Drifting: what do people think?

[Robinxr4i]

aux said:

I got the classic "Your cars curse word mate" line off a lad with driftworks sticker on his bimmer

I wouldn't worry about that, every forum has its knobs. He probably couldn't get his bmw sideways anyway ;D

[Carter]

robinxr4i said:

aux said:

I got the classic "Your cars curse word mate" line off a lad with driftworks sticker on his bimmer

I wouldn't worry about that, every forum has its knobs. He probably couldn't get his bmw sideways anyway ;D

It was at the petrol station, i was filling up the cortina with dirty ole LRP

[HoTWire]

wickedbad said:

would love to try but wouldnt want to appear to be jumping on that already massively over loaded bandwagon.

Who cares about band wagons,.. anti-fashion is still fashion. Do whatever you want, enjoy it.

[madmods]

the drift scene is very clicky & if your face don't fit then you have no chance with this sport we built a drift car for 2006 shows & because we didnt join the the driftwork possie etc we were snubbed so we made a noise elsewhere got photos, & filmed at big events with our car & said goodbye to the drift scene & sold the car





drifting is great fun have a go

[Shortcut]

It probably doesn't help that the cars look exactly like the ones seen in every KFC carpark up and down the land and thus is associated with young lower class lads rather than professional sportsmen.

That said I think that the skill set required in drifting is rather an order lower than that required for rallying and racing as it does seem to be limited number of set pieces and some basic car control.

It may look dramatic but I can't see it taking long to pick it up. The winning is probably in the last 1% of the skill involved.

[HoTWire]

104zs said:

It may look dramatic but I can't see it taking long to pick it up. The winning is probably in the last 1% of the skill involved.

I think the same is true of circuit racing though,.. the winning is always in the last 1%

[bigsteve]

charlie said:

Very irresponsible of me I know but I just love seeing it done really well on public roads. That video on YouTube of the RX7 doing the long drifts round corners with oncoming traffic in the other lane demonstrates a superb skill, and massive bravery.



Charlie

If I was out in my car with my wife and 3 kids, and a fool in a rwd car came drifting towards me in the other lane, I would personally turn round and follow until he stopped. I dare say he would expect praise for his wonderous driving. What he would get is a broken nose and jaw. One wrong move and that could be the end of my family all because some prat wants to show off in front of his mates. Massive bravery to wipe out a family?
On a track drifting is fine. If caught on public roads they should have their licences taken away for good and beaten to a pulp.
Drivers have to trust each others skill every day. Its only a white line between two cars heading straight for each other so we have to be sensible like it or not. All it takes is some "drifting wanabee" make a mistake and BANG! Innocent drivers hurt or worse.
If drifting is a form of motorsport it should stay on the track.

[Colonelk]

As someone who is keen on it, and wants to compete in the sport, I spose I should put my oar in

I think part of it lies with people not really really understanding what drifting is. The lad with a RWD car who has gotten 5 degrees worth of power oversteer and says "Yeah Ive been drifting mate" Errr No! I would say, even though Ive been to many a practise day and had many attempts, I wouldnt call what Ive done 'drifting'. Id call it arsing about. The amount of car control involved in getting consistently good is staggering IMHO. Anyone see Tiff Needel trying to compete as part of the 5th Gear series? He sucked and got beaten. Sometimes the car broke granted, but he wasnt anywhere up to competition skill. And this is a man famed for car control and 'going sideways'

Great quote from Hotwire on the motorsport as opposed to motorracing

As for the competitive side, when there are solo runs (normally to decide the final 16 or some such) you get marked by a panel of judges over a series of corners, as to whether you hit the specified clipping points and how much speed and angle you keep at the same time. You get marked down if you straighten up and other rules that are dependant on the particular series. IMHO this is the dullest part of the sport for spectators. The real heart in the mouth moments come from the final 16 TWIN DRIFTING.

This is again judged by a panel, but is usually far more clear but. Each round consists of two runs. One with one competitor ahead of the other (running together, as close as possible ie a few feet!), and then reverse ie everyone gets to play leader once and chaser once. This is where things can seem more complex but my understanding of it is, you still have to make the clipping points but the leader has to try and pull away from the chase car and the chase car has to stick like glue. You get points for each and whoever wins that tussle goes to the next round. If they draw, they have to run again. Then there are extra rules. If you spin you get lose that run, if you overtake while drifting then you win that run. This leads to some awesome spectacles for the crowd as it gets very close and very competitive!

