Trick is to not give a fuck about how fast other people are going, and cruise at 65mph (105km/h) at a safe distance behind a combination tractor trailer.
You can drive without much stress, because impatient drivers don’t like to be in that spot behind a truck so you are less likely to be cut off. You’ll have plenty of time to react to anything in front, and also be safe in knowing that if there is a pileup ahead, a clear path will be smashed through for you.
Fuel efficiency will even be better in the slip stream.
Unfortunately, to get the benefit of the slip steam, you gotta be pretty close to the back of the truck. If you have space for good reaction time, you’re probably too far back
This is correct, especially at lower speeds. Greater fuel efficiency would come from lower wind and drivetrain resistance and use of a more efficient range of the motor’s powerband.
Most vehicles are geared for optimal speed to fuel consumption around 55-65 mph (90-100 kph) not 70+ mph (110+ kph). So just going a bit under the speed limit can have a significant impact on fuel consumption.
Also, truckers drive efficiently, so just following what they do will save gas.
But yeah, I don’t go over 65mph and I end up with 7-10mpg over my highway rating.
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Yeah, I got my last vehicle new, and went 165k miles (~265k Km) on the front brake pads. At every tire rotation I asked if I needed new ones, and for like 6 years they told me they were at 50% wear.
I use throttle control to adjust my speed while driving, and coast as much as I can at redlights.
Peak gas car efficiency, one-pedal driving like it’s electric
This has been tested. You still get a reasonable benefit 3 seconds behind; you get practically nothing 6 seconds behind
Yeah, be at least far enough back be able to see the truck’s side mirrors. 'Can’t speak for all truck drivers of course, but when I’m driving a big vehicle I actually like that someone “has my back” like this. It’s much nicer to have someone trailing me at a safe distance than to have an impatient driver trying to speed me up by traveling too close.
Thank you for being mindful of the passing lane and staying behind another slow moving vehicle if you are going to travel slower than the flow of traffic.
You are most welcome.
There is only one bone I have to pick with people who make “slower traffic keep right”, “the left lane is for passing”, and “the flow of traffic” type of comments. That is in the case of a commercial vehicle travelling 65mph passing another travelling 63mph. This is a perfectly valid use of the passing lanes on a highway, unless signs or local rules indicate otherwise (e.g. no trucks this lane). In this case, 65mph is the flow of traffic in that area and everyone behind should be aware that they are travelling faster than the flow of traffic until the pass has completed.
The worst part about this scenario is both trucks believe they’re in the right. They’re likely both set to cruise at the speed limit, but slightly out of calibration making them travel at slightly different speeds.
The usual scenario I see is the difference in load weight and the ability to maneuver around curves and hills causes the “elephant race”. Taking 2 minutes to pass is still passing, neither truck driver is wrong to do that.
Not technically wrong but kind of an asshole if there’s a ton of cars they’re holding up just to go 2 mph faster than the guy on the right of them. Maybe step on it a bit to get past him and clear the lane then slow back to what they want to go would be a good compromise. Where I used to live the law was actually that you had to pass within 1/2 a mile if you where in the left lane which I thought was pretty reasonable but I never witnessed that be enforced.
…nothing at all wrong with overtaking at a 1 MPH differential as long as you keep right afterward…
Exactly. Though for anyone that doesn’t have a speed limiter and towing a 53ft trailer are best advised to pass trucks at a brisk pace, as it’s dangerous for smaller cars and light pickups to stay in the drivers’ blindspots.
Gotta signal back right pretty quickly… you wanna give a truck the space it deserves and stay outta the blindspot, guy behind you assumes if you don’t move the moment your car technically physically fits that’s their cue to do so when theirs fits.
(Of course can be mitigated by overtaking with a little more gusto which is technically illegal - speed limit is the limit - buttttt…)
I 100% agree and have no problem with it, as long as they exit the passing lane as soon as it is safe to do so. Trucks almost always get this right, big SUVs almost never do.
