• From: Sacramento, CA
  • Registered: 2010-07-24
  • Posts: 1,176

Topic: How many back flags per event

Just wondering how many black flags per event the Lemons supreme court estimates they think they average each race, especially in the West Coast races. A couple of hundred on a dry track seem like a good estimate?

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  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
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Re: How many back flags per event

We usually have 150-180 teams at California races, and we probably average two black flags per team over a weekend. Actually, a quarter of the teams get 6-8 black flags each and another quarter gets zero or one. I think the (number of teams) x2  formula gives you a pretty typical black flag total. Maybe a little lower in the Midwest... and a lot higher in the Northeast.

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  • From: Land O' Sugar, Tejas
  • Registered: 2012-02-16
  • Posts: 279

Re: How many back flags per event

Judge Phil wrote:

and a lot higher in the Northeast.

whys that?  are they that much more douchey?

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  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
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Re: How many back flags per event

Lemons drivers in the Northeast are a lot more aggressive than those elsewhere, and a lot of them treat caution flags like yellow traffic signals. The Midwestern racers are the best-behaved. California racers are the biggest whiners, but also tend to be the quickest.

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  • From: Iowa
  • Registered: 2010-04-20
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Re: How many back flags per event

We're all too polite here.. Typical Joliet race... Two drivers approaching a slow yellow Metro..

Neon driver, "You go right ahead..."

BMW driver, "No.. You go..."

Neon driver, "No... I insist..."

Meanwhile a yellow Volvo school bus arrives, "May I?"

Other two, "Oh, most certainly, be our guest!"

Volvo starts to pass...

Metro, pulls over and points all 3 by...

Each driver waves.

It's hard to be fast when we're all out being polite and all....

Although, that tends to be how yellow Metros and Volvo school buses finish in the top 10... Staying out of trouble. 

Judge Phil wrote:

Lemons drivers in the Northeast are a lot more aggressive than those elsewhere, and a lot of them treat caution flags like yellow traffic signals. The Midwestern racers are the best-behaved. California racers are the biggest whiners, but also tend to be the quickest.

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  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
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Re: How many back flags per event

The Northeastern races are always fun, but they're the most work for the Lemons Supreme Court.

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  • From: oklahoma city
  • Registered: 2009-10-08
  • Posts: 1,586

Re: How many back flags per event

TeamLemon-aid wrote:

We're all too polite here.. Typical Joliet race... Two drivers approaching a slow yellow Metro..

Neon driver, "You go right ahead..."

BMW driver, "No.. You go..."

Neon driver, "No... I insist..."

Meanwhile a yellow Volvo school bus arrives, "May I?"

Other two, "Oh, most certainly, be our guest!"

Volvo starts to pass...

Metro, pulls over and points all 3 by...

Each driver waves.

It's hard to be fast when we're all out being polite and all....

Although, that tends to be how yellow Metros and Volvo school buses finish in the top 10... Staying out of trouble. 

Judge Phil wrote:

Lemons drivers in the Northeast are a lot more aggressive than those elsewhere, and a lot of them treat caution flags like yellow traffic signals. The Midwestern racers are the best-behaved. California racers are the biggest whiners, but also tend to be the quickest.


sounds like four folks from the heartland getting to a four way stop at the same time. we all just sit at the sign, determined to let someone else go first.

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  • From: Milford, NJ
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Re: How many back flags per event

Judge Phil wrote:

The Northeastern races are always fun, but they're the most work for the Lemons Supreme Court.


Wierd, I'm no less courteous on thetrack than when I'm driving to work on the Jersey Turnpike.

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9 Reply by TheEngineer (edited by TheEngineer 2013-05-30 10:20 AM)

  • From: NH
  • Registered: 2010-01-20
  • Posts: 3,299

Re: How many back flags per event

Judge Phil wrote:

The Northeastern races are always fun, but they're the most work for the Lemons Supreme Court.


I have to say, I seemed to see a significantly smaller number of embarrassing penalties at Loudon Annoying 2013 compared to Loudon Annoying 2011. Too many people being bad to have time for good penalties?

I think i can count the number of black flags we've gotten in three years on one hand. We do our best to keep our selves out of trouble. Granted it's hard to get black flags while parked on jack stands.

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  • From: Van Nuys, CA
  • Registered: 2011-02-11
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Re: How many back flags per event

http://www.ifc.com/portlandia/videos/po … -no-you-go

I am reminded of this clip from Portlandia

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  • From: Round Rock, Tx
  • Registered: 2010-12-06
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Re: How many back flags per event

Sounds somewhat familiar.  Last year at TWS in the Alamo Turdcell, I actually did point-bys on the left and right at the same time...

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Re: How many back flags per event

Judge Phil wrote:

...and a lot higher in the Northeast.

I resemble that remark!

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13 Reply by BoB

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Re: How many back flags per event

Judge Phil wrote:

Lemons drivers in the Northeast are a lot more aggressive than those elsewhere, and a lot of them treat caution flags like yellow traffic signals. The Midwestern racers are the best-behaved. California racers are the biggest whiners, but also tend to be the quickest.

