Gooning. Why?.....
Discussion
I was at a track day yesterday. Ok, it was very wet and slippery, but there was some idiot out there in front of me in one session trying to take every corner sideways. I had to keep slowing down to give him enough room to act like a knob, and then he ended up spinning in front of me anyway. His excuse was that he'd been on a drifting ocurse, and wanted to practice. Then there were the usual crop of people trying to take the odd corner sideways, which is always fun, because you really aren't expecting them to do it.
If people want to drift, why don't they book into a drifting day (like the one PH is organising)?
It seems to be more and more common at track days these days. People call it "gooning", but I call it being a selfish git. Invariably one of these goons will go off and cause a session to be stopped, and they don't seem to be bothered about spoiling it for everybody else.
I'm glad that I got that off my chest.
James
If people want to drift, why don't they book into a drifting day (like the one PH is organising)?
It seems to be more and more common at track days these days. People call it "gooning", but I call it being a selfish git. Invariably one of these goons will go off and cause a session to be stopped, and they don't seem to be bothered about spoiling it for everybody else.
I'm glad that I got that off my chest.
James
I have been on a few track days - mainly as a passenger or 2nd driver, but a couple of weeks ago I had my first attempt in my own car.
One of the rules was to keep checking mirrors and if someone is constantly on your rear end, you should indicate and back off allowing them to overtake safely as they are obviously going quicker.
I would have thought this bloke gooning it was being a tit by not allowing you to overtake at a suitable point on the track allowing you both to have your fun in each of your prefered driving styles.
One of the rules was to keep checking mirrors and if someone is constantly on your rear end, you should indicate and back off allowing them to overtake safely as they are obviously going quicker.
I would have thought this bloke gooning it was being a tit by not allowing you to overtake at a suitable point on the track allowing you both to have your fun in each of your prefered driving styles.
Coincidentally, I was also at a wet trackday yesterday and there was a bloke 'gooning' all over the place. Really annoys me when I'm trying to line up where I'm going to pass somebody and then he starts driving sideways, so naturally I ease off in case he loses it, and then I'm right back to square one!!!
But, the one thing that really annoys me is this! This 'drifting' is all bolloxology. A true 'drift' is when all four wheels (i.e. the whole car) is pulled out of the corner at a constant angle and drift. It was the kind of thing Fangio, Moss, Ascari etc used to perform when powering out of most corners. What really annoys me is these gobshites comparing their 'drifting' technique when actually all they are doing is oversteering car. And they have all the technology to help them, such as LSD's.
I wish they could just come with another name for it. Something like... "We can't actually take a corner very fast so we get the rear end out to make it look spectacular, if actually very slow. Oh, and the technology does most of it for us anyway"
But, the one thing that really annoys me is this! This 'drifting' is all bolloxology. A true 'drift' is when all four wheels (i.e. the whole car) is pulled out of the corner at a constant angle and drift. It was the kind of thing Fangio, Moss, Ascari etc used to perform when powering out of most corners. What really annoys me is these gobshites comparing their 'drifting' technique when actually all they are doing is oversteering car. And they have all the technology to help them, such as LSD's.
I wish they could just come with another name for it. Something like... "We can't actually take a corner very fast so we get the rear end out to make it look spectacular, if actually very slow. Oh, and the technology does most of it for us anyway"
james said:Ahhh James, have you met a Mr. Daniel London-Transport?
IIt seems to be more and more common at track days these days. People call it "gooning", but I call it being a selfish git. Invariably one of these goons will go off and cause a session to be stopped, and they don't seem to be bothered about spoiling it for everybody else.
Oh, and I agree: fun to watch, not fun to drive behind.
jeremyc said:
Ahhh James, have you met a Mr. Daniel London-Transport?
Oh, and I agree: fun to watch, not fun to drive behind.
I remember him when he was a snot nosed little oik who couldn't drive his car in a straight line.
Now he's a snot nosed little oik who doesn't want to drive his car in a straight line
You should have reported them to the organisers.
Then if the person then hit somebody they could claim off the track day company as they hadn't taken reasonable precautions to protect the participants (ie their usual disclaimer they get you to sign becomes inelligible).
I sell a lot of Corolla stuff to drifters, they buy all the junk that DOESN'T make your car faster, and none of the stuff that will.
Then if the person then hit somebody they could claim off the track day company as they hadn't taken reasonable precautions to protect the participants (ie their usual disclaimer they get you to sign becomes inelligible).
I sell a lot of Corolla stuff to drifters, they buy all the junk that DOESN'T make your car faster, and none of the stuff that will.
I have no problem with people having fun on trackdays - I use them to "learn" the handling characteristics of my car, and while I drive fwd at the moment, if I had rwd or 4wd I'd want to try sideways on-track!
What I can sympathise with is selfish twits who don't look in their mirrors and who manage to land in the kitty litter every session!!!
Also bear in mind "drifting days" are a lot newer and a lot rarer than trackdays.
What I can sympathise with is selfish twits who don't look in their mirrors and who manage to land in the kitty litter every session!!!
Also bear in mind "drifting days" are a lot newer and a lot rarer than trackdays.
I was not getting in anyone's way, is the rather fundamental difference - the duranail is bloody fast even with the rear wheels spinning. If someone is quicker they go straight through.
Personally, I find it a lot of fun, but I agree if you get held up behind someone they should be told off. Likewise if they cause a stoppage. I have done neither!
I find driving perfectly neatly rather dull, and around the limit the car will always be understeering or (preferably) oversteering at least slightly, so where do you draw the line?
Personally, I find it a lot of fun, but I agree if you get held up behind someone they should be told off. Likewise if they cause a stoppage. I have done neither!
