Whats your opinion on blocking?

[Tornado]

So long as they aren't close enough to attempt a pass, then I think it's fine to change lanes a few times over the course of a long straightaway (do it too frequently and you lose speed and risk spinning out and wrecking both). I've even used it to set up the second place driver to get passed himself, because I change lanes to get him to follow and he stops paying attention to the person behind him in order to follow me (allowing the third person to set up his own pass). Since GT5's draft effect is so wonky, I see no problem with taking steps to keep it from occurring.



As far as FIA rules go, that's more to keep leaders from weaving along the track when the behind driver already has a run going to perform a pass to keep there from being an accident. Not necessarily the same thing as this situation, since draft effects in real life are so much more muted in comparison.

 

[ryzno]

Ok, glad I read the OP before voting! I was going to say drafting is fine. But that is not proper racing. I would say he was either blocking you or intentionally breaking the draft.

I honestly don't understand why drivers do this 2 or more cars in a line, with the behind car(s) pushing can go faster than 1 car in no draft. All he is doing is slowing down his times and yours

I'll give you a perfect example: 20 lap race at Fuji, I was in a room with a few pros and some not so pro(12 total). A few of the pros took the lead, I was running with another pro in the pack of not so's. And on accident I spun him out(on lap 3) So he says, hurry up man!!! push me!!!!!. Long story short after I pushed dude to the finish(cause I spun him out) And driving thru a bunch of not so's going down the strait like they let go of the wheel, we were able to come back from almost 30 seconds back to 7th and 8th respectively.

So moral of the story, even if you don't want be pushed or what ever, let him pass and push him you will improve each others times and positions. If you don't want to do that then just let him by and stop wasting his time blocking him

Good Luck and Good Racing

 

[GTracer98]

I failed, didn't read the OP and voted for the 2nd!

 

[VBR]

Weaving left & right all over the track to try to stop someone drafting you is very unsporting, & in real life it can be very dangerous. Follow the link in my signature & read the information under "Drafting" for my full opinion on it.

 

[mistersafeway]

As far as I'm concerned, it's not only unsporting, it's an unintelligent tactic in many situations. I have on a few occasions had somebody do this to stop me overtaking and they actually slowed themselves down so much that more than one person got past, whereas if they'd just allowed the slipstream they could've held or regained the position with a better line.

 

[Johnnypenso]

I'm on the fence about this so I want to put it to you guys for a general opinion. When drafting on a straight Ive had on many occasions the driver infront of me weave from one side of the track to the other in an attempt to break the splipstream effect, is this bad sportsmanship or above board and all part of racing? I personally don't do it but I see it all the time.

In the context of an organized series, I don't know of any that allow any kind of weaving to either block or break the draft. In the context of an open lobby, anything goes, it's up to the host to decide and enforce. My personal opinion is it's very unsportsmanlike and only someone who hasn't the skill or outright speed to beat you, or to whom winning a meaningless online race is vitally important, would resort to this type of tactic.

 

[Tornado]

My personal opinion is it's very unsportsmanlike and only someone who hasn't the skill or outright speed to beat you, or to whom winning a meaningless online race is vitally important, would resort to this type of tactic.

Overreact much? Breaking a draft isn't the same thing as blocking a pass, not the least of which being because the way GT5s aerodynamics work mean that the car behind you could be a good hundred yards away and still benefit massively from pulling in behind you.

 

[marcus_war]

If you list in one direction to break the draft, it's technically not blocking.

When you start trying to kill an oncoming car's momentum, by moving in front of said car, at a distance of less than 75 meters, then you're blocking. The higher the speed, the less reaction time you have, the higher the chance for an avoidable collision.


It's often those who abuse the purpose of blocking who blame the passing car of slamming into the back of them. And more often than not, if it's on the straight with plenty of room before the braking zone, it's not their fault. It's when you get to the point where you either intentionally close the door on your opponent when you're clearly beat that you could cause a hellacious crash.

 

[Niop]

I think it depends. If you've put a 1.4 second gap on the guy behind you over the course of a lap and come to a long straight I'd say it's just fine to weave in an attempt to break the draft. But if there's two drivers running similar lap times it's ridiculous and pointless IMO.

 

[iamsupernasty]

I think it's extremely unsporting and a sign of lack of skill.

If someone is confident in their ability, they shouldn't need to use tricks and gimmicks to help gain an advantage.

The lead driver can move off their line once to protect whichever lane they want, but if they do that they cannot return back to their original line; always must leave at least one lane on the outside.

 

[Johnnypenso]

Overreact much? Breaking a draft isn't the same thing as blocking a pass, not the least of which being because the way GT5s aerodynamics work mean that the car behind you could be a good hundred yards away and still benefit massively from pulling in behind you.

