When drifting goes wrong

[tailchaser]

what was he thinking? what if the car would have gotten enough speed, and the tires caught. the car would have rocketed away at full throttle completely in a random direction.

Isn't that why he jumped underneath? Some (Most?) of those bystanders need to get pulled from the pool, too, btw...

[Kestrel]

Over here they wouldn't let the spectators that close to the course - too much liability and too many lawsuits.

Hummm... I'm not trying to start a "Bash the Drifters" thread -- there's a ton of skill in drifting that I don't have -- but I think you're giving our current event organizers a little too much credit. Did you read the "letter to the editor" in a recent issue of Grassroots Motorsports (could have been Sport Car... I not sure)? It was specifically critical of a Texas Drift event at Mineral Wells held earlier this year. The writer was amazed at apparent lapses of safety, including having cars on course not spaced far enough, and (iirc) lack of adequate crowd control.

Don't misunderstand me... I have nothing against drifting, if it's done in a responsible manner at a controlled event. AND I'm sure that Texas Drift is simply going through the usual "growing pains" that any new sport and any new organization goes through. I'm confident that the professionalism of their events will improve. All I'm saying is that improvement in professionalism at all Drifting Events can't some too soon.

And it's come too late for the bonehead in that video.

[BAM!]

Isn't that why he jumped underneath? Some (Most?) of those bystanders need to get pulled from the pool, too, btw...

also, ive been to mineral wells, and thought it looked pretty safe,....

[blackzx3_13]

I think drifting is just a part of racing, I don't really get the stand alone as its own sport part. Most of the D1GP stuff I've seen is a cheap trick compared to other forms of racing. It uses just a couple corners, not a whole track, and usually the run is about as long as a pennington run. The last one form chicago was a right 180 and about a 90 degree left turn, and that was it. Not really that much space to do anything.

[altiain]

what was he thinking? what if the car would have gotten enough speed, and the tires caught. the car would have rocketed away at full throttle completely in a random direction.

I think you're giving the driver in the video way too much credit. For example, if he had actually been thinking in the first place, he probably wouldn't have gotten out of a moving car that was running at full throttle.

What an idiot. If he didn't survive, someone needs to nominate him for a Darwin Award. He'd get my vote.

As for drifting, it's a little too much like synchronized swimming for me to get that interested in it.

[RX7-2nr]

I think you're giving the driver in the video way too much credit. For example, if he had actually been thinking in the first place, he probably wouldn't have gotten out of a moving car that was running at full throttle.

well, that too..... i dont know why i put the cyclops in there.

[Kags1969]

Natural selection.

[black roadster]

As for drifting, it's a little too much like synchronized swimming for me to get that interested in it.

Yep.

If you compare auto racing to winter sports here is a summary.

Drag Racing - Downhill Skiing
AutoX - Downhill Slalom
NASCAR - Speed Skating
Road Racing - Bobsled/Luge
Drifting - Figure Skating

[Treibenschnell]

Yep.

If you compare auto racing to winter sports here is a summary.

Drag Racing - Downhill Skiing
AutoX - Downhill Slalom
NASCAR - Speed Skating
Road Racing - Bobsled/Luge
Drifting - Figure Skating

Nice comparo!!

[black roadster]

Nice comparo!!

What can I say? I like my winter sports.