> Eldred....
> The only time you should be "out of the racing line" to allow cars to pass
> is when you are limping a damaged race car back to your pit.
I agree this everything else you mention, Tom, christ knows i've been
lapped enough in real races. I would also use the keep left/right and
point left/right technique too, it's the safest way to let the racing
pack though in my opinion, and the fairest.
Gerry
>Seriously......the "passing rule" requires knowledge of and correct
>execution of......the rule by "both" participants....that means
>"passee...AND passer." There's no shortage of dumb-asses in the fast group
>of rookies in sim racing either.
>If anyone tells you that the slower driver must yield the racing
>line.....you can suggest they go take another racing school and learn the
>passing rules correctly this time.
Sure - I do this in virtual racing all the time. But I submit that the mirrors
are deceptive. A car can be on you before you expect, and it can also be
farther back than thought. A lot of this depends on the track. There are some
tracks where I can gauge the speed/distance of the following car based on when
I see him exit the turn behind me. Meaning as soon as I see him in my mirrors
after a turn, I know where he is because I know how far away from that turn *I*
am now. I know I didn't explain that clearly, but I hope you understand what I
mean.
Eldred
--
Dale Earnhardt, Sr. R.I.P. 1951-2001
Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
F1 hcp. +16.36...Monster +366.59...
Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.
Thanks for your very extensive replies. I agree, rules need to be
understood by all parties involved. The WRD servers make the point of
explaining their rules about this before every race, and I find it
beneficial. I appreciate your comments about not knowing why an
unknown driver may be off the line. I am also glad that you explained
how, when you did move over for someone else, that you did it at the
safest point on the track to do so.
I wonder if it might be helpful to have an "online driving school" for
newbies. Folks could come take the course, and after "passing" could
be given some kind of digital certificate that they might give to
league admins to show that they have at least mastered the basic
concepts of give and take, situational awareness, etc. required for
online racing.
I too have often though a "brake indicator" would be most beneficial.
Along the same lines, some kind of visual indication of how close you
are to locking up the brakes (in N4) would be very helpful, to me
anyway.
Gerald Moore
> Seriously......the "passing rule" requires knowledge of and correct
> execution of......the rule by "both" participants....that means
> "passee...AND passer." There's no shortage of dumb-asses in the fast group
> of rookies in sim racing either.
> If anyone tells you that the slower driver must yield the racing
> line.....you can suggest they go take another racing school and learn the
> passing rules correctly this time.
> The only time you should be "out of the racing line" to allow cars to pass
> is when you are limping a damaged race car back to your pit. That situation
> is not what we are talking about here. In that case, you are not running
> anywhere near competitive lap speeds.....which is the case with back markers
> who are still racing....but just slower than the leaders.
> Of course, like all "rules of thumb" which is what this is......"good
> judgment" must be a part the equation. As you gain more experience in
> racing.....you can use good judgment to know when to "alter" the rules of
> thumb. But rookie drivers don't have the experience yet to be able to rely
> on their good judgment (usually)....so you don't want to teach them a
> rule...and then make them learn all the "good judgment exceptions" to
> it....its just not productive.
> But, just for discussion purposes, here's an example of a "judgment call" I
> have made many times....an alteration of the "passing rule" if you would
> like to call it that:
> I raced at Portland International Raceway for most of my SCCA racing
> career. We used the "Festival Turns" chicane often. The race group I ran
> in for my GT racing included GT1, GT2 and GT3 cars. All basically with the
> same or similar chassis....differing by horsepower of the engines (actually,
> classed by weight-to-horsepower ratios). I ran both GT3 and GT2 cars.
> Those cars were as fast or faster than most of the GT1 cars....through the
> "back course" at PIR (Turn 1 thru the exit of Turn 5). On occasion, some of
> the faster GT1 cars from Hufaker racing down at Sears Point would venture up
> to PIR for a National race weekend. Those guys were "fast"
> everywhere....including the back course at PIR. If...in the last 1 to 3
> laps of a race, I observed the GT1 leaders (especially these fast guys from
> Hufaker Racing....guys like Steve Petty for example) crossing the S/F as I
> was under braking into the Festival Turns....I knew that they'd be on my
> rear bumper accelerating out of the Festival Turns down to T1. If I did
> nothing and just kept racing....chances are they'd be held up by me all the
> way through the "back course"...and that's about 30 to 35 seconds of a 1
> minute plus lap. In the early and mid parts of the race.....that would just
> be tough s...t and they could wait and go around me on the back straight.
> But in the closing laps (particularly if I was running solo and not directly
> racing for a position)....what I would do is this:
> I would accelerate more slowly coming out of the Festival Turn. As
> soon as I saw the GT1 cars come around the inside cement barrier, I would
> stay to the left of the track....and starting waiving my hand continuously
> to go by me on the right.....I'd be hugging the left-side white line all the
> way. Now....here's the perspective from the GT1 car***pits: As they come
> around the Festival Turn dog leg....they see a GT3 car on the left....with
> the driver constantly pointing right......as they were rapidly closing the
> distance.....the constant pointing....and the car position well out of the
> inside racing line.....gave them confidence that I intended to let them get
> by me to the right...... before we got into the back course. I would stay
> on the track-left white line....constantly waiving/pointing to the
> right.....until both cars were by me.
> I must have done this dozens of times in my racing career at PIR and never
> had a single problem with it. Usually, I'd get one or both of the drivers
> come over to my pit after the race and thank me for letting them through
> before the back course in the closing laps.
> Those of you who know PIR will have no problem understanding the above. If
> you don't know PIR....then I should tell you that this part of the race
> track was a very safe place to do this....as opposed to doing it on the
> straight before the Festival Turns.....or after entering the back course.
> So, there's a case where I was a back marker, still racing.......but I moved
> out of the racing line to allow the leaders through in a safe spot....and in
> a spot that would have a minimum impact on the final laps of their race!
> This is a good example of using experience and good judgment to make an
> exception to the rule of not moving out of the racing line.
> [This is also an example of what I have come to learn all top level race
> drivers do. They constantly sweep their mirrors ...as well as their dash
> instruments....in a regular rhythm and sequence...every lap of the race.
> They are as aware of the race situation behind them....as they are in front
> of them. This becomes a subconscious, automatic thing for every good
> driver. It is one of the elements.....a habit....that when you first posses
> it.....that marks the end of your rookie racing status.]
> Regards,
> Tom
