I think they go hand in hand in almost all cases. I've always tried to give respect and show a little class whenever I can. I will always respect others at first glance. Once you've given reason not to receive my respect, I will not show you respect. That's how it works right? Atleast that's how it should work. Unfortunately I'm having this issue within myself at this point on whether or not someone I respected and thought was a good person as well as others deserve that from me at this point. I'm seeing a lack of class and respect coming my way and it kind of sucks.
This situation is rather cut and dry....this isn't something I've dreamt up anyhow. Everyone that knows me, knows I love racing and we race. I'm posting this in my thoughts and musings because this is the personal side of me talking here, and not the person who goes to the track. At the racetrack we keep our thoughts and ideas to ourselves and are all business. We go to the track, and try to get along with everyone. We've never said words to start anything with anyone, and we've never been crashed and had to go to someone else's pit area to complain. That's racing in my opinion, and that's the way it should be. People make mistakes in those instances and things like that will happen. We have always tried to play by the rules. Now I'll admit that last year we went racing 2 times and were in a gray area on one rule....but we were told we could race and we were fine. Illegal to a point? Yes. Illegal in another point (same thing we're talking here)? No. On to this year.....we've gone and raced the same track 3 times now this year, and we're 100% no questions legal. Not an inch or millimeter out of line yet we're accused of anything under the sun. People running into our pit area because they didn't like the fact that we were by them and ran in front of them to get by another car....notice I said in front of them, not through them, didn't touch them. We see the grumblings across the way at times, and that's fine with me. Everyone can and should have their opinion, but I wish the situation would die down, because the opinion is unmerited.
Now this situation has a great friend and my best help in racing not wanting to go there. It pretty much leaves me in a bind in principle to a point. I personally won't let them run me away from going there by their actions, but if I don't have help I can't do it by myself. If they want to make a complete ass out of themselves for whatever reason, that's their choice. I stand by my morals, and keep my actions and thoughts to myself (obviously I'm putting them here....but I'm not running around creating waves). We'll see what happens.....maybe it's time for a new hobby (I doubt that..ha ha).