My thoughts.

[CrazyHawaiian]

There have been a few drifting related deaths here in Hawaii. Recently we had one where the driver was "showing the passenger how to drift" and they end up crashing into a telephone pole and the driver dies but the passenger lives. And a few years ago a Japan National was "playing" on our local mountain and ended up falling off the mountain and passing away. The News did not mention drifting, but I know people that knew the guy and they are pretty sure he was drifting.

[Drifting_turtle]

Originally posted by MrodDrft
Americans "pro" drivers probably wouldnt even be considered that great in Japan. We need more time its blowing up too fast. Its liek a war, we are sending in untrained, unexpierienced young troops up against seasoned vetrans and we expect them to do good. Not gonna happen.

yea thats true, but alot of those drivers are from other forms of racing. most japanese pros have been drifting say 10 or more years while its like 4 or 5 for the americans on an underground level.

[OH240SE]

what to say that hasn't already been said...

everyone seems on the mark with their comments, i posted earlier about passing and taking speed above style. In some points i believe i was wrong.. Pfiffer had a point when he said "Drifting isn't racing, if it were it would be timed and if it were timed then why would u go sideways?" I agree with the statement because of the original post on this thread. the part about dragracing fights made me rethink my previous ideas. If drifting was timed then people would be much more competetive, and alot less helpful to each other. This non-competetive attitude helps us all learn more freely. for instance if i were to ask a drag racer what he had done to his car before he raced, i highly doubt he'd tell me or answer any questions that i had concerning my car. Granted competetition makes things more interesting, but at what cost? the following behind drifting is much more friendly, if we all understand not to be dumbasses and try to drift on crowded roads and streets, using common sense accidents will be less likely. Indeed drifting is a purist's sport, and from its roots in japan teaches us to be much more respectful and honorable drivers. Maybe it is a showboat's sport of style, but we'd all have to agree it takes more skill to pitch ur car sideways at 80 while controlling and planning the next move.
Yes, you can teach a monkey to pull the e-brake, but you can also put him in a drag car and teach him to press the pedal. You can teach a monkey to hold the wheel straight, but i doubt u can teach that monkey countersteer. (altho Nomuken is about the closest example LOL/jj) Dont get me wrong i'm not calling anyone monkeys, but at the rate this sport grows it wont be too long before "monkeys" are out trying things they shouldn't be doing and getting us all in trouble. I'm still learning as well, and with all this mechanism and skill talk, i have still learned respect, gratitude, and humility. I'm definately with you on the post Ghost, well said.

"Still tryin' to sit out in that slide."

AJB

[MrodDrft]

Asomething i wanna point out from the previous post... Drifting doesnt teach us to be more respectful drivers. The Japanese are the more respectful drivers in the 1st place, thus that coutesy carries over into thier motorsports. THats our problem we dont have that courtesy to start with on the open road and in life so thats why we "fukken up". lol

[HasNoTiresLeft]

Ghost of duluth!! Will he ever shut up! He's always blabering useless stuff! hahah just wanted to say somthing different.


*slaps self*

Hahah nice article ghost, brings up plenty of good points... I get the feeling that after i spend some time in iraq ill come back and look around; and a few things wont be the same..... alas this is how it is.

[spinitsidewayz!]

good things never last forever they say...

so i guess driftings true image will be gone forever in the public eye sooner or later.. its growing too fast and branching out in so many directions.. its all been said before. skateboarding was the same way.. the people who did it for fun, and the posers. posers as in not the people who suck but the people who are in it for the wrong reasons. i gess all you can do is gather with the people who are in drifting for what it is and rally behind a leader (nominates ghost) its funny because we all are whining over this and im sure its all been said before. it seems like crying over spilt milk. but the milk hasnt even ben spilled yet! i dont know wtf im saying...uhhh... just go out there and do what you love!!

[driftxtreem]

Originally posted by SilviaLove
great minds think alike! I couldn't agree with you anymore. I have had similiar thoughts running through my mind over the past few months. I do have some suggestion for the community though..i've taking they out of my Rado post, because they are applicable.

we should consider learning, understanding, and practicing the type of "dorifto" sportsmanship that the japanese have created. I understand that our culture and mannerism are not exactly the same, but if we learned how to drift from them, we could learn how to cope as the community grows.

The culture drifting, for what i have experienced, is not totally about what you look like or how much you can spend, its about the driving spirit..i.e. the enjoyment and satisfaction of driving your car, with a group of people who are more than willing support you.

we should try to keep it like the last statement and support the companies that realize that the culture should stay that way.

You have some very good points. Althow many americans think they know what the Japanese culture is they often dont have a clue. First of all all Japanes for the most part still respect their elders they do this with speech, jesteures and what you call belly talk. They give their elders the honor they desirve. This is the same on the hill or at the track. You dont here anyone talking the kind of smac that goes on in the states or on this board for that matter. 90% of the threads here all flame something in Japan that would get you blackballed. Do you think the Japanese really call up the "round Eyes" to come out and drift. Hell no its becouse they dont know when to shut up. When Im on the hill and someone obviously is better than me regardles of age I give them the respect they desirve they are my elder. Shut up and watch is the best answere for anything.

Your all so worried about what is going to happen to drift you all start talking head about it and who as well as whats going on and you never quite get the fact that your adding to the delema.

Crying about the rules and who said what and whos got what thats whats going to kill it for you all. Yes theire are some baller status guys here that drive Ferraries during the week and have two rolexes as well as a gang of ho's but when their up on that hill they respect their elders. Japan didnt give you drifting you all found it some how and know what you do with it is up to you. In Japan it aint going to change and YES it is commercialized and still doing fine. This grass roots BS is just that BS. If you dont think it can survive with corporate sponsorships well then Tsuchia might as well stop now and retire Kazama. Ghost you are my *Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored**Censored* and you hit it on the head cant wait to get you overhere and get you started. For the rest of the belly achers stop you frickin crying and DO something about it other than drifting your mouse and shooting your mouth off.

