One thing I’ve noticed at my rental track lately, is I’ll take a wide line (using the entire track) around a turn, but some others will enter the turn all the way at the inside, carrying a ton of speed but then ruining their exit. Not only are they losing time, every few sessions I inevitably get T-boned by one of them at the apex. Since I’m in heavy, slow rentals, there’s little risk of injury so I just give them a as I recover and probably don’t see them again for the rest of the session. But since I have goals of getting my own (faster, less protected) kart, I figure I need a more robust solution to the problem.
How can you anticipate, and deal with people taking “divebomb” lines in a kart with no mirrors to see behind you?
That’s a tough one. If you can’t see it coming and the guys an idiot that rams you, then you are gonna take a hit. But, that’s not racing, it’s bumper cars.
For the most part though, you are able to get a sense of how the folks around you drive from observation and interactions. With that knowledge you can anticipate dumbassery somewhat.
You can’t defend from a rammer but you can give them enough rope to hang themselves though. To your point, if they are going to take the extreme inside and then dive under, they will be slow. Toodle on by as they flounder on exit.
You can try to dissuade them by running a defensive line into the corner and not leave your flank wide open. Enough so that they know you are wise to their presence but not so much that you compromise your ability to make good time through a corner.
If they still pod you even though it’s clear that there’s no actual room for their pass attempt, there’s not much you can do that’s efficient. If they are going to move you off line with contact that’s just not racing.
The good news is that these guys can’t race for shit and usually don’t do well because they end up crashing out. People fight back and resist their pushiness and predictably stuff happens.
My best advice is basically let them be someone else’s problem. Survive their nonsense and let them go tangle up with the next guy and pass them both as they waste time being slow and fighty.
I’d have to see footage because it can vary from simple inexperience to deliberate fuckery. The deliberate stuff isn’t defensible. You can fight back, but that is slow and devolves rapidly and everyone loses and then gets shouty and unhappy.
Bear in mind that this type of “using kart as wedge” driving that you see in rentals doesn’t fly in open wheel well racing and isn’t as much of a problem. There are consequences. It self regulates and race directors won’t put up with it as bad crashes and bent karts are bad for business.
as I recover and probably don’t see them again for the rest of the session. But since I have goals of getting my own (faster, less protected) kart, I figure I need a more robust solution to the problem.