I like to race, enter series and run my own group with etiquette as close as possible to real life racing series. I don't know of any real life racing series that advocates or approves of weaving back and forth on the straights to break the draft, nor making drastic, last minute lane changes to block someone. If you know of one, please enlighten me.

The only reason people do it in GT5 is because there is no consequence in an open lobby and either they lack the skill to win without doing it, or winning in any way possible is more important than following generally accepted racing etiquette.

 

[Tornado]

I don't know of any real life racing series that advocates or approves of weaving back and forth on the straights to break the draft, nor making drastic, last minute lane changes to block someone. If you know of one, please enlighten me.

I don't know of any real life racing series that advocates or approves of racing on closed highway circuits either, or racetracks with huge onramp-style turns that slingshot you into massive ski jumps (though I'm pretty certain there are no such rules against changing lanes to break a draft in any of the NASCAR series, which is one of the few where drafting is actually a really big deal; and I wasn't saying that last minute lane blocks are okay regardless and in fact said the opposite, so I'm curious why you even brought it up). "It's wrong because it doesn't happen in real life" is a fallacious standard anyway, because in real life the issue that people are trying to circumvent doesn't exist in the first place and there are many more things to consider for having those rules in place.

The only reason people do it in GT5 is because there is no consequence in an open lobby and either they lack the skill to win without doing it, or winning in any way possible is more important than following generally accepted racing etiquette.

If GT5s aero engine was better, so drafting wasn't (still) so overpowered, then perhaps people wouldn't be so worried about how easy it can be to catch up with the person in front of you on any moderately long straight.

 

[Johnnypenso]

I don't know of any real life racing series that advocates or approves of racing on closed highway circuits either, or racetracks with huge onramp-style turns that slingshot you into massive ski jumps (though I'm pretty certain there are no such rules against changing lanes to break a draft in any of the NASCAR series, which is one of the few where drafting is actually a really big deal; and I wasn't saying that last minute lane blocks are okay regardless and in fact said the opposite, so I'm curious why you even brought it up). "It's wrong because it doesn't happen in real life" is a fallacious standard anyway, because in real life the issue that people are trying to circumvent doesn't exist in the first place and there are many more things to consider for having those rules in place.

If GT5s aero engine was better, so drafting wasn't (still) so overpowered, then perhaps people wouldn't be so worried about how easy it can be to catch up with the person in front of you on any moderately long straight.

You're making this way too personal when it's not. I didn't say it was "wrong" because it doesn't happen in real life, I said I prefer to race and spend my time on GT5 a certain way and that way is "as close to real life as possible" If you're going to quote or paraphrase me try to be accurate. GT5 has certain limitations in that regard that I can't do anything about, but just because I can't change the strength of the draft effect to be closer to realistic, doesn't mean my next choice is that I have weave all over the track to shake someone off my draft, nor that I want to race with someone who drives like that.

I brought up last minute lane blocks and weaving because the OP did and I responded directly to him as you can see by me quoting his post. I gave my personal opinion which is the purpose of this forum is it not? You disagreed and quoted me directly and so I responded to you by spinning off my original comment to the OP which included weaving and lane blocking if you read the OP. All very logical and not personal if you can follow that trail of logic.

As far as real life series racing on closed public roads, ever hear of the Targo Floria? The Mille Miglia? Carrera Panamerica? Racing wasn't invented in 1996 it's been going on for more than a century, so racing on closed public roads does in fact mimic real life.

 

[McClarenDesign]

You get one block. Weaving back and forth shows that the driver is unable of defending themselves, or even counter-attacking. I give one warning, then kick.

 

[sporkface69]

I think it's fine. The driver in the lead can do it if he wants to as long as he doesn't cause a crash. Drafting in GT5 is way too OP is it completely understandable that if another driver is 1.5 seconds behind you and still getting drafting help you can change lanes as much as you like as long as you stop doing it if and when the other driver catches up with you.

 

[zzz_pt]

I hate to be in 1st in Nurburgring with 5sec clear to the 2nd and in the straight getting passed by everyone, so, for me its Ok since there are no contact.

 

[AuToNoMy]

I don't think you should block at all if your in front you should have the right to the racing line at corners but if someone is gonna pass you then let them you can always get drag off them and retake you position if your car is good enough

 

[sesselpupser]

If you screw up and slow down (a lot) as a result, don't try to block. If the car behind would pass you effortlessly if you don't block, don't block... But if the car is creeping up on you because of being in your slipstream then blocking is ok, just as long as you don't start weaving all over the place.

 

[counter345]

The only instance where blocking actually happens is where the car behind you is faster for whatever reason. Especially on thin, windy tracks like the Nurburgring, you shouldn't block. It's bad sportsmanship and risky - you could cause an accident if the person behind gets reckless (which is likely if you keep blocking him/her).

