I am sure that for those who have been around for a while, this subject probably comes up over and over and over and over... It is in the nature of the game. So I thought that maybe I could muse on it for a while. I think it is only useful to stay positive in all situations and would defend myself only to the extent of stating what my intentions are (or what my intentions were in a particular situation) and it is others choice to believe it or not. Then, of course, if it is a formal interpretation, look at my actions, make a judgement and I am happy to serve my time.
Personally, I think it is pointless to try think that I know the inner intentions of another driver, even if it looks to me like it is intentional and at the time I think THERE IS NO WAY IT COULD BE UNINTENTIONAL. Since gradually watching more replays I have noticed most of the time when I think a driver clearly did something intentional, it is almost ALWAYS
NOT the case when I watch it from a number of views and from different cars both in the rear-view mirror and looking forward. And, surprisingly, sometimes I will see a driver who seemed to be overly aggressive a little further down the track do something very generous, which really makes me question my previous perception. Even in the worst hitting, no matter what actions you see a driver do it can still be possible that he had good intentions regarding his goals and was just being negligent regarding situational awareness (i.e. the driver was not aiming to take you out). Also, most always there are a number of drivers involved and a chain reaction can have started as far as a corner back and your being hit was the result of someone losing control because they were unintentionally hit. OR, this driver might have just gone through a string of hits, or an unfortunate really hard hit, themselves, and might just feel they are trying to protect themselves by being more aggressive and be resorting to trying to create a little more space around themselves.
We have a perceived level of aggressiveness that is required for success.
We have a perceived level of aggressiveness that is required for protection.
We are constantly trying to reevaluate these first two perceptions (i.e. what does the league require and what does my success in the league require?) Our GUIDES are what has my past experience taught me, what do the rules say, what do the most successful drivers say, and what do I actually SEE happening out there on the track, and what does @
JLBowler say
.
If we think we are going to suffer too much by trying to follow anyone of our GUiDES, self-protection instincts might kick in and we might bend any one of the guides and then just put it under the category of learning to appease our conscience (if someone else suffered a little too much).
I see several categories of intentions that might be in someone's mind at the start of a race, practice or real.
-I am going to win no matter what in this race.
-I am going to win no matter what and, oh ya, I think there might be something about trying to be fair.
-I am going to try to be fair and I am going to try to win as hard as I can as long as I am still trying to be fair.
-I am hell bent on winning and I am so pissed off at the hypocrisy that I have suffered I hope that I might take a few others out on the way.
-I am going to try to see what others are doing while I am trying as hard as I can to win.
-I am going to try to see what others are doing and how what I am doing affects what they are doing and and realize that I am winning in learning and also I am going to try to win.
-I am going to give up because all of this is too damn hard or discouraging or hopeless because I perceive that everyone is just trying to do number one above. Sometimes a slower start or slower trying in the corners can disrupt the flow and end up causing a surprising amount of malay.
When you are sitting in the starting grid, and the numbers are beginning to count down, 3, 3, 1, START... which choice are you making for yourself, for others and for the league?
THE PROBLEMS ARE:
-we cannot read other people's mind
-misinterpretations are a part of the human condition because we each live in a different space but we all share a common space
-we have different levels of ability
-we have different levels of understanding of our GUIDES
-the cars are POWERFUL and have WEIGHT and the forces are INTENSE and it is happening FAST!
-things can escalate (due to misunderstandings, perceived wrongs, limited knowledge, the human condition,
due to our choice to perceive things negatively, probability, someone had a bad day, etc.)
-probability will sooner or later always create a situation where two people who are trying to have the best intentions and balance being conservative to protect others and being aggressive to win their race happen to both make the same choice to be aggressive in the same corner, at the same time, resulting in an unfortunate event (recent F1 example). Yes, it happens even at the F1 level because probability is an inescapable part of racing and of life. Remember the last time you bent over just as another person bent over and you banged heads! So we need to FORGIVE.
-we see things, but we also choose how we see things
so, THE ONLY SOLUTION is
-to believe in the principles of S.N.A.I.L
-to absolutely, always BELIEVE in your fellow driver, and in their intentions
-to stay positive; look for the positive perspective; keep a positive perspective.
-to stay thankful (there are still starving people in the world and we are racing for enjoyment and/or career)
-to FORGIVE
-when we see things, still choose to see things positively
-to try by example and by intention to always minimize harm to others while trying our hardest to win. If we stop trying to minimize harm to others it becomes sad; it we stop trying to win it becomes sick.
-we all need to help each other attain these goals because it IS HARD!!!!
So one of the bottom lines, imho, is what perception we choose. Our perceptions determine our intentions and this is what makes it a good league or not so good.
IT TAKES
ALL OF US REALIZING THESE COMPLEXITIES, REALIZING HOW HARD IT IS, TRYING TO ALWAYS HAVE THE BEST INTENTIONS AT THE START OF A RACE, AND BELIEVING OTHERS HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS, TO KEEP THIS LEAGUE A POSITIVE, HEALTHY AND HAPPY LEAGUE. Oh ya, and fun in there some place too.
p.s. I assure you I am trying to be aware of others and then win.
p.p.s. Tsukuba and the Miata is especially tight and close; it is very hard to not have bumping going into and out of the three hairpins which is mostly where lap time differences occur.
S.N.A.I.L.
).
Oil Change, Body Improvement and Brake Balance are the only things allowed. Except for the Red Bull Junior.
