Bungee driving

[TVRBRZ]

Indulge me in what to many will be madness, but what I found to be quite good fun and a lot less stressful!

Faced with a 3ish hour drive to the West Coast of Scotland on a Bank Holiday Sunday, I came up with an alternative strategy to my usual progressive driving habits. Knowing the roads would be busy, that overtaking people incites rage from the overtaken and anything coming the other way, yet still wanting a soupcon of driving enjoyment, I tried bungee driving.

I always kept a few hundred metres of gap from the car in front. If no one was behind me I'd drop back even further, then when we got to the twisty bits I had some fun, caught the car in front then dropped back again on the straights. I would try not to overtake.

Whenever the car following caught me and looked like they'd be inconvenienced by my antics I pulled over and let them by. Occasionally, if in a convoy I'd pull over and wait for a gap.

So I've probably added at least 30-40 mins to my journey. Those ahead of me (if they bothered checking their rear view mirrors) and those behind possibly thought i was mad. I don't think I caused any inconvenience, or stress by overtaking (I shall fess up to 2 overtakes as temptation got to me).

The benefit is that I quite enjoyed the drive. Judging when to pull over brought a new aspect of involvement. I was rewarded frequently by having some of the best twisty bits to myself. I kept very much below or at NSL (constant speed cameras now). And I've arrived feeling far less stressed than if I'd just driven normally.

Do others do similar but call it something different?

[Roguexcess]

So basically hypermiling

[Skyedriver]

Bonkers.

[mac96]

I have seen something similar on YT videos of people driving US canyon roads; no overtaking, so pull over if you catch up with someone, and wait for them to get well ahead, then zoom off again.

Seems OK to me if road is not too busy, although I probably wouldn't bother myself.

[shost]

Done it if I know its a particularly good stretch and no chance to overtake. Not unusual at all. I also wonder if the 40MPHC person ahead notices. I conclude never.

[swisstoni]

If a sensible overtake incites rage then this isn’t the problem of the overtaker imho.

Although, on a long drive, I can see some merit in dropping out of miserable convoys.

[wc98]

mac96 said:

I have seen something similar on YT videos of people driving US canyon roads; no overtaking, so pull over if you catch up with someone, and wait for them to get well ahead, then zoom off again.

Seems OK to me if road is not too busy, although I probably wouldn't bother myself.

A friend and i once did this on the way back from Moto GP at Donington. The reason we pulled into a layby was the vehicle we caught up to was a Police motorcycle that we had caught at a rapid rate of knots

I also had a cross country drive across Scotland on Friday afternoon. Traffic was terrible until the Galloway forest road and apart from a Tesla towing a trailer that apparently couldn't reverse due to the trailer ? is that a thing ? leading to a stand off with a large lorry also towing a trailer it was great. Once we got going the nice people in a Volvo, Lorry and two bikers in front of me over the next few miles all pulled into passing places to let me past. Was much appreciated as i had got a lovely rhythm going.

On the way home late Saturday/early Sunday morning i thought i was getting a pull on the M8 as i had what i thought was a traffic car following me at Vascar distance for several miles with cruise set at 90 (if it had a been mid week at that time cruise would have been at 100mph) due to there being a fair amount of traffic for that time of night. After about 10 miles they put the hammer down and came past at about 120 still accelerating. I assume my driving was fine and they thought the speed ok for conditions, dry clear night and light traffic. Not getting a tug was highly appreciated