In the Midwest we race while filled with Bacon and Beer, how are we suppose to be aggressive when we are in that state.

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  • From: Iowa
  • Registered: 2010-04-20
  • Posts: 2,660

Re: How many back flags per event

Hard to drive hard and be aggressive hung over and suffering from the meat sweats..  smile

BoB wrote:
Judge Phil wrote:

Lemons drivers in the Northeast are a lot more aggressive than those elsewhere, and a lot of them treat caution flags like yellow traffic signals. The Midwestern racers are the best-behaved. California racers are the biggest whiners, but also tend to be the quickest.

In the Midwest we race while filled with Bacon and Beer, how are we suppose to be aggressive when we are in that state.

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Re: How many back flags per event

BoB wrote:
Judge Phil wrote:

Lemons drivers in the Northeast are a lot more aggressive than those elsewhere, and a lot of them treat caution flags like yellow traffic signals. The Midwestern racers are the best-behaved. California racers are the biggest whiners, but also tend to be the quickest.

In the Midwest we race while filled with Bacon and Beer, how are we suppose to be aggressive when we are in that state.

for a social engineering experiment, I'll be cooking bacon for the hot heads at summit point. Let's see how it goes. Same for the season ender most likely.

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  • From: Concord, NH
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Re: How many back flags per event

psychoboy wrote:

sounds like four folks from the heartland getting to a four way stop at the same time. we all just sit at the sign, determined to let someone else go first.


I grew up in Mass and when I get to a 4 way stop I wait a whole 8 milliseconds  to see if the person who got there first is going to actually go or not. If not then I blow through before anyone else can move. See I am patient.

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  • Registered: 2012-05-09
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Re: How many back flags per event

Learned to drive in Portland and it took a little while to get used to the East Coast. That being said, our team managed to get 7 black flags at Loudon (3 offs, 4 PUY) so I guess I'm learning?

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  • From: Unity, NH
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Re: How many back flags per event

Our daughter was working the black flag station at Loudon Annoying this year.  Before the rains came and made the note paper all squishy they had 180+ recorded on Saturday alone.  I can double check but I think the total was well over 300 for the weekend, with 88 teams registered.

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  • From: New Alexandria PA
  • Registered: 2010-06-14
  • Posts: 964

Re: How many back flags per event

Well, we got a record doubling 4 BFs at the BFE GP this weekend

The majority of the the team is from the Northeast with 2 of the drivers from Denver (Midwest?).

Not sure where this classifies us?

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  • From: Lyndeborough, NH
  • Registered: 2011-05-22
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Re: How many back flags per event

spencer.cookson wrote:

Learned to drive in Portland and it took a little while to get used to the East Coast. That being said, our team managed to get 7 black flags at Loudon (3 offs, 4 PUY) so I guess I'm learning?

I learned to drive in New Hampshire, and my one time in the Pacific Northwest I wanted PIT maneuver every other car on the road for driving 10 under the limit everywhere and generally piloting like they'd just had a dozen medicinal brownies.

And unfortunately a bunch of them have decided to move to my area recently. I find driving on the track much more relaxing than driving my boys to school.

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21 Reply by gm2

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Re: How many back flags per event

Judge Phil wrote:

Lemons drivers in the Northeast are a lot more aggressive than those elsewhere, and a lot of them treat caution flags like yellow traffic signals. The Midwestern racers are the best-behaved. California racers are the biggest whiners, but also tend to be the quickest.

Us southeastern-er's fly under the radar apparently.  I guess the judges are too busy watching speedycop's plane drive by.

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  • From: Shippensburg, PA
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Re: How many back flags per event

cmccabelt1 wrote:
psychoboy wrote:

sounds like four folks from the heartland getting to a four way stop at the same time. we all just sit at the sign, determined to let someone else go first.


I grew up in Mass and when I get to a 4 way stop I wait a whole 8 milliseconds  to see if the person who got there first is going to actually go or not. If not then I blow through before anyone else can move. See I am patient.


You are patient since you said you actually stop at the stop sign.

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  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
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Re: How many back flags per event

The Southern racers are much like the Midwestern ones, only better at cheating. They're just happy to be at a race track, so most of them are having a good time all weekend, blowed-up car or not.

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  • From: Fort Wayne, IN
  • Registered: 2011-02-09
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Re: How many back flags per event

We're too polite to cheat in the Midwest.

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  • Registered: 2011-10-14
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Re: How many back flags per event

yukadas wrote:

We're too polite to cheat in the Midwest.

Though I find most NWI and I guess the rest for Indiana and lower Michigan polite, being a southerner most of my life I can tell you it ain't nothing like the deep south or southern midwest (OK, TX, KS, etc).  Driving wise, too many folks spend too much time on Chicago roads around and pick really bad habits. 

Sure, the lack of turn signals is the same but the blocking three lanes of traffic so you can make left turn out of the White Castle...that seems to be normal operating proceedure. 

Don't get me started on the passing on the right...even caught myself doing it lately.  Such a dangerous habit but I guess required because even more idiots up here think the left lane is the slow lane!

Bombing the merge...really...you can't just take your turn?