going sideways?

It's been raining the pass few days and when it is raining, be prepare to hear cars skidding and sliding sideways around big parking lots. You know what I'm talking about- well, atleast most of you do know. I'm talking about drifting. I don't need to explain what drifting is all about but many people do get confused or don't really know what real drifting is.

It's quite amusing really. Sometimes when I sit in my friend's car and they take a hard corner at around 60 to 70kmh making the tyres screech, they think it's drifting and they proudly boast how they did a drift and how cool it is. Sadly, it seems they think that ass-dragging, as we call it, is drifting. How sad.. Hahahaha~ Sad but funny indeed.

Another amusing part about drift-confused people are Initial D fans. Sure Initial D is cool and all. Even I watch the anime and enjoy the races. BUT, for the last time there's a huge difference between show drifting and real drifting. Also, once and for all, drifting is NOT the fastest way through a corner. It's really irritating when some Initial D fans telling everyone how Initial D is so cool and how drifting is the fastest way through a corner. Sheesh~ Oh yea, one more thing, heel-to-toe is NOT a drift technique you noob!

Glad to get that off my chest. Whew~ Tension giler..

Since I tembak people who think they know what drift is, let me explain what drifting is to drifters.

Drifting is actually getting your car side ways around a series of curves or even one curve in a controlled manner. Different people explain it differently. I would call it a drift as long the car stays side way from the entry for a turn and all the way out aka sideways all on tarmac roads. What I mean side ways is the rear losing tracking and the front wheel counter steering holding to its dear life. The steering is pointing to the direction your car is going, while the nose points to the inner part for the turn. Counter steering to add to the complexity you can actually link turns while drifting by using weight transfer to flip the car to the other direction which will require a good steering input.

Sorry if it sounds complex. But that's the way it is. Here are some drift methods.

adapted from http://www.driftsession.com/technique.htm

Power Over
This performed when entering a corner and using full throttle to produce heavy oversteer through the turn. You need horsepower to make this happen.

Clutch Kick
This is performed by depressing the clutch pedal on approach or during a mild drift, then the clutch is "popped" to give a sudden jolt through the driveline to upset rear traction.

E-Brake Drift
This technique is very basic, pull the E-Brake or side brake to induce rear traction loss and balance drift through steering and throttle play. This can also be used to correct errors or fine tune drift angles. Main drift technique used in FWD vehicles. It's my main technique for the Red Iswara.

Shift Lock Drift
This is performed by letting the revs drop on downshift into a corner and then releasing the clutch to put stress on the driveline to slow the rear tires inducing over steer. This is like pulling the E-brake through a turn, but this should be performed on wet ground to minimize damage to the driveline.

Feint Drift
This is performed by rocking the car towards the outside of a turn and then using the rebound of grip to throw the car into the normal cornering direction. This is heavy rally racing technique used to change vehicle attitudes during cornering.

Kansei Drift
This is performed at race speeds. When entering a high speed corner a driver lifts his foot off the throttle to induce a mild oversteer and then balances the drift through steering and throttle motions. The car that is being used for this style of drift should be a neutral balanced car therefore the oversteer will induce itself. If the car plows through any turn this technique will not work.

Braking Drift
This is performed by trail braking into a corner. Loss of grip is obtained and then balanced through steering and throttle motions. This is mainly for medium to low speed corners.

Swaying Drift (Choku-Dori)
This is a slow side-to-side faint like drift where the rear end sways back and forth down a strait.

Jump Drift
In this technique the rear tire on the inside of a turn or apex is bounced over a curb to lose traction resulting in over steer. Do not attempt this technique at the Drift Session.

Dirt Drop Drift
This is performed by dropping the rear tires off the road into the dirt to maintain or gain drift angle without losing power or speed and to set up for the next turn. This technique is very useful for low horsepower cars. VERY DANGEROUS! Please do not attempt this ya?

So now that you roughly know (i hope) what drifting is and how to drift, please don't let me drift alone all the time kays? Especially you WeeD. How's the car coming along? Ahaks~ Cauz~