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A video of three cyclists drafting behind a prime mover cargo truck along West Coast Highway made the rounds online after it was put up on Sep. 12, 2022.

The 15-second clip was shot by a person in the vehicle trailing behind the truck and the trio on bicycles.

It showed the cyclists barely pedalling to keep pace with the truck along the centre lane of the three-lane highway.

It is unclear how fast the cyclists were travelling behind the heavy vehicle, but the highway's speed limit is 70km/h.

What is drafting?

The ease of travelling relatively fast on the bicycle without much exertion on the part of the cyclist is due to drafting.

The cyclist benefits from the momentum and reduced wind resistance as a result of travelling behind a moving object.

Cyclists in a team use this technique to share the load for greater efficiency during competitions.

Reactions

Reactions to the video unanimously panned the antics of the cyclists, with many commenters citing safety concerns, such as how there might be too little time to react should the truck brake hard.

The danger stems from the cyclists tailgating the truck and being in its blind spot.

In Singapore, it is recommended for car drivers to maintain a following-distance of at least one car length for every 16km/h of speed.

This is to ensure the ability to stop within a safe distance of the vehicle in front.

In other words, a distance of at least three car lengths is needed if travelling at a 48km/h speed.

Video from a year ago

However, it turns out the video is not new.

It was put up on TikTok a year ago on Sep. 11, 2021.

@joebob556 #singapore #cyclist ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey

Top photos via @joebob556 / TikTok