Lydden Hill - No more drifting

Thread in 'Drifting Chat / Pictures / Videos' started by Joss, Dec 17, 2015.

  1. Joss

    Joss Member

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    I'm sure everyone's already aware, there are enough statuses on Facebook about it:

    [​IMG]



    Alternative locations other than Santa Pod for those in the south?

    Discuss.
     
  2. smithy21

    smithy21 New Member

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    first time ive seen this gutted as never been there and was hoping to give it ago

    - - - Updated - - -

    first time ive seen this gutted as never been there and was hoping to give it ago
     
  3. -Tommy.

    -Tommy. Member

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    Bloody hell, this is a big hit. so there is literally now only banger tracks and truck car parks?
     
  4. Joss

    Joss Member

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    You would be correct Tommy... Southern Streeto Championships anyone?
     
  5. essexcapri25

    essexcapri25 Member

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    sreeto round the house of the people who complained haha
     
  6. silverzx

    silverzx Member

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    Like the sound of that.
     
  7. jay-young

    jay-young Active Member

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  8. tbtstt

    tbtstt Member

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    A lot of the local resistance to the recently proposed development of Lydden Hill related not just to drifting on the circuit, but the behavior of "drifters" in the local area. Although I strongly suspect that is mainly just aunties and vicars complaining about nothing, I have seen some pretty stupid driving from cars leaving drift days at Lydden which I daresay hasn't helped things.

    Damn shame if the drift track days do get permanently axed, but it looks like that is the price the circuit must to pay in order to grow. I hope that there is some possibility the drift days will be reintroduced once the modernization of the circuit is complete.
     
  9. Joss

    Joss Member

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    Management complained enough about drifters before the track has been modernized, so I really doubt drift days will come back after modernisation.

    I think it's largely down to the attitudes the majority of us have towards the local roads, the track and the facilities, and the fact our cars all have bodywork hanging and crumpled shells.

    I think noise complaints are just an excuse to soften the blow and divert the blame.
     
  10. tbtstt

    tbtstt Member

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    Yeah, possibly. A vast majority of the opposition comments from locals concerning the recently proposed development of Lydden...

    https://planning.dover.gov.uk/onlin...tiveTab=neighbourComments&keyVal=DCAPR_227366

    ...do directly reference drifting though: both on track and on the local roads. Although I doubt any of the locals are differentiating between drift cars and pillocks in Corsa's, I do think there is a certain amount of truth in the complaints relating to behavior on the road: as I said in my previous post, I have seen it myself on multiple occasions when leaving the circuit.
     
  11. Joss

    Joss Member

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    I've partaken myself, we've all abused the local area really.

    You're probably right as well in that any car with a loud exhaust probably gets moved into the drift car category whether it's a Civic Type R or a ropey E36 nail. So the problem probably seems worse than it is on the local tarmac.
     
  12. r3k1355

    r3k1355 Well-Known Member

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    Always going to happen if you let any old tosser turn up, act like a clown (whether spectating or driving) and roar off into the distance to drive like a cunt on the way home.

    IMO it's all too common that management bury their heads in the sand and say "it's not our fault" when really they want to engage with the local residents and the local plod to sort the stupid people out.

    All it wants is a couple of patrol cars in the area when it's kicking out time and they'll catch the people in the act.
     
  13. SheffJohn

    SheffJohn Member

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    It's common knowledge that people that live near racetracks are 99% irate mardy bastards, people know this, and still antagonize the issue by taking the Piss outside of venues.
    Using a bit of fucking common sense goes out of the window, and thinking "here's one of very few venues that support these day's" is just too hard for some people to grasp.

    Happens @ tracks everywhere, spectators aswell as drivers, leave tracks and drive like dickheads.
     
  14. tbtstt

    tbtstt Member

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    Exactly. I've seen one or two stupid bits of driving from cars leaving the BHP show and other grip events over say, a five year period. In the last 24 months I have been to maybe four or five drift track days and every time I have left those I have seen at least one car doing something daft...

    ...perhaps I have just been unlucky with my timing, but contrast that with the 10 years worth of rallycross events I've been to at Lydden, where the only stupid bit of driving I happen to have witnessed took place in the car park itself, I can see why drifting is a particularly sore topic with the locals.

    Fully agree. The way Lydden have managed some events in the past (specifically thinking the BHP Show) I'm sure has done them no favours with the locals. My personal opinion is that a blanket cancellation of 90% of the drift-related events at the circuit is a measure to win some favour back and enable them to get the green light to bring the track facilities up to standard.

    If the modernization of the circuit facilities isn't allowed to happen, then I fear Lydden won't be around for much longer. Hopefully if those circuit changes go ahead then there is a possibility more drift events will return to the calendar in the future...

    (...though I appreciate that isn't much consolation for any drift drivers/fans in the South at this time!)
     

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