Right,

Occasionally when I join mid race to warm up for the upcoming race, I'll come upon a backmarker of a slower class. If I pass them I get the blue flag message plus the word "waved".

Is this supposed to say "Waived"?



Or is the message really telling me that someone is waving a blue flag somewhere...

I think you get the additional "waved" only when you joined mid-race to indicate that you should let the car behind you pass immediately. If you started the race normally, you only get the normal LFS blue flag AFAIK.

If you are a mid race joiner you must not, under any circumstances, interfere or hinder a car that is racing. You shouldn't even overtake them - now obviously if you are behind a car in a slower class an exception can be made BUT you should overtake on a straight and ensure you do not delay the car you are passing by a single nano second. They are racing, you are not, you have NO RIGHTS even if you are 10 seconds a lap faster.

You can find confirmation of this in game by typing $blue.

You can hold the blue flag out stationary and that is a blue flag, normal blue flag rules apply, you are part of the race. but if you wave the flag then its a waved Blue flag, a different flag action.

This means that you are not part of the race (mid race join) and that you should move over immediately and not interupt the race. Give way to Racer_01 will be spammed because you should do that even if it will cost you the lap.

Blue flag = Flag has been shown to you

Blue flag waved = Flag has been waved at you.

Thats my understanding of it. I'm sure I will be corrected quickly enough.

edit: Bah too slow.

Ah, ok perfect - makes sense.

And indeed, I only ever pass a car if it's a slower class of course. I'm responsible enough to get on the track when noone else is near, and pull over if the pack gets anywhere near me. There's no reason that a mid-join can't be done with grace, but given the behaviour I have witnessed before I understand the general sentiment towards it.

Hehe yeah most people are not very good at mid race joining =)

Lol i'll sit at the pit exit until the field is half a lap ahead of me, then run some good practice laps, and never be blue flagged!! hehe

I allways do my best to not disturb a running race.
But I have to admit, that sometimes I ignore the blue flag wavings:
some folks are just so damn slow or making so many mistakes that its almost impossible to stay behind them. One guy complained, that I ignored the "blue flag" rules: I drove for more than one lap (AS7) behind him and as he made a mistake and drove on green I saw no reason to stay behind him ...