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This-is-not-Guy-MartinVideo: tailgating a tipper truck at 40mph
Anyone who's seen Guy Martin attempting to break the bicycle speed record will know there's a lot of aerodynamic advantage to be gained by sitting right behind a big, fast moving vehicle that's punching a big hole in the air for you.
However, while that's okay on a special bike in a controlled environment in full motorbike leathers – and even then it's really not okay for most of us, is it? – it's certainly not something we'd recommend you try behind a tipper truck on a fast three-lane dual carriageway in Manchester.
We were sent this footage by a reader of one brave (?) soul doing exactly that. "I noticed him a mile before this was shot, he continued drafting for a good 5-10 minutes", he told us. "The truck driver had no idea he was there, averaging 40 as we went through the speedcam."
It's certainly one way to gain an advantage on the commute home, although not one we're keen to have a go at ourselves. Anyone?
Dave is a founding father of road.cc, having previously worked on Cycling Plus and What Mountain Bike magazines back in the day. He also writes about e-bikes for our sister publication ebiketips. He's won three mountain bike bog snorkelling World Championships, and races at the back of the third cats.
Latest Comments
- brooksby 0 sec ago
Yes - you keep them in a box with an X on a map to mark the spot
- BIRMINGHAMisaDUMP 45 min 54 sec ago
Bro needs to be in primary position.
- Mathemagician 47 min 15 sec ago
To answer your question, yes you can sometimes feel the difference. Built a set of wheels for a friend and he installed them with new lightweight...
- Geordiepeddeler 7 hours 26 min ago
Cycling infrastructure does not force drivers to break the law, drivers are the reason they break the law, no one else.
- chrisonabike 7 hours 38 min ago
Ah but taking pictures of things to defy the man (avoid a fine) is righteous. Taking pictures of people to grass on them to the cops (perhaps...
- jaysa 10 hours 49 min ago
As a woman, this works great for me! My chain broke once, and a kind guy stopped with a chain breaker and sorted it all out for me. We stopped at a...
- andystow 11 hours 40 min ago
Same. I also have gone through a bunch of their tyres, and only the extralight disappointed (torn sidewall) but the standards are fantastic....
- chrisonabike 13 hours 38 min ago
Indeed - but it's no more inconsistent than our current road design - very often UK high streets are "for shopping" and also a busy through route....
- mike the bike 15 hours 8 min ago
If you ask the world's leading economic commentators how many people have been rescued from abject poverty by capitalism the average answer would...
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93 comments
Mill states that it is acceptable to harm oneself as long the person doing so is not harming others. He also argues that individuals should be prevented from doing lasting, serious harm to themselves or their property by the harm principle. Because no one exists in isolation, harm done to oneself may also harm others, and destroying property deprives the community as well as oneself.Mill excuses those who are "incapable of self-government" from this principle, such as young children or those living in "backward states of society".
Good for him! We used to be a country of great adventurers, people pushing themselves to their limits, going above and beyond. Now we are a country whose favourite occupation is putting ourselves (usually others) down. Lets all mind our own business and get on with enjoying our own lives. Just because you couldn't countenance drafting a moving vehicle doesn't mean its wrong. Spending long hours on a computer getting high blood pressure worrying about everybody else's business is probably more dangerous..... just saying. Oh, and if you ever see me doing anything you think I shouldn't, please don't worry about me 'cos I certainly won't be worrying about you!
Roads are not the right place to behave in such a reckless and selfish manner, go to a racetrack or a velodrome or take part in an organised event if you want to 'prove' yourself, but putting others at risk for your own ends is immoral and illegal.
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