You dont get any respect if ya cant give it.

[Feint]

Originally posted by driftxtreem
You have some very good points. Althow many americans think they know what the Japanese culture is they often dont have a clue. First of all all Japanes for the most part still respect their elders they do this with speech, jesteures and what you call belly talk. They give their elders the honor they desirve. This is the same on the hill or at the track.

Senpai Kouhai relationship.

[SilviaLove]

Again, i agree driftxtreem, even i don't know japanese culture well. I know what i've been told from close friends, who are japanese, and what i have learned/observed. Also, we all can rant and rave forever but that won't affect much. What we should do is go out and get involved with your local drift communities to give guidance and support to your fellow drivers. In the end this should be better than worrying/ranting on things that we can not control...do your own thing and keep it real, deuce-deuce.

[Xantos]

i know you prolly think of me as a noob since i cant even drive yet, but hear me out anyways. I think drifting will try to go mainstream and then stop because we all know it takes a certain amount of skill and practice that frankly, that the average boy racer doesnt have. Thats why i think drag racing took off so well, because really it doesnt require much skill to get the shifts right. So really when people start trying to drift they are gonna realize that its just too hard without the pratice that i have heard is needed to master drifting. I also have noticed soemthing else recently, remember for the last 5 years how anything out of Japan was cool, tamigatchi, pokemon, cheap "ricer" cars, etc. Well as of late it looks like america has gotten out of that phase and now become obsessed with its self, take a look at Chevy's recent release of some 10+ new cars, the dodge Hemi(which is actually less efficent than regular engine desgins, but what ev), etc. So hopefully drifting wont make it mainstream cuz frankly i dont wanna see everyone and their mom driving a "drift car". Thats my two cents and please correct me if i said anything incorrect.

[spock]

So far I've agreed with everything said, especially the thing about honor and respect. Unfortunately, if and when drifting really goes mainstream that aspect of it will most likely be lost. Americans just don't have dignity any more. For whatever reason we've lost that in our culture, and it shows, especially when you compare us against others. A lot of the world wiews us as fat, greedy and dirty glutons which is exactly what so many people are in this country. That's why 60% of the population is overweight. Or just take a look at the side of the road. There's trash everywhere. I've never noticed that in most other countries. Also, people in America don't take pride in the quality of things. This shows through even in our cartoons. Our cartoons are just so... cartoony. They're badly drawn (but not neccessarily easy to draw) and it obviously doesn't take very long to make them. Now compare it to the highly detailed and much better drawn anime that comes out of Japan. I think if these purists want to keep everything down to the roots of drifting they should keep with it much of the Japanese way of doing certain things, like the respect for others. It's become very prevalent lately, especially on these boards, the lack of respect so many people have for each other. It's disgusting to see all the arguing and confrontations that have been going on between the members on here and between different web sites. If you people want drifting "to grow and mature", like you all say, then stop acting like a bunch of snotty little kids. It doesn't help anyone when people do nothing but complain and fight with each other.

[nissanguy_24]

You know.. with Sumo wrestlers and people who study and practice japanese martial arts, including the usage of the katanna. They try to act very japanese. Taking on the manerisms of the japanese when they perform these sports or activities isnt considered ricy.. You dont need to bow to your instructure to learn how to swing a katanna, but they do it anyways, because its traditional. Sumos have lots of ritials they go threw. wether there japanese or american or from anywere its part of the tradition.

These traditions keep there activities rooted in there past. and keeps the honor and history of it alive. Drifting isnt as old as any of these things. But we can take the honor and respect, especialy towards your elders as part of our sport. Why not embrace the japanese words. Sempai, touge, or whatever else happens to imply.. Oh i understand why we dont.. because the Bandwagon hopping elitest will call you a JDM ricer... the irony of course is these elitest are the true ricers... the true assholes.

I dont know about you guys, but in my spots things are going to start changing when i start going out again. You guys do what you want... But the SMC School of drifting (so to speak) is going to be ran alittle different.

[Blaze]

We Americans just need to be more respectful. We judge others so quickly. Its all just stereotyping. I get stereotyped at school because I'm like 1 out of 3 asians who attend (really small High School). I'll be glad when I graduate from the stereotyping school on the 4th but that still won't stop it. You still see this sort of judging elsewhere. We just need to take pointers from the Japanese at being nice.

I hope drifting doesn't go the way of drag racing. Drifting is fun and drag racing doesn't seem fun. Its all about MONEY these days in drag racing. Or "pink slips".

Lets compare Fast and Furious and Initial D (yeah I'm bringing Initial D into this lol). In FF, they race for money and "pink slips" but in Initial D do you see any money into it? No. Its about setting a best time and pushing to the limit. Initial D better not go the way of Fast and Furious.

Edit: I know I'm a n00b and all but I've been interested in drifting since 2002 at a Japanese-side of drifting. I like how they do it and I just pray that it stays that way.

[CrazyHawaiian]

Thank goodness there are a bunch of USA guys that do have this honor and respect. Maybe not everyone is like that, but there are quite a few that I know will hold strong.

[HasNoTiresLeft]

Hmm so you shouldnt analyze the things you love.... Hmmm wow... never thought about that. This is a forum where we discuss drifting... empahsis on discussion.

But that guys right... just go drive our cars, and when u feel like talking about it all you are allowed to say is

Me: I drove my car today.

See?? Just that! nothing more! The forum will be soo interesting then.