Empty parking lots in Marietta?

[malfeas99]

So, after having driven sub-150whp front wheel drive cars for most of my driving career, I now find myself in posession of a relative monster, a 255whp/285wtq AWD beast that needs to be tamed.

What I'm looking for is just a wide open, flat expanse of pavement that's sparse in lightpoles or curbs that I can practice emergency maneuvers in, especially in incelement weather. I'm not looking to do something dumb like spin donuts all over the place, but I really need to get a grip on the handling characteristics of the car, how to control four-wheel drift, things like that. It's so weird to feel the tail of the car hang out and have the front wheels still applying power.. makes it easy to overcorrect and spin-out the other way, which is something I've done once already (in a parking lot too small for the application for which I desire it).

This necessity is doubly important because I'll be installing new springs and swaybars soon, which will dramatically alter turn-in and change the car's tendency from mild understeer to oversteer.

So.. anybody know a place in Marietta (or thereabouts) that fits the bill?

[HyPer50]

only dead empty parking lot i know of is the old circuit city parking lot on cobb pkwy near windy hill rd... but it's not big.. Is that shit really neccesary though? Your not a stunt driver and it's not like your driving a beast... just get used to driving it on the street without acting like a moron.

[HiPSI]

Birthday:
June 23, 1989

That explains it.

w3rd... he wants his spilner practice spot like in the movies!

seriously, these "evasive maneuvers" you speak of sounds like a BS excuse to go wail on your car and try to do AWD drifts, instead why not go do an autocross or trackday where you can see how the car handles at the limits and not have to explain to the nice officer what the hell you were doing?

[malfeas99]

My birthday's 1980, douchebags. *edits profile*

With that said, now maybe you folks can give me useful information without being pompous assholes.

I already said I'm not looking to toss the car around like an idiot. I just need to see what happens to the car at the limit of it's handling. This strikes me as only sensible, and a pretty intelligent thing to do, especially with cars that have a lot of power on tap (even moreso when it's in surges, like a turbo).

You don't think it's smart to find out how your car breaks loose differently when you swap out suspension components in a fairly controlled, safe situation? Should I find out instead when some idiot pulls out in front of me or slams on the brakes on 75 south going 80mph?

[Ruiner]

My birthday's 1980, douchebags. *edits*

A. You put 1989, not me. I find that calling "us" douchebags is rather ironic.

B. That makes it even worse that you are a 1/4 of a century old, yet still want a parking lot to run around in.

[A.P. Photography]

My birthday's 1980, douchebags. *edits*

^ That was a real intelligent remark. If you really want to learn about the car check with AMS and find out when they have their next driving shcool. They use your car and teach you how to handle it.

[malfeas99]

I have no desire or need to illustrate my intelligence or lack thereof with idiots that assume too much.

Look, I don't blame half of you for being skeptical or jumping to conclusions, there's more than a few irresponsible boy-racer fast-and-furious wannabes that could ask this same question.

The difference is I don't want to do this for any other reason than to know how the car will react in stressful situations to harsh steering, throttle input, brake application... especially in inclement weather.

Auto-Xing and/or driving schools aren't a bad idea, but I'm not terribly competitive and I'd rather get this very basic and useful information without spending a few hundred $$$, at least for now.

[B16a2 Civic]

....why not go to a school parking lot before school starts again?

[malfeas99]

....why not go to a school parking lot before school starts again?

Probably not the best place.. school lots tend to have their fair share of people tearing through them at any given time, for far less noble reasons than my intent.

Also, I'd prefer not to have to explain my actions on government property. :P

Though you're on the right track, I think... I'd need a place that's surreptitous and is essentially deserted at certain times.

[B16a2 Civic]

mmm k, just tryna help, i dont live in that area so im not to sure of many helps, hopes everything works

[A.P. Photography]

Auto-Xing and/or driving schools aren't a bad idea, but I'm not terribly competitive and I'd rather get this very basic and useful information without spending a few hundred $$$, at least for now.

That is what a driving school is for. They teach you this and the one at AMS is not that expensive. So don't expect people on this site to take you serious when you talk about racing through a parking lot trying to learn how to control your car.

[malfeas99]

A. You put 1989, not me. I find that calling "us" douchebags is rather ironic.

B. That makes it even worse that you are a 1/4 of a century old, yet still want a parking lot to run around in.

Look, I've got no specific beef with you, I'm sorry that my lack of vigilance in regards to my own profile sort of stalled out your witty and imperious initial response, but it really wasn't that funny anyways.

