Neighbors fret over curve drawing stunt drivers

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Neighbors along one Corvallis street are having to battle a dangerous driving stunt made popular by Hollywood that's being copied by teenagers outside their front doors.
 
That's because 15th Street is curved in such a way that it is attractive to drivers looking to "drift," a stunt that involves making a car slide sideways.

The technique was made popular in the movie "The Fast and the Furious 3."

On Friday, a teen driver "drifting" through the neighborhood lost control of his vehicle while performing the stunt. His car tore through the yard of Ladona Martin-Frost and hit her parked Subaru, leaving it totaled.

"I think that there's been some real damage and trauma in the neighborhood and for our family too," she said.

Neighbors planned to meet Tuesday to talk about solving the problem.

"I'm very concerned," said Reed Youngbar, who favors installing a speed bump around the curve. "There's a lot of children in the neighborhood. We have dogs."

They worry, however, that publicity about the problem will only lead to the spot becoming more popular among teens.

City Councilor Stewart Wershow said more driver education, law enforcement and infrastructure are needed.

"I would propose to (city) public works that we put a tree or something in there that basically would keep people from drifting through the area," he said.

In the meantime, Martin-Frost has some advice for "drifters."

"It would be sad to ruin your own life as well as someone else's just because you want to have a simple thrill that might last for 30 seconds," she said.