drafting to save fuel

[KnifeEdge_2K1]

I understand how the X-second gap idea works, but I was always taught at least 3 seconds, more at higher speeds. Either way, it's quite a stupid idea to draft other vehicles

depends on your car, if you're in a loaded car with tiny wussy ass brakes then yea 2 seconds prolly isnt a good idea expecially if the car in front is say ... well any car with good brakes, but if the car in front is an 18 wheeler ur pretty much guaranteed a safe stopping distance at 2 seconds

well drafting aint stupid considering the gains i had is it ?? plus imho i think its better then driving on ur own cuz it forces u to remain concentrated, if ur by urself ur more likely to doze off or get distracted

[Daz27]

The reason the "2 second rule" is promoted is because it works INDEPENDANT of speed. So at faster speeds their is a BIGGER GAP.
As long as you're not day-dreaming the 2 sceond gap is fine for a decent car and driver IN THE DRY !!!!
An original Mini on drum brakes is another issue

My drum braked mini panelvan stopped on a dime, Matra. Also did 170 kph flat out down hill. Dont be baggen the mighty mini... hehe

And nodding off at 110 is the biggest cause of accidents I reckon. Thats why i love going home to the NT, no speed limit, sit on the old ton all day. And the only time you hear about crashes on the open road in the NT is when a Euro tourist barrel rolls a Toyota Landcruiser Troop Carrier cos they dont know how to drive it sensibly.

[Egg Nog]

The reason the "2 second rule" is promoted is because it works INDEPENDANT of speed. So at faster speeds their is a BIGGER GAP.
As long as you're not day-dreaming the 2 sceond gap is fine for a decent car and driver IN THE DRY !!!!
An original Mini on drum brakes is another issue

Yes, the time gap theory naturally makes sense - but I too have also been taught that 3 seconds should be the general absolute safety guideline.

That aside, I agree in this case it's not that bad. With a newer car (good brakes) and a young driver (good reactions), 2 seconds isn't really "unsafe" by any means.

[Matra et Alpine]

My drum braked mini panelvan stopped on a dime, Matra. Also did 170 kph flat out down hill. Dont be baggen the mighty mini... hehe

Driver I nav for competed last season in a 1967 Mini on drum brakes..
I can assure you it comes nowhere NEAR a modern car -- or a Cooper disk setup
Mini were my first rally cars (32 years ago!) and we had to reline the shoes BY HAND in those days !!!!
We all love the real Mini, but not so much that fanboy-blindness sets in

[KnifeEdge_2K1]

arnt drums in theory capable of putting more braking force down then disc brakes ?? the shoes in a drum have greater surface area, the problem with em is heat dissipation

[Matra et Alpine]

heat for sure -- which is why in teh 60s competition cars ran finned drums and material that didnt' do ANYTHING till they were really hot -- but at least then didnt' fade. Made the first few corners of an event "interestgin"
BUT hte problem with drums is the braking force is ultimately trying to break them apart ( as opposed to squeezing it together with disks ). So for greater braking effort you need substantially larger thickness drums which measn MORE unsprugn weight which is VERY bad

[2ndclasscitizen]

That's why you used to get spectacular footage from Bathurst of cars blowing their drums coming to the final corner

[drakkie]

dude i said 2 seconds not 2 car lengths

n im not tryin to brag or nething but i have pretty good reflexes,

until that very moment ...........

You say you do,but a quick response of .5 seconds at 100 km/h is still 28 metres covered...

[hightower99]

That and the fact that you need at least 1 full second to even start braking in your car (and that is if you are really good and had your foot on the brake pedal).

I learned that 3 seconds is safe and I can see why...

drafting seems like a good idea but if you really want to use it then I suggest trying to stay behind a 18 wheeler (cause they have monster drafting areas) and because even if a guy in a lorry stands on his brakes 1 full second before you touch yours. You still have a chance of stopping before you hit him.

[Daz27]

Hightower, why is porting and polishing bad, thats only half right, porting and polishing the inlets is bad, but exhausts is fine...

[johnnynumfiv]

That and the fact that you need at least 1 full second to even start braking in your car (and that is if you are really good and had your foot on the brake pedal).

I learned that 3 seconds is safe and I can see why...

drafting seems like a good idea but if you really want to use it then I suggest trying to stay behind a 18 wheeler (cause they have monster drafting areas) and because even if a guy in a lorry stands on his brakes 1 full second before you touch yours. You still have a chance of stopping before you hit him.

GIVE US PROOF!

[nota]

Not directed at anyone in particular but if there's one thing I can't stand it's getting out on the open road only to find yourself being tailgated at high speed by some moron who's right up your clacker, for mile after mile after bleeding mile. I find this sort of driving behaviour to be not only a rude and distracting imposition but potentially dangerous as well, because it means that >I< can't apply max brakes if I need to, without worrying that I'll get Liberace'd and even punted off into the boonies by the twerp who's latched on behind me

Whenever possible I always 'reward' this sort of behaviour by subtly varying my speed, gently cycling up & down ad infinitum until they finally get the idea, decide it's not worth it and piss off

When I was driving semi-trailers I hated it too, because their cars are usually invisible to your mirrors, but a least with trucks there's a good chance that in an emergency they'll slide right under you and get aquainted with a faceful of steel

[Matra et Alpine]

That and the fact that you need at least 1 full second to even start braking in your car (and that is if you are really good and had your foot on the brake pedal).

3/4 of a second and THAT assumes you've got your feet resting comfrotably.
WHERE did you get 1 second AND foot on the pedal ?
( http://www.visualexpert.com/Resources/reactiontime.html gives the psychology and real world measurements )
Is their perhaps a cultural difference in the "speed" of different nations brains perhaps
[quote]I learned that 3 seconds is safe and I can see why... [/qutoe]
From who ? and WHY ??

[drakkie]

3/4 of a second and THAT assumes you've got your feet resting comfrotably.
WHERE did you get 1 second AND foot on the pedal ?
( http://www.visualexpert.com/Resources/reactiontime.html gives the psychology and real world measurements )
Is their perhaps a cultural difference in the "speed" of different nations brains perhaps

it all depends on the place where you rest your foot and your level of attention.too many variables to calculate an exact average...

From who ? and WHY ??

experience..... as he pointed out.

[KnifeEdge_2K1]

until that very moment ...........

You say you do,but a quick response of .5 seconds at 100 km/h is still 28 metres covered...

but the car in front isnt going to stop instantly

say he brakes as hard as possible, givin my 2 second distance and .5 second reaction time, i still have 1.5 seconds of raod in front of me, unless my x-0 speed is 1.5 seconds more than his i can safely stay in my lane, and if it isnt i can just go over to the hard shoulder

and when you're driving you look in front of the car directly infront of you to survey traffic conditions and adapt to it, 2 seconds is plenty safe