What is blocking?

#1

One of the guys that wanted this subforum is hot to have me add all the content. I tried to explain that if he and his buddies were all excited about the creation of this subforum, they can whip out their keyboards and start pounding the ivories. While they digest that I will try to do something useful.

3 years ago at CMP another driver was annoyed with me because I didn’t let him take turn 8 from me. He came out of 7 a couple car lengths back and I could sense him looking at 8 hungrily so I moved over to mid-track so he wouldn’t get greedy. If he had been clearly faster than me I’d have stayed on the outside and feathered the throttle just a hair which would have communicated to him “you can have this corner”. But he was only barely faster so I figured there was no reason for me to roll over like a patsy. So heading into 8 looking at his greedy eyes in the mirror, I wanted to clearly communicate to him “you can’t have the corner” so I moved to center track and blocked him.

We did this exact dance 2 laps in a row.

After the race he came up to me and, not happy, asked “Why did you block me”? “Why didn’t you let me by”?

I answered “because it’s a race”. I’m pretty sure he didn’t thing my response was as funny as I did.

IMO you are perfectly free to make a move to block. You can also make a second move under the right conditions. From the NASA CCR 25.4.4
A driver may choose to protect his or her line so long as it is not considered blocking. Blocking is defined as two (2) consecutive line changes to “protect his/her line,” and in doing so, impedes the vehicle that is trying to pass with each of the two (2) consecutive movements.

So you can move inside to block, then at the last minute, move to the outside for a conventional turn-entry. That’s not what I did in that race, but I think the rules say that I could have. If, on the other hand, you move inside to block and the guy behind you then moves to the outside, you now can’t make a 2nd move to block him again. You are stuck on the inside line.

Thoughts? Examples? Videos?

#2

I would like to revive this thread.

This following scenario is my default perspective of racing closely. I adhere to this as a fundamental aspect of racing with a dogmatic adherence. I have been able to avoid major contact by adhering to this principle. I do have the platform at my disposal that allows me to communicate this to other drivers and have common ground with my fellow drivers in various clubs.

-Begin scenario:

  • Car-A is the Lead car
  • Car-P is the following car wanting to pass.

If car-A exits a given turn in the lead, they are allowed to make a proper exit, then move anywhere on or off the traditional line in a predictable and careful manner as long as they are cautious not to make contact with other vehicles on the racing surface.

Included in this part of the rule there is an overriding condition that the lead driver will take appropriate care to move safely and without placing anyone else on the racing surface in any kind of jeopardy.

Once that driver moves off line he (or she) cannot swerve back and forth in reaction to the following car-P.

That being said, there is nothing stopping car-A from moving back towards the proper braking zone as they close in on the braking zone, as long as car-P is not alongside him (or her) in any way. As a condition of this car-A must leave a car-width for car-P if they do actually get alongside in the braking zone and maintain that same car width through the corner in a defensive move that does not jeopardize either of the racing cars.

Blame for contact at this point will fall with the passing car, but car-A must operate within the spirit of the rule that a cars-width must be provided to the passing car.

-End scenario.

Underlying this perspective are 2 principles:

  1. I know many of the drivers out there, and have done for 20+ years, I know their wives and in many cases kids and even parents. I like them, I don’t want to hurt them or take away their opportunity to race. But I want to give them a hell of a race on the track.

  2. The ultimate responsibility of a safe pass is with the passing car. This has an aspect of blame, but it also should give the lead car confidence that as long as they take away obvious chances to make a pass, the following car cannot just bully their way past them. Ultimately the lead car inherently controls their own fate.