Fuel saving tips

[Steve Bullman]

Frugal father was telling me how he’d taken to slip streaming Lorry’s to ease his fuel economy, so out of interest I gave it a try in the Navara. Wasn’t in a particular hurry so I sat dangerously close to a lorry going 50 for about 40 miles. Usual fuel economy is around 38mpg.

 

(Obviously the missus lent over to take the photo)

 

 

 

 

[sime42]

So the lorry drivers you see dangerously tailgating each other all the time are not completely stupid then.

 

 

[Doug Tait]

The missus lent over to "take the photo" 😉

[sime42]

At least she hadn't lent over for a "Gillian Taylforth"!

 

 

[AHPP]

I used to do it in the Vitara. Got a lot of abuse from the ones who realised I was there. Most didn't. Small car. Kept me awake maintaining the gap and looking for lights. No memorable near misses over several years of it.

 

I don't now. Give myself more noticing/thinking/reacting/braking space. Much more actually. Like massive gaps. My mind has dulled with age and ennui. And I'm now so utterly disinterested in driving that I pay no attention anyway. I'm usually posting on here or watching Rumpole of the Bailey. Haven't found full episodes of Porridge on youtube yet.

[Steve Bullman]

23 minutes ago, AHPP said:

I used to do it in the Vitara. Got a lot of abuse from the ones who realised I was there. Most didn't. Small car. Kept me awake maintaining the gap and looking for lights. No memorable near misses over several years of it.

 

I don't now. Give myself more noticing/thinking/reacting/braking space. Much more actually. Like massive gaps. My mind has dulled with age and ennui. And I'm now so utterly disinterested in driving that I pay no attention anyway. I'm usually posting on here or watching Rumpole of the Bailey. Haven't found full episodes of Porridge on youtube yet.

It did take more concentration than usual that’s for sure. Made making long replies to emails, texting etc etc much harder than usual.

[sime42]

A knee on the steering wheel is a powerful asset. Apparently.

 

I had a mate who would always skin up at the wheel when he set off on the drive down from Manchester to Birmingham.  Said it helped him negotiate the awfulness of the M6. 

[Peewit]

We used to slipstream vans round the country lanes on our pushbikes when we were kids. If you tucked in close and pedalled like hell you could achieve 30+ mph which felt like 80 on a three speed Sturmey Archer Raleigh with a sprung saddle.

[Steven P]

Done that loads - tractors were a favourite but they often had big spikes of metal out the back for added concentration - went a bit slower so you could keep in their tow for longer.

[david lawrence]

There’s a YouTube vid of a guy in an Audi a2?the little mini people carrier shaped one claiming / getting 100 mpg by slipstreaming and other fuel saving techniques