I've read again through all the contributions.
1. LFS is sold as an online racing simulator.
2. All drivers have varying degrees of skill, know-how and experience.
3. For newbies to join a host where they can be sure that they will meet up with people of the same (approximate) level would be a good thing. This however will always remain a choice.
4. To have hosts which are of a certain grade and therefore more likely to give new folks a "race" would be helpful. I, personally, don't care much for the idea of "earning" the right to compete at a higher level. In my experience thus far, no private hosts, aiming purely at those hosts which are solely open to the FOX and BTi I have found the track discipline to be a bit "rough and ready". I would only say that I've been treated roughly rather than wrecked.
If folks are not willing to drive with some self discipline then some kind of order might have to be imposed, for the good of all. Regrettable but there you are. Then there comes the increased need for clubs who are available only to racers who want to be sure of a stricter kind of race.
Next comment please!!

I have had S2 for barely two months and still consider myself a complete novice. (I haven't figured out how to download and arrange some of the fancy setups yet). With only 2000 miles behind me I am in awe of the hot lap times of some of my opponents. I can see when I join a host that, simply judging by their best laps that I'm going to be out of my depth, indeed the only time I know I'm going to get a tight race is when I race my brother, equally non-fancy-setup-aware!
IF I knew that I could join a server where the standard was ten seconds slower than the fastest around (i.e. 8 seconds a lap on south City) I would reckon on a competitive race.
The other night I went on Clownpaint and raced Kyoto National, stayed well in to the side and kept back and still got knocked about and somewhat traumatized.
Having some servers who are known NOT to be the fastest around might be an attraction. It would be for me.

baloo, how precisely would I recognize a "replay file"?
For example, I saved a hot lap by pressing 1.
I found, on the replay page, a "title" showing peejayh_BL1_XFG_14356
Is that what you call the replay file.
There is nothing about spr in that is there.

Excuse my ignorance but what is a dedicated server? What is it and what benefits does it give me? also how much does such a thing cost?
Do individual drivers on here buy one and why would they need to do so?

Further to the above, I tried to set a hot lap yesterday and from the Handbook I acted on the process which said I should hit the 1 key and this would automatically set a name for the hot lap.
It presented me at the top right hand of the Replay page with
peejayh_BL1_XFG_14348
I then went to the S2 Hotlaps page of LFS World and thence to the tab of Hotlap Charts.
Then it got a bit vague.
It didn't upload.
My hot lap is not uploaded in shining mediocrity for all to ridicule and I have nobody clamouring for my (non existent) setup!
Someone with a bit of sympathy and understanding for non technical nerks is needed please.

I am having severe problems making sense of the precise process of of uploading hot laps, downloading setups and skins.
What "instructions" I can find are somewhat vague and assuming that everyone knows a certain amount about computers.
Would someone be so kind as to clarify, what page I start from etc, what button, etc.
I really do need spoonfeeding regarding doing these functions.
Please.

I tend to use the chase view when I'm on the Westhill or Aston or the long Kyoto tracks with the Sauber or Fox but I like the incar cockpit view for South City when I pick a UF1000 (the mini)
Yur pays yur money, yur takes your choice.

I've got the full U version.
When I want to open the program I click on the LFS folder icon on the desktop and am confronted by another window with various LFS icons.
I have to UNZIp it with WiNRAr EACH time I want to run it.
Then I get another smaller window and the boxes count through to 100 percent before finally it opens.
Is this normal?
Shouldn't it open up Directly, i.e. like GPL or RBR or does everyone have this UNZIP procedure to go through.
It only lasts fifteen seconds or so and I've tried to make a short cut but it doesn't make any difference.
I have the full version of WINRAR as well.
Any ideas or solutions pse??

I really like the FXO GTR and the Formula XR. I'm still useless but hey, I'm still enjoying LFS like nothing else......

Perhaps a question inviting a "yes" or "no" reply would have a better chance of a quick answer.....suggest you contact the admin or buy the full version..

Dive in there and have a bash!!
What can they do but shunt you into the hoardings/sand/grass and leave you a shuddering traumatized emotional wreck?
You can always retreat back into Windows and play Freecell!!

Quote from JJ72 :

We need to setup a banner saying:

"THIS AIN'T GO NEED FOR SPEED AND WE GOT NO NOS AND NO NEON"

Sorry, you've lost me. What are you saying?

I can't really contribute to this discussion. They pass me too quick for me to even THINK about defending. Then, as my opponents flash past, the air agitation also helps to send me into the railings/grass/sand.
I've noticed that I don't tend to get this overtaking problem on hotlaps though..... or should I say lukewarm laps....

I haven't been on LFS for long but I've already found that there are a few of those motors who will go out of control if I even THINK about steering. They just seem to dare me to twitch the wheel and they're gone.
Try a wheelbarrow - they may be slower but you can pick up the pieces which fall off your car easier.....

Quite obvious when you think about it.
Vertical Speedsters Qualify Magnificently

There is a column to the far right which has VSM, VM, VQM etc, etc.
Do they have some special significance?

Works a treat. tks.

Many thanks fellahs, thats great.

I planned to go onto the multiplayer and meet a pal (and discuss via Skype) and go onto a name and track which we both wanted. I.e. Fern Bay Gold using Formula XRs
However the numbers are not the same when we scroll through them.
My Number One is not the same as his Number One.
He could not trace/find the name that I thought would fit the bill for us to race. i.e. FE Gold with Formula XR.
In other words, will the name I've found be there SOMEWHERE for him to find but not necessarily with the same number and also, with a different ping number be not as good a quality circuit as the one I noted.

Well from my brief experience I'd say that you're close.
Had my first time at online racing last night.
I won a race (mainly because it was a sort of tortoise and hare situation), a small field tore past me on a 4-lap race and they both crashed twice so I won. (Apologetically, I might add.)
In the mean time four or five new racers joined the track (WestHill) it was.
As I had won the previous race I was in the front row of the grid.
Stone me I was crunched out of the way before I'd gone ten yards.
It was basically quite ugly stuff throughout and if that is a fair reflection of what to expect I might be tempted to think that I don't belong!
Maybe its my age....

Pardon my ignorance. Are you saying that in my BT VOYAGER USB ADSL Modem box there is a router? How does one "tweak" it so that PING problems are a thing of the past please??

sorry Becky but I haven't got a router bios thingamejig. Just a common or garden bog standard internet broadband connection.
Do you know to what extent I have "control" over what connection I can choose to go onto the internet.
It's a BTbroadband standard 2.2 set up.

Has anyone any good ideas as to how to deal with drop outs when setting up a simple Head to Head race. I and my fellow racer are suffering drop outs 50 percent of the time. Is the answer to go onto a higher grade host and not do a simple two racer connection?

I've heard about skins. Is there a site anywhere within LFS where you can see them "on display" or is one just reduced to seeing one flash past you on the straight and think, "cor, if my car looked like that I might go a bit faster!"

Thanks for you reply.
This attempt at head to head racing (with my brother actually) was my first go at on-line racing. I just followed the instructions to START A GAME, set up a Host Name and set up a password we both knew. Then we found we were both on the same track so we let rip.
Now the problems have started and there's only a 50/50 chance that we'll finish the race.
Are you saying that this simplistic way of "getting together for a race" is a bit flimsy and unreliable?
Is there a procedure to get a more stable host arrangement where one doesn't "drop out" so frequently.
Sorry but I have very little experience of what is required for online racing up to now.