New way to save fuel!

Dude

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The vehicle in front lost 2-3 mpg because of that… due to the Law of conservation of energy defined by Julius Robert von Mayer, James Prescott Joule, and amazingly Hermann von Helmholtz yet again mentioned in a post 🤣
 

Flash

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And a major safety violation.
How Many Feet Should You Stay Behind a Car?
Now that you know the three-second rule, how does it translate into the number of feet you should leave between you and the car in front of you?

  • Start with the number of feet in a mile; 5,280. You'll want to multiply your speed by 5,280. So if you are traveling at 65 MPH, you would multiple 5280*65 and find out you drive 343,200 feet in an hour.
  • Next, divide the feet per hour by the number of minutes in an hour (60). In this case, 343,200/60 gives you 5,720 feet per minute.
  • Then, you'll want to divide the feet per minute by the number of seconds in a minute (60). In this case, 5,720/60 is about 95 feet.
  • Lastly, take the number of feet per second and multiply it by three to get your safe following distance. In this case, 95*3 tells you that a safe distance between cars driving 65 MPH is 285 feet.
This formula can help you to figure out a safe driving distance in terms of feet based on your speed. Of course, you'll want to figure this out before getting behind the wheel.



Tailgating kills.
 
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CableXJ

CableXJ

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And a major safety violation.
How Many Feet Should You Stay Behind a Car?
Now that you know the three-second rule, how does it translate into the number of feet you should leave between you and the car in front of you?

  • Start with the number of feet in a mile; 5,280. You'll want to multiply your speed by 5,280. So if you are traveling at 65 MPH, you would multiple 5280*65 and find out you drive 343,200 feet in an hour.
  • Next, divide the feet per hour by the number of minutes in an hour (60). In this case, 343,200/60 gives you 5,720 feet per minute.
  • Then, you'll want to divide the feet per minute by the number of seconds in a minute (60). In this case, 5,720/60 is about 95 feet.
  • Lastly, take the number of feet per second and multiply it by three to get your safe following distance. In this case, 95*3 tells you that a safe distance between cars driving 65 MPH is 285 feet.
This formula can help you to figure out a safe driving distance in terms of feet based on your speed. Of course, you'll want to figure this out before getting behind the wheel.



Tailgating kills.
Out here in Manitoba, a 300’ gap means at least 3-4 vehicles will squeeze in between you. I’m not recommending this for anyone and certainly not at night or in heavy traffic. Most drivers here seem to think, if the driver in front can’t tell your eye colour, there’s still room to close up. Setting the cruise to the middle (2 bar) setting seems to consistently provide the 3 second gap.
 


RSH

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I've also done the same behind semi trucks when going to Lake Havasu on the Arizona side. I could get 33 to 35 mpg at 75mph, then drop off when going to make the pass for the next truck in line.
 

magicbus

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I've also done the same behind semi trucks when going to Lake Havasu on the Arizona side. I could get 33 to 35 mpg at 75mph, then drop off when going to make the pass for the next truck in line.
Back in the days of CB radios and traveling around North America in a van (equipped with a cooler of beer betwixt the captains chairs) we used to do this to save our meager $$$ for fuel, food and beer. That was until a kindly long-haul driver in the middle of Colorado explained on the radio what our windshield would look like if he lost the tread on one of his recapped tires.

I think of that conversation every time I see a “road gator” on the highway.
 
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CableXJ

CableXJ

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Back in the days of CB radios and traveling around North America in a van (equipped with a cooler of beer betwixt the captains chairs) we used to do this to save our meager $$$ for fuel, food and beer. That was until a kindly long-haul driver in the middle of Colorado explained on the radio what our windshield would look like if he lost the tread on one of his recapped tires.

I think of that conversation every time I see a “road gator” on the highway.
The BS is small enough that any vehicle will do but I read you.
 

NMhunter

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I always assumed that "drafting" a truck by driving close behind it would decrease the mileage of the truck. I've read since that it also improves his mileage because it prevents the swirling air behind the truck. I've also always assumed that my life is worth more than a little savings on gas.
As for driving 112 while passing, I've never driven that fast in my life. A front tire blowout at 75 mph will take you out of your lane. At 112 mph, it may just take you out.
 

Wolf256

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Any one else taught one car length for every 10 mph of speed? 60 mph = 6 car lengths. Not that there aren’t a lot of a**holes who will continually take your following distance away, but I still try to follow with plenty of room.
 


mdwheaton

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Out here in Manitoba, a 300’ gap means at least 3-4 vehicles will squeeze in between you.
A whole lot more than 3-4 vehicles will fit in a 300' gap. That's a football field length.
 

Bucko

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And a major safety violation.
How Many Feet Should You Stay Behind a Car?
Now that you know the three-second rule, how does it translate into the number of feet you should leave between you and the car in front of you?

  • Start with the number of feet in a mile; 5,280. You'll want to multiply your speed by 5,280. So if you are traveling at 65 MPH, you would multiple 5280*65 and find out you drive 343,200 feet in an hour.
  • Next, divide the feet per hour by the number of minutes in an hour (60). In this case, 343,200/60 gives you 5,720 feet per minute.
  • Then, you'll want to divide the feet per minute by the number of seconds in a minute (60). In this case, 5,720/60 is about 95 feet.
  • Lastly, take the number of feet per second and multiply it by three to get your safe following distance. In this case, 95*3 tells you that a safe distance between cars driving 65 MPH is 285 feet.
This formula can help you to figure out a safe driving distance in terms of feet based on your speed. Of course, you'll want to figure this out before getting behind the wheel.



Tailgating kills.
But how will I know I am 285 feet between the other car in front of me also driving 65 MPH?

I have yelled at the front driver to hold my tape measure, but they will not cooperate.
 

RushMan

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Any one else taught one car length for every 10 mph of speed? 60 mph = 6 car lengths. Not that there aren’t a lot of a**holes who will continually take your following distance away, but I still try to follow with plenty of room.
Yes, that's what they taught in driver's ed back in the early to mid-70s in Illinois, where one had Driver's Ed in high school, both classroom and "behind-the-wheel."
 

Flash

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Any one else taught one car length for every 10 mph of speed? 60 mph = 6 car lengths. Not that there aren’t a lot of a**holes who will continually take your following distance away, but I still try to follow with plenty of room.
Yep, that's exactly what I was taught.
 

Mark S.

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But how will I know I am 285 feet between the other car in front of me also driving 65 MPH?

I have yelled at the front driver to hold my tape measure, but they will not cooperate.
You can tell by the number of rocks and other road debris that hit your car.
Sponsored

 
 




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