Btw, it’s not safe to pass a big truck until you can see both headlights in your rear view mirror, assuming flat terrain. If you’re going downhill, give them even more space since stopping such a big rig can be very difficult.
It’s interesting you say that, cause in the last few years I’ve noticed more and more trucks that never exit the left lane. They can be the only vehicle on the road for a few hundred feet in either direction but they’ll still sit in the left, even when a car caravan catches up and is forced to pass them on the right.
It’s honestly the most egregious in a few sections of highway I drive where there are “Left lane js for passing only” signs every few hundred feet (literally every 10-20 seconds driving).
Really? I’ve seen pretty much no semi trucks in the left lane. In fact, it’s illegal in my area on highways with more than 2 lanes for big rigs to be in the left lane.
I just did a big road trip (800+ miles one way, ~2000 miles total) and only had to pass a big rig on the right once, and that was my fault because I didn’t see the truck pulled off to the side of the road that they were giving space to.
I see a lot of pickup trucks, big SUVs, and minivans camping in the left lane, but that’s not what I’m talking about.
I know what you mean, but yeah, in the Midwest I’ve been seeing more and more semis camping the left lane all the time. It’s gotten really bad for my road trips.
Also, following a truck will increase your mpg.
And not because of the lower air pressure zone behind the truck; you have to get dangerously close for that.
Truckers spend a fuck ton on fuel, so they have a huge vested interest in driving efficiency. My highway mpg rating is 27mpg, but I got 38mpg on an hour drive by chilling a safe distance behind a semi. It only added like 5 minutes tops to my trip.
Exactly. Similar to how others responded to a similar comment to yours, there isn’t much slipstream savings without getting into the danger zone of around 30m (100ft), which you can’t get with 3 second gaps at speed.
But you do get more fuel savings from driving at that slower speed, and from coasting and accelerating lightly/cruising. It perplexes me why people alternate gunning it with braking so much on the highway.
It perplexes me why people alternate gunning it with braking so much on the highway.
Because big fast car go brrrrrrr!
It perplexes me why people alternate gunning it with braking so much on the highway.
Allowing a molecule of space in front of you at any time makes everybody late!!1
Agreed, provided you’re not driving very far.
I go on several hundred mile trips almost every year (usually ~800mi), and going 10mph over the limit saves over an hour and can be the difference between making it in one day and having to get a hotel.
So I’ll hang out behind semis on shorter trips (<200 miles) and speed ahead on longer trips. It costs more in gas, but I make up for it in other costs.
Another benefit to driving the speed limit is that, on average, you are less likely to encounter a driver going slower than you in your lane, vs if you were driving faster. So you end up not changing lanes as often
Poor guy has blue pee
I mean as long as you’re not sitting in the left lane people should leave you alone
the only time you should be going the speed limit anywhere to the left of the furthest right lane is if you’re passing someone who’s going below the speed limit in the rightmost lane
Exactly.
Keep Right Except To Pass.
40 states have “Keep Right” laws. Many of them have “must yield” laws that require slower traffic to move to the right lane if faster traffic approaches from behind. A few states have exceptions where you can use the middle lane temporarily in areas where there is a lot of merging traffic.
There are a shocking number of people that cruise in the center lane slower than prevailing traffic. I don’t get that at all.
40 states have “Keep Right” laws. Many of them have “must yield” laws that require slower traffic to move to the right lane if faster traffic approaches from behind.
It’s a damned shame that they don’t enforce those laws. The highways would be a lot more pleasant if they did. We have habitual very slow drivers in the Seattle area who love to match pace with another slow driver in the right lane, and block the flow of traffic for miles on end, creating traffic jams and general congestion. From a lot of the comments I’ve seen on Reddit and Lemmy, they’re fully aware that they’re inconveniencing everyone, and get some sort of enjoyment and feeling of power from it.
Stay away from /cars and /roadcam. You’re right, there’s definitely a breed of infallible road warriors that rationalize lots of reasons for ignoring the Keep Right rules.
Exactly. Unless you’re an on-duty officer of the law, it’s not your job to enforce the speed limit. And if you are, please pull people over who violate the “keep right except to pass” rule.
