Prodrift FINAL Round 2007 - Help Save Irish Drifting !

Paddy@CIRL

Your about to look at what could be, the last photos from Rosegreen. A pending High Court case could shut the track down permanently, due to one man in the localitys compliants about noise pollution. If we lose it, the future of Drifting in Ireland will suffer a massive blow, as a precedent will have been set by the courts, which could open the floodgates to put other motoring venues in danger of being closed down because of noise pollution.

Lodge your support for keeping Rosegreen alive Here
Help Save Rosegreen - RacersHaven

Anyways, let's see why this wee circuit in the heart of the Irish Countryside is responsible for some of the best Drifting action in the World.

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That was Prodrift Series Ireland 2007 ...

magicbastarder

to be fair, i'm not going to sign any petition, given that yer man could have a valid complaint.

Paddy@CIRL

He moved into his house there knowing the raceway was there. Amazingly, its taken him 20 odd years to complain about it even though the people who live closer to it have no objections to it ...

afatbollix

mondello and a track up north have the same problum. the one up the north can only use go karts now... and mondello can only race after 10 or 11am... ya should start closing roads... motorsport doesent get much complaints when they do :D:D

nilhg

A growing problem, people move down the country, get surprised when they get the smell of slurry.

Kali

In the UK there are extremely strict noise regulations at tracks. I've been to BTCC, British GT and WTCC events that have had the last one or two races abandoned due to hitting the 4:30/5/6pm time limit (and these aren't exactly club races)... after which they're legally not allowed race. Some tracks (like Oulton Park) have severe noise restrictions on exhausts as well, there have been times when nearly every car going through scrutiny has been checked.

I don't know anything about Rosegreen and the Drift Series to comment on measures that have already been taken to apease local councils, but I hope if the club and series runners are doing their best then the outcome should go their way. I'd presume in this sort of sport that tyre noise outweighs what's coming from the exhausts, so could be hard (if not impossible) to reduce if necessary... hopefully the court will see that the guy is just bitter

Anyway, back to the photos.. fantastic shots as per usual! The 5th is stunning it actually looks like it's straight from Forza or the like

Borderfox

Super shots Paddy, I love the green Manta (I think it is?) Sad to hear about the court case but I think its spreading over from a lot of the English circuits where as mentioned above the noise limits are very strict. The first one is excellent too.

magicbastarder

i was always a bit bemused by drifting anyway. it just seems like formalised boy racing, from what little i've seen.

Paddy@CIRL

That's a very wrong assumption but sure your still entitled to it ...

Ever been to an event or see it on TV ?

magicbastarder

just on TV, have never been to an event.
i'm not a fan of motorsports in general, to be honest.

BanzaiBk

Great pix. It's a shame the future of Rosegreen is in doubt, I've been to a handful Pro Drift events in Ireland and enjoyed them all immensely.

ThOnda

Your photos are stunning. (I am not talking about those blonde b00bs). I really do like your style.
However, as I said before, I don't think that drifting is a sport or that should be done at all. I don't get it, it is more than stupid. It means that I am not going to sign that petition. Sorry.

Eirebear

As always your shots are fantastic....but as with others here, i dont know enough about drifitng, or to be honest motorsports in general to sign a petition.

Mind you it is another example of the easily offended minority getting there way...ill need to think about this some more.

Paddy@CIRL

I actually appreciate you guys talking about not signing it because of not knowing or understanding what drifting is about, rather than just signing it for no reason. Unfortunately, the guy who is taking legal action against Rosegreen threathened legal action against the website with the petition. So much for free speech, eh ?

It is NOT about a load of boyracers skidding randomly around a track.

It is about highly competitive and very talented drivers navigating a car around course set by judges. A 'drift' is judged by a drivers speed, angle and ability to hit his or her clipping points. This video we produced is a good introduction if you have never heard or understood what drifting is all about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxX-ufEpZZk

@Thonda
Would I be right into believing your into mountain biking and street riding ?

ThOnda

Yes, in this case, your believe is in right place. Bike is freedom. No roads, no road signs, no air pollution :-)

So what's contribution from drifting for the whole society? Maybe tax on fuel, tyres and spare parts. And what about nature? What about kids? If they spent all those money on building safe sportsgrounds not only for this "illogical" joy, it would be more useful.

In my opinion, from all motorsport activities, this is the second dummiest nacker sport after dragsters. But this is only my opinion and I am not forcing it to anybody.

magicbastarder

Paddy@CIRL wrote:

It is about highly competitive and very talented drivers navigating a car around course set by judges. A 'drift' is judged by a drivers speed, angle and ability to hit his or her clipping points. This video we produced is a good introduction if you have never heard or understood what drifting is all about.

i'm sure i could argue that my talent for being able to spin things on my fingers involves talent, and could be judged. doesn't make it a sport. still, horses for courses.

Paddy@CIRL

ThOnda wrote:

Yes, in this case, your believe is in right place. Bike is freedom. No roads, no road signs, no air pollution :-)

So what's contribution from drifting for the whole society? Maybe tax on fuel, tyres and spare parts. And what about nature? What about kids? If they spent all those money on building safe sportsgrounds not only for this "illogical" joy, it would be more useful.

In my opinion, from all motorsport activities, this is the second dummiest nacker sport after dragsters. But this is only my opinion and I am not forcing it to anybody.

But aren't you cutting up paths, damaging roots of trees, being a nuisance to walkers etc etc I only ask because, I like you, am big into my bikes. used to race downhill many many moons ago and I'm aware of the difficulty and harassment that moutainbikers get whilst trying to enjoy themselves. God, I know I got plenty of it. I guess I'm trying to say that I thought you might understand where I was coming from as I'm sure you probably have difficulty trying to explain to folk why you hurl yourself down the side of a mountain on a bicycle, dodging rocks, trees, ruts and nailing the perfect line. When you get to the bottom (intact) you never turn around and say 'Thats one for the enviroment !' your still loaded with andrenaline, you could move the mountain if you wanted to !

