Motorpacing behind trucks

[scotty]

It's not illegal, is it? I mean slipstreaming a truck only violates the keep a safe following distance, and how does plod measure that from behind?

Actually is illegal and yes its the safe following distance rule that' been broken. A critic cannot choose which rules suit them and which don't.

[Tumbleweed]

What was the end result? What would the fine be? Not keeping a safe following distance?

 

Had a cop blowing his hooter at me the other day as well. Turns out it was my neighbour. Met up with him afterwards (I was home before him ). We had a good chat about it.

 

They told me what I was doing was reckless. Not sure what the fine would be, maybe it's the folowing thing that Scotty's talking about. Isn't there also a rule about having your hands on the handlebars at all times?

[Nickzta]

You haven't lived until you've chased down a truck and sat in its hot, quiet slipstream. The onliy think nicer than the moment you know you've got it and can sit in the slip, is arriving at your muffin stop 20 minutes earlier than your chicken buddies in the pack.

Unfortunately I'm too slow nowadays to still catch trucks but I sure miss them. Maybe I can find a fat, overloaded old brick truck somewhere and catch him for old-time sake.

 

One think you must remember - any truck, no matter how overloaded it is, can stop quicker than a bike. But I'm telling you this not to put you off, but to clarify a point that should really be discussed in Tech Q&A - one day.

 

Nice! just another reason to get disk brakes on road bikes!

 

*just a friendly nudge*

[Bateleur1]

They told me what I was doing was reckless. Not sure what the fine would be, maybe it's the folowing thing that Scotty's talking about. Isn't there also a rule about having your hands on the handlebars at all times?

 

Nope. Won't hold on to a vehicle. Only vehicle I will touch is one of mine if I meet my wife along the road and stop to say hi.

[Nickzta]

They told me what I was doing was reckless. Not sure what the fine would be, maybe it's the folowing thing that Scotty's talking about. Isn't there also a rule about having your hands on the handlebars at all times?

 

 

Isn't that for car license? Both hands on steering wheel...

 

That is a good question for another thread? What are the traffic laws for cycling? What happens if you do 80km/hr on a downhill with a 60km/hr zone..

[Nickzta]

Yup. Only roadies that can be this lazy riding behind trucks the whole time...

 

Thing is that we just move too fast, to pay too much attention to chirps from non-roadies.

 

and Moving rapidly along with the topic...

[The Drongo]

I've since given a lot of thought to European laws that prohibit cars to move whilst their hazard lights are flashing.

 

It's illegal here too. Who would have thought?

[The Drongo]

I didn't get a siren. Just a booming voice. I nearly fell off, cause I thought God was calling me. Then I looked back and saw the coppers.

 

He was. They were just the messengers...

[LOOK695]

I have done it on numerous occassions, slipstreaming at 70-80km/h. It is fun, but at the end of the day it is dangerous as well. Have stopped doing it as I have a young laaitjie at home. Those big trucks have got huge brakes and can stop fast, even with a load. Do you think that you will be able to react quickly enough at 80km/h if the truck were to slam his brakes because some taxi turned into his path with you being a meter behind him?

Edited December 6, 2011 by LOOK695

[The Drongo]

I have done it on numerous occassions, slipstreaming at 70-80km/h. It is fun, but at the end of the day it is dangerous as well. Have stopped doing it as I have a young laaitjie at home. Those big trucks have got huge brakes and can stop fast, even with a load. Do you think that you will be able to react quickly enough at 80km/h if the truck were to slam his brakes because some taxi turned into his path with you being a meter behind him?

 

No.

[Nickzta]

 

I also noticed the moment you motorpace behind a truck, cars back off and don't try to push you off the road. If you cycle to the left of the road, cars feel feathers for you but the moment you slip stream, they back off. I don't know how many of you have experienced it as well.

 

 

 

I think it's safer to cycle behind a truck, than to ride on the verge alongside trafic.

As you say cars feel feathers for you. If you can keep pace behind the truck, you get more respect from the other cars.

[Nickzta]

oh and I don't negate the fact that it's always a bit of a dangerous thing to do

[Tubehunter]

Been doing it for as long as I've been riding two wheels with pedals. Wont stop doing it either. I concur with the OP that cars back off and treat you better when you are motorpacing behind a vehicle such as a loaded truck and matching their speed. I usually ride the left wheel of the truck and make sure I smile my best smile and give a thumbs up to the driver in his mirror when we first make eye contact. It's insane how your senses get heightened and the attention to environmental surroundings that you sharpen your anticipation too. Holding the left edge of the tow gives you the option to peak out past the left side of the truck to scout ahead every couple of hundred meters when you have the chance to do it. Plus you have an option of an escape path under hard braking.

 

Never miss the opportunity to thank the driver when I peel off for whatever reason.

Edited December 6, 2011 by Tubehunter

[Bat-ass]

Man I'v had some epic sessions behind trucks.... I acctually compare it to surfing when you get a good wave!!!

I am however, quite selective about the trucks i pick.. when youv been in its slipstream for a while and the adrenaline starts wearing off, I start thinking about something lying in the road and hitting it... Then i bail out from behind the truck..

[Delgado]

Been doing it for 20something years. Used to do it behind the team bakkie. Will carry on doing it.

+1....and I've no intention of blaming anyone else if I see my ar$e doing it.

[Paulst12]

Its all very exciting until we hear of an accident (eg. hit a pothole that you didnt/couldnt possibly see and because you are riding in the traffic lane and fall off the car/truck behind you that is "showing u so much resppect now" hits you) and then the driver gets blamed and faces charges of calpable homicide etc.

We all know the rules of the road, and if we stick to them there will be fewer fatalities.

If you want to motor pace, find a mate to drive in front of you on a quiet road... stay away from vehicles who have no clue you are behind them.