I wouldn't wear it regularly, just out in the middle of nowhere when backpacking
And those crazy japanese!!!!

 

Oh, Japan... you...

Gotta love those guys, they make the weirdest stuff. Suitable for the people that say they 've seen it all.

 

Personally, I have seen snow in my life, but just enough to know what it is. It has never affected my way of life during the winter. Except for letting me ski.

You went to Sweden, right?

 

Oh, Japan... you...

Gotta love those guys, they make the weirdest stuff. Suitable for the people that say they 've seen it all.

http://epicnoob.hubpages.com/hub/The-Most-Ridiculous-Car-Modifications-Part-1-Squished-Wheels
Yes, that is a Japanese thing

 

http://epicnoob.hubpages.com/hub/The-Most-Ridiculous-Car-Modifications-Part-1-Squished-Wheels
Yes, that is a Japanese thing

Isn't that setup supposed to help in "drifting" races? Where you go around a fixed loop, essentially with no control on the back wheels since they are skidding sideways from under you.

 

Isn't that setup supposed to help in "drifting" races? Where you go around a fixed loop, essentially with no control on the back wheels since they are skidding sideways from under you.

While I think that drifting is utterly ridiculous as a sport, I must defend against the common misconception that it requires no skill and/or that the car is not under control. Drifting is not easy to do (without crashing). It is super fun, you should try it. But as a sport, I think it ranks somewhere between really fast cup stacking and badminton.

 

@nerdegutta
Yes, I did go to Sweden last spring, and that's the most snow I 've ever seen in one place. But that is the exception to the rule.

About drifting, yes, I 'll say it super hard, suited for fun and exhibition. But I don't consider it a form racing.

Team Orange are one of the best Drift teams in the world (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J6rJiZbCYU). I 've watched them here in Athens too.

 

While I think that drifting is utterly ridiculous as a sport, I must defend against the common misconception that it requires no skill and/or that the car is not under control. Drifting is not easy to do (without crashing). It is super fun, you should try it. But as a sport, I think it ranks somewhere between really fast cup stacking and badminton.

I fully understand it, it's how we gotta drive in the winter here when all the roads are glaze ice.

I just can't imagine spending that much on tires that they go through, and the car is under moderate control, depending on driver. When half of your wheels have no traction, it's hard to say the driver is under "Full Control", but "Very good guidance".

 

maybe if the car were driving on 2 wheels at a 45 degree angle and drifting, it would be an advantage. but I think driving on 4 wheels with then cantered out like that is the opposite of an advantage in any mode of driving, including drifting.

I gotta think that you would almost need motorcycle tires to pull that off. A regular set of flat bottomed tires wouldn't last a trip to the grocery store. like riding on flat tires, they would get all chewed up.

 

this video is what gave the small bit of respect that I do have for drifting. I don't know how many takes it took to put that together, but its pretty awesome.

 

this video is what gave the small bit of respect that I do have for drifting. I don't know how many takes it took to put that together, but its pretty awesome.

Ok, that was extremely impressive, awe-inspiring driving. I never thought I would see $1,000 worth of tires ground down to the wheels in under 5 minutes while driving and not just doing a standing burnout.

 

Thats Ken Block he probably did that in one take probably so drunk he was peeing in a coke bottle in the apex's.

 

Ok, that was extremely impressive, awe-inspiring driving. I never thought I would see $1,000 worth of tires ground down to the wheels in under 5 minutes while driving and not just doing a standing burnout.

Very cool.
On this subject, Rally driver Travis Pastrana set the world record time on the Mount Washington auto road last year (record was broken again this June! ). I've driven this road with my wife a few times in the summer, and the narrow dirt road and precipitous drops above treeline are unnerving at 15mph I can't even imagine navigating some of these corners at this guy's speed. Insane. Amazing skill and coordination between driver and co-driver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BZh-7hkNe4
The full run is shown here - I still flinch watching every corner at time 3:40 and after (run tume, not video time)

Yikes!