Flash your lights to signal an overtake - yay or nay?

  • Thread starter Tekku
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Tekku

Tekku

593
Sweden
Umeå
So I've seen this a couple of times online. The driver behind travels at a higher pace and feels like you should either move out of his way or at least prepare for his overtake attempt.

I thought this was something that only existed in video game racing, but apparently it's standard procedure for many endurance drivers in real life. Like the LMP drivers shown in the clip below at 2:29.

How do you feel about this personally? Do you appreciate that the driver behind you is giving you the heads up or is it just an act of arrogance that should be ignored?

 
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I've seen people in BTCC flash the car infront for nothing more than to bug them and put them off (Jason Plato, lol).

I do it to signal to slow backmarkers or people on outlaps that I'm coming through, they rarely move. It's infuriating.
 
daan
IRL, it's more of a "faster car coming through, please be aware I'm here" kind of thing, whereas in GTS, it's "I think I'm faster than you and I'm trying to put you off so you miss your braking point."
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Yup, this is very true. Maybe if we get a mixed class race in the future there will be proper use for it. I always react to it so I think it can be an effective way of communicating your presence and intentions.
 
I don't even have that mapped on my wheel... and I wouldn't take any notice of any one flashing me.
 
TBH, I think they've seen it on someone's stream, and just copy it. I try to catch Z28 (not easy because of time zones, and his shortish streams) whenever possible, and he often comments how trailing drivers try to distract him by flashing their lights.
 
I'll be honest I rarely look in the rearview if I have been clear for a while so I wouldn't notice. If I know there are cars around me I'll pay attention but otherwise I'm racing my race.

Even if you're faster than me and flash your lights it's still on you to pass safely and I'm not going to just let you have it, as long as I'm not causing an incident of course. If you're just letting me know you're there, I'm cool with that.
 
I use it this tactic instinctively quite a lot, Usually atleast once per Sport mode race depending on number of cars I'm liable to be passing, But only as a visual way of letting the guy/girl ahead know I'm there and that I intend to be passing them very soon.
 
ghostrider135
I use it this tactic instinctively quite a lot, Usually atleast once per Sport mode race depending on number of cars I'm liable to be passing, But only as a visual way of letting the guy/girl ahead know I'm there and that I intend to be passing them very soon.
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As classy as that may seem, I think it's safe to say, that for the most part your gesture will pass unnoticed. ;)
 
MikeV27
I don't even pay attention to it, most of the time I think it's just people pressing down too hard on the thumb stick when they steer.
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Uh yeah, that would be me. I accidentally flash my lights all the time. Heavy left thumb. lol

I think I may have to modify the automatic greeting when entering a lobby to say"I accidentally flash my lights a lot, please ignore."
 
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I've seen it used in real races with different classes of cars. Mainly as a way to let other drivers know that a faster class car is coming through and it's better for everyone if the slower car made room.

I'm not a fan of it in GT Sport. Maybe if your lapping someone, but how often does that happen in Sport mode with a 10 lap race? Qualifying would be ok too, but everyone should be moving quickly anyway. Maybe I'm put off because the drivers that I've seen i use it, generally aren't trying to nicely warn you that they are trying to pass. Everyone knows this is a race and the whole point is to finish in the best position possible, why would you have to let someone know that you intend to pass them if you can?

My advice: Don't be Flasher!
 
Tekku
the LMP drivers shown in the clip below at 2:29.
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I do believe the context it was used there is different than the context we use it on GTS
That lmp was probably going to signal its presence to a lapped car.
Even though i personally like the idea of letting know your rival you're trying to overtake him, it's like a gentleman inviting another to duel.
Note: of course i'm not going to flash someone not immediately in front of me ( at least gotta have less than 5 seconds before me)
 
I've done it a few times, I think it worked once. Loads have done it me (only noticed on the replay as hood cam has no mirror), it's a non-issue.

However putting your hazards on does not give you the right to drive like an idiot or to brake check or to serve your penalties on the racing line.
 
In GTS, I find it to be more of annoyance than anything else and I always ignore it during the race (figured some people might just be jerks). As for the endurance race, I thought it was used between the different racing classed and not so much within the same class (unless the car is getting lapped). I've noticed it with the LMP1 class since they are so much faster than the other class (GTE Pro, GTE AM etc.)
 
Making this thread reminded me of a rather hilarious race on Interlagos a couple of days ago. I was leading the race but the guy behind me was clearly the faster driver. As soon as he came up close he was flashing his lights as if it was new years eve. I let him pass but the problem was that he made mistakes that made me take the lead again and again. We bumped into each other in one of the corners due to a mistake from me, and after that he just went berserk. He flashed his lights, pushed me in the back, tried to ram me into the side. He finally succeeded and bumped into me hard on the second straight. I just went right into the wall and lost the whole race. Later I sent him a message asking him what the hell his problem was, and he replied "That's what you get from trying to block the faster driver!" :lol:
 
I was in a cruising lobby on the nordschliefte last night in a GT86, which was the lowest class vehicle on the track. I notice when faster cars are coming up from behind, and really appreciate when they flash their lights and wait for me to move to one side before passing.

The only time I'm bothered is when they don't even try to announce themselves, let alone slow down for an overtake - a driver ruined both our laps when he decided to try to just breeze by, knocking both of us off the track.
 
Tekku
Making this thread reminded me of a rather hilarious race on Interlagos a couple of days ago. I was leading the race but the guy behind me was clearly the faster driver. As soon as he came up close he was flashing his lights as if it was new years eve. I let him pass but the problem was that he made mistakes that made me take the lead again and again. We bumped into each other in one of the corners due to a mistake from me, and after that he just went berserk. He flashed his lights, pushed me in the back, tried to ram me into the side. He finally succeeded and bumped into me hard on the second straight. I just went right into the wall and lost the whole race. Later I sent him a message asking him what the hell his problem was, and he replied "That's what you get from trying to block the faster driver!" :lol:
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Narcissism at its finest. If you're faster, stay ahead.:boggled:
 
I want to be aware of all drivers around me. I set buttons for side views. If I get sloppy and you catch me, I'll use flasher to ask you to pass. No point for my having a bad day to effect yours. But yes, people do get in front only to drive even worse on too many occaions. If somebody flashes, and they can bearlly keep up, I just keep going. As my rule, if I go to pass, I'd rather Mario Kart drivers never know until after.
 
I only use it when I really try to overtake someone else, they might not know that I’m side by side with them and they might hard door bump me into a wall or something, with fair drivers I think it’s the best way to race.
 
MikeV27
I don't even pay attention to it, most of the time I think it's just people pressing down too hard on the thumb stick when they steer.
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I've noticed from replays that a lot of people flash their lights regardless of whether there's a car in front or not. Since I can't distinguish between people who mean it and people who don't, I pay no attention.
 
Dan, you closed my thread but they were not signalling to overtake. The guy behind was over 1 second behind me just flashing for no reason. I was pointing out people seem to don't for no reason at all....

I just ignore it now but it's happened my last 3 races, all of which i won by over 4 seconds which is why I posted.

Will keep ignoring it :-)
 
I have it mapped on my wheel for that purpose or if I accidentally crash someone I wait and flash at them once they go back to their position.
 

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