I'll tell you right now that your insights into my 'true motivations' are flat out incorrect. They're just wrong.

So you can take me at my word and we can kiss and make up, or you can continue trying to paint me as someone I'm not, and we can add to the multitude of useless exchanges of insults that pervades most of these boards.

Maybe we can 'call each other out' and we can go fight each other RL! I'll show you! *fisticuffs*

[malfeas99]

That is what a driving school is for. They teach you this and the one at AMS is not that expensive. So don't expect people on this site to take you serious when you talk about racing through a parking lot trying to learn how to control your car.

I don't have to race anywhere to get the information I want.

I've got plenty of low-end torque in first and second gear, I can get all the information I need to know at speeds of less than 20mph, if that.

That being said, AMS doesn't sound like a bad idea at all.. I think some professional instruction could definitely help. Is there a link for them? I don't feel like digging through Google and the various 'American Mathematical Society' links.

[Nismo]

^ he uses alot of big words, and is well spoken. But the parking lot thing is a really bad idea, because cobb county police are not the most receptive to sliding in a parking lot, period.

[CodyW]

a few years ago the SCCA autocross novice schools were only $50 for an entire day of driving and you definately learn a ton at those. i'd definately check into an option like that instead taking chances by playing around in a parking lot.

[HiPSI]

an autocross is not expensive, and you will learn everything about your car in one lap there.

[Scrappy]

:jerkit:

[Tracy]

Go to www.xtrememeasures.org

Its a teen driving school that we teach at. We show u how to do all of those things on a closed course with instructors get your parents to foot the bill.

[Ruiner]

Look, I've got no specific beef with you, I'm sorry that my lack of vigilance in regards to my own profile sort of stalled out your witty and imperious initial response, but it really wasn't that funny anyways.

I'll tell you right now that your insights into my 'true motivations' are flat out incorrect. They're just wrong.

So you can take me at my word and we can kiss and make up, or you can continue trying to paint me as someone I'm not, and we can add to the multitude of useless exchanges of insults that pervades most of these boards.

Maybe we can 'call each other out' and we can go fight each other RL! I'll show you! *fisticuffs*

Fair enough. Being that you know the inherent dangers and irresponsibility brought forth by trying these actions in a parking lot, a driver’s education course is your only reasonable (responsible) solution.

[bijan gxe]

I know of a couple...

One is the old wal mart in kennesaw
another one is an OLD winn dixie off dallas and 92.....although it MIGHT be gated off - not sure

[Ruiner]

Go to www.xtrememeasures.com

Its a teen driving school that we teach at. We show u how to do all of those things on a closed course with instructors get your parents to foot the bill.

He is 25 yrs old.

[Scrappy]

he acts 15, trying to sound smart throwing big words into his crap. next thing we know here on IA is that he will become a person using that e-thug slang crap like the other thread

[Tracy]

He is 25 yrs old.

oh. Loll! I thought his birthday was in '89...didn't someone say that???

[Ruiner]

oh. Loll! I thought his birthday was in '89...didn't someone say that???

I did, but he said that it was an error and went back and changed it in his profile to '80.

[Scrappy]

she reads the WHOLE thread i promise

[The Ren]

Lol.. sok Tracy.. we will just blame it on the blondeness everyone knows you have somewhere..

[chnco]

The Cobb County police station has a pretty big lot.

Try that one.

[Tracy]

she reads the WHOLE thread i promise

Lol! It's hard to type on this sidekick..sheesh! By the time this thing loads a post, 5 pages have gone by.

Well at least I got to give a shout out to my homies at www.xtrememeasures.org

[Tracy]

And I thought I got rid of the blonde...hahahahhaha

[malfeas99]

he acts 15, trying to sound smart throwing big words into his crap. next thing we know here on IA is that he will become a person using that e-thug slang crap like the other thread

Please, continue to illuminate the hidden impetus behind my request for simple information.

Most obviously I am intellectually and emotionally immature, only able to string together smart-sounding words by looking them up in a thesaurus. I'm no doubt just marginally holding my head above the proverbial water, when faced with the maelstroms of boundless enlightenment that you haughtily fling in my direction.

Or, alternatively, I could be well-spoken, well educated, and orders of magnitude more intelligent than you give me credit for, and you've just made a fool of yourself.

It really was just an innocent, simple request for a few dozen square yards of pavement that are out of the way, where I can safely try a few things.

You assumed that I was just one of the legion of newly licensed boy-racer simians that frequent the board, looking for a place that I can spin the car around in pointless, tire-shredding donuts in the overpowered car my parents bought for me.

