ego trips anyone?
seriously, when i read these threads about blue flags, all i can think to myself is that all the nit-picking about interpretation of the rules is just a cover up for the real issue, which is with the inflated egos of both the lappers and lappees.
to me, it's really simple:
if you joined mid-race and get a blue flag, make 100% sure you don't spoil the race. if you have the car handling skills to let the faster car lap you safely, then do so. if you don't, then shift-s. no excuses. if you didn't start the race, you have no rights whatsoever.
if you started the race and are being legitimately lapped, then stick to your race, but let the faster car pass at the earliest safe place, which may be 2 or 3 corners down the track, depending on how fast you are. if you know how to drive, it should be obvious what a safe place to pass is, so no need to split hairs about it.
is it annoying when people spam the screen with "blue flag - let me pass!"? maybe. childish? maybe. egotistical? maybe. but remember, not everyone reads the forum, and there really are ignorant people who don't know or care about blue flags, so what may be an insult to your intelligence may be appropriate for some of the idiots on the public servers, and whether you get offended by it or not is really up to you.
which brings me to my final point... people who say that they will deliberately block someone who spams them with a blue flag message are the most egotistical and selfish of all! spite has no place in a gentleman's sport. if you are being lapped, you are being lapped, and there is no excuse for treating one faster car different than another. that's the definition of poor sportsmanship.