Commuting - Drafting vehicles other than bicycles

Yesterday I managed to draft a backhoe that was on the road, doing almost 25mph. Easiest 25mph I've ever done on flat ground. Had to hold back so I wouldn't overtake him. I drafted him for about 2 miles. Another time, at a stoplight, I drafted a big 3 trailer truck for a good block, up to around 30mph, when he out accellerated me. LOTS of fun both times.

Does anyone else do this? Any neat experiences drafting something other than a bike?

Constantly. Everything from 49cc scooters to big rig trucks @ 45+ mph. As long as you can stay up with the acceleration, 45mph is rather easy to maintain.

Just use caution, drafting vehicles may be illegal in your area, and it can put you in some very un-safe situations.

Drafted a slow moving bus, but usually people are going faster than I can bike. I do and try and keep up, and yes it's dangerous as hell especially if you're following close enough and the vehicle is big so you can't see in front of it.

Talk about tailgating, run-into-the-back-of said vehicle collision.

I'd never do it. Too dangerous for me.

I do it all the time. Everytime, I say to myself that I should never do it again, but the next day.... I wonder if there's a 12-Step program for drafting.

Mini-vans on a 35mph street are perfect. Buses and delivery van provide a bigger pocket and accelerate slower, but you can't see through them.

Never. And I don't even draft bicycles either.

First, it's dangerous.

Second, I cycle for utility – getting from A to B is often faster on the bike – and also to relax. Drafting wouldn't allow me to relax.

Third, I don't want to smell exhaust fumes too closely.

When I lived in Amsterdam, I found the easiest way to get through the crowded areas (and there's a lot of them - like the Leidsestraat) is to draft the trams. Easy to keep up, easy to see them stop. I saw lots of inline skaters doing it too.

They can draft all of the big trucks, SUVs and Vans if they want and send them to Iraq; but don't draft my bike or my kid.

In London the old traditional red double-deckers are great for slipstreaming, cruising speed about 25mph and have wonderful acceleration 0-to 30mph in about 30 secs, about the same as a bike.

I was doing 18 mph in a headwind today when I ducked behind a truck and shot up to 27mph on my mtb on rough ground. Drafting is fun but always remember:
1) They can out brake you.
2) At an intersection, a car making a left turn will not see you behind another car.
3) You won't often see the large pothole that just went between them.

EDIT: I've also found that when it's chilly, the exhaust behind a car keeps me warm. :p

I love 49cc scooters. They top out at 55km/h which is perfect. The problem is that unless you find that 1/1000 scooter driver that's smooth (i.e., he knows you're there and is a good pilot) it's too dangerous. The tourist scooter drivers in this city are morons.

Once I randomly hooked up with a guy who must've been a cyclist (because he watched me slip in then gradually accelerated without any sudden movements) and he paced me for a few km.

Bottom line is if you're going to do it, be very f&*#$ careful

[QUOTE=Michel Gagnon]

Third, I don't want to smell exhaust fumes too closely.

Ahh...... Confushus(sp?) say, "Man who ride behind car get exhausted!"

Ah yes the danger. VERY dangerous, I noted. Still fun. Interesting to see other peoples takes on it.

EDIT: I've also found that when it's chilly, the exhaust behind a car keeps me warm. :p

That's the only use I've ever had for the buses ;)

Oh, yeah! On a cold, damp January morning, drafting the RT #34 on the way to work, that hot diesel exhaust is like a toasty quilt! Just hold your breath until the fumes clear.

Ahh...... Confushus(sp?) say, "Man who ride behind car get exhausted!"
LOL! Rogerinchrist++ It is Confucius, BTW.

Third, I don't want to smell exhaust fumes too closely.

Then you certainly wouldn't have drafted me on today's ride after we stopped at a bagel shop for our rest stop, and I had a jalapeno/cheddar cheese bagel.

Never. And I don't even draft bicycles either.

First, it's dangerous.

Second, I cycle for utility – getting from A to B is often faster on the bike – and also to relax. Drafting wouldn't allow me to relax.

Third, I don't want to smell exhaust fumes too closely.

