Online Racing Etiquette Questions

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Normally flash my lights to imform them I am present, and then as I come to pass I hit the hooter for a quick beep to let em know I am passing now. If they cut me up I will brake, and if they do it stupidly I will hoot for a prolonged period. Similarly I keep track of whats behind me and get off the racing line if someone wants to pass me and they are faster, and if I make contact by mistake I will slow down and let the opponent pass, provided he doesn't decide to smash back...
 
I don't race onlone, but against the AI I sometimes pass on the grass, just a short section usually on a turn. Is that considered good etiquette? Seems on the 'ring this is often needed.
 
I don't race onlone, but against the AI I sometimes pass on the grass, just a short section usually on a turn. Is that considered good etiquette? Seems on the 'ring this is often needed.

No, this is not good etiquette and it's never needed.

I try to drive as if I'm driving a real race car that I can't afford to hurt.

No contact whatsoever. I'll use the brakes, slow way down, or get off my line, in order to keep clean. It's far better to be clean and keep both cars on the track, than to be a dick and risk ruining the other guys race.

The only exception is the final half of the last lap. Here I'll push as hard as I can, and sometimes slight contact (just enough to trade paint, not cause damage) cannot be avoid. I'll never push someone off their line or into a wall though under any circumstances. It's not all about crossing the finish line first.
 
Just set damage to "High" Penalties "on" and Grass to "real" and most of it will stop. If you do 5 to 10 lap races there is still time to recover from a minor mistake if you are good enough.

Also make sure most/everyone in the room is using a headset so that they can let the other know when they are passing. If someone really is faster let them pass. For those who dont have a headset I say either spend the $20 or be willing to hang back alot for a "easy" pass.... Its your fault you cant communicate.

If you have a good room of people there will be no issue. This is why I try to race with the same people alot.

Worst case if you get that idiot who is still crashing into everyone and pushing people off track on purpose kick'em and restart the race. I have one friend who probably kicks 1 person every 2-3 races for this reason alone.
 
I usually try to race as cleanly as I can, but sometimes $hit happens.

If I do cause a probablem for a driver, I'll at least apologize over the headset or after the game in lobby if I don't have my headset on.

However, if some arrogant ass is trying to pit me all the time, i'll let them get by and then come back to put them into the wall. Did it last night while my wife was watching, she called my mean then I showed her the replay. She didn't say "You were right" which you never get out of a woman, but she understood.

One thing I always try to watch is if Collision penalties are turned on. If they are off, I'll try to get them turned on.
 
I never flash my lights, I always drive aggressive but cleanly, if someone is already on their racing line, I won't punt them off, but I will try and get past them as cleanly as possible without hitting them, or anyone else.
 
I never flash my lights, I always drive aggressive but cleanly, if someone is already on their racing line, I won't punt them off, but I will try and get past them as cleanly as possible without hitting them, or anyone else.

This. Although I will honk my horn to let the other guy know Im along side them if they didnt know already. I will also drive quite defensivly. I wont sit on the line, but slightly off set so Im toward the middle of the road with not enough space for an inside overtake.
And if I do accidently punt the off, I will allow them their position back and try to overtake them cleanly.
 
As I see it if I am in front of you, I am entitled to the racing line & am not obliged to slow down or move aside to let you past. It is your responsibility to find a clean way to get past me. I am not entitled to deliberately block you by constantly changing direction. The only times i need to allow you to pass are if I am being lapped or if I have gained position in front of you unfairly.

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This is exactly what the GTP OLR rules state also. FYI.

I happen to race with jackargent quite a bit, and I can say he's very good at guarding his leading line cleverly and LEGALLY.

That said, a truly faster driver, should be able to pass him cleanly. If they can't, then they're simply NOT a better driver. Period. And that's all there is to it.

If you can't pass someone cleanly - then you're not faster. Full Stop.

Thinking you're faster because you're drafting up to a corner & going to try to get a nose in with late braking & diving to the inside... is DELUSIONAL thinking. That doesn't make you faster. That makes you DIRTY... or at best, an Aspec driver newbie to online racing.