 

[OK8]

I think the car in front is entitled to pick his line. If it's a defensive line, some might call it blocking, but it's about when you move over to do it.

If you move over just as you see the other car pull out of your slipstream for a pass, it's a rude move, but if you move to a defensive line coming out of a corner, and thus make it impossible for the car behind to pass you in the next corner, it's simple defending and there's nothing wrong with that.

If you're the car behind trying to pass the other one, once you see the other driver is taking alternative lines to defend their position, you've succeeded in your harassment and have the upper hand. Once someone starts defending against you, you always have a chance to pull an undercut or pass him on the outside somehow, you just gotta keep showing your nose to him every chance you get.

 

[C6.R]

On the straights just let the guy pass if he's way faster.
But in the corners you can block him within the reasonables.
So choose good line and stick with it and not change lines when he's already on your in or outside!

 

[VBR]

"Blocking--weaving down the straight with your eyes on the mirrors, trying to cut off the driver behind--qualifies you as a lower form of life. Like any other sport, racing requires sportsmanship, and if the only way some racers can win is by weaving in front of faster drivers, perhaps they ought to get out of racing and do something more in keeping with their personalities--we hear professional wrestling pays well."


That is a quote from a book called; Going Faster! Mastering The Art Of Race Driving by The Skip Barber Racing School (available on Amazon).


Enough said! 👍

 

[Cosbuster]

Adjusting your line once or twice to "block" somebody for the next turn is fine but blocking on long straights is just idiotic.

I think the car in front is entitled to pick his line. If it's a defensive line, some might call it blocking, but it's about when you move over to do it.

If you move over just as you see the other car pull out of your slipstream for a pass, it's a rude move, but if you move to a defensive line coming out of a corner, and thus make it impossible for the car behind to pass you in the next corner, it's simple defending and there's nothing wrong with that.

Very well written. Defending yourself is very different from blocking. Unfortunately, one usually sees the latter.

 

[Nielsen]

It's not cool. If someone is faster, the slower competitor has to accept that and try to catch up.

 

[Donald Rumsfeld]

IMO blocking is pretty sleazy, but most race fans seem to love the sleaze (e.g. Senna). Dirty play happens in pretty much every sport; not much can be done about it except for the community to ostracize people who do such things.

 

[jomama2010]

In a heated drafting battle on Daytona or in a heated battle for position on any track I say go for the block. Yeah there is that chance of getting punted, and yes there is that chance you wipe each other out, but I say its a part of racing.

I'm an aggressive racer by nature and yes I make enemies in the room sometimes but I don't care really. No I'm not one to personally wipe people out, or anything like that. I take my ps and qs and race respectively of other drivers not doing anything outrageous like weaving down a straight when the guy behind me is 90 mph faster, but I do make my presence known usually. (little tap here saying I'm ready to pass...or jump from a low lane to high lane to stop any chance from passing me by or not afraid to go two wide to test the other driver in tough technical sections)

I love being aggressive and thats just me...its how I race. So yes I'm all for blocking. Race with nothing to lose and everything to gain is usually how I roll. Don't worry...I've bitten the bullet and have been taken completely out of my own foolishness many times before haha.

 

[FormulaKimball]

Some great responses in here, and along the lines of the Skip Barber principles, from going to Bertil Roos I can add another word applied to blocking, "insecure".

Also, since blocking or even acceptable "defending" moves do slow down both cars, there's a strategy element even if both cars are relatively equal in a heated battle - are they battling at the front, clear of their challengers behind, or are they squabbling for position while other cars make a getaway? I usually think you should finish the race as fast as you can, so if you know you won't hold off someone then you gotta minimize the time you lose (and the risk) as they inevitably get by you. However, as a lot of people commented, "if it's the last lap", then blocking isn't as counterproductive, even if it's still sleazy and ungentlemanly and should be used sparingly. Unless you like a good fistfight in the paddock after the race.

 

[llNovall]

If blocking means moving off your taken line to close down a pass, i think thats unsportsmanlike. To hold and maintain/block the inside racing line, forcing the advancing driver to attempt the outside pass, in my opinion is perdectly fine...again as long as the inside line is held cleanly by the slower driver.

 

[MrWednesday]

In a heated drafting battle on Daytona or in a heated battle for position on any track I say go for the block. Yeah there is that chance of getting punted, and yes there is that chance you wipe each other out, but I say its a part of racing.

If by "its a part of racing" you mean "it's outlawed by pretty much every road racing organization in existence," then I agree.

 

[Johnnypenso]

If by "its a part of racing" you mean "it's outlawed by pretty much every road racing organization in existence," then I agree.

I think that's what he means, yes..