I frequently drive between Philadelphia and the DC area on I-95, and it’s like Bizarro Earth as far as lanes go: the slowest cars are always in the left-most lanes with people passing on the right at 25 mph or more over the limit. My favorite is people who get on the express lanes (which you pay extra to use) and then go 10 mph under the limit.
…the frequency at which i blow past traffic backed up three lanes to my left while cruising miles upon miles along an empty right lane is a testament to the idiocy of american lane discipline…
Dude, I thought I was the only one who noticed this, coming from LA!! What the fuck guys, move over!!!
Funny thing is they keep trying to stop me splitting lanes, or honking, when I’m literally 5mph faster than them in almost stopped traffic. Cry about it, I’ll see you at home! Lol
There are a shocking number of people that cruise in the center lane slower than prevailing traffic
These folks frustrate me to no end. Nothing makes me more excited than expanded public transit so I don’t need to deal with those jackasses
…the only time you should be travelling at any speed to the left of the furthest right lane is if you’re passing someone driving more slowly…
💯💯💯
We all know these people live in the far left lane.
It’s always the truck drivers, range rovers, bmws that are in the left lane going slow af
Here we’re taught to go with the flow of traffic. It’s safer to go the same speed as everyone else than to be the one car everyone has to go around.
Where is ‘here’?
Anywhere with sensible traffic schools. Accidents are almost always caused by drivers going 10mph faster or slower than the rest of traffic. Being the odd man out in this criteria is dumber than ignoring some numbers on a sign that everyone else is ignoring.
EDIT: Since it’s become apparent it needs stated for those of you who missed that week of Driver’s Ed, and didn’t read the manual; One: I merely quoted the manual; Two: it is INDEED the job of EVERY driver, regardless of their position relative to specific other drivers, to take any actions neccessary to avoid or mitigate an accident in the making. Idiots like you are the reason No Fault states exist.
It takes some real mental gymnastics to put the blame for a crash on the driver going “too slow” rather than the inattentive speeding driver who crashed into them.
No mental gymnastics needed. The laws of physics don’t give a fuck about who obeys the traffic laws and who doesn’t. As long as people keep the same distance between cars we should be safe.
What are you arguing? It’s not the obligation of the driver ahead to make sure the car behind them keep their distance.
Sure, but you can do it by matching the speed of the car behind you, therefore making both of you more safe.
Actually, it is a driver’s job to avoid and/or mitigate a wreck by any means necessary. The only mental gymnastics taking place are yours. You’re arguing against the wording of multiple driver’s manuals.
You think you’re arguing with me, when I’m just quoting Driver’s Ed, and several states’ Driver’s Manuals. Mental Gymnastics? 🤷
Just be careful when driving out of state, I got singled out and issued a citation near Las Vegas going the flow of traffic @ 10-15 mph over the limit.
They are counting on you to not show up in court.
Last time(20 years ago) I got a valid out-of-state ticket though, the fees and whatnot were less than 20% of what I expected. One criteria where Illinois is cheaper than Indiana, it turns out.
They do that in small towns on tourist thoroughfares. They know you can’t come back to fight it. I’m a 10-15+ driver normally, but out in the sticks, I try to keep it to +9.
Here we are taught to follow traffic laws. Of course it doesn’t make sense to do that to ridiculous degree but speeding because others are speeding is not something encouraged here. Flow of traffic makes sense if everyone is slowing down, then it’s probably hazardous weather or something.
This – in Denver on I-25, the speed limit is 55 mph, but if you stay below that you’re taking your life into your hands because everyone will be whipping by you at least 10 (and often 20) mph faster. Honestly, speed up a bit and it feels safer because there isn’t such a speed differential between you and everyone else.
Yeah nah. Any faster than 100 km/h is already way too fast. I still don’t get how people are more comfortable going over it.
What? On the highway the limit is 110km/h in some places here (divided highway) and it’s pretty standard for everyone to be going 5-10km over the limit.