In shuffle races, it is much harder to follow true etiquette because cars are of similar speed and are rather forgiving so one has to almost bump the car in front to pass them. I love shuffle races as they are the closest thing to realistic touring car racing which is what I love the most.

You would be kicked from the shuffle races I participate in.
It is possible to have a good clean competitive shuffle race. If you can't handle the cars you're given in a shuffle race, that's your problem, not an excuse to bump cars to pass them. :rolleyes:

Well ... since as a racing driver you can use the whole track I don't see a reason not to attack both on the outside or the inside. That's just common sense. Whenever an opportunity arises you have to grab it.

If the person fails to defend their line & position, then maybe, if you can do it cleanly.
Drafting to the corner to dive in with late braking like an Aspec race & leaning on the other cars... NOT an example of taking an opportunity!!

Also, veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery impoooooooooooooooooortant - change your racing line on the straight just once. I'm tired of ppl driving like raving on the long Nurb straight. :rolleyes:

Yeah, weaving wildly = not good.

You also can't treat the Nurb straight like it's the Daytona Super Speedway.... There just isn't enough room for that kind maneuvering, draft battling, & blocking.
Indeed, even in a NASCAR race on an oval, you shouldn't be weaving wildly. Weaving wildly like a raving lunatic is never a sign of skillful driving NOR is it a clever drafting battle strategy.
It is a sign that someone is either out of control of their vehicle, or frantically trying to compensate for being unprepared, outmatched, or having already made mistakes that put them down.

Changing positions & moving over to block a pass when someone's already at your front door, also a bad move.
Whether you use side-view or not, you should be aware when someone's in the middle of a pass, and already overtaking you.
If you don't use side view, or back view, then use the rear view mirror, the map, and be conscious of the leaderboard positions. It is possible to know when you're along side of someone.
You should be particularly aware that you're along side of someone if you're the one passing from behind!! Indeed, it's your responsibility in any case, according to the GTP OLR rules.

So yes - there is clean racing imho. It just has to be agreed upon and properly marshaled. ;)

QFT. I agree.

The races I've hosted there has been no 1st turn drama, no dirty driving, and very few incidents of inappropriate car contact. Definitely no incidents of deliberate car contact.
I wholly attribute that to the fact that the rules are clearly posted for all, everyone involved is interested in fair clean racing following those rules, and everyone knows that post-race penalties would be imposed if improper conduct did occur.
I'm sure for some people "Dirty NASCAR" has its place in their hearts... But it's not a necessity in every race.

In online racing you have a huge variety of skills, and some guys are near the front because they have a fast car and mediocre skills, and can keep up because of the exaggerated draft effects.

Or ... using the BOOST = HIGH function of the room. :sly:

LOL
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VERY VERY VERY TRUE.

I don't race onlone, but against the AI I sometimes pass on the grass, just a short section usually on a turn. Is that considered good etiquette? Seems on the 'ring this is often needed.

Do that all you want in Aspec.
But it is considered Aspec-driving.
Grass mowing is not appropriate.

Just set damage to "High" Penalties "on" and Grass to "real" and most of it will stop.

NOT if you're dealing with gamers in pub lobbies who have figured out how to "game the penalty system". There's a way to punt & crash other cars & hit them, and make them get a penalty & damage, and the perpetrator can get away scott free without a penalty & no damage themself.
Someone who has practiced this a lot, can totally game the system to win dirty this way, with penalties on high & damage on.

The bottom line is that nobody's perfect. It is a game, after all. Car contact can happen... But it should never be deliberate, and when crashes or inappropriate bumping does occur... then you should have the courtesy to make contact concessions.
I don't claim that I'm never a sloppy driver. Sometimes I do get sloppy. But I would feel embarrassed if I used my own sloppiness & inappropriate bumping of other cars, & capitalize on it to get ahead. I would rather lose a race than win it by causing misfortune to others. That's not fun at all.
 
