Leaders in GPL,VROC

Don't like to admit it, but I am overtaken by the leader in a fair share of my online races, and I receive the blue move over flag....Anyone who races online knows that crashes can jumble up the field considerably, so that often you find faster cars behind you...while I'm busy trying to stay on line and catch the next car ahead, how do you tell if the car approaching from behind is the leader coming around, or a car trying to pass you for position? I'll give way to let the leader go by if I recognize him, but often I can't. If it's a car trying to pass for position, I'd race as hard as possible, within reason, to keep him(or her? Hi Allison!) behind me.....So how do you know?Not that Allison is ever behind me for very long..... --

Hi Ed, Yeah I guess it can be tough to tell who is in the mirror... My 2 cents would be 1) that if you crash and someone comes up on you real quick, you should let them by anyway (shift-r or no shift-r). Then try to stay with them. If you stay close, then give them a go! All bets are off! :-) If, OTOH, they leave you in the dust, then you definitely did the right thing for someone that might have been among the leaders. 2) If you DON'T crash and they just come out of nowhere REAL quick, then they are substantially faster (or seriously *warped* where they were really there but because of a bad latency spike you couldn't see them) so just stay on the racing line, and if they pull out to pass in a braking zone, just brake a bit early and don't fight them. Then see number 1 again. Basically, if you race cleanly and smoothly and don't chop down on people, the fast guys will find a way past. Just stay on the line, don't block and drive as smoothly as you can. If they are any good, they will make the pass cleanly. -_Dave

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> Don't like to admit it, but I am overtaken by the leader in a fair share of > my online races, and I receive the blue move over flag....Anyone who races > online knows that crashes can jumble up the field considerably, so that > often you find faster cars behind you...while I'm busy trying to stay on > line and catch the next car ahead, how do you tell if the car approaching > from behind is the leader coming around, or a car trying to pass you for > position? I'll give way to let the leader go by if I recognize him, but > often I can't. If it's a car trying to pass for position, I'd race as hard > as possible, within reason, to keep him(or her? Hi Allison!) behind > me.....So how do you know?Not that Allison is ever behind me for very > long..... > --

-- Dave Schwabe The Aussie Toad -- Grand Prix Legends & Brabham site http://users.wi.net/~schwabe

If you get a blue flag during the race then 99 times out of 100, you are being lapped and should let them pass. There are a special set of warp circumstances where you can get an erroneous blue flag but that has never happened to me in countless races on VROC. And if you see a blue flag then it IS for you and only you - others will not see it. In practice sessions the blue flag just means that a faster car is approaching you. Under these circumstances, common etiquette would say that you should move over unless you are on a hotlap. In particular, you should yield if this is your pit lap or you have already screwed up the lap and cannot possibly beat your current best lap of practice. Cheers, Paul

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> Don't like to admit it, but I am overtaken by the leader in a fair share of > my online races, and I receive the blue move over flag....Anyone who races > online knows that crashes can jumble up the field considerably, so that > often you find faster cars behind you...while I'm busy trying to stay on > line and catch the next car ahead, how do you tell if the car approaching > from behind is the leader coming around, or a car trying to pass you for > position? I'll give way to let the leader go by if I recognize him, but > often I can't. If it's a car trying to pass for position, I'd race as hard > as possible, within reason, to keep him(or her? Hi Allison!) behind > me.....So how do you know?Not that Allison is ever behind me for very > long..... > --

First thing I do is to "Not race the drivers". When you race the drivers you end up being more dangerous trying to keep someone from passing you. Second thing I do is to "Not race the drivers". The faster car will pass you no matter what you do. If you try and keep them from passing you become a rolling hazard. If the car behind you is trying to take that position away.. If you hold your normal line he will find the best place to pass. If he doesn't have the speed or power to pass you then he wont. Either way, You're not racing a NASCAR race car for points and prestige. You're racing on a road coarse trying to prove that you are the better driver first and faster second. Just let any car by that wants to get by. Odds are that they will crash anyhow leaving you right back in the same position as before. By continuously trying to let others by, You will never learn how to go fast. The key phrase here is "run your normal lines".

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> Don't like to admit it, but I am overtaken by the leader in a fair share of > my online races, and I receive the blue move over flag....Anyone who races > online knows that crashes can jumble up the field considerably, so that > often you find faster cars behind you...while I'm busy trying to stay on > line and catch the next car ahead, how do you tell if the car approaching > from behind is the leader coming around, or a car trying to pass you for > position? I'll give way to let the leader go by if I recognize him, but > often I can't. If it's a car trying to pass for position, I'd race as hard > as possible, within reason, to keep him(or her? Hi Allison!) behind > me.....So how do you know?Not that Allison is ever behind me for very > long..... > --

-- ========================================= Mike Barlow of Barlow Racing? MikeBa on the TEN network. Member of R.O.R. 1999 http://w3.ime.net/~marknjess/noflame.html ========================================= Racing online with the help of...... Race Communications Association http://members.xoom.com/RCA/toc.html Holodyne Engineering Mystic Music mikeba.vcf < 1K Download

Well as fast as George Sandman is, that probably wouldn't have happened it you hadn't effectively started from the back of the field after that unfortunate start line shunt, Chris! It *was* surprising to see Chris anywhere but at or near the front! Jack Rambo

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>> Don't like to admit it, but I am overtaken by the leader in a fair share of >> my online races, and I receive the blue move over flag....Anyone who races >> online knows that crashes can jumble up the field considerably, so that >> often you find faster cars behind you...while I'm busy trying to stay on >> line and catch the next car ahead, how do you tell if the car approaching >> from behind is the leader coming around, or a car trying to pass you for >> position? I'll give way to let the leader go by if I recognize him, but >> often I can't. If it's a car trying to pass for position, I'd race as hard >> as possible, within reason, to keep him(or her? Hi Allison!) behind >> me.....So how do you know?Not that Allison is ever behind me for very >> long..... >Basically, if you race cleanly and smoothly and don't chop down on >people, the fast guys will find a way past. Just stay on the line, don't >block and drive as smoothly as you can. If they are any good, they will >make the pass cleanly.

Even at Monaco? :) At other places it's alright to allow the guy behind to make the move first, but at Monaco things are a bit different. I raced in Wednesday's NTT event and lapped many cars. It would've been very risky for me to try and make the move. Fortunately, most of the guys were awake and gave room nicely. It's just important for the leader also to be very careful and not drive too close. At Monaco there aren't many places where you can allow a car to pass you, so patience is the key! :) -- Greger Huttu