I find driving perfectly neatly rather dull, and around the limit the car will always be understeering or (preferably) oversteering at least slightly, so where do you draw the line?
GarrettMacD said:Any light, powerful RWD drive car *needs* an LSD, arguably any powerful car full stop. So that's hardly "all this technology". And I agree drifting is four wheels, hence perhaps the use of the work "gooning"? I believe it requires plenty of skill; certainly it's lot harder than merely going quick.
... And they have all the technology to help them, such as LSD's.
I wish they could just come with another name for it. Something like... "We can't actually take a corner very fast so we get the rear end out to make it look spectacular, if actually very slow. Oh, and the technology does most of it for us anyway"
Track days are about having fun and not ruining other people's fun. So the fundamental issue is really just about letting people past, and not causing stoppages by being in control.
Oh dear, what a load of drivel!
I know quite a few "gooning" types that will argue that if you choose to "drive fast" (putting in fast laps, right on the limit, giving it 110%, etc.) you are more likely to have an off... and a bigger one too, rather than a fairly low speed spin associated with gooning.
Personally, I choose to "drive fast" instead, mainly because I'm shit at "gooning". And I think there's the basic rule - as ever, don't drive beyond your abilities, regardless of if it's fast lapping or going sideways.
If somebody spins whilst gooning - well, they've driven beyond their ability. If somebody spins whilst on a hot lap of sorts, they've driven beyond their ability too!
You may be able to conclude that gooning is to make you more likely to spin off, but of all the *big* accidents I've heard about over the years none of them have been a result of gooning - which is a lot more than can be said about people hot lapping.
However - if you do engage in gooning, I would say it's just as important as ever to be aware of traffic around you and use your mirrors!
I know quite a few "gooning" types that will argue that if you choose to "drive fast" (putting in fast laps, right on the limit, giving it 110%, etc.) you are more likely to have an off... and a bigger one too, rather than a fairly low speed spin associated with gooning.
Personally, I choose to "drive fast" instead, mainly because I'm shit at "gooning". And I think there's the basic rule - as ever, don't drive beyond your abilities, regardless of if it's fast lapping or going sideways.
If somebody spins whilst gooning - well, they've driven beyond their ability. If somebody spins whilst on a hot lap of sorts, they've driven beyond their ability too!
You may be able to conclude that gooning is to make you more likely to spin off, but of all the *big* accidents I've heard about over the years none of them have been a result of gooning - which is a lot more than can be said about people hot lapping.
However - if you do engage in gooning, I would say it's just as important as ever to be aware of traffic around you and use your mirrors!
I think the first poster should take offence to being held up rather than the gooning activities. Trackdays are about fun its not a race or has something changed since I last went on one? Holding people up is not cricket I agree, why did'nt you just overtake him on the straights he obviously was'nt going that fast.
Track etiquetted is just as important for gooners as it is for trackday cheap testing day types. If your constantly having to barge people outta the way then maybe go racing instead. If your holding people up move over.
Anyway there is a simple solution, if you can't beat em join em twin drifting is great fun (on a drift day)
Track etiquetted is just as important for gooners as it is for trackday cheap testing day types. If your constantly having to barge people outta the way then maybe go racing instead. If your holding people up move over.
Anyway there is a simple solution, if you can't beat em join em twin drifting is great fun (on a drift day)
Surely the whole point of doing track days is to be able to try stuff that you can't do on the public road?
It is the responsibility of the person dicking about to make sure he / she uses their mirrors so they don't get in others ways and if they don't that is completely irresponsible.
I do tend to find however that the only people who moan about going sideways, drifting or gooning are the ones who can't do it.
I once attended a track day with a load of Skodas, mainly fwd diesel powered things and there were a couple of people gooning around the track all day and some diesel skoda driving chap called them Tiff Needel wannabees. He was trying to be offensive but if someone thought I could emulate Tiff's drving style then I would be quite flattered. I believe they were just jealous they couldn't do this and were peed off at their choice of a fwd diesel thing as their track chariot.
Drift days are not as accesible as track days and having attended a caterham run drift day I was very underwhelmed at what happens - basically donutting around a few cones and sharing a car with 15 others made for a dull day.
I do however draw a line at gooning beyond your limits and just causing a nuisance of yourself but when you are pretty mush the quickest thing on track, sideways or not and don't cause pile ups or hold ups then what is the problem.
I know from a spectators point of view that watching cars going around a track is usually not much different to standing on a motorway bridge but when you have a couple who keep trying to breach the limits of their cars then that makes for entertainment.
Cheers
It is the responsibility of the person dicking about to make sure he / she uses their mirrors so they don't get in others ways and if they don't that is completely irresponsible.
I do tend to find however that the only people who moan about going sideways, drifting or gooning are the ones who can't do it.
I once attended a track day with a load of Skodas, mainly fwd diesel powered things and there were a couple of people gooning around the track all day and some diesel skoda driving chap called them Tiff Needel wannabees. He was trying to be offensive but if someone thought I could emulate Tiff's drving style then I would be quite flattered. I believe they were just jealous they couldn't do this and were peed off at their choice of a fwd diesel thing as their track chariot.
Drift days are not as accesible as track days and having attended a caterham run drift day I was very underwhelmed at what happens - basically donutting around a few cones and sharing a car with 15 others made for a dull day.
I do however draw a line at gooning beyond your limits and just causing a nuisance of yourself but when you are pretty mush the quickest thing on track, sideways or not and don't cause pile ups or hold ups then what is the problem.
I know from a spectators point of view that watching cars going around a track is usually not much different to standing on a motorway bridge but when you have a couple who keep trying to breach the limits of their cars then that makes for entertainment.
Cheers
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