Blue Flag Discussion

[Wildboy99]

Blue Flags via hot keys are band on LFSNZ.

Yeah i remember that quite clearly lol so ive stopped using them.


Anyone done much practise yet for this weeks race?

[dynofiend]

There is of course nothing in the rules that stops the faster driver from hanging off the rear bumper of the slower car filling their rear view mirror and putting them off. It is then up to the car infront whether to let the clearly faster car through, or to put up with being harassed for the rest of the race!

If a driver did that, then he would be a poor sport and shouldn't be aloud to race.

I can see where you are coming from, but actually the blue flag rules in 'real' motorsport are more forgiving, mainly because in LFS it cannot determine if the car infront is actually faster or not which is the spirit of the rule.

IMHO if a slower driver deliberately held up a clearly faster driver just because they held track position (and lets not forget, unlapping yourself does not gain you a place) for the whole race because the faster driver happened to have been taken out at T2 and pitted or something, then the slower driver in that case would be the poor sport. I know if I had someone hounding me when I was in that position, id let them unlap themselves. If you are the slower car and you are caught by a faster driver, you have to ask what the sensible choice is...

[4aged]

well said

[Swivel]

Well if your caught by a faster driver,then it wouldn't take long before he over took you.
If your holding a steady line, then your in your rights to do so.

[4aged]

holding a steady line ( if its the green line or racing line) this can seriously impeade a leading driver about to lap someone, especially on small tight tracks like FE Club,

i think saying "holding your line and being with your rights to do that" isn't quite right.... you could be holding the racing line it wouldnt take much to be holding up a leading driver on this line. when you are a lap down and being passed by a driver that about to lap you, you dont really have anything to gain by holding a racing line under blue flag situation.

This is a good example of a line to take through a corner i think. blue line is the leading car that wants to pass
(crappy pic but you get the idea)


This is what LFS Manual says, holding a line is ok but it needs to be clarified i think. maybe time for split thread?

If you get BLUE FLAG displayed on the screen, it means a player who is one or more laps ahead of you is attempting to pass. You must let this player past you without competing with him or unduly hindering his progress. It is debatable whether or not to leave the racing line, that is your choice. The most important thing is to be predictable. Don't make any sudden maneuvers, don't suddenly dive out of the racing line when the faster car is right behind you and already committed to pass, don't suddenly dive out of your line on the straight and jam on the brakes. If you're going to leave the racing line, do so smoothly, and so that the car behind can see what you're doing. Otherwise, if you're going to stick to the racing line, make sure the racer behind can see that you're keeping your line. Bottom line is, the driver behind is still passing, so it's his prerogative to pass cleanly, but it is the other driver's responsibility not to compete with the lapping driver, and not to intentionally prevent a pass.

In regards to the this rule above my view is faster car should get racing line priority in a corner if safe to give it.

I have debated this blue flag rule before with admins so this more a repeat of my thoughts for them and my 2.154cents on the matter

[KWAK]

my 0.3cents is that if you are blue flagged then you make the safest decision, if that means holding your racing line though a corner, then do so (this of course means, do not cut them off if they are in a position to pass you with speed). The faster driver will be able to pass "Safely" after the corner. This also does not mean that the lapping driver has to push pass, or be rude, the slower driver is still racing no matter what speed or skill!

[Swivel]

Well i'd say your example isn't very good.

Quote" This is a good example of a line to take through a corner i think. blue line is the leading car that wants to pass" as to try and pass a slower car on a corner is stupid. As long as the slower car holds his line it is safer for the fasrter car.

This is a same old, same old debate, that was agreed on that the slower car should hold the line.

[4aged]

as to try and pass a slower car on a corner is stupid.

can't say I agree with that, will see what others think as well.

[dynofiend]

The blue flag does not exist to tell the slower driver to just hold their line and carry on as normal, and let the faster car make its own way through if it can. Thats why its possible to be black flagged for 'failing to respond to a blue flag' in real life.

Maybe its safer for the slower driver to hold their line through the corners in most cases, but the idea of the blue flag is to tell the slower driver to yield, to move out of the way when safe to do so, and to let the faster driver through. Including reducing their speed, or (if the slower driver decides its best) moving off line through a corner.

I guess usually its safer to yield to a faster car under braking into a corner. Move off line, come off the throttle early, brake early, let the faster car through, return to line, corner. That way the slower driver doesnt lose any speed through the corner or carry that loss of speed onto the next accel zone, and the effect on the slower cars race is minimal. It also allows the slower car to tailor the gap they are leaving so that another car they happen to be dicing with cannot come past in the same move.

[Swivel]

as to try and pass a slower car on a corner is stupid.

can't say I agree with that, will see what others think as well.

Yeah you did on mumble last year I think we had this discussion.

The reason was that you cannot predict what a slower driver would do, So not to have both drivers taken out because the slower driver moved over as you were over taking.

So with the slower driver holding the line, the faster driver knew where he would be, and not end up crashing into each other.

It doesn't take much for a faster driver to overtake and move on.