"When I first began drifting at Touge, I learned a number of techniques that would have taken months to accomplish if I were to practice on any sanctioned track. For example, at Touge there is no room for error and I believe that is one factor that will force a driver to not only improve his skills but also become aware of his or her surroundings. Drifting at a circuit, you tend to not look ahead at the next turn or bank but rather, most drivers concentrate on the one that is being drifted. Anytime you drive at Touge, if you don't anticipate or prepare for the next blind turn or banking radius, in most cases you end up panicking or loosing control of the car which will lead to certain disaster. A few things that a driver will most certainly learn when drifting at Touge is the importance of 'racing line' that most drifters fail to learn during their early stages of drifting. At any given event you will see makeshift barriers or cones marking each turns not a mountainous cliff." For others, such as M. Tse, who regularly visits Turnbull Canyon in California, states, "Whether your drifting or racing on the mountain roads, nothing compares to driving on an open road with your car on which you've spent your hard-earned money to upgrade suspension components or new tires. You don't have to go full throttle all the time, just cruising the canyons is something I enjoy doing from time to time, but with all the hype of drifting and Touge becoming more mainstream, it's become difficult to not be stereotyped because there's always gonna be some out-of-control lunatic causing problems on the mountain roads."
Touge BustWith the recent rash of accidents and fatalities occurring on a 13-mile stretch of winding road known as the Glendora Mountain Road, in California, police enforcement in the Glendora area have set up a task force to begin cracking down on illegal drifting. The Glendora Mountain Road, otherwise known as GMR, has been a popular spot among automotive and motorcycle enthusiasts to cruise or test their driving skills to the limits. With over 100 banks and blind turns, accidents occur on a regular basis. San Dimas Sheriffs have stated they will ticket and impound any vehicle that has been modified or found driving recklessly on the mountain pass.
Residential RevoltLocal residents of GMR have addressed the growing number of late night activities in their neighborhood as a nuisance. "It's become a real scare when I drive on this road to get home every day. You don't know what kind of maniac is coming around the corner in their car driving out of control," says Michelle Lawson, resident of Glendora. Local residents of another popular drift location thousands of miles off the shores of Los Angeles have taken matters into their own hands. Tantalus, located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, has been a favorite place to drift for the past few years. The three- to four-mile long stretch of curvy road, leading up to what local drifters call "darkside" has appealed to the drifting masses. "The local residents up there are getting pretty pissed at us. If they know were drifters, they usually throw bottles at the cars," states B. Lee of Aiea. Lee continues by saying, "The speed limit is 15 miles per hour so you can imagine how pissed residents get when they hear drivers skidding and clutch kicking past their houses in excess speeds of 80mph."
Lee recalls that the most frightening experience for him and his friend was one Saturday night, when a group of disgruntled residents decided to abandon a Chevy short block on the side of the road. He recalls his friend initially kicking a turn, he eventually came face to face with the massive object blocking the side of the road. Freaked out, the driver of the S13 pit maneuvered to avoid the object, loosing control and skidding down the mountain road into a pile of trees. Besides a few jumbled nerves and a trashed vehicle-luckily-no lives were lost in the accident.
With community meetings targeting drifters up in the mountains, residents, along with local police, have been waging a battle to reduce drifting at Tantalus. Captain Nishi of the Honolulu Police Department states anytime there are movies or material that glorify racing or drifting material, there is an increase in illegal activities, often leading to accidents or reckless driving on the streets. Capt. Nishi states that the accidents seen up on Tantalus or on the streets of Waikiki are no different than accidents that occur on the mainland. "If people drive recklessly, they will pay the price. It's as simple as that." Similar to the "busts" that prevail at the local street races in most cities, police are well aware of the illegal activities that have begun popping out at the more popular Touge spots and have been vigorously began cracking down. Handing out tickets like hot cakes to anyone and everyone not living in the mountain areas, setting up road closures, to undercover narcs setting up stings, the chance of getting fined or having your car impounded has increased as drifting has become more mainstream and police have began to pressure drifters. In Kyushu, Japan, the government has begun placing speed bumps and guard rails throughout the more popular Touge areas of Sesubo to deter drifters from participating in nighttime activities.