There are several hills in the UK where you use your brakes going uphill!

 

https://www.higgypop.com/news/gravity-hills/

 

The reminds me a little of a reader question in "Max Power" magazine many, many moons ago.

 

A read asked.... "If you are following a gritter lorry, are you better to stick behind it or overtake it to reduce the time you're getting hit by grit but obviously by going faster to overtake the grit will hit your car with more force"

 

The reply (from memory) was along the lines of..... "The average grit particle weighs around 2.789g and is travelling at a speed of 5m/s, it will cover an area of approx 5sqmm.  A standard metallic paint will withstand approximately 0.23132kg of force over 5sqmm before it is damaged <and them some or pseudo scientific data about particle velocity with the vehicle speeding up>...............  What we're trying to say is DO NOT OVERTAKE A GRITTER!!!!  The road ahead of it is likely to make you skid/lose control of your car so a few chips on your paintwork will be the least of your worries"

I tend to not over take now if within 30miles of home, or say on an old 60, now a 50 they are doing 40 and braking for the slightest deformity from straight. 

 

Perhaps the most efficient way, given we're in broad agreement overtaking isn't efficient, is to drop back before the hill then use a bit of gravity; assuming a downhill, to build some speed/momentum. So to use gravity for a tiny tiny boost

 

I've no idea if approaching an over take with momentum is a 'professional' approach. You might end up applying a lot of brake so even less £££ efficient. I, with a lowly citigo have to use a momentum overtake style quite a lot... but never up hill... it would pop a cylinder. I've also been over taken by a irish plated us style lorry going up hill, he was without trailer and pretty smokey

Edited 1 September, 20187 yr by ColinD