To call drifting a dumb nacker sport, isn't an opinion. It's a neanderthal insult, that had to resort to a childish remark.

MagicBastarder wrote:

i'm sure i could argue that my talent for being able to spin things on my fingers involves talent, and could be judged. doesn't make it a sport. still, horses for courses.

You could argue that and you would be right ! I'm just trying to explore the thoughts of people who don't care about drifting so I can try make the photos appeal more to those who couldn't give a toss about it. So eventually you might turn around and say 'I may go and see what all the fuss is about.'

I hope I don't come across as trying to force my opinion down anyones throat, I just get a wee bit passionate about things sometimes ...

Borderfox

Paddy@CIRL wrote:

You could argue that and you would be right ! I'm just trying to explore the thoughts of people who don't care about drifting so I can try make the photos appeal more to those who couldn't give a toss about it. So eventually you might turn around and say 'I may go and see what all the fuss is about.'

I hope I don't come across as trying to force my opinion down anyones throat, I just get a wee bit passionate about things sometimes ...

Nothing wrong with that, I admire you for having the courage of your convictions. I try to show the sports I shoot in different lights so that other people can see things differently and if not want to come along then understand it better. Best of luck against the guy bringing the action, might want to tell them on the website to calm down as some of the comments on reinforce the negative stereotypes that you are trying to overcome with you pictures.

nilhg

Theres a couple of issues here

The photos: they look great to me

The petition: not an easy issue to comment on but as someone who has lived in the country all my life I don't particularly appreciate blowins throwing their weight about before they are a wet week in the place.

Drifting: not for me, but I'd much rather that they have a controlled environment to do it in, than be out on the road with all the other lunatics.

Paddy@CIRL

Oriel wrote:

Boo ****ing hoo.
I wouldn't like to see yer thing in No6 after you scraped her face off.

Reported that post for trolling, If you have nothing constructive to say or add ...

BorderFox wrote:

Nothing wrong with that, I admire you for having the courage of your convictions. I try to show the sports I shoot in different lights so that other people can see things differently and if not want to come along then understand it better. Best of luck against the guy bringing the action, might want to tell them on the website to calm down as some of the comments on reinforce the negative stereotypes that you are trying to overcome with you pictures.

Thanks for pointing that out dude, I'll be sure to let the powers that be know

Cabaal

Eirebear wrote:

As always your shots are fantastic....but as with others here, i dont know enough about drifitng, or to be honest motorsports in general to sign a petition.

Basically sums up my feelings about it all so saves me typing it

ThOnda

Something like that. Not understanding the spirit of that, I can't support it. However I am not going to support campaign against it. At least they are not hurting kids and small animals...

Respect! And talking about drifting in the streets, that's how to do it!

DanGerMus

To be fair drifting takes an immense amount of skill dedication and practice to be good at any level.

I dont think anyone has the right to say it's not sport just because they don't understand it. It's not required that you to understand it. Drifters seem to enjoy what they do so they set up rules a scoring system and hey presto it's a sport. These are imo the only prerequisites for a sport.

thonda you said "Bike is freedom" if you truly believed in freedom you should show a little more respect to other peoples sporting interests. Also i think the nacker comments were goin a bit far too but you seem to have calmed down since then. As for dragsters while i'll admit at first glance it does look a little boorish, if you look deeper and try and appreciate the work that goes into building those cars and especially the engine and try to understand the engineering skill it takes to get the most out of what you have you might at least respect it a little bit more.

While i believe that everyone has a right to a quality of life like someone suffering because noise pollution should be accomodated. Other peoples rights to do what they enjoy should be respected aswell and in this case i hope an agreement to the satisfaction of both parties can be made.

1 up for drifting petition from me

Any way ranting aside pictures are wonderful especially the green car.

ThOnda

So does the chess :-)

I just understand term "sport" to activitiy with a little bigger amount of physical activity and if it is possible without using engines.

Weren't we talking about photography here recently? :-D

DanGerMus

hey i talked about the pictures see see right at the end. lol

That video is of an idiot doing a donut... not drifting..this is drifting!

Now this takes skill
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=qNmiRjTQ9WQ&mode=related&search=
http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=Kjaxez9OIX8&mode=related&search=

tell me you wouldn't be nackered after driving like that

WexfordMusings

Firstly, the pics are gret. i luv the close up of the guy in helmet.

Now for the rest. There is probably environmental mitigation measures that the race track could introduce to contain the sound disturbance, eg, planting of trees/hedgerows, installation of sound barriers specifically made to absorb sound, (these can be designed to absorb or bounce sound). As some have already said, limiting the times that the races can happen may also help.

I am not aware of this situation, but the race park could probably resolve all the issues through the granting of a planning application. In fact the courts in Ireland will await a decision of a planning application before hearing a case so thats something that could be done anyway just to slow things down. I dislike people who want to stop any type of development that could hinder an areas financial advantage/development anyway, so boo to the complainer!

As for the discussion on what a sport is. Horses for courses as they say. At least with drifting you get to see the cars rather than a car pelting by you at 100 miles per hour, that just aint spectating when you cant see the bleeding thing.

Also, any past-time that get young people (guys in particular) off the road and into an organised event with all modern safety arrangements to mess about (whether it be drifting, drags, normal racing, rally or even stock-car, destruction derby) this is a good thing and might make the roads a little safer. Now who can argue with that!

thats my tuppence worht for now,...