Scruby at it again-wants Focus RS Drift Mode banned

[Adamz Ghia]

Originally Posted by Hardtopxb

Yes seriously.

I cannot understand the logic of punishing nine people because of one idiot. Why can't people who will use this feature in the correct way have it available to use? Hardly any different than being able to switch off traction control.

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by Adamz Ghia

I cannot understand the logic of punishing nine people because of one idiot. Why can't people who will use this feature in the correct way have it available to use? Hardly any different than being able to switch off traction control.

I do think it's making a mountain out of a molehill...at the moment.

The Focus is going to be an expensive little car...out of the reach of "young irresponsible hoons".
It's like when people complained bitterly about the 400kph Veyron possibly being available in Australia (turns out it isn't even built in RHD). One was indeed sold to a "mystery Australian buyer", but he can't even drive it on public roads...and even if they were available in government-nanny-state-approved RHD, what "young hoon" has a couple of million bucks to buy one?
There are similar complaints about Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, etc.

Of course, the Veyron is an extreme example, but with the Focus and other similar high performance cars and complaints that hoons will misuse them and start wrapping them around trees, light posts, pedestrians, etc, all bets are off when you get a few years down the track and they start becoming available on the second hand market....


The main point of contention with this drift button is that traction control actually does have a sound reason behind being able to switch it off...in some road conditions traction control can actually be a hindrance. For instance, we drive new Pajero's at work, and the traction control in them is downright dangerous at times. You do a u-turn or turn out from the side of the road on dirt, and if the wheels slip even slightly, the traction control slaps you and engine power is reduced by maybe half, with a little light flashing on the dash as you creep across the road saying "Come on come on COME ON" as traffic approaches.
A drift button however is purely and entirely to break the law...full stop. Anyone who claims they'll be used "only on the track" is just plain lying. Where are all these road race and drift circuits spread around ever town and city in the country?
It's just marketing ****, nothing more, and potentially dangerous **** at that.

[4stanger]

[QUOTE=2011G6E;5720487]
The Focus is going to be an expensive little car...out of the reach of "young irresponsible hoons".QUOTE]

I agree,
Unfortunately, stupidity does not discriminate,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlBgcs_QcxY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRjNcCA4Jws
drivers of any expensive cars are capable of doing stupid things in these expensive cars on public roads.
it doesn't matter young or old, fat or skinny, male or female etc. etc.

Like the burn out feature on the S550 GT Mustang (not Australian delivered models) it states in the owners manual that any of these track mode features must be used on a track, not on public roads. I would be pretty confident some thing similar would be written in the RS Focus owners manual regarding the drift mode.

But where does the hysteria stop,
Ultimately it is up to the "nut behind the wheel" how any vehicle is driven (lets not mention Nice), the drift mode and line lock features are a marketing ploy to promote the vehicle as a performance feature, in line with the type of vehicle they are promoting, to stand out more than other vehicles. There is nothing at the moment to stop stupid acts being performed on public roads with these type of cars or any other cars that do not have these features.

[2011G6E]

Wasn't there one performance car that had a GPS tracker that "knew" if it was at a racetrack or not, and limited or turned on features as appropriate? In other words, you could press for example the drift button all you liked, but unless you were at a track, nothing would happen.

I think that sort of system would keep everyone happy.

[4stanger]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Wasn't there one performance car that had a GPS tracker that "knew" if it was at a racetrack or not, and limited or turned on features as appropriate? In other words, you could press for example the drift button all you liked, but unless you were at a track, nothing would happen.

I think that sort of system would keep everyone happy.

That wouldn't work around Mount Panorama Bathurst
Or would it

[Perko]

Drift mode is a marketing name. What Dowling hasn't and won't mention is that all high end cars have this. When you buy a Ferrari you can change settings and they all interfere with the cars stability control measures. In any Falcon and Commodore just take stability control off, give it some pedal, and wow, instant drift mode. Do you see articles about that? No in fact many articles have been written about how fun their handling is. If anyone cannot see through this piece of journalistic rubbish then fool to them. Go buy an under powered piece of poo and leave the people who actually love to drive alone.

[envyyvne]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

I do think it's making a mountain out of a molehill...at the moment.

The Focus is going to be an expensive little car...out of the reach of "young irresponsible hoons".
It's like when people complained bitterly about the 400kph Veyron possibly being available in Australia (turns out it isn't even built in RHD). One was indeed sold to a "mystery Australian buyer", but he can't even drive it on public roads...and even if they were available in government-nanny-state-approved RHD, what "young hoon" has a couple of million bucks to buy one?
There are similar complaints about Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, etc.

Of course, the Veyron is an extreme example, but with the Focus and other similar high performance cars and complaints that hoons will misuse them and start wrapping them around trees, light posts, pedestrians, etc, all bets are off when you get a few years down the track and they start becoming available on the second hand market....


The main point of contention with this drift button is that traction control actually does have a sound reason behind being able to switch it off...in some road conditions traction control can actually be a hindrance. For instance, we drive new Pajero's at work, and the traction control in them is downright dangerous at times. You do a u-turn or turn out from the side of the road on dirt, and if the wheels slip even slightly, the traction control slaps you and engine power is reduced by maybe half, with a little light flashing on the dash as you creep across the road saying "Come on come on COME ON" as traffic approaches.
A drift button however is purely and entirely to break the law...full stop. Anyone who claims they'll be used "only on the track" is just plain lying. Where are all these road race and drift circuits spread around ever town and city in the country?
It's just marketing ****, nothing more, and potentially dangerous **** at that.

