Rotorain

Hey everyone, the rainy season has started, which makes it very easy to drift without tearing up my tires too badly. However, I don't want to drift on the streets for obvious reasons and I am looking for abandoned parking lots, airfields, private property etc. where I don't have to worry about police intervention or other people bothering me. I also don't want to disturb anyone with the noise, so secluded or empty would be great.

In anticipation of the "take it to the track dumbass" responses I am going to get, I go to school and work during the day, every day of the week and I doubt I'm going to get a day off from either for months. I don't know many racetracks that do trackdays starting at 10 pm, so that's out the window. It also costs money, which is okay if you split it between a lot of people, but that requires planning and reservations ahead of time, which isn't always possible for me to do given my terrible schedule.

The search function on this site is close to useless, and it's hard to find places that are actually abandoned/private just from google maps satellite images. If there is already a thread on this that has been updated recently, please just direct me there or give me key search terms and I'll find it myself.

I prefer to do this stuff legally, but I'll settle for 'gray area' as long as it keeps me off the streets.

Thanks y'all!

RX8Soldier

iTrader: (24)

Good idea for wanting to do it the safe way.
I used to take my car to empty parking lots at night in winter and practice slipping and losing control. It gave me a better feel and comfort level when I first started to drive.

The search function isn't useless. There is even a sticky on how to use it. The simplest method is the google search feature.

Rotorain

Exactly, I want to be able to test and practice using the edge of traction and control in a large, open space so that I don't have to find out where I lose control of the car in an uncontrolled scenario.

I saw the sticky, and that's how I have been doing it, but it's still difficult to sort through the results. Did you find a thread? link or what did you search for?

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Best thing to do would be to find a parking lot that fit the bill...and ask for permission to use it

Most places would say no..so be prepared. There liability would be a problem

But someone will have a spot if you look hard enough

Rotorain

That's exactly why I was wondering if anyone knew of abandoned business parks, airfields, secluded parking lots, closed parks and the such so that I don't have to ask permission. Especially in such a liberal state like WA, I highly doubt anyone will volunteer their parking lot for me and my friends to mess around in our cars.

I see videos and read posts about people drifting at their local abandoned supermarket all the time, so I figure there's a good chance something like that exists here.

Does anyone know about the legality of housing developments that were never built? There's a couple places around where they built the roads and laid out the plots of land, but never actually built the houses. Are these roads still owned by the developer or are they public roads?

RX8Soldier

iTrader: (24)

You had me, until this part.
Take it to the track dumbass

rickeo

iTrader: (1)

Sheesh, since when is spending the the $45 for a Sunday of SCCA sanctioned auto-cross such a chore?

Rotorain

Rx8 soldier: It wouldn't actually be like that, I'd set out some corners with cones or road turtles and be relatively controlled about it. But trying to explain what I want to do to a business owner to ask if I can use his parking lot would probably make it seem like I just want to screw around.

And I wish I could take it to the track, but I won't have a weekend day off for a while, and events are harder to find in the winter.

I just want some tarmac to experiment with the beautiful machine that is an rx8, and not have to worry about other people telling me what I can and can't do with my car. I'm trying to do it in a way where in a worst case scenario I can really only hurt myself, so how is that wrong?

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

There likely will be Trackdays through Turn2 at the Ridge on short notice nice winter days like last year.....

If you would like me to send you an email if I hear anything PM me your contact info

Jack McCall

if it hasn't been said. i do speed runs on high bridge and ben howard pretty much every weekend without issue. so long as you are being safe, staying in your lane. and respecting others on the road people usually don't care.

Rotorain

I know high bridge, do you turn onto crescent lake road/tualco or do you continue all the way down high bridge? Ben howard looks pretty cool, I'll have to check that out sometime. Shoot me a text when you go out, I have a couple rotary friends who would appreciate the drive.

I was more looking for a parking lot where I can experiment with traction, I've been asking around and apparently business parks in everett and renton often have huge ungated parking lots that are hidden from the road, I just haven't had a chance to go looking.

pdxhak

iTrader: (2)

there is a track here that supports drifting and it is cheap...