I know the script exists and does a pretty good job on CTRA and other servers, but it would be much more widely used if it was already in game. Also, you can't tell GT1 from GT2 on server unless it is in server name.
GT2 racing is MUCH closer racing and fewer mistakes and crashes. GT1 are nice cars but the skill levels required leaves large variations and a spread field. Nothing more fun than swapping positions with 5 or 6 cars in a close pack for a 5+ lap race.
You can't unban people as admin? Perhaps look for patterns, i.e. leave ban permanent if said player tends to get banned every other day (may be for real cause) vs second chance for those screwed by rogue banners.
The problem with the 8 person ban (which could also apply to any number if the majority of the people on the server are such) is that people are so annoyed by wreckers/juveniles/insert_person_who_ruined_your_race_here that they vote yes to any votekick or voteban that pops up on their screen because they think that person must be a wrecker, ect. In actuality, some of the worst, most disrespectful racers use the tactic of **immediately** starting a votekick/voteban on the person they have just wrecked/crashed/shown_no_respect_for_their_race so as to avoid having a vote against themselves or because, being immature and prone to irrational anger, they can't believe that person blocked their ub3r l33t race by driving on the racing line.
If we can't get the word out to the good, respectful (majority) racers of the LFS community to ONLY vote for ban/kick if they have *firsthand* knowledge that said person deserves this kick/ban, then the more savy of the race ruiners will continue to cause the racers that you want on the server to be banned - leaving a higher percentage of idiots on that server going forward.
This exact thing happened to me last night on ConeDodgers GTR server (43 slot server). I was in the racing line on a straight hugging the curb, not swerving when a FZR comes along side my FXR and proceeds to try to set up for the long right T3 on AS NAT by getting all the way to the left - hitting my car passenger door and forcing both our cars into the sandtrap. I had time only for "WTF?" (voteban starts); "I didn't hit him" (voteban mid-way); "He hit me" (voteban succeeds, I drop). I'm a fast typer, the whole thing from wreck to ban was less than 10 seconds and there were maybe 2 cars that could have witnessed the crash. But, because the disrespectful wrecker was the 1st to start the vote, I got the boot.
Server admins, I don't envy you... its now a fine line between wreckers who cant be voted off and wreckers who vote off all your respectful racers with ever incident. Hopefully, we can get the word out.
I very much enjoy the idea of STCC and working ones way up a ladder. After driving UF1s and XFGs to the point of great redundance, however, I'd like to see FOXs (at least) available as a newbie car for a nice change of pace.
I picked up LFS again after the new patch and was VERY pleased with the physics upgrade. The cars feel very good and I enjoyed myself hotlapping.
Then I joined a few multiplayer games...
I understand everyone is not a professional racer and mistakes will be made, but there just seemed to be little EFFORT made to respect others' races. Perhaps the ability to join ongoing races and to pit and leave pits at will makes for little incentive to race cleanly as one can just re-enter the race after crashing. I have never really understood the decision to allow joining ongoing races.
After racing rFactor for the last few months, I have noticed a sharp increase in the respect most racers show in trying not to ruin another's race while attempting a pass. There are, of course, still exceptions, but as a rule, the etiquette is in sharp contrast to what I have usually seen in LFS.
My point: LFS is a great game that needs some nudges in the right direction regarding online racing. I think locking races after start would be a good place to start. And hopefully discussions like these can influence the immature or overly aggessive racers who are marring an otherwise stellar racing experience.