Am I correct that in real life if you got a blue flag the oppnent behind you must find a way to pass you and you MUST stay on the racing line and not get of the racing line to let the other racer pass you? Becuase I was just on Conedodgers 1 server and in the rules they say if you have a Blue Flag you must get of the racing line but i asked my dad (he knows lots about racing and stuff) and he says its te other way around the person with the Blue Flag MUST stay on the raceing line and the racer that is going to lap you must find a safe way around you. Who is correct?
Neither is correct, and both are. It depends on the situation. Generally, the only thing you should do is pick a line (whether the racing line or not), keep to it, be predictable and ease off the throttle to allow the faster car to pass you. Once you've chosen your line, it is up to the car passing you to do so on a different line to you. If you watch Formula 1, you'll often see cars lapping on the inside of a slower car rather than the outside. That is off the racing line and on the dirty side of the track. But if it says that in the rules, then follow them...
Ok thx know i know whats correct and whats wrong i just wish the devs would make a rule that the racer with blue flag must stay on the racing line and its up to the oponent to pass but ok thx all.
Blue Flag rules differ from server to server, some dictate that you msut get out of the way ASAP, some say to hold your line and not defend a pass attempt, some are somewhere in between.
In most cases just use common sense, and try and catch the server rules if you can.
The way I see it, lapping slower traffic is part of racing...sometimes whereabouts on the track the leaders catch backmarkers can influence the race, but that's just how it goes.
Blue Flag:
One or more competitors are about to lap you. You must hold your course and allow them to pass UNIMPEDED. You must make sure you change speed and leave room to be passed.
DO NOT RACE A CAR THAT IS A LAP AHEAD.
There has been another post today which may explain more
lol blue flag if they try too pass u just ram them off lol ur their too win not too let ppl past u for no reacon dats wot i do neways
On a serious note, if a server has specific rules on blue flags, obey them. On servers that do not I usually take a slow exit from a corner, go wide in a corner or let off the gas. Generally, if possible, I try to ensure the passing driver can get back on the optimum line for the next turn.
Please allow me to correct (now that I've sort of figured it out):
LOL! In the case of a blue flag, if they try to pass you, just ram them off (LOL). You're there to win, not to let people pass [or "go past"] you for no reason. That's what I do.
(I don't know what "neways" means; possibly, ", anyway" would be an appropriate substitute).
Note - there is no other shade of Blue Flag except Light.
Taking in to consideration the statement of intent for the use of signals it seems clear to me that the interpretation of the phrase "allow the following car to pass" must be taken to mean in the safest possible way. Given the speeds in racing, this must surely mean the driver in front should act predictably given the understanding that they are actually racing. The most obviously predictable action is to remain on the racing line and not do anything drastic, (such as braking where you wouldn't normally).
It is my understanding from talking to people that have been involved in motorcycle racing and from observation of motorsports in general is that:
a) It is the responsibility of the faster driver behind to overtake the slower driver safely.
b) It is the responsibility of the slower driver not to unduely impede the driver behind.
This generally means in real races that:
a) The slower driver may take a wider line through a wide corner in order to allow the faster driver to pass up the inside. But only if they have the space to do so safely without loosing too much time themselves.
b) The slower driver will move over on a straight in order for the faster driver to pass "on the racing line".
c) The slower driver must not under any circumstances "intentionaly block" the driver behind, like they would be entitled to if they were battling for track position.
What a blue flag most certainly does not mean is, (and I've never observed any of the below in real racing):
a) Brake to allow the faster driver past.
b) Run off the track to allow the faster driver past.
c) Compromise your race to allow the faster driver past.
and finally, (and most importantly with regard to LFS):
d) Ram the slower driver off the road in order to pass.
In a real race any collision between drivers on a race circuit will always be subject to a review by the marshals and potential pentalty to the driver considered to be at fault.
IMHO, if LFS aspires to be a Simulation then it should adhere as closely to real life racing rules and situations as possible and not attempt to re-write the rule book, (just because they can), as it will reduce it's credibility as a true to life sim.
It is the responsibility of both drivers to allow a safe pass with minimal effecting on each driver. Whether you move off line or not IRL is the decision of the driver being lapped, the car behind must be faster and if it cannot keep up with the car that's a lap down he has no right to be allowed passed (assuming that the backmarker is not slowing the faster car down, particularly in dirty air in open wheeled cars). In reality fault will always be biased towards the lapping car whereas in LFS it is nearly always given the backmarker.
Above all use common sense make you intentions clear and choose what your going to do, either take a tight racing line giving them room to go round the outside, although this only really works if it's a much faster (read different class) car approaching, or go wide and make it clear and do not cut across the path you've left for the faster car. If you do not want someone to overtake you round a particular corner (it's amazing how many people reckon a chicane is a suitable place to lap cars) simply park your car in the middle of the track and take it as slowly as you feel comfortable taking it.
This is a very well reasoned and supported argument. Thank you.
I wonder if this is really a good thing to do, since if the overtaking driver has not passed by the end of the straight, the "slower" driver will tend to want to get back on the racing line, and when/where he does this, may not be anticipated by the overtaking driver (unpredictability, resulting in a collision).
I also don't think that there is any justification for expecting any driver intentionally to slow down, since finishing places and relative positions can be distinguished by small fractions of a second; it would basically be equivalent to asking a driver (temporarily) to drop out of the race, while others continue, just so that someone else can further advance his already advanced position. The generally reasonable expectation is that the overtaking driver must overtake safely, and that's pretty much the whole of the essential consideration. The slower driver should simply avoid intentionally obstructing (let the blue flag be a signal that the guy behind you is not someone with whom you should be competing, battling for position, right now; otherwise, proceed with your participation in the race).
You've got to use common sense. If it appears safe to move off the line to allow a faster car to pass, you do so. If there is not enough room, you don't do it. As a racer, you are expected to be able to safely judge when it is - or is not - appropriate.
For example, if you see that the driver behind you is closing rapidly and is likely to move off the line to pass you soon, then you stay on your current line until he passes. On the other hand, if the driver is closing rapidly but is far away enough for you to move off the line and allow him room safely, then you may do that. If the car behind is closing only very slowly, then you stay on your current line and let him earn his pass. Everything is situation-dependent.
The problem with sim-racing is that a driver doesn't enjoy the same level of visual perception as in real life, so spatial judgement is harder. Furthermore, real life racing is done with drivers who have been assessed to have skill level appropriate for the series, whereas sim-racing has no such standards and there is huge variance in driver quality.
This is a good answer, especially because of the explicit example. Thanks to you, also (I hope that I will not develop a reputation for thanking everyone, so that people feel hurt if they are not included ).
A way to add to your own predictability in the eyes of the other racers is:
using the turn signals or indicators to tell them of your intentions.
The only problem is that they are interpreted differently by different people.
I asked this once somewhere and mostly people regard that you indicate to the direction you want to go. But atleast the Germans indicate to where they want the other driver go.
If you've joined mid-race (as is the case with the majority of blue flags we see in public servers) then none of the above applies imho. Either pull over or, if not 100% certain you can safely move out completely of the way, then shift-s or shift-p.
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