Hello Everyone,

For some time now, I've been trying to work my way through the T1 after start of the race... but I ran out of ideas

To make it easier to explain I focus on BL1 but the same problem is more or less on every CTRA1 track.

I'm rather slow driver and find myself at 11-13 position on the grid in 19-20 car race. After start of the race try to keep my position but mostly (let say 3 of every 5 races) some "fast guy" put me out of the track on T1. It's been very frustrating for me, so I worked out two different strategies of survival but none of them is perfect.

1) I try to keep as close as it's possible to the rear bumper of the car in front of me. That gives me hope that the guy behind me will have enough space to brake and all of us drive through T1. Sometimes it work but... sometimes the "super driver" thinks that he manage to go over me even if there is no space between me and the car I follow. So he smash my rear bumper and put me I the car in front of me -> all of us end up in tyres/dust. Another unpleasant thing is that mostly the driver in front of me thinks that it was my fault and I'm tired of explaining that it wasn't me over and over again.

2) I start slow and let every / most of the cars pass me before T1. The (mostly) I see "nice" disaster at T1 and slow but safe drive pass 3/4 wracked cars. It is safe strategy but the problem of it is that I loose my position and distance between me and the pack is that big I'm unable to finish at some high position - I mean in first ten

Sorry for such long writing but I just want to show what kind of situation I'm in. If you have any good solution of my problem please let me know because I feel very bad about it.

Thanks in advance

With my limited experience, I can say what I do to avoid T1 crash;

1. Use inside of the curve, and drive slower than usual. That way all the impatient drivers use the outside with full speed -> some drive off-road -> problem solved.

2. Same as your tactic (2), but I brake gently and early to give myself room to floor the gas early. Then you just slalom through the T1 mayhem with full speed.

Works for me most of the time. Sometimes I get caught in the mayhem.

After a couple of days in the server you pretty much learn who is a hotlapper that can go round the track 3 seconds faster than you but has zero racecraft and can't pass without putting you into the wall.

I keep an eye for one of them joining and make my best to stay out of their way... can't do anything else... they'll claim you were "weaving" or somesuch.

Still, yeah, about 1 in 3 races some bright hotlapper will try his normal braking point from the back of the pack into T1 and collect half the field... we weren't going to win in any case, did we?

i try to keep as close to the inside leading up to T1, this tends to reduce your chances of being clipped by someone. i also brake early and at about 80% brake power. the way i look at it is that if i'm fast enough, i don't need to rush through T1 just survive.

I have to disagree with dadge here - I find the inside line is where EVERYBODY tries to push through, so that's where the most accidents tend to happen.

I'd like to go with Skil's tactic 1, but more often than not I find myself getting punted from behind in that situation. These days I tend to come off the line and take the corner as wide as possible, or stick to the inside at the back so you can get the power on early when the muppets throw themselves out of the way, then (hopefully) catch up to the front runners.

Here is the answer you are looking for.


Nobody survives T1

Quote from The Very End :

Here is the answer you are looking for.


Nobody survives T1

Hehehe I don't agree with you .

The fast drivers don't have this problem - then start from front rows and go smooth the T1.

As I said, I'm not fast so I have to work my way through some "not very good" drivers...

I tend to have less T1 problems when I drive XRG on CTRA - better start means you have some (limited) space when you reach T1, unless of course you want to gain more than 1-2 positions before reaching T1.
This way I can brake a little bit earlier and get a faster exit to get away from the pack and not lose 25 meters to the top 10.
When racing the same cars I have no solution except awareness / too slow T1 does not work well!
My biggest concern is when there is a yellow at T1 - no idea what to do, slowing down (lifting) as should be expected ends up in crash more often than full throttle gambling in short races. Probably more practice needed!
Playing on full demo servers also help awareness, there the range of skills is very wide and you often get race starts training due to "T1 crash - xxx voted to restart" 5 times in a row

Sticking to any one 'tactic' is a bad idea.

You should always try to be fully aware of whats going on in front, behind and to the sides of your car, and react accordingly. Usually, you will be able to predict where the gap will open up, and get through. If that doesn't happen, slow a *little*, so you have some spare grip available, that way, a small nudge or two isn't going to get you out of shape. Also predict the nudges - if you have already started prepare before you are nudged, you're in a better position to save the car than if you try to react after the collision.