A friend of mine drives a couple of hours every 2nd weekend to go drifting,and he's never by himself when he does go.

Yes it marketing, appealing to people who participate in drift days, the same way track mode appeals to people who participate in track says.

[Craig@AUDI]

Originally Posted by TheInterceptor

We should gearbox him. Anyone know where he lives?

Apparently in Mosman NSW

[The Yeti]

I'm old so I don't expect to know young people's hip new phrases

But what the **** is gearboxing? As in we should gearbox him????

[wicksy]

oh and the video how he went and rabbled about paul walker aswell,

he should've of been put on his mums back or at the least put back in the abortion bucket for pig scraps

[FPV+fteT3]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

I'm old so I don't expect to know young people's hip new phrases

But what the **** is gearboxing? As in we should gearbox him????

Background to gearboxing below but in precis a gearbox is left on your front patio or driveway. Wayne from power chip was the first recipient of a gearbox and led to the term gearboxing.

http://www.deathinc.com.au/index.php...=10355.0;imode

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

I'm old so I don't expect to know young people's hip new phrases

But what the **** is gearboxing? As in we should gearbox him????

Remember the Mafia and a Horses head ? 'Gearboxing' is the Aussie version

http://jalopnik.com/5713816/how-an-a...a-police-visit

[Craig@AUDI]

Maybe a "tool" box is more appropriate???

[SSD-85]

Amazing how people still GAF for what an idiot says....

[tranquilized]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

Wasn't there one performance car that had a GPS tracker that "knew" if it was at a racetrack or not, and limited or turned on features as appropriate? In other words, you could press for example the drift button all you liked, but unless you were at a track, nothing would happen.

I think that sort of system would keep everyone happy.

That would be the Nissan GTR. I remember there were concerns the technology would lead to refused warranty claims seeing as Nissan would know about any track use.

But yes agree that drifting is a much higher speed and more dangerous activity than burnouts, hence my earlier post about it requiring more skill. I saw the news report that channel 7 aired and it was just ridiculous. Made out that if you pushed the button the car would automatically go sideways around corners

"Ford's new HOON CAR!"

[DFB FGXR6]

Having just watched the Channel 7 story with the reporter saying how dangerous drifting is, all the while standing on a skid pan with Ian Luff drifting around him. Hypocrites!

[bungarra]

Scruby and his comments.....

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by Perko

If anyone cannot see through this piece of journalistic rubbish then fool to them. Go buy an under powered piece of poo and leave the people who actually love to drive alone.

Seems Scruby has a few usernames here.

FFS all it does is transmit more power to the rear wheels, it doesn't make your car skid.

[superyob]

It's probably not in the public interest to have a car like this on our roads although an argument like this could be made against any high powered car. While I do agree with Crazy Dazz 'They are nothing but malcontents who think they have some God given right to tell everyone else how to think and how to live our lives,' the other side of the story is how will this function impinge on the rights of innnocents to not be struck down by a wannabe Ken Block who thinks himself a fully sick driver because he has the ability to push the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor. 2011G6E makes a good point about insurance too...

[Pilko FNQ]

Imagine if the New Aussie mustangs has the "Line lock mode" like the U.S. Version has. ACA would have a field day!

[TheInterceptor]

Originally Posted by Craig@Rockdale

Apparently in Mosman NSW

Awesome. When im back living in Sydney next year ill drop him a shagged BTR. I will take donations

No surprise being Mosman.

[CyberWasp]

I want my Nanny

[PepeLePew]

As per the engineers this is how it works...as perko said stability control elements plus some torque vectoring shenanigans and monitoring keep the drift safe...try and make something performed by sensible people away from public roads safer and you get caned who'd have thought?

http://blog.caranddriver.com/thank-y...ss-drift-mode/

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by TheInterceptor

Awesome. When im back living in Sydney next year ill drop him a shagged BTR. I will take donations

No surprise being Mosman.

I bet a full boxed set of Fast & Furious DVD's should do the trick to make Mr Screwball pull his hair out if he has any. Or who knows? Maybe he is actually a closet racing fanatic, who is bitter at the world because he couldn't drive to save his own life (much like a homo/pedo priest scenario).

[ken1939]

Originally Posted by 4vxc

Will somebody think of the children!

True, its always about the children.....

[raised by monkeys]

I think its preposterous. It's probably too late though, but maybe Ford could do a recall and rename the button "Track only"? My mates VE GTS has the on board computer for track and lap functions without any bite back. I think what's really caused people to get their maude flanders on is the word drift.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by raised by monkeys

I think its preposterous. It's probably too late though, but maybe Ford could do a recall and rename the button "Track only"? My mates VE GTS has the on board computer for track and lap functions without any bite back. I think what's really caused people to get their maude flanders on is the word drift.

I think it is more Helen Lovejoys

[DJM83]

Hallelujah

http://www.caradvice.com.au/462557/t...iliate_program

[stig_3754]

All these motoring 'journos' vying to be the Caroline Wilson of Automotive Journalism. Just attention seeking knobs.

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by stig_3754

All these motoring 'journos' vying to be the Caroline Wilson of Automotive Journalism. Just attention seeking knobs.

What are you referring to? Which motoring journalist is seeking attention.
From all the reports I have read it is tabloid journalism causing the issue here (with interviews from Scruby, etc).

Just about all reports show the RS Focus is the darling of the motoring industry, just about a unanimous thumbs by motoring journos across the globe.