Efficent driving

corblimey

I was watching Top Gear sometime over Xmas and they had the old episode where the guys each bought a supercar for under a grand, and then had to drive it on 1 tank of petrol. Anyone remember that? In it, the hamster was driving along the road and someone went to overtake him and he was shouting "please don't overtake me, please don't overtake me" as if the act of being overtaken would reduce his fuel efficency. Why is this? Or am I taking the whole thing out of context? I just thought if there was a scientific reason for it, someone here would know.

.Longshanks.

corblimey wrote: »

In it, the hamster was driving along the road and someone went to overtake him and he was shouting "please don't overtake me, please don't overtake me" as if the act of being overtaken would reduce his fuel efficency. Why is this? Or am I taking the whole thing out of context? I just thought if there was a scientific reason for it, someone here would know.

Wasn't it something along the lines that it was a lorry or caravan going to overtake him and he would have been ashamed?

mikemac

I thought been overtaken would be a good thing.
He could draft behind the car then and possibly save fuel

I've no idea if this works but cyclists do it

corblimey

Longshanks100 wrote: »

Wasn't it something along the lines that it was a lorry or caravan going to overtake him and he would have been ashamed?

That's possible. Certainly a caravan

micmclo wrote: »

I thought been overtaken would be a good thing.
He could draft behind the car then and possibly save fuel

Well that would only work if he was directly in front. My first thought was that the slipstream caused by the overtaker coming up his side would cause him to slow down a little but surely the difference would be negligible.

Shamrogue

He actually says, "dont overtake you fool! Great, thats put my red warning light on"
Dont know what he could be on about really. It shows a shot of james like hes passing hammond out but doesnt... not sure really. Maybe hammond was leading the way and had to stay ahead of James.

Del2005

micmclo wrote: »

I thought been overtaken would be a good thing.
He could draft behind the car then and possibly save fuel

I've no idea if this works but cyclists do it

In order to get a good slipstream off the vehicle in front you have to be so far up their @rse you would be done for tailgating. Very Very dangerous. Do know someone who did it years ago on a long journey behind a truck and figurered they used a lot less petrol. But you are in no way safe doing this.

Do you see the crashes the cyclist have when doing this? And thats only people on bikes. 2 tonnes of steel make much bigger mess of everything inside them.

corblimey

Shamrogue wrote: »

He actually says, "dont overtake you fool! Great, thats put my red warning light on"

That was it exactly, Shamrogue, as if the act of being overtaken turned on his red warning light (presumably showing his empty fuel tank)