# Drafting

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/drafting/83215>\
**Category:** The Show\
**Created:** [January 18, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/drafting/83215 "2014-01-18T21:08:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Rolfie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Rolfie](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Rolfie)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/drafting/83215/1 "2014-01-18T21:08:26Z")

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I heard the question about cars drafting. Basically what happens is the first car creates turbulence and a car following closely would have less drag due to driving through the turbulence. There is nothing ‘pulling’ on the first car, it’s just the first car has the most work to do because it doesn’t have any turbulence to reduce drag. A nature analogy is geese flying in a V shape. The first goose does the most work creating turbulence with its wings. The 2 geese following right behind on the left and right have their drag reduced by this turbulence having their flight use less energy. This principle then continues down the entire length of the 2 V legs. Since being the first bird requires the most energy, the geese will switch out the lead goose with a fresh goose periodical. In another nature analogy, there are little shrimp on the ocean floor who run around in single file, as the turbulence caused by the leading shrimp reduces the drag on the following shrimp.

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**Author:** ![jesmed1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jesmed1/32/2097_2.png) [@jesmed1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jesmed1)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 10:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/drafting/83215/2 "2014-01-18T22:55:19Z")

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That was a repeat of an old segment that is already being discussed here:

> **[Drafting: Front vehicle does benefit](http://community.cartalk.com/discussion/2296315/drafting-front-vehicle-does-benefit#latest)**
>
> There is an area of relative low pressure behind a car that “sucks” the car backwards. This is one component of the force of drag acting on the car. When the front car is being drafted, the pressure of the air behind it increases and drag is...