[Blobby]

If I’m moving fast enough on a dirt road to initiate and actual “drift,” I have a fair chance to do the whole left, right, left, right thing till the car stops. Never tried on pavement, but it seems like regaining traction would be a pretty good skill to have.

So do you just learn to drift/oversteer/under steer in empty parking lots in the rain? I imagine that’s different than breaking traction at 60mph but it’s probably a start. This really makes me wonder how so many folks (except for the mustang drivers of course) can floor it out of a parking lot in a power slide up to 50mph… or is it more intuitive than it seems?

[kropscamaro16]

go to a track to learn to drive dont try this shit in a parking lot or a dirt road please

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by kropscamaro16

go to a track to learn to drive dont try this shit in a parking lot or a dirt road please

Hey krops, brother, aren't tracks full of other cars you continuously have to watch out for? Where on earth can you realistically have a track to yourself and experiment with these maneuvers?

I always wondered how to even get started when you aren't alone and there is almost no room for errors, because you'll slide out or into the wall, wreck your car and potentially others', too, and this is notwithstanding all the cost. Zero road course experience, honest question.

(Sure, one can say "practice, practice, seat time" all they want, but that's gonna mean approaching the limit very slowly from well below, never exceeding it or even getting close, which is a very inefficient way to learn. The fact that the situation may have been different 15-20 years ago when others learned all these things doesn't really help either. No wonder people want to practice in abandoned parking lots or in "Mexico".)

[kropscamaro16]

alot of tracks have skidpads where you can pay to just mess around and slide around and its safer no curbs or light poles or any of that stuff



they also have car control clinics where you can drive your car or another car and learn how to slide or drift in a controller manner



just buy some cheap oem wheels and tires off ebay or offerup and go out there and have fun

[zxspeedspec]

The nicer skidpads have built in watering and other tracks keep a water truck on hand so they can water down the skidpad so you get a low traction surface that doesn't eat tires while you're learning.

[kropscamaro16]

Originally Posted by zxspeedspec

The nicer skidpads have built in watering and other tracks keep a water truck on hand so they can water down the skidpad so you get a low traction surface that doesn't eat tires while you're learning.

yea the porsche driving school in la has one of those pretty damn cool!

[ZPirate]

Or you can go to a performance driving school. It's a great place to learn about driving dynamics and car control. I did the BMW M school several years ago. Got time on a wet skid pad, autocross course and of course the track as well as some very good classroom instruction.

[kropscamaro16]

Originally Posted by ZPirate

Or you can go to a performance driving school. It's a great place to learn about driving dynamics and car control. I did the BMW M school several years ago. Got time on a wet skid pad, autocross course and of course the track as well as some very good classroom instruction.

yup those are super cool ive been to a few of the ride and drive events with bmw and cadillac and they are usually free so free track time / auto x = sign me up!

[arpad_m]

Sounds very good, thanks, guys

[kropscamaro16]

bowling green track may have something like this but not sure i know i saw the tornado damage thats super sad :(

[yrffej]

google autocross, in your area...
go and watch.
fun watching beginners who think they can drive.
then pay and try...

this is scca, the entry level to car racing...

[Xaxas]

Before you ever think about doing something like this, look into tracks around you, not only race tracks but oval tracks and maybe drag strips could have areas where you could try this, otherwise, if you really must, and no blaming here because nobody here is an angel, be 100% sure that in the case of a crash, you don't damage public and private property, if in case something goes wrong, the EMTs are getting paid and you'll have to pay for cleanup, don't damage a post, don't damage a trash can, don't damage ANYTHING.

[Vtor_ZL1]

Try local autocross club... your best bet at "learning" without another car aiming at you at 100mph++

[UnknownJinX]

I recall seeing drifting events in my area. That could be worth exploring.

And I mean... You could do it in a parking lot, but I just haven't seen any parking lots without a lot of posts that would get in the way if something goes wrong.

Remember kids, don't be a Mustang!