Granted, this was partially my error (though I think 1989 might be the default date the forum sets for birthyear when you set it up.. otherwise, could have been a finger slip, 0's pretty close to 9 on the old keyboard, so cut a guy a break), but that you continue to work under some permutation of that assumption after having been corrected is questionable at best.

Why don't you reconsider your tone, find some manners, and discuss things as civilly as I'm trying to be?

[jt money]

malfeas99 what kinda car did you get? i live in kennesaw and have some places by my house. pm me for some locations.

[Scrappy]

because i dont like to be civil with you, its humorous and my entertainment sorry though... others might love you... lol btw WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY DUDE?!

[Scrappy]

btw, im just having fun, dont mind me, you will learn that later on i assume... but keep up the good work, when you find a parking lot, let me know so i can go drift the civic YAY

[malfeas99]

Fair enough. Being that you know the inherent dangers and irresponsibility brought forth by trying these actions in a parking lot, a driver’s education course is your only reasonable (responsible) solution.

I was up to this point under the impression that most driving schools were prohibitively expensive.. 300-600 bucks for a day of instruction and a few laps around the track. If there are alternatives, as appears to be the case, that's probably my best bet.

But seriously, what's the big deal here, beyond the stereotype of the hollywood-blinded ricer tossing his mom's civic around in a parking lot?

My father taught me how to drive in a parking lot.

My driving instructor, way back in the day, taught me to do maneuvers in a parking lot.

It seems only natural that if one can find an out-of-the-way and safe place to do it, one should be able to just nudge the car's handling a bit, at low speeds, and find out what does what.

My plan was just to take the car out, start a curve in the rain, and nudge the throttle till the tires broke loose and then correct for it. I doubt my speed would be more than a blazing 20mph the whole time. I just want to see where and when the car doesn't want to do what you tell it anymore.

This becomes doubly important when I drastically change the handling characteristics of the car via springs and swaybars.. it only sounds smart that one would want a safe place to see the difference and adjust their driving accordingly, right? I mean, I've seen more than one vendor or manufacturer stating specifically that in their online stores under some of their suspension mods.

Don't you think that maneuvers like the one I just offered in example would make one a safer driver on the street, especially in less-than-ideal driving conditions?

[malfeas99]

malfeas99 what kinda car did you get? i live in kennesaw and have some places by my house. pm me for some locations.

I have an '05 Legacy GT that I've taken to about Stage II, powerwise (though I haven't replaced the downpipe yet).

My last car was a '00 Civic Si, bone stock.

The one before that was a '93 Nissan Altima GLE.

Maybe now people will understand what I'm trying to do here.

[The Ren]

And I thought I got rid of the blonde...hahahahhaha

Oh no hunny.. you just covered it.. its ok my natural blonde shows through from time to time too

[HyPer50]

Just drive it around... you'll get used to it.. I went from a Geo Tracker and a 4cyl mustang to my 5.0l coupe with 300rwhp (alot easier to fuck up with RWD than with AWD lol)... you'll get the hang of it as long as you dont try and show off. Showing off almost always = horrible results heh.

[Scrappy]

waiting for the HUGE explanation on why he doesnt want to just drive it like a normal person...

[malfeas99]

waiting for the HUGE explanation on why he doesnt want to just drive it like a normal person...

I do drive like a normal person. I have no tickets. I've never caused an accident. I am a very considerate driver.

However, shit happens, be it drivers who are not quite as nice, or the huge thunderstorms that roll through occasionally. Or, god forbid, snow.

Seriously, it's very simple. It's all about knowledge and application. You can read about vehicle control all day, but until you get a feel for it with your own car, it's just not the same. Nor is it useful if you don't practice it occasionally, because in cases like these, reactions are essentially instinctive and will rely most often on muscle memory and ingrained emergency response... I mean, this is the -entire- reason that most cars are FWD today, because most people's instinctive reaction in an emergency situation is to slam on the brakes in a straight line. That type of reaction works best in a FWD car. In can work in every car... but does NOT go well for certain cars with certain amounts of power in certain situations in certain types of weather.

This isnt' rocket science, lady, it's just me wanting some analytical and applied information. That's all.

[Scrappy]

gawd! STOP IT! thanks i know i know what cars can and cannot do... thanks for the paragraph of jiberish though... appreciate your time and worries of me being safe on the road very nice! lol just drive around, find a empty parking lot ANYWHERE and drift away dont call me for bail or to pay any fines you are given...