I dunno....even being really good at something dangerous doesn't make it "safe".

 

So….because he is a well known nice guy makes his highway behavior more acceptable. Ok. I can buy that. I remember (many, many, many years ago) when I was in Naval flight school, I lost three dear friends, all well known nice guys, from doing borderline maneuvers. Seeing a friend die is never easy. The one that affected me the most was a T2 crash off the USS Lexington (doing something stupid) – body never recovered. The pats on the back and making excuses for their behavior coupled with their and extraordinary flight skills help secure their deaths.

 

The point of knowing Wayne is less about him being likeable and more about a first-hand observation. E-mails and posts are much less reliable than observations. Many of you have probably had very distorted things said about you or someone you know on the net - I have.

Probably hundreds of people at various forums and HybridFest 2006 - other such gatherings have witnessed Wayne's driving. A large group of people that have seen his driving. Some have said they would not drive that way. None of them have told him it's dangerous - why? Suppose this is a courtroom - does hearsay trump a witness? Assumptions are being made reading the Mother Jones article. Assumptions such as this is being done in rush hour, preventing traffic from passing, never looking past the dash, etc....

I can't prove this, but my suspicions is the people that tend to object to Wayne's driving most are trying to justify going over the speed limit. Back to my point, it's very strange there has not been a witness on a forum like this whisleblowing Wayne driving recklessly - they are not lacking.

 

From my experience, there are no witnesses willing to come forward until after the mishap. You shouldn’t be making excuses for him. That’s his job.

 

Guilty unless proven innocent?

I don't think he is surrounded completly by sheep.

 

My point exactly. I'm sure he's technically a good driver, but anybody following a semi at one car length behind is not only dangerous but an idiot also in my book. What happens when a deer runs out in front of that truck & it slams on the brakes??

The passengers comment "I hope you have some upholstery cleaner" doesn't say to me thay want to repeat the manuever any time soon either!!

~John

 

Simply put your just plain wrong. Watch Nascar sometime. The drafters increase the speed ( and economy ) of the lead car as well.

 

Anyone happen to notice that articles tend to be written about the unusual?

For instance, Dean Karnazes recently ran 50 marathons in 50 days. Should everybody do that? No - among other things that's too much stress to recover from - probably even for him. Would running at least a half marathon be good for most able-bodied people? Yes.

Am I suggesting to do everything in that Mother Jones article? No. Does Wayne encourage other people to draft a car length behind an 18-wheeler? No. Are some of those things in Mother Jones worth applying in everday driving? Yes.

The article should be taken in the context of trying a few things to go farther on a tank of gas - not trying everything mentioned.

If hypermilers were to be banned from the road as some have suggested, a lot of arrests would have been made during World War II gas rationing, back when Americans felt less entitiled.

 

That's almost funny.... no pro driver I know is gonna ditch his 100,000k truck for a deer. He's gonna hit it and make sure his insurance pays.

 

Is there anyone with this idea that Wayne is a dangerous person and should be ban from the road exceeding a lifetime average above EPA estimates? In other words, a true hypermiler. The reason I ask is, it appears to me (and I maybe wrong) that this dangerous card is being played for peoples lack of the ability or desire to conserve gas. Why did you buy a Hybrid?

It also appears to me that some of these same people post more about the distracting gaggets they are adding to their vehicles and bad mouth their vehicle for their poor MPG readings.

The big thing I have a issue with, people criticize but they offer NOTHING on the topic they criticize. Why? because they are affaid people would say the same things they are saying about them. These people like to throw stones, but they make themselfs look like the tribe leader of a riot on this board. Of course, they do everything safe, but they don't care to post about it.

And Jason, is that the kind of thanks you give someone who help built GH with his hard work! Wayne is not danger to anyone and you know it. Words like that may end up causing a huge loss in membership.

GaryG