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I think quite a few of you misunderstood my reason for honking, but then again I wasn't too specific. If somebody is in the middle of the straight (like on Sarthe or Nürburgring) it can be near impossible to pass without going on the grass or seriously risking hitting a barrier. I'm not expecting anyone to move all the way over and bow their head as I pass, but when you're on a bumpy or narrow straight, use some common sense. A racing line isn't a rail in the road, and the amount of variation for both drivers is often too little room if someone is in the middle of the road.

As the lead car, I feel it's still my job to ensure a clearly faster vehicle can complete a pass safely once they've initiated it. I won't get off my racing line, but if they're blowing by me on a straight I'll be sure to give them enough room because it won't affect my lap time moving over a few feet.

I'd also like to point out that I win almost all of my races with no contact whatsoever, and the few I do manage to trade paint involve the start or first few corners.

Yeah, I'm not moving out of your way, but I won't block you. I'll give you room if you get beside me, but I'm not gunna go out of my way to let you drive by. That's not racing, it's highway traffic. As for the light flashing? I don't look back, so I'll never see it. If you have time to flash lights to signal a pass, then you've already wasted the time it takes to pass someone.

Please explain to me how flashing the lights interferes with controlling the vehicle. You flash before you pass anyways, so if it did involve taking time from racing to activate the headlights, it would still be very possible to pass someone.
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As a final note: even with going out of my way to ensure nobody winds up spun out (although if I do spin someone out, I stop and wait for them), I still win/podium the majority of the races I participate in online. Think about the races you lost by a significant margin. Were you really 10 seconds per lap slower on your racing line? No, you got tangled up with other drivers. Even if it means yielding a few positions on the first lap, try to go a race without touching anyone. Unless you've got a really bad tune or a track where a racing line isn't very important (like Daytona), you will place in one of the higher spots.
 
I race mostly on Nurburgring and we all know it's not very easy to pass since the track isn't wide at all, it's a good chance you either touch the grass or maybe the one your are passing somehow bumps into you and then bounce out to the grass and blames you for what happend. But I'd say I'm a pleasent guy to race against. I can stay behind somebody for a very long time on Nurburgring, I'm not trying to force myself to pass. I don't flash my lights or honks, simply because I haven't driven cars that can most of the time.
but yeah I stay behind until it is safe, if my overtake fails and I might not get pass the driver infront of me in time(up coming corner or what not) I tend to break, I don't want to risk screwing up myself and without luck the driver infront of me.

Short said, is it safe I'll pass you, otherwise I'l just gonna stick behind until the straight line and draft you and then pass you. I rather come third place than bumping into sombody and end up last.

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if somebody is faster than me, I wont block you but I'll stay in the race line. If there is a straight line I've many times let the gas down and stayed on the side. I raher behind than having someone stressing me from the back.
 
Think about the races you lost by a significant margin. Were you really 10 seconds per lap slower on your racing line? No, you got tangled up with other drivers.

Well, to be honest, sometimes I am 10 seconds or nearly that, behind the best posted qualifying time before a race. LOL But even so, I've still managed at times not to come in last. hahaha.

But yes, I agree... Often when I come in 2nd place, say, with having a large gap between 1st place & me... It's not because I'm that much slower.
It's because I had to wait for clean passing opportunities behind a car that's slower than me.
Some people act as if the slower person they have to pass is "in their way".
But that's just stupid. If you don't like having to pass other cars - stick to time trials!!!
This is RACING. It's how it works.
I for one, applaud the slower clean driver who's able to successfully stave off my passing them, by legal blocking, or defending their line forcing me into an inconvenient line if I want to pass them cleanly.
This is how racing works.

I've on many occasions beaten other faster drivers by passing the faster driver when he spins out or makes a mistake & leaves the line, and then by successfully defending my line & driving tidy, and thereby making it inconvenient for them to pass me cleanly.
This is how racing works.

OTOH, I don't bother big blocking maneuvers against someone on a straight if the other driver clearly got up a much better speed than me coming onto the straight & drafting me. It's just dangerous & stupid. I give them enough room to pass, and maybe I'll pass them back later... Better that then trying some block maneuver that could wind us both up spun out with no chance to gain any other positions. :rolleyes:
 

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