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sethwas · May 13th, 2004, 11:46 PM

Anyway,
I've seen Initial D. Almost beaten the game, and have seen real drifting. Just initial D explains that drifting isn't the fastest way around a course. Although its funny that the show leads the sport/hobby whatever.
I can't remember the last time I drove a RWD car, but I've done high speed in snow and ice in FWD so know about sliding.
However drift competitions aren't speed contests. A race is a speed contest. Drifting is not about getting from point A to point B the fastest. In the anime it was (and I watch it in Japanese, not english, but subtitled, and it actually helped me when I was in italy because the japanese people on my Eurostar Train from Rome to Venice were in seat Haichi-Roku, go figure) except that they didn't drift every corner, just sharp hairpins like in a tarmac rally where they used momentum to carry the car around the corner. The spinning of the rear tires was just to keep the car oversteering to get it to point the right direction so when the tires hook up again the car is pointing the right direction.
Still, the D1 grand prix and stuff are about style and finesse. Its like having a burnout contest.
The only time I've seen drifting helpful (and rally is debateable 'drifting') is on dirt track racing. be it V8 or midget or sprint or motorcycle. But the cars are staggered and the gas pedal is used to steer the car more than the steering wheel.
I just ask my question because you'll never see an F1 car or indy car or nascar or F3000 or can-am or touring car or go cart 'drifting' around a track unless they are fishtailing or trying to recover a slide because it slows the car too much (wastes forward momentum and traction) and destroys the tires, and like they said in Days of Thunder "Tires is what wins the race".
Yet people think that it makes them faster. Its like in the movies, stuntmen are told to balls out slide the cars around corners in chase scenes. The directors and stunt men know that this is actualy slower in terms of actual vehicle speed, but if they really drove the cars fast, and cut apexes, because the cars were being driven so smoothly (the key to the speed) on film it wouldn't look fast at all. The cars have to be sliding to give the impression of speed. Which is why to me, drifting seems to be an odd pastime.
Still it'ss cool because its about total car control, but I think its such a shame to spend all that money in rubber for ballet.

Seth

May 13th, 2004, 11:46 PM	#12 (permalink)
sethwas what? Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Miami Beach, FL Posts: 2,703	Anyway, I've seen Initial D. Almost beaten the game, and have seen real drifting. Just initial D explains that drifting isn't the fastest way around a course. Although its funny that the show leads the sport/hobby whatever. I can't remember the last time I drove a RWD car, but I've done high speed in snow and ice in FWD so know about sliding. However drift competitions aren't speed contests. A race is a speed contest. Drifting is not about getting from point A to point B the fastest. In the anime it was (and I watch it in Japanese, not english, but subtitled, and it actually helped me when I was in italy because the japanese people on my Eurostar Train from Rome to Venice were in seat Haichi-Roku, go figure) except that they didn't drift every corner, just sharp hairpins like in a tarmac rally where they used momentum to carry the car around the corner. The spinning of the rear tires was just to keep the car oversteering to get it to point the right direction so when the tires hook up again the car is pointing the right direction. Still, the D1 grand prix and stuff are about style and finesse. Its like having a burnout contest. The only time I've seen drifting helpful (and rally is debateable 'drifting') is on dirt track racing. be it V8 or midget or sprint or motorcycle. But the cars are staggered and the gas pedal is used to steer the car more than the steering wheel. I just ask my question because you'll never see an F1 car or indy car or nascar or F3000 or can-am or touring car or go cart 'drifting' around a track unless they are fishtailing or trying to recover a slide because it slows the car too much (wastes forward momentum and traction) and destroys the tires, and like they said in Days of Thunder "Tires is what wins the race". Yet people think that it makes them faster. Its like in the movies, stuntmen are told to balls out slide the cars around corners in chase scenes. The directors and stunt men know that this is actualy slower in terms of actual vehicle speed, but if they really drove the cars fast, and cut apexes, because the cars were being driven so smoothly (the key to the speed) on film it wouldn't look fast at all. The cars have to be sliding to give the impression of speed. Which is why to me, drifting seems to be an odd pastime. Still it'ss cool because its about total car control, but I think its such a shame to spend all that money in rubber for ballet. Seth __________________ my signature is at the bottom of this thread. its because its too long. Lots of important links there. http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?t=46259 Last edited by sethwas : May 13th, 2004 at 11:50 PM.