All valid points. I know that I won't draft anyone around here simply due to the unpredictable nature of people in this part of the world. I don't even feel overly comfortable drafting other cyclists unless they're people that I know and trust. I'd rather challenge myself by passing them.

I drafted a house once, awesome draft. (it was on a trailer).

Also have drafted a truck loaded with pigs. Good draft, because it was a tall and low trailer. Talk about dangerous, I was envisioning one of those pigs relieving themselves.

Tried to draft an Amish horse and buggy once, but it was going to slow (even though I was facing a headwind).

Speaking of drafting safety, you can see around the lead vehicle on days when a strong wind is pushing the draft off one side of the vehicle. Of course that doesn't make it completely safe, but safe enough for me to try it from time to time.

I wouldn't be too inclined to draft straight behind something I couldn't see through/over.

Theres one hill going downtown here in Grand Rapids where I set my record of 43mph while drafting a Geo. The driver kept going trying to shake me, but I actually pulled in the left lane and passed him for a brief second... it was fun, especially since its a 30mph zone :-D

One of my regular routes has a 6 mile straight stretch where the road parallels a railroad track. One day there was a cross/head wind from the tracks. When a train came along, it was a great draft!

One of my regular routes has a 6 mile straight stretch where the road parallels a railroad track. One day there was a cross/head wind from the tracks. When a train came along, it was a great draft!

If you're real good and can ride on 1 track, you can REALLY draft a train. :)

I love drafting buses. The only problems are that we play leapfrog with one another, and they smell bad. But staying right behind them a lot of times gives me the extra speed that I need to get around them... Often, they disappear behind me, and I am stuck having to endure the wind myself.... Then the bus catches me, and I have to draft it again.

It's a fun game on the ride home.

I keep looking for that Cinzano truck to draft.

I drafted a dump truck hauling broken cement blocks a week ago, very fun!
The truck's exhaust is located in the front and much higher than road level, so I don't eat any smoke, and being a dump truck it provides a great draft; I managed to keep 60km/h about five meters behind it for a while. Felt good reaching these speeds without having to go downhill!

The only downside was the bits and pieces of flaking cement flying out behind it. :(

The only downside was the bits and pieces of flaking cement flying out behind it. :(

Exactly... the ones around here always have little rocks falling out when they hit bumps. Drafting dump trucks is bad, mmmkay?

Nothing beats my favourite draft... electric buses. No fumes, no noise and if you're tuned into the electric whine you can easily tell what the bus is doing.

I drafted a boat last Saturday uphill.



OK, the boat was on a trailer beng pulled by an SUV, but I still can say I drafted a boat.

i only draft to the very side behind big trucks, so i can see beyond them... and then only if they're going a little higher than my speed. otherwise, i don't risk it. they can stop on a dime and i'll end up a pancake on the rig..

sd

I always draft cars etc when I'm riding on a busy city street without a bike lane or a shoulder...why? So I don't get ran over by a car behind me. So I ride in the just right of center of the lane behind a car and keep a close eye on the cars ahead of the car in front of me to watch for brake lights. I also make sure the guy in the car in front of me notices me behind him so he/she doesn't do something fast without realizing I'm there. Most will realize your there because it's not everyday some yoyo is on a bike tailing a car at 25 to 35 MPH!!!

I always draft cars etc when I'm riding on a busy city street without a bike lane or a shoulder...why? So I don't get ran over by a car behind me. So I ride in the just right of center of the lane behind a car and keep a close eye on the cars ahead of the car in front of me to watch for brake lights. I also make sure the guy in the car in front of me notices me behind him so he/she doesn't do something fast without realizing I'm there. Most will realize your there because it's not everyday some yoyo is on a bike tailing a car at 25 to 35 MPH!!!

Ahahahahaha that idiot putting on make up while driving with her knees is not going to notice what speed they're at, let alone that you're being them. Don't bet on it.
The only one who'll be looking out for you is you.

and i'll end up a pancake on the rig..

I read this and immediately got visions of wile-e-coyote on his rocket skates getting run over by the acme delivery truck!

