Introduction
At iRacing we believe that racing in the virtual world is as much a form of motorsport as racing in the physical one. Our expectation is that all members of our community - racers, officials and employees - will conduct themselves in the same way as a race participant would at an event in the physical world. Each of us owes every other member of the iRacing community the same courtesy and respect that we expect to receive ourselves.
Much of the satisfaction of being a member of our community comes from the personal relationships that are formed and maintained here. For that reason, we require members to register using their real names, which, in addition to facilitating friendships, promotes personal responsibility.
Emotions will run as high in our races as they do in all competitive environments. But rude behavior - whether in actions behind the wheel, in oral communications through in-sim chat, or in writing on forums - damages social relationships and has no place here.
The Terms of Use and End User Licensing Agreement to which you agreed upon joining iRacing stipulates that iRacing - including its sanctioning organization FIRST - will be the judge of what constitutes inappropriate on-track or interpersonal behavior, and shall have the authority to impose penalties up to and including revocation of membership. We will have zero tolerance for deliberate bad behavior, whether on- or off-track. Those individuals who are habitually unable to treat others in an appropriate fashion will find themselves on the outside looking in.
On-Track Conduct
iRacing places a high value on responsible driving and fair competition. Accidents in racing are inevitable; they are a natural consequence of close competition. But the FIRST graduated licensing program stresses the development of driving skills and the avoidance of accidents, rewarding safe driving and minimizing the number of on-track accidents.
In the physical world, the risk of injury and expensive car repairs serves as a natural deterrent to reckless driving. Because those risks don't exist in the virtual world, iRacing has developed a system that automatically calculates a driver's safety record through each lap in every official on-track session. The system does not assess blame for an incident, so responsibility for avoiding crashes still resides with each individual driver.
While it is not feasible for iRacing to directly monitor every on-track session, FIRST officials will randomly select sessions to monitor. Drivers can also report reckless and/or erratic driving and attempts at on-track intimidation to FIRST officials by filing a protest. Failure to drive with respect for other competitors will lead to substantial sanctions. Those who habitually engage in bad on-track behavior will be removed from our community.
Voice and Text Chat
iRacing provides means for racers to communicate with one another before, during and after on-track sessions. The high emotions that are a normal part of close racing do not justify verbally abusive or other inappropriate expressions toward officials or other racers. Disrespectful communications, including foul or threatening language and insults, will not be tolerated and will lead to the cancellation of the offender's membership.
Forums
The iRacing forums are the social backbone of our community, providing a way for members to interact with one another, exchange information and build friendships. Disagreements are part of the landscape, but in order to maintain a pleasant environment for all community members, forum participants must not use rude or hostile language. Those who engage in a pattern of such behavior will face penalties that may include revocation of membership.