I hate the people who speed ahead when a lane is closing and then try to crowd into my lane. Even worse are the people who drive ahead on the shoulder.
.-= Kosmo @ The Casual Observer´s last blog ..Beginner’s Guide to Fiction Writing =-.

I must say though that your tip on ‘drafting’ to save on petrol is not good advice. To yield any benefit you must follow close to the vehicle in front, too close in my opinion. It’s a pet peeve of mine when people follow too close to your vehicle at high speed. In the event of a heavy braking situation they would not be able to stop in time and you as the driver of the vehicle in front have to take this into account when you need to brake.

For any possible fuel savings offered by drafting, the safety risk does not make it worthwhile.

But coming back is hard. That Delta lulls you to sleep and by the time you get to the mountains you are drained and just want to be home. Plus going west to east its a more gradual incline into the mountains with an abrupt decline on the other side – it catches you by suprise (but the State Troopers won’t buy that story). So I really have to take advantage of the tips you’ve mentioned above. Rest is imperative. Also my satellite radio is a must. And now I have a GPS, but before that I’d always check my route online marking the areas that seemed to have a variety of places to stop and I’d write those exits in a notebook. So know the geography and know the route you are traveling and how it might affect you. Also carry cash and a checkbook – not everyone takes credit and I’ve never had a problem some green wouldn’t get me out of.