When a car drafts behind a semi truck, just who is saving who gas? That was Tim's question, on this week's Car Talk. Tim, a semi driver himself, thinks the drafters are benefiting at his expense -- after all, someone's gotta create the energy the drafters are getting, right? "Au contraire, Piston Pop", say Tim's kids -- they think it doesn't hurt his mileage at all.
A steak dinner hangs in the balance.
Who's right?
Ray posited that -- ready for this? -- a car drafting behind a semi actually saves both vehicles some fuel. No kidding!
What do you think? Could Ray be right, despite all those years of flunking classes at MIT?
The Feds using our hard earned tax dollars have throughly studied truck/trailer dynamics with an eye towards decreasing fuel usage and recommended that truck trailers be required to have a "boat tail" on rear end to improve the aerodynamics. http://www...oveme.html
05/03/2008 3:42:10 PM
