OLR rules and public online racing dilemma

[ImprezaAddict]

This isn't a rant, it's more of a "What am I supposed to do here?" thing...
I have several points/questions...

A:
Whether or not you are using your registered GT Planet (GTP_Tag) Online name you are expected to follow these rules accordingly.

C:
The ahead driver must not do any malicious or inappropriate braking or slowing. Leading cars MUST NOT EVER 'brake check' the car(s) behind them because they are following too closely. The ahead driver IS entitled to be slower or use longer and earlier braking zones than others. They are also entitled to turn in earlier or later and/or apex earlier or later.

A:
The behind driver must take all necessary care and responsibility not to run into an ahead driver.

B:
In case you brake too late for a corner or partially lose control of your car, but can prevent an accident by steering into the dirt, grass or a wall, you are expected to do so.

I had several races today in a Nurburgring online lobby, and what started out as a 6 person race turned into a 16 person race.

It's easy to guess why the chances of contact are greater in races where many participate, but I was called a dirty driver today for mistakes that happened because of factors out of my control.

1. Yes, I did make contact with drivers throughout the race for several races, but almost every time contact was made was because of me getting shunted and forced to crash into the car ahead of me. What can I do? If I accelerate, I ram the car ahead. If I brake, I get rammed. Lose-lose.

2. Most crashes also happened when I was boxed in and had every possible exit blocked except for the grass. I am aware of the rule that says I should go to the grass to prevent a crash, but with crashes so sudden I had no time to react. These crashes happen from unexpected braking, or someone beside me decides to turn for no apparent corner.

3. What should I do when I spin out? Become transparent? Or try to leave the track?

4. If accidentally going into the grass at high speeds causes a car to spin out and cause a pretty heavy crash, is it automatically the spun out drivers' fault? Even if this spin out happened because I was trying to let the overtaking car have space to do so without issue?

5. If the leading driver decides to stop before the finish line and I end up crashing into that driver, whose fault is it?

I try to race as cleanly as I possibly can, but I was unsure of the steps I should take when the above situations happened.

 

[White & Nerdy]

Public lobbies are a whole other world, more or less. The rules are effectively much looser, the stakes are lower, and sometimes... stuff happens. Imagine the difference between professional boxing and a street fight, that's the difference between GTP organized racing and public lobbies.

Also, this directly from the GTP OLR:

1. Hit the grass. Go directly to last place.
2. Hit the grass. Go directly to last place. If you hit the guy in front it's your fault, even if he's doing random, unpredictable, non-smart things.
5. Your fault. He was ahead, he has a RIGHT to have unusual braking points!

 

[ImprezaAddict]

Public lobbies are a whole other world, more or less. The rules are effectively much looser, the stakes are lower, and sometimes... stuff happens. Imagine the difference between professional boxing and a street fight, that's the difference between GTP organized racing and public lobbies.

Also, this directly from the GTP OLR:

1. Hit the grass. Go directly to last place.
2. Hit the grass. Go directly to last place. If you hit the guy in front it's your fault, even if he's doing random, unpredictable, non-smart things.
5. Your fault. He was ahead, he has a RIGHT to have unusual braking points!

So I was effectively driving dirty? I guess I should start driving more passive-defensively?

 

[Mike Rotch]

I try to race as cleanly as I possibly can, but I was unsure of the steps I should take when the above situations happened.

Easy: Don't combine this

Nurburgring online lobby

with this:

a 16 person race

Nurburgring is not a good racetrack - it's too narrow and when you boil it down, has very few legitimate overtaking oportunities for a slightly faster driver to execute a clean pass without relying on the guy ahead to play ball.

 

[White & Nerdy]

So I was effectively driving dirty? I guess I should start driving more passive-defensively?

If you want to follow the rules to the letter, you should just let everyone pass you and try to pass no one. Unless you're playing only with top-level professionals, all of whom are on top-quality wired connections and using top-quality wheels to control their cars, you could just as easily shoot the moon. And of course, any contact is automatically your fault just for being there, so why even try?

 

[ImprezaAddict]

Nurburgring is not a good racetrack - it's too narrow and when you boil it down, has very few legitimate overtaking oportunities for a slightly faster driver to execute a clean pass without relying on the guy ahead to play ball.

That's true, but most accidents happened in 5-8 car bunches. Was I technically a dirty driver?

 

[Hyakushiki]

Technically no you're not, if you enter an lobby with drivers you're not familiar with you have to assume they are not going to playing by the same rules you are or are not skilled enough to handle racing on a pack so a race incident is likely to happen. As long as you're driving cleanly as best you can to your ability and are not deliberately causing an incident under those conditions then you aren't driving dirty. Like you said, things can happen you can't control so just control those things you can.

 

[Jubby]

OP: If you were respectful of the situation and took basic reasonable precautions to try and avoid the incidents; then no, you're not dirty at all. If they were accidental incidents, then that's racing. (Especially at the ring) Would there have been the same incidents at High Speed Ring? I doubt it, you'd have the room to move over to avoid the shunting you were getting, as well as passing room.

Avoiding contact at all costs is a tough rule to be 100% perfect. I don't know a single driver on here that has never had contact with another driver. Also, were there hard feelings or did everyone leave having a good time? If everyone was happy with their experience and everyone realized that accidents happen, then I wouldn't worry as much.

In my humble opinion; don't be so hard on yourself.

 

[w-g-e]

1. Yes, I did make contact with drivers throughout the race for several races, but almost every time contact was made was because of me getting shunted and forced to crash into the car ahead of me. What can I do? If I accelerate, I ram the car ahead. If I brake, I get rammed. Lose-lose.

Try to take the corner like you normally would and try to not make contact with the driver ahead. That's the only thing you can do. If you get rammed, it's the other driver is at fault, not you.

2. Most crashes also happened when I was boxed in and had every possible exit blocked except for the grass. I am aware of the rule that says I should go to the grass to prevent a crash, but with crashes so sudden I had no time to react. These crashes happen from unexpected braking, or someone beside me decides to turn for no apparent corner.

If you're not at fault you're not at fault and you're not driving dirty. If you can try to avoid contact then you're expected to do that.

3. What should I do when I spin out? Become transparent? Or try to leave the track?

You should leave room to the drivers coming from behind you, if that means going off the track then you should go off the track.

4. If accidentally going into the grass at high speeds causes a car to spin out and cause a pretty heavy crash, is it automatically the spun out drivers' fault? Even if this spin out happened because I was trying to let the overtaking car have space to do so without issue?

Technically it's your fault because you spun out. But accidents like that happen and should not be considered dirty driving.

5. If the leading driver decides to stop before the finish line and I end up crashing into that driver, whose fault is it?

It's the leading drivers fault, unless your crashing into him on purpose.

Good to see more drivers trying to race cleanly.👍

 

[Sohvakettu]

Be respectfull and use common sense. Be patient and don't fall in the trap of arguing with trolls and punters. Just state your point of view ("I was rear ended and that's why I hit your car") and don't start a shouting contest. If you end up kicked unjustly just let it go and find another room. Don't waste energy in pointless arguments. If you have incidents save the replay so you can double check and clear things afterwards if you find the other party to be worth it.