Nutters
 

Totally Crackers:thumbsup:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5MtQ...eature=related

Re: Nutters
 

:ohmy:
Jesus that was close, but the nutter for me was the muppet sitting in that chair on top of the wall.

Re: Nutters
 

I look at that and I simply can't understand how they calculated it that fine. It seemed to me that they passed within two metres of the edge, and a slight change in wind could easily have depressed their flight to cause them to hit that edge at a very impressive speed.

Re: Nutters
 

I think the suits they wear give a certain amount of lift/control but all the tea in China would not get me try it:eek:

Re: Nutters
 

They must have a massive amount of self confidence in their own ability to do stuff like that, but there again so do many car drivers as they hurtle past me at well over 200kph on the autobahn,... until a few kms further along the road, ..dear oh dear ! ....I've seen it too many times. :thumbdown:

To stand very close to the edge of an auto bahn when these idiots are screaming past is almost as frightening as that vid, but not so noticable when moving along in the same direction,everything is relative.

I particularly admire the courage of Spaish roadworkers who can often be seen working on the edge of a carriageway itself with virtually minimum precautions when these clowns hurtle past within a whisker of them.

Re: Nutters
 

Just my thought. They missed the edge by about two metres, which is NOTHING when it is compared to distance travelled over a flight like that.

The slightest reduction in altitude over that distance could easily translate into a two metre drop, resulting in a trip to the morgue after everyone has picked up all the pieces.

Re: Nutters
 

Much the same applies, for one instance when tail gating at 200kph plus, it only takes the slightest touch on the brakes or the tiniest momentary distraction causing a minor change of direction.
Look at that massive pile up/disaster recently in the UK, though they are still not certain of the cause, one or two believe it was caused by drivers momentarily rubber necking the firework display.

Re: Nutters
 

I like those things they paint on the road to show how far you should be from the car ahead. There are times that I think we are a safe distance from the car in front, and then we hit a bunch of these, and I suddenly realise I'm Waaaayyy too close.

Like you I have seen people driving so close it makes me disbelieve the evidence of my eyes. I remember over taking one pair and going slowly past to check, and there was barely two metres between these cars at 80+ mph.

Chevrons. That was the word.

Re: Nutters
 

Chevrons are a quite useful guide for those who take notice of them and stick to the limit, but for the idiots travelling at exceptional speeds two would probably not be enough.

The truckers often amaze me, for all their experience and slightly slower speed, many of them still insist on driving ridiculously close to the truck in front.
They are seated pretty close to the windscreen with little or no bonnet for extra protection, so in the event of things going pear shaped,they are going to cop it straight away.
In any event it can't be much fun having nothing else filling virtually their whole windscreen for mile after mile than the arse end of the truck in front.
I can never quite work out why they don't just back off just a touch.

Re: Nutters
 

They are usually "slip streaming" effective on mpg but dangerous.

Re: Nutters
 

I would have thought that fuel economy would be the companies problem, not the drivers.

Re: Nutters
 

Owner drivers? Plenty around.

Re: Nutters
 

Point taken.

OK, Three trucks, A,B and C driving close as in part of a convoy.

Surely if driver B is getting a positive tug by driving up the arse of driver A, then he will also be suffering an equal and opposite negative effect from driver C looking up his backside.
In other words, nothing gained by this dangerous and unpleasant driving technique, as against everyone spacing out, or am I missing something ?

On the other hand is it like a game of Russian roulette whereby the driver bravest or stupid enough to drive closer than any other, either gains maximum benefit or ends up brown bread. ?

The one thing maybe I do now understand is why so many truckers take exception to cars slipping in between them and joining their convoy.

Re: Nutters
 

A opens the way thru the air, which requires the same effort no matter how many lorries are behind. B & C, assuming they are in the appropriate sweet spot, are merely holding the space open, which requires less work than opening their own way. If they get to close, they actually push the vehicle ahead forward, and if they drop back behind the sweet spot, the air closes behind the first one, and they have to open their own space.

Re: Nutters
 

Edit.
Excerpt from Wiki on drafting as the Americans call it.

"Tailgating and hypermiling. Some drivers have been known to draft behind other vehicles, particularly tailgating larger vehicles, to save fuel. For example, hypermilers using this technique can achieve 75 mpg or more.[9] Some sources say that the most common tailgating does not save gasoline even at freeway speeds because one is likely to accelerate and brake so frequently that any aerodynamic savings are lost through the brakes.[10] On the show Mythbusters, drafting behind an 18-wheeler truck was tested and results showed that traveling 100 feet (30 m) behind the truck increased overall mpg efficiency by 11%. Traveling 10 feet (3.0 m) behind the truck produced a 39% gain in efficiency. Of course, they warn that this type of driving "is insane" because the truck's blindspot is in that area, and if the truck stops quickly there is much less time to react.[11] Truckers are not fond of the extra stress this puts on them, worrying about cars on their tail. Additionally, it can be very dangerous for the following car if one of the truck's tires (or their recaps) delaminate, as the chunks of ejected rubber can be large enough to cause serious harm, even death, to a driver following too closely."

Seems you have it about right bil.
Travelling ten feet behind gives a massive 39% increase in efficiency for those insane enough to risk it.
A hundred foot which is still not without risk only gives 11%.
It's much dependant on maintaining a constant speed to be effective.
However little wonder they hate cars joining their convoys.