Well where I am, 100 is the maximum. I think going any faster is pretty dangerous, considering you’re in a big metal casket :/
I’m not sure 10km/h give or take is going to make a meaningful difference in terms of damage upon a crash. But I’m no physicist. However I guess it may be a matter of population density too. Near me there’s large stretches of land between places and there only two lanes both going the same direction. Right for travel and left for passing/overtaking. The real danger is the jackass weaving at 140+ km/h and the set limit isn’t going to make a difference to them no matter where it’s set.
Edit: I understand there can be a cultural component too. Does everyone where you are adhere to the limit so closely? If so I’d follow suit when driving there. As others have said the flow of traffic is where it’s at.
In rural Wyoming and Utah, the interstate highway speed limit is 80mph, which is around 130 km/h. Most people regularly do 85, if not 95 mph (145 km/h).
I like to imagine he’s actively filtering pee out of the water by sucking it in through his ass and peeing out the filtered water.
Pee is stored in the balls and filtered in the ass.
“Having a smoking section on a plane is like having a pissing section in a pool”
People don’t realize that the idea behind that whole campaign was to get people to start ostracizing smokers, and also make the smokers feel ostracized, so that less people would smoke overall. And it worked!
Maybe we should do the same for public pools.
Stealth pissing in the pool can be a bit easier than stealth smoking in a plane lol
Bro, if you don’t like it, just get out of the pissing corner!
Yeah… next thing you know you’ll only be allowed to piss outside on the pool deck
Look at this loser! He drank a bunch of water and peed in the lemonade pool!
in some cities such as LA, i found it safest to simply drive at the same speed as everyone else. obviously adjust for merging, passenger lanes etc but on those roads being the slowest can actually a danger to yourself and others.
glad i don’t need to do this any more in my current city, just two cents
They teach you in driver’s education that you should match speed on the highway. Otherwise you impede the flow of traffic which causes far more problems.
Yup. If it gets too out of hand, they’ll do a traffic break to slow everyone down. But going a significantly different speed than everyone else is something you try to avoid.
This is exactly what you should be doing. Matching speed with traffic is always the safest option. If you’re going slower than everyone else, you’re creating a hazard, almost as much as if you’re weaving through traffic.
I’m from the UK and this isn’t too much of an issue beyond the couple of usual idiots. Went to the US though and it was insane, we were getting overtaken by school busses going 95. We were at the speed limit and getting overtaken by almost everything.
It’s true. Cities set speed limits with the expectation that the average driver will be driving 5-10 over.
Every time I go on a road trip here in he US, it strikes me how everybody seems to want to drive the same speed regardless of the speed limit.
Go 65mph in a 55 and I’m one of the slowest cars on the road.
Go 75-77 in a 70 and I’m one of the fastest cars.
You taking 95 mph or kph? Because a bus going 60 mph in a 55 is pretty normal.
UK is MPH
…when the speed limit’s 85 it’s pretty normal for traffic to move at 95; rule of thumb is less than ten over on highways and less than five over on surface streets…
I tried, for a while, to obey the speed limits and my wife told me “Don’t you see? You’re risking everyone else by driving that slow!”. She was right, but WTF?
Pff, whatever. If I’ve got a right hand lane to sit in and let people pass I’ll do 10km/h under the limit (90 instead of 100) and save a non-trivial amount of fuel.
The cost-benefit on that shifts a bit if I need to make a longer trip, but for my usual drives in the 100-200km range that’s an extra 7-15 minutes on a 1 to 2 hour trip, which barely matters.
Time is far more valuable to me than gas. I have no problem with people staying in the right lane though you can drive as slow as you want there. The people who are the problem are the ones who want to get in the middle/left lanes and turn their brain off that’s what causes traffic to back up. IMO police should enforce proper lane usage rather than speed. This would also stop traffic caused by everyone bunching up when they encounter a cop on the highway because they’re scared to pass him.