Certaintly its very dangerous to draft cars and trucks. Also very difficult! I have tried, since I posted this, to catch big rigs and stuff but I usually don't have the strength to catch up to them from the bike lane. I'll get there eventually :)

Yesterday I managed to draft a backhoe that was on the road, doing almost 25mph.
Does anyone else do this? Any neat experiences drafting something other than a bike?

So when you're in the lane with the hoe/house/mini exactly how close are you to the guy's bumper?

So when you're in the lane with the hoe/house/mini exactly how close are you to the guy's bumper?

I actually rode about 2 feet to the right of the digger on the backhoe, about 3 feet behind the rear bumper.

Sometimes I'll ride just off to the side of the back of the bus. That way you can put your hand out and grab hold and get towed for a couple blocks.

Works better than drafting.

Sometimes I'll ride just off to the side of the back of the bus. That way you can put your hand out and grab hold and get towed for a couple blocks.

Works better than drafting.

Sometimes I'll get ON the bus and be comfortably doing 60mph on the highway.

when speeds get high,I start looking for a hand-hold on the vehicle. That way, in an emergency, if they hit the brakes, I can grab on if I must.

You guys are braver than I. There's no way I'd get close enough to grab hold of a vehicle at those speeds.

No bravery, just stupidity.

I draft dumtrucks and semis on my way into town, through most light sections their gears take so long to move up that its easy to keep up

I drafted a tractor towing a very overloaded hay cart(in Hungary) while on tour over the summer. This gave my legs a nice break for about 8Km, till it turned off. Also followed a line of Dolmus(mini-buses) into Istanbul-not so much drafting, more for the ease of entering the city.

I hooked onto 3 (unloaded)cyclists @ 30Kph(ish) last summer outside Vienna for better than 10K or so, an exhilrating pace considering my fully-loaded rig.

My commute is only around 10Miles, and lite traffic due to my commute times(so traffic is going too fast for me to make use of). If my commute were longer&I could draft safely I would.

Yup
Trucks will suck you along for the ride for sure ! I was worried about getting ticketed for tailgaiting :)
Peace
Jar

I drafted the cat around the kitchen yesterday and out into the entryway. Then he promptly dropped me on the stairs.

I drafted the cat around the kitchen yesterday and out into the entryway. Then he promptly dropped me on the stairs.

OH man, that is ... entirely so funny.

I only do this when there is no side to ride on and the traffic is moving fairly quickly. I've done this for the last 30+ years and never had a problem. That's why you stay right of center, or in other words near the right rear corner of the car, so you can move to the right if need be. Also I don't ride right on their bumper, I'm usually back about 4 feet where you can still catch a draft. I not only use to race bikes but I also raced cars, I'm always thinking ahead and my reflexes are very good. Maybe that's why I've only had 2 serious accidents (no bones broken just dislocated a shoulder each time) and 2 do nothing minor ones in over 30 years of riding including 15 years of racing. You can also tell when the person doesn't see you because they never looked into there rearview mirror-a big tip off that you could have a potential problem and to back off.

Remember one thing even when driving a car, don't watch the car-watch the driver.

By the way, I never draft a truck or some other large vehicle; if I can't see the car in front of them then I don't draft. Is it dangerious to draft? Yes, but with forethought and being ready for anything you can do it relatively safely...its not the idea thing to do but sometimes it's actually safer to draft like in situations I mentioned above.

I drafted the cat around the kitchen yesterday and out into the entryway. Then he promptly dropped me on the stairs.
Heh! We've got two here, they run laps around the apartment taking turns pulling. On topic, I drafted an ice cream delivery truck for a mile or so once. Not horribly fast (20-21mph), but it was loads of fun.

I had a great draft off a APC back when I got married here in Switzerland...the tail gunner kept waving me off, but it was a great way to ride at 30 mph w/o sweat!

Buses are nice too, but aren't as stylish...<g>

Tom

drafted a boat...I love it...I'd forgotten that I had a chance to do that too this summer!

cheers,
Tom

I used to do it all the time in FLAT Chicago when I lived on the east side and worked uptown at Loyala.
To get a boost I'd grab to trucks and busses (as long as I was going a consistant speed)
That was years ago...
Ahhhh, to be young and invincible again.
The price of age, experience and wisdom...