And Bigsteve. While drifting on public roads is stupid yes and any muppet in a car trying to impress his mates will end in disaster, I have to take something up with you. Would you do the same if someone sped past you (as in lots of speed) in the opposite direction? because I know many many people who get on their high horse about people getting sideways on the road (and when they do get sideways, its normally at about 30mph...... esp the wannabees) and will then 10minutes later brag about their 100mph run down the bypass while racing an XYZ. Also, can you honestly say that you've never done something 'a bit daft' while trying to impress mates / girl / no-one just venting anger? Even in your youth?

Back to the drifting thing. I hope I'm not the only one who remembers when donuts were called donuts and power slides were called power slides unlike pretty much anyone who makes a video for youtube et al these days! But at the bottom of it, I think most of the dislike comes from a lack of understanding, or just simply not 'getting' it.

[bigsteve]

colonelk. I take your point and i understand exactly what you say. But even if a wanabee slider is travelling at 30mph, thats 44 ft/sec. Ask my mate Kev. Oh sorry you cant. Some idiot on a motorbike lost control at 26mph and slid into him. Kev was killed in front of his wife and two kids. And thats a motorbike!! What sort of damage do you think a car could do whilst out of control? Lets see now...
Wanabee is doing 30mph.
Wanabee tries a slide.
He remembers that you accelerate to get the rear to break away.
He cant get the rear out but gains speed due to shoving throttle to the floor.
don't get me wrong here. Drifting is a skillful talent and those who master it have good car control. But wanabee idiots cant control cars correctly and they don't "train" in the correct places. Usually they have front wheel drive cars....!!! Nuff said.
Speeding cars in the opposite lane is something any competent driver should anticipate. It happens all the time even though its dangerous. But a car coming towards you in a powerslide isnt something you are prepared for. Panic ensues and accidents happen.
don't want to brag here, its not my style. But i passed my advanced test YEARS ago, raced cars (and a couple of bikes) and yes, i can powerslide a car. Maybe i have been lucky enough to "vent my anger" off road. As for my youth (I'm 38 BTW) my cars were 1100 Mk1 Escorts and the like. They didnt have enough power to slide, lol, and drifting was unheard of. And i had my own insurance so i was sensible enough to know that any stupidity could mean points and a loss of NCB. Nowadays kids first cars are much more powerful, and some are on daddies insurance so couldnt really give a toss.
Just want to make something clear here. I am not just pointing the finger at young drivers. Idiotic drivers come in all shapes, sizes, sexes and ages.

[akku]

way I look at it is this if ballroom dancing, figure skating, ice dance, etc. can be considered sports then I don;t see why drifting can't be.

It suffers a bit from the "Kentuky Fried Moron" stigma a bit ATM. Thank Fast & Furious Tokyo Drift and the like for that I suspect. Plus when I've been on drifting forums to see what its all about it all seems to be about having an obnoxious attitude, swearing lots and being "hard".

So I left that one before I even started on it.

[surprisingskoda]

steve ^
in your youth, were you really weak-ankled? because i've drifted a 1300cc skoda, and as i live in ireland i could could the amount of escorts i've seen go sideways in rallies by the amount of stars i can see on a clear night... ie lots, and yes, even small engined ones too. pretty much anything with a shaft to the rear will drift.
seeing someone drifting up the other side IS something that should be anticipated. you have a lot more time to see a car which broadside is twice as wide, and going half as fast. and whats that old adage, expect the unexpected?
and as an Advanced Driver you shouldn't be panicking if you did see that. I don't claim to be in any way way good at driving at all, but i do refute any claims i panic when faced with situations that could get nasty. once recently had a fuel truck pull out right in front of me while hammering along, nowhere to go except to blow up, had a passanger i really didnt want dead too, could have panicked but my whole 2 years driving meant even though i had barely splitseconds to react, i downshifted, braked on a damp road with no ABS and brought the car from 70 to 10mph in around 20 metres, i don't know how i did it but my point is I'm a curse word driver and i don't panic, why should anyone else who is as you say competent?


to the point, drifting is a sport in every way, and is mainly contested by professionals with amazing car control. i know a couple of d1 drivers and they are awesome behind the wheel. oh and friendly too, accessible, and not young enough to be at mcd's - but not old enough to need help eating!