It’s gotten worse the past few years. Everyone acts like entitled asshats. Middle lane under the speed limit, hammer lane going the same speed as the idiot in the middle lane. Most states it’s illegal to pass on the right so you either break the law or you get to follow someone that thinks they’re more important than you.
Yea, I’ve noticed it more since covid. I was on a fairly long interstate drive yesterday and there wasn’t enough traffic that I should have ever had to do anything beside set my cruise to 80 and go but instead I was having to adjust for about half of it due to people just hanging out in the wrong lanes and yea, there was a lot of passing on the right because they were pacing each other in the left two lanes. Even fucking semis were doing it and they should absolutely know better. It shouldn’t be illegal to pass on the right. It should be illegal to GET passed on the right. If that happens and you’re at the front of the line then you’re fucking up.
It should be illegal to GET passed on the right.
#💯
Totally agree. If it’s possible to pass somebody on the right, that person (the one being passed) is in the wrong lane for their speed.
I say that online and people get combative about it and throw out all sorts of insane scenarios like that changes anything. I still haven’t seen one that makes sense.
It’s amazing, really. Every time you see a pocket of congestion in the freeway, there’s a sedan in the front of it, leisurely driving in the middle lane like they’re the fucking president in their motorcade of one.
The only scenario that is okay is if they’re stuck behind a slower person in front of them and both get passed (assuming they would be going faster than the traffic in the right lane if they guy they’re stuck behind wasn’t there). It’s the guy at the front of the line who is the problem there.
The only time I actually experienced this was in the states. Lady doing 5 under in outside lane, big queue trying to get past by pulling in Infront of me (with space.) Had to push past my Britishness to undertake.
It’s crazy when you see people speed and overtake like maniacs just to see that they reached the gas station 20 seconds before you do. I really think it hurts some people’s ego when they have to drive behind someone. “But but, i’m the king of the road…”
If I’m not behind you I don’t have to worry about you kicking up rocks onto my car, waiting for you to get off your cell phone at the light, I don’t have to slow down because you can’t handle taking a turn at the posted speed, ect. Yeah, I’ll be the guy in front using my gas for enjoyment and open road. If I cared about fuel economy, I’d drive a prius.
I just like to go zoom :(
That said, I slow down to overtake other cars, or around other cars in general.
Not only that, a cop will probably pull you over for driving too normal.
I know a guy who was straight up pulled over for drunk driving because he was going the speed limit. Cop said that only drunk drivers go the speed limit on that stretch of highway at night.
I’ve heard this from cops I knew, as a more general rule; No one around here drives less than five over unless they are drunk, stoned, or into some shady shit.
Problem I have is I’m always going faster than the slow lane, so I get over to pass and of course I’m not going fast enough for those lunatics (don’t worry, I don’t block them, I get back over as soon as it’s safe). Half the time I end up giving up and going slower than I want too just because it’s easier.
The worst. Two lane roads always seem to end up as 5 under or 10 over. I just want to put my cruise control on!
…nothing at all wrong with passing slowly as long as you merge right afterward: lanes don’t have speeds, vehicles do…
Not sure if i care, i reach home in one piece and more fuel in the tank.
What is safer though? Driving the same speed as the cars around you or have all cars passing you at a higher speed? My guess is the former.
How high is your higher? If 20kmph/30kmph it’s not that much different, if a lot of you people is 60kmph over the speed limit and you expect everyone to follow, you guys should really consider slowing down as a whole. If you rear-ended people driving 120kmph, then i must say, skill issue, you’re probably not driving as safe as you thought you are.
No wonder the toxicity toward bicycle commuter.
I’d love it if most folks didn’t go 10-15kmph faster (which seems to be the standard where I live) than the speed limit, but I have no way of changing their behavior on my own. Me going the speed limit on principle might just make it even more dangerous for me and the rest who are speeding. It might be marginal but it adds up over time.
The speed limit is what’s enforced here you are totally fine going 10km over the speed limit only excepion is school zones
6.2 miles over huh?
Anything less than 5mph over the cops consider suspicious where I live. 6.2 mph over is slow-lane, but at least reasonable.
