Guilty Pleasure

An outsider could very well think that we are a group stuck in the “swinging sixties” a la Austin Powers. With talk of drifting sideways and “swinging” the car around a corner screaming “YEAH, BABY YEAH,” some members seem to be poster children of that era. The recent YouTube video of three S2000 owners hooning their cars on public roads in traffic does not help either. Many car reviewers and S2000 owners consider the S2000 to be an exceptionally well-balanced machine, and also believe that this roadster is not meant to be driven sideways. On the track, the recommended approach is to hold the line as you enter the corner while targeting acceleration upon exit, but even the most precise driver cannot deny there is a certain guilty pleasure derived from swinging the rear around.

However, a significant number of new S2000 owners believe that handling an S2000 is child’s play; from the moment they strap in to the driver’s seat, they give notice to the world of their drifting capabilities by going sideways into the nearest tree or barrier. The S2000 is evil; it will not forgive any driver who drives beyond his/her capabilities and could very well end up leaving its owner like something the 60s chewed up and spat out (think Keith Richards minus the charm and accent).

As always, we suggest that you “hold your horses” and exercise moderation in your inputs while out there on the streets, especially on a rainy day. Remember, a rainy day is not a great opportunity to be swinging the tail of the S2000 in traffic. While you have heard all of this before, we think this repetition would be worthwhile even if it saves one S2000 owner out there. As usual, we encourage and recommend that you visit the track and learn more about your ride in a safer environment. Looking fast by drifting your car doesn’t necessarily equate to going fast and as you probably know what appears slow is indeed very fast.

There is a guilty pleasure to be derived from drifting your S2000 as the world is looking on. However, such situations often result in the pleasure vanishing, leaving you to deal with the guilt and heartache. Have you ever been in such a situation? Tell us about it.

Images above are of owners driving their cars in controlled environments. Please do not attempt this in your car on public roads

Images Courtesy of AaronCompNetSys and NetCarShow

Related Links:
S2000 Talk – Swinging the S2000
Jalopnik: Watch Three Honda S2000 Owners Drive Like A****** on Public Roads