I think the concern would be more along the lines of you doing 65-70 into a headwind and coming up to a semi doing 60-65 and not being able to pass at WOT because of the air coming off the truck. Now you have a choice: sit in the slip stream let traffic build up behind you and be buffeted around waiting for a drop in the headwind, or drop way off in speed and follow behind until the next exit (can be 10 - 20 miles apart in this part of the country) with all the rest of the traffic coming up behind you at fast closing differential speeds and passing you. An experience like this is what made me decide that for interstate trips a different MC was in order.
You want traffic closing on you from the rear at 20 mph? Are you talking about riding 20 MPH slower than average traffic, or just the random vehicle going much faster than average. What about the vehicles that are only doing 70 1/2 MPH pass and put you in their slip stream for miles?
IMHO it is safer to ride on the interstate with traffic all going on direction and no intersections - if you find a buffer without a bunch of traffic around you. Not however if you are riding slower than traffic and forcing people to constantly find their way around you. Or riding much faster than traffic and constantly passing other vehicles.
Sandy Koocanusa wrote on 05/31/08 at 22:15:55:Since it came up, I have a question about Interstate travel. What is the big concern? If I'm doing 70, and a guy goes past at 90, I'm in his slip stream for just a few seconds and he's gone, right? I'm not meeting oncoming traffic, so no concern there.
I must be missing something. I'll be riding I-90 later this month, so if someone can give me a little idea of what I should be worried about, it would be much appreciated. Seems like it would be easier riding, with everyone going the same direction.
Thanks much,
Jason
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