:
The act of drafting decreases the pressure between the drafter and the draftee. This places a load on the truck.
Nope.
Wikipedia wrote:
On the faster speedways and superspeedways used by NASCAR, ARCA, and the IROC series, two or more vehicles can race faster when lined up front-to-rear than a single car can race alone. The low-pressure wake behind a group's leading car reduces the aerodynamic resistance on the front of the trailing car, allowing the second car to pull closer. As the second car nears the first, it pushes high-pressure air forward so less fast-moving air hits the lead car's spoiler. The result is less drag for both cars, allowing faster speeds.
MD wrote:
There is no free lunch. If you really benefit from drafting, the load has to be transferred to the truck.
This isn't a free lunch, it's just reducing aero drag for both vehicles. A train, with many containers right next to each other, is more efficient than a semi (also due to lower rolling resistance) when moving stuff because of this.
MD wrote:
Think of it as an invisible trailer hitch.
Only if ya wanna ignore the laws of physics. _________________
Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 10:27 pm Post subject: Re: Huge trucking company cuts speed to 60mph
pup55 wrote:
...
Anyway, I have an anecdote for you. I was driving earlier today, at a normal freeway pace out here in suburbia, and found myself following too closely behind a mazda, going much more slowly than the rest of the traffic, so slow as to be a traffic hazard, compelling the rest of the vehicles to swerve wildly to another lane to avoid this traffic obstruction.
I approached carefully and keeping a safe distance, looked at the speedometer: 55 mph. incidentally, the speed limit on that stretch is....55 mph.
So here is someone trying to be responsible, obeying the speed limit, trying to save fuel, and almost turning us all into a flaming mass of twisted metal.
Silly humans.
no:
It is everyone else that is "causing" the safety hazard and not the person doing 55mph. The law is the law.
Joined: Apr 13, 2005 Posts: 3010 Location: St.Louis, Mo
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 8:52 pm Post subject: Re: Huge trucking company cuts speed to 60mph
cube wrote:
TheTurtle wrote:
cube wrote:
You guys think we'll have a 55 mph national speed limit reintroduced to save fuel?
That's what happened with the last oil crisis. Or maybe everybody will just voluntarily start dropping their speed?
FWIW, I've been driving 55 mph on the highway for the last two weeks and I have noticed a 20% increase in mpg. I plan to continue driving slowly. Plus, it seems more relaxing to end up at the rear of the traffic pack than to always race to be at the front.
I drive 65 to 70mph. and I get passed up on the freeway on both sides ALL the time in sunny California.
Some people get mad as hell because I drive within speed limits and I'm not on the far right. That's fine with me. I've NEVER believed that the far right lane of a freeway was reserved for legal speed limits while the left lanes are for driving 20mph over the limit.
That's just dumb and stupid and ALL the other drivers can get as mad as they want for all I care.
So you are the douchebag that is slowing me down ? The left lane is NOT for driving in, it is the PASSING lane. You can be ticketed for driving in this lane. Now move the Fark over before I rear end your ass.
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I plan to continue driving slowly. Plus, it seems more relaxing to end up at the rear of the traffic pack than to always race to be at the front.