[Hirst]

I really don't get on with the UK stuff as there's just something a bit dull about it I can't place my finger on. But I do enjoy the Japanese stuff, especially when it's not professional (which means more old interesting cars and scary moments).

This drift video happens to be the most popular one I uploaded and I like it, an interesting car and some mixed driving skills!:

I haven't got any videos of the black drift Charmant as piloted by Ryoji Takada, but have seen it on a DVD and it was the best thing ever - it has a load of cupholders and airfresheners inside which is superb when you consider the bulk of cars have totally stripped out interiors and bare metal sheeting all over. He even did the oldskool thing and went for one bucket seat and standard passenger seat. Was a very good driver to boot!

Unfortunately for drift fans, I won't be planning to drift my Charmant even post engine swap, I care about it far too much to subject it to that sort of abuse. Plus the UK scene seems elitist and full of "attitude".

[Robinxr4i]

That video of the Toyota Corolla KE70 is ace stuff, anyway seems like there are some strong opinions thrown up! I would agree totally with Hotwire's comment, a point well put.

I guess its a bit of a marmite thing?

[DarrenW]

104zs said:

It probably doesn't help that the cars look exactly like the ones seen in every KFC carpark up and down the land and thus is associated with young lower class lads rather than professional sportsmen.

Last time I looked in a fast-food carpark it was filled with FWD superminis - not the greatest drift machines ever devised ;D

I'd happily eat KFC at a drive thru every single night if there were loads of AE86 Corollas, RX7s, Capris, Mantas, Volvos and all other RWD stuff there ;D

[topi]

Drifting is gay hahaha.

Alot of people I know don't take me seriously when I say I practice drifting. It's even worse due to my age (I'm 18) - obviously I have NO car control or any idea of whats going on. Suckers.

But then I remember that I don't really care what they think. At the end of the day, I'm the one having fun in my cheap RWD car, learning new skills, traveling all over the place and meeting new people.

And as for all the barries thinking they are 'well syk at driftin init' - they normally end up breaking their new Wolfrace 18s and give it a rest. Never lasts long.

[Robinxr4i]

darrenw said:

I'd happily eat KFC at a drive thru every single night if there were loads of AE86 Corollas, RX7s, Capris, Mantas, Volvos and all other RWD stuff there ;D

Me too if anyone find a KFC with this kind of customer, please let me know!

Good for you topi ;D

[Hirst]

Maybe we could go to a Wimpy instead, it's a bit more brown and retro.

[Robinxr4i]

hirst said:

Maybe we could go to a Wimpy instead, it's a bit more brown and retro.

.....you can smoke in there and the food come on a proper plate with a knife 'n' fork. "Can I have a bender in a bun with cheese?"

[Nick]

it's fun. simple as that.

[bigsteve]

Err no I'm not weak ankled....it was a p*ss take at my first car :-)
And as for the panicking, i meant the wanabee drfiter would panic, lose control and end up in a hedge. Worst of all, end up in/on someone else.
Ive been driving now for *cough* years and i do expect the unexpected. I remember what my instructor said o me during my first lesson.
"Steve, treat every other driver like a complete prat"
I do that and so far (touch wood) ive never had any accidents whatsoever.
If a broadsiding car is easier to spot and is going half as fast, why isnt it taught in driving lessons as a safety feature? Be seen-be safe-drift your car!!
I can see it now...."Sorry Mr Smith I'm afraid you failed your driving test". "Youre a good driver in general but your drifting technique is somewhat lacking in control, angle and finesse" And didnt i see it written here somewhere that points are awarded for angle and SPEED???
ANYONE who drifts a car into oncoming traffic is a complete tit with no regard for anyone elses safety. Speed itself doent kill. Ask anyone whos been on Concorde. Stupidity kills.
Drifting is ok by me, in the right conditions. I can watch it and i have no problems with it whatsoever. But not on public roads.