To almost everyone, driving is the simple pursuit of moving yourself efficiently from point A to point B. However, to a select few, driving is a matter of life and death where precious seconds can make a crucial difference.
Before starting, make sure that:
- The road is clear and free of obstacles such as cars, children, animals, etc.
- You are traveling at a reasonably safe speed.
- The car has a manual transmission with a handle-style emergency brake
- Your left hand is on the wheel, right hand on the emergency brake, with feet on the gas and clutch.
- You are not driving an SUV, van or for the love of god a vehicle carrying a trailer.
To properly execute a moving skid turn, execute the following steps.
- Cut the wheel slightly in the direction you wish to turn.
- Pull the emergency brake slightly to initiate the skid of the back wheels.
- Point the wheels in the direction you want to go, counteracting the skid direction.
- Once the skid is initiated and the car is in a sideways motion, release the emergency brake.
- Accelerate quickly in the direction of choice, always pointing the wheel in the direction of the intended motion.
The steps required to execute a well timed skid turn are simple, but much practice is required to get the proper timing. Also, the feel of your car when it’s moving in a direction other than where you are facing is novel and scary at first, but eventually becomes natural, even commonplace.
As a final aside, frequent skid turn use will cause side to side wear on tires, requiring more frequent replacement.
We (and by we, I mean we AzNs) call that driftin’
Yea son…go out and buy “The Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift” DVD…
…Actually, on a more serious note, don’t. Let’s not make Hollywood producers think we another sequel.
Oh, to be 16 again. And drive a Honda. In north Pittsburgh.
That’s the life for us Cauc-Azns.