Write a car chase scene

[Peccato]

I am currently trying to write a car chase scene, but it comes out so cheesy and short, that I deleted it, immediately.

I was wondering if anyone have tips on writing a car chase scene: what should I pay attention to? what kind of pov I should take? Should I be overly descriptive on the action or the feel? And which conflict fits best internal or external?

Plus, if you can perhaps point me to a story with one or memorable one. So, I can take some pointers??

 

[Noira]

Take an internal point of view, probably from your main character... limited third or first person. Instead of writing it like you'd see a movie, don't write as though you can see the action, write as if you're experiencing the action. Keep in mind all the senses... smell, sound, feel, taste... not just sight. Start by writing an outline of the scene to list point by point what's going to happen.

-Bob runs down the street and sees a red car with its roof down.
-He leaps in, his pursuers rounding the corner, and hotwires it, taking off.
-He can hear the pursuers shouting from behind him.
-There is the sound of a roaring engine from behind. Bob looks into the rear-view mirror to see a black armored car pull out of the lot and start after him. Its passenger fires shots at him.
-Bob pulls around the corner, his tires shrieking, and crashes through a dozen crates full of chickens. He's driving through the market. People scream and run to get out of his way.
-The armored car bursts through a small cart, and speeds down the road after him. Bob takes a hard right and leaps out of the vehicle as it sails over the edge of the bridge, and runs into the building...

Once you have your little write-up of what happens in the car chase scene, pick your leading character. Are you going to tell it from the pursuer's point of view, or the escapee? The hunter or the chased? Now get in and find out how they feel. Be like that character. Bob's heart pounding in his chest as he listens for the sound of the engine creeping up on him, the explosion of dust as his car rips through a sack of flour left on the side of the road, the frantic tremor as he swerves to avoid the pothole, that blasted radio playing such cheerful music at the wrong moment. Get into how they feel and how they think, and play that in along with that car speeding down Main Street after them.

But don't neglect describing the action either, or people might get lost and wonder how that happened.

I feel it's always best to avoid a point by point method of storytelling and get into the character's heads, how they feel and what they think, rather than just describing the action. It's more personal and more gripping for the reader.

I unfortunately can't think of a good chase scene to point you to, though.

 

[NippleMuncher]

I'd recommend watching a few movies with good chase scenes in them and describe them. Better chases it's pretty easy to put yourself into either car for a POV perspective of how if feels to be chased or the chaser.

The movie Bullitt, with Steve McQueen, is consider to have the all time best chase scene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMc2RdFuOxI

I thought the one with the RC car in Dirty Harry was pretty good, though implausible.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4zARMxqbkI