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  • xkcd: Drafting

    From Lynn McGuire@3:633/280.2 to All on Sat May 24 06:07:00 2025
    xkcd: Drafting
    https://www.xkcd.com/3093/

    No, no, no, that will not work. But it is cute.

    Explained at:
    https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/3093

    Lynn


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    * Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (3:633/280.2@fidonet)
  • From Joy Beeson@3:633/280.2 to All on Wed May 28 10:28:51 2025

    On Fri, 23 May 2025 15:07:00 -0500, Lynn McGuire
    <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

    xkcd: Drafting
    https://www.xkcd.com/3093/

    No, no, no, that will not work. But it is cute.

    Explained at:
    https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/3093

    None of the discussions mention that the pulling vehicle
    also gets a boost, because the second one fills in the
    low-pressure volume he leaves behind.

    But not as big a boost as the wheel suckers, which is why
    the front rider occasionally drifts off to the side, allows
    the pace line to pass him, and tucks in at the back.

    I have seen a peloton of racers in which the guys in the
    middle of the pack weren't pedalling.

    When the wind is from the side, the pace line becomes an
    echelon, slanting across the road so that each rider is in
    the wind shadow of the rider ahead.

    --
    Joy Beeson
    joy beeson at centurylink dot net
    http://wlweather.net/PAGEJOY/

    Hah! Only four days for a sending time to come up in my
    schedule.

    But only because I thought to check the drafts folder before
    reading.

    --- MBSE BBS v1.1.1 (Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (3:633/280.2@fidonet)
  • From Your Name@3:633/280.2 to All on Wed May 28 16:03:23 2025
    On 2025-05-28 00:28:51 +0000, Joy Beeson said:

    On Fri, 23 May 2025 15:07:00 -0500, Lynn McGuire
    <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

    xkcd: Drafting
    https://www.xkcd.com/3093/

    No, no, no, that will not work. But it is cute.

    Explained at:
    https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/3093

    None of the discussions mention that the pulling vehicle
    also gets a boost, because the second one fills in the
    low-pressure volume he leaves behind.

    But not as big a boost as the wheel suckers, which is why
    the front rider occasionally drifts off to the side, allows
    the pace line to pass him, and tucks in at the back.

    I have seen a peloton of racers in which the guys in the
    middle of the pack weren't pedalling.

    When the wind is from the side, the pace line becomes an
    echelon, slanting across the road so that each rider is in
    the wind shadow of the rider ahead.

    That's also what ducks and geese often do when flying in the V
    formation. The lead bird also drops back when it gets tired and another
    takes over the place at the front.



    --- MBSE BBS v1.1.1 (Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (3:633/280.2@fidonet)
  • From Cryptoengineer@3:633/280.2 to All on Fri May 30 02:29:03 2025
    On 5/27/2025 8:28 PM, Joy Beeson wrote:

    On Fri, 23 May 2025 15:07:00 -0500, Lynn McGuire
    <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:

    xkcd: Drafting
    https://www.xkcd.com/3093/

    No, no, no, that will not work. But it is cute.

    Explained at:
    https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/3093

    None of the discussions mention that the pulling vehicle
    also gets a boost, because the second one fills in the
    low-pressure volume he leaves behind.

    A well designed rocket does not leave a low pressure area
    behind it - the exhaust is ideally at the same pressure as
    the surrounding atmosphere.

    Closely related are 'base-bleed' artillery shells, which
    increase range by using a (non-rocket) pryrotechnic to
    eject gasses behind the shell, to fill the low pressure
    area.

    pt

    --- MBSE BBS v1.1.1 (Linux-x86_64)
    * Origin: A noiseless patient Spider (3:633/280.2@fidonet)