Try to be in a position where you can see the inside line in your mirrors - that way you can spot if some idiot thinks he can undertake on the grass and still brake later than the pack... you can then avoid the fool and the suckers he rams (hopefully)

I would suggest that it is marginally safer closer to the inside line for two reasons

#1 if you are on the outside, any accident on your inside puts you in jeopardy whereas if you are on the inside, you can usually avoid problems on the outside.
#2 often the idiot T1 have a go heroes barge on the inside - if you are at or near the inside line, you are more likely to see their approach earlier and have more time to respond (even if its just to make sure of who the culprit was).

Col

Quote from Skil :

Hehehe I don't agree with you .

The fast drivers don't have this problem - then start from front rows and go smooth the T1.

As I said, I'm not fast so I have to work my way through some "not very good" drivers...

Actually thats not right eighter If you start in the front you are most likely to get a car in you`re back, and you will fly of the track (thanksgodforthecrashdetectionsystem)

ive started to have problems getting to T1, my starts are getting faster but if i got a slower starting guy in front have to swerve to miss him then lose places due to either beening on the grass or big lift off so by the time i get to T1 the leaders are gone and i pick up places through the carnage or i get bumped off by cars jostling for position b4 T1!!

got no real complaints about either tbh!

I voted for almost never, but don't actually know how. I guess it's like col said, being aware what is going on around you and act accordingly. I never go in T1 with certain tactic in mind. My usual trick to get some space behind me if needed, is fake braking a bit earlier than my safe marker. But of course, the easiest way to avoid getting wrecked in T1 is avoid too popular servers, and drive with the proper gentlemen with proper cars...and not to start from midfield.

Sometimes it's hard to remember how complicated LFS can be. I try to remember that next time I get t-boned by some hero kid.

Quote from sidi :

I guess it's you who causes all those pileups then.

I never.

Quote from Blackout :

My usual trick to get some space behind me if needed, is fake braking a bit earlier than my safe marker.

The problem is that some "fast guys" seem not bother at all that you are braking and hit you with full speed.
But thanks for idea, I'll try and hopefully someone notice that my lights go red == I AM BRAKING.

there are several problems at the start of racing. Generally it's people braking way to early, and then turning on on everyone expecting there to be room....

Best thing to do is always be positive, never think negative. If your thinking 'how do I get through turn 1 without being wrecked, oh i'll take it easy' your increasing the danger for yourself and everyone else.

Do some dummy starts, learn where and how late you can brake. Don't be to worried about a little touch here and there.

Plan your starts, be positive, and decisive. Wrecks are usually caused by indecisiveness, and then are blamed on the quick lads.... so just be ballsy. Practise going in locking up, learn to control it... always LOOK FORWARD... and LOOK FOR THE GAPS NOT THE CARS!!!

Whel on CTRA im something at the back ore in the middle


And somehow i almost servive evertyime am i lucky?

whel i geus is't a mix of always schoosing inside and, luck

I only get about 1 of 3 crashed, i'm fine with it though.

I tend to:
1) Go to the outsideand try to avoid collisions on the inside of the track.

2) Go to the inside, i mean on the curb inside. Then i usually drive under all the wrecks.

Go to the inside usually works better because peole tend to roll to the outside when they've spun.

It depends on where I start, but I usually hug the inside or go around the outside. CTRA1 is a noob lag server and in my experience a lot more crashes on T1 there than on other servers. When you are braking for T1, don't suddenly slam on the brakes, be smooth.

CTRA sucks since they got rid of TBOs for silver licence drivers, so I don't race there any more.

Quote from word. :

CTRA sucks since they got rid of TBOs for silver licence drivers, so I don't race there any more.

/OT Good news for you, apparently it's back (Silver - TBO). Check the CTRA section I think it was reintroduced last week or so.

http://www.lfsforum.net/showthread.php?t=32046 more OT... How do you post a link that works? sorry for noob question

Quote from Mille Sabords :

/OT Good news for you, apparently it's back (Silver - TBO). Check the CTRA section I think it was reintroduced last week or so.

