How Many Lane Changers Do You Have?

When is too many Lane Changers, "Too Many Lane Changers" ?

I have a 32 metre (105 foot) Digital SSD track with 14 Lane changers 6 x XLC's, 6 x CLC's (4 x In to Out & 2 x Out to In) plus 2 Pit lane changers.

Oh! plus I also have 1 of the dreaded corner crossovers just to make sure no one can just circulate in a single lane, "it's Digital, It's all about the Lane Changers" .

So our track has a Lane Changer on average every 2.3 metres (7.5 feet) and I have just bought a new XLC and the question is do I add it to the track for a 15th LC or use it to replace a dodgy one (which I'll probably repair and look to add it in anyway ) .

Whilst this sounds like a lot, I find each LC serves it's purpose as an overtaking/blocking opportunity when racing (especially with 4, 5 or 6 cars on track) and also provides plenty of options to pursue the best racing line for fastest lap if your favourite line is blocked by another car during a lap. I certainly adds to the entertainment when the racing is close and the battle for track position is on.

So I am guessing 15 LC's on a 32m layout is quite a lot, but thought I would see if there were any other Digital "crazies" out there who might have more (here's hoping or I may need specialist help with this hobby )

Your choice of options in the poll are a bit odd..

1 to 2

3 to 4

the 5 to 9?!

I don't have a layout up that often but when i did last year I think I had 4 but would have put in more.

My guess is the length of the track was about 12 meters...

We have 5 straight LCs on our 20m club track plus a 2 lane pit lane.

The LCs are not evenly spaced. We have a complex of 2 compound curve hairpins that split up 3 of the LCs - it is a major overtaking section made far more interesting by the LCs because they do not slow the car down whilst lane changing unlike an LC in a fast section. So it means you can pick your overtaking line and try to block a faster car coming up behind you but as there are 3 LCs quite close together the chances of second guessing the guy behind you at every overtaking opportunity is slim.

The 4th LC is in a less technical section and helps line you up for a blast into the long straight but is at a point that you dont have to slow down to lane change. The final LC is between a couple of wide radius curves that build speed into the long straight - it offers an opportunity for the brave to dive around an opponent but its primary purpose is a last-chance lane change for those wishing to pit. This section does require you to slow down to use the LC unless you have a car that is very stable so it tends to be used only for pitting and for last-gasp attempts to steal a place in the final seconds of a race.

The fast straight and a fast R4-R3 slow-down curve (which account for about 7m if the 20m total) have no LCs - this is very high speed and nobody would slow down for an LC even if there was one.

Lap times vary by class between 7s and 10s. In our fastest class you get 5 options to change lanes in the space of less than 5s and you can use the 2s on the long straight to glance at the 32 TV to take race data on board.

Lesson? Put LCs where you can benefit from using them - often that is not the even spacing that logic might suggest.