So true.

[ohn0itsnate]

"speaking of drifting, another thing i discovered is that anyone who learned to drfit touge-style (mountain driving) deserves either mad respect or the tightest straitjacket available. Blind corners, uneven pavement, slowmoving traffic, and sheer drop-offs made it hard enough to focuz on clean grip driving, let alone hanging it sideways around the next few corners. the harder i pushed myself and my car, the more i realized the intense bravery/stupidity it takes to do this stuff on the street." (editor-import racer magazine-july 2004-volume 5-issue7)

so effing true

[Wickdmarz]

I hate touge I've seen too many cars go over or nearly go over in my couple of years going. I'll never do it.

[Valkyrie]

The road conditions really vary from touge to touge...

The one I've been on (on a tour bus ) had metal crap (like a two-inch metal bump every foot) and foam posts all up and down the middle of the road to keep people from crossing lanes (apparently), so it would be basically impossible to drift that one, unless you could actually keep all the wheels in one lane... which would be extremely hard.

Naturally, blind corners exist (due to the forest or the mountain), which is why course familiarity is so import. And it's why right-handed corners (In Japan at least) have to be taken so carefuly (since taking the inside is obviously very dangerious...).

[ohn0itsnate]

I agree with the first person who replied, thats why some people either deserve great respect, or are extremely stupid. I've SEEN plenty of crash's mostly friends. Because it's something we don't want other people to experience. But crashing can only make you better if your in that position to learn, rather than constantly crashing and being over zealous. And with the other guy yes, it's all about familiarity.

[Wickdmarz]

In Japan what I've seen and heard from that they all have pretty good walls or barriers before the clips. Most of our canyons don't have that, so its especially dangerous for new drivers, and all this recent media attention to it.

[Valkyrie]

Like I said, that depends from Touge to Touge.

The one I went on also only had hand-rails (1-inch pipe barriers for people walking on the sidewalks next to the road) on much of the straight road, and even on some of the corners, so I wouldn't want to drive there even if it DID have a smooth road.

The curb would stop you from going over (but making your tires bounce you back onto the road) at low speed, but at high speed, who knows... It was a long way down :P

It did have SOME real guard rails, but not down the whole road...

[Pennyman]

Each road is different, but mostly it just comes down to driver skill. If you are trying to learn car control, don't go to the touge, go to an autocross.

[Drifterlunchb0x]

yeah ive often wondered why in america we dont belive in guard rails on roads where its twisty and cliff is involved...like do we have to have X amount of ppl die or wreck before something is done?

[SilverGhost]

Originally posted by Drifterlunchb0x
yeah ive often wondered why in america we dont belive in guard rails on roads where its twisty and cliff is involved...like do we have to have X amount of ppl die or wreck before something is done?

indeed. our mountain has a cliff on one side that goes into a river, and a mountian wall on the other side. it has no posted speed limit, and closing gates at the bottom. the road is butter smooth and they sweep it occasionally. the only thing it could use is guard rails.

it is dangerous, but racing of any kind is dangerous. regardless of the location. and truely, a well maintained touge isnt that far off from a track, if it has the capacity to be closed to other drivers. and as long as there are guardrails.