In celebration of icy weather

Post Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:01 pm

I had to be at work for 7 sunday morning to make sure my temps got away ok. So that meant a booze free nite on saturday (not that uncommon).

So I decided to take advantage of the ungodly hour and inclement road conditions to get some drift-action. Absolutely brilliant fun. A mate was up at that time who drives an fwd car and he was pi$$ing himself. Massive ar$e out action. Great fun and worth getting up for.

I managed to lose it twice trying to get a full lap of the main 3 lane roundabout in our town, sideways. What little traffic must have found my lighthouse impression somewhat disconcerting. No one was near me as I was doing it, I played it safe as poss.

Managed to get almost a lap and go back up the dual carriage way from whence I came. Not bad for a 320i cab with an open diff!!!

Thanks for reading this and letting me indulge myself. I had to tell someone as the missus doesn't appreciate it. My mate regretted not having a vid camera! I though some of u guys might have similar annecdoets? Or at least appreciated the effort and silly o clock in the morining!

Post Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:13 pm

Awesome.... Fortunately, me living in cornwall, i have the roads on bodmin moor any time of day to practice the drifting action on.....
Also being quite high up on the moor it is always icy at this time of year, aswell as deserted most of the time..

You can just imagine the fun i have every winter on the twisty moorland roads...

Post Mon Jan 30, 2006 3:15 pm

lol ive managed half a round about,, though itsd a small empty round about and its more oval shaped... so maybe im allowed

Post Mon Jan 30, 2006 5:10 pm

If anyone ever gets lost and finds themself in Yeovil. The roundabout is commonly known as "the hostpital roundabout", because it's by the hospital. When empty and wet/icy it's great fun. Very wide so loads of margin for error.

I love it!! I've been bursting to tell people for ages, almost told the missus last nite but not worth the ear twisting I'd get!!!

Post Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:31 pm

am i the only too scared for all this on normal roads?!?!

I have enough trouble stopping the back end coming when i'm accelerating in my 325.....

Post Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:11 am

capoditutticapi wrote:am i the only too scared for all this on normal roads?!?!

I have enough trouble stopping the back end coming when i'm accelerating in my 325.....

Its all about practice...

Best way is too have a go on an industrial estate or somewhere deserted, your bound to get it wrong a couple of times then when ur confident enough try small 2nd gear powerslides pulling out of junctions, then it will go from there and you wont be able to stop doing it...

As i have said because i live nr moors i can have all the practice time i want and not worry about other vehicles....that said i have still had the a*se of me car clipping a few moorland hedges.

Post Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:22 am

I have a lowly 320i cab, so not the quickest, it's got and old zone chip (how I came to hear of the board!) and a pipecross filter, not that they will make it a world beater!!

I was out at 6.40 in the morning on a sunday. NO traffic about apart from the odd car. It's a judgement call. Finding somewhere quiet is paramount. The icy weather will allow you to do it under lower speeds and will wear your tyres a little less.

Get used to weight shifting techniques too. accelerate to corner, power off sharp, turn sharp, power on moderately. As said previously, practice makes perfect. You'll get to know when your car will kick out.

I had a golf gti mk2 when I was about 21 and had never even done a handbrake turn, so when I lost the back end on that, I paniced and ended up on my roof in the middle of a field after rolling 3 and half times! Credit to the golf, all I had was a stiff neck for a couple days and a small gash on my shin from the accelerator pedal!

So getting used to a car under controlled sliding conditions will help you come to terms with the initial disorientation associated with loss of traction.

There used to be a link to the drift bible on here. Well worth hunting down. I was given a rally instruction day for a previous b'day by my missus, bless her it was amazing. Learned loads about weight shidt, lift off over steer (slinding a 1.4 astra without using a handbrake was amazing) and general car control. That helped no end.

Find some space and express yourself via the rear wheels of your car!!!!