<http://www.lfsforum.net/showthread.php?t=32046> more OT... How do you post a link that works? sorry for noob question

Oh nice. Thanks for the heads up. Thats a step in the right direction, but they still have that silly GT2 class .

Off topic but -

GT2 class is a great thing actually
It usually servers close races and great racing, since the car has a lot of grip but reduced engines.
It`s very fun imo.

I usuall either go very WIDE, on the outside, starting the turn-in later than usual (so Im on the outside of the big apex crashes), or go heavy throught the inside, brake a lot, and do the turn very slowly on the apex, putting the power down early. But in any case, be very very humble and carefull. The choice of going wide or inside is usually the amount of drivers doing the same. If I got anyone in front of me for the inside, I switch to the outside.

The problem with the outside aproach is that usually you get bumped into the grass by ppl exiting the turn that didnt see you/dont care.
My trick?

Do the turn wide, and as soon as you reach the place where the normal racing line hits the edge of the road, open your ears. They have to leave you room on the outside so as soon as you hear an engine sound coming from the inside be ready to turn HARD into the car thats about to hit you. If when he hits you you are turning into him, you dont move much. He will be worse for wear, but at least you didnt eat grass because he neglected to see if he could move onto the outside.


The normal racing line is Outside / Inside / Outside.

T1 racing line is 3 options:
Outside/Outside/Outside -> Clip the outside kerb on entry and exit, stay wide of the dark rubber marks of the turn racing line
Middle/Middle/Middle -> Stay exatcly on the middle of the road at all times, equidistant from boths sides.
Inside/Inside/Inside -> you move along the inside edge of the track and do NOT move outside when the turn is over.

Outside drivers will enter faster and exit faster of the turn, but travel more distance
Middle drivers will be generally the fastests, but will feel like they are in a bumper-car competition
Inside drivers will gain some positions, only to loose them all on turn exit.

Remeber the racing line you chose, and stick to it. For example, If your on the middle do NOT clip the apex or the outside kerb. People WILL be there.

Quote from word. :

CTRA sucks since they got rid of TBOs for silver licence drivers, so I don't race there any more.

I can't disagree more with this statement. I hate TBO class of cars. There isn't a good one in the bunch that's "fun" to drive .

But that's my opinion, just like that one was your's .

T1, how to survive on a 19-20 car Blackwood public server.....

Sit in spectate until the grid is set. Join race in final position. Accellerate at the start like you are driving on public roads, nice and easy. Cruise up to T1 behind everyone and brake early and slow. Watch and laugh as everyone dives to the inside into each other. Laugh some more as you watch EVERYONE spin off the track. Now T1 and the chicane is COMPLETELY clear for you and you can drive through gaining 10 spots to the top 10 .

I haven't been on a public server in quite a while since I joined the LOTA GTC league. I've been practicing during the week and racing on Thursday nights. I haven't seen a single accident in T1 yet, even on the slower and lower tier server. Leagues are where the good clean action is.

In multiple server leagues, there are no fast guys / slow guys. The biggest benefit is that you end up running with folks who run similar times to you. Makes the racing great. The faster guys run on a different server than the slower folk (read, me). Makes a fantastic race for everyone.

Hi Skill, was with you on CTRA yesterday
I'm one of the guys that gets knocked out every time. Its always that someone slams into my rear and/or side, and i brake very late in comparism to other drivers around me.

So normally I start on like 16th, make a decent start, move up to around 11th, approach first corner, keep on the rear of the car in front, BAM someone crashes into me, making me spin, so that I have to rejoin the race after 10-20sec on last place.

There is only one solution to get rid of most T1 Horrors..: You must fear crashing your car, that means, if you wreck it, you must repair it, and I guess no one wants to do that.
Also there are two types of T1 crashes, one is driving "blindfolded", that means people dont look left and right etc (Driving Force Pro has those arrow buttons on left side of wheel).
Other type is just some NooB who don't care at all and don't know rules even at slightest bit.

Then again, repairing and stuff would make it realistic and fear to crash would come, unfortunately there are people who think they are racing alone.
Ah i forgot how to end my post now, so I end it here.