How do you accurately describe a race track without using an image?

Question

How do you accurately describe a race track without using an image?

Let's say you have this image, but you can't use it as a reference. How do you manage to exactly describe it in a way someone could exactly reproduce roughly the same shape without having the exact lengths for each section?

I am not asking if I should describe it accurately, but I don't really see how you can describe the race track shape accurately by just using words. You could say it looks like an aligator, but it's not an accurate description of the track at all.

Answer 1

I can "describe" this race track precisely by imposing an X Y grid on top of it with enough resolution to capture each of your little dashes. Then report the coordinates and colors of each occupied point in the grid.

Effectively, that is what you have done with your "image", the computer screen is just a square XY grid of pixels,which can each be some color. That is how television and computer videos are made, they are not continuous but rapidly displayed still frames that create the illusion of movement.

The race track can be compressed to ignore the squares on the grid that contain no element of race track, and the squares of the grid can be relatively large, compared to pixels. Say, 1/4 of the width of the track.

An alternative would be to recite exact measurements, length, width, and angles and curvatures, but there would be many of those required as well to produce a copy a jury agrees is the same image as the original.

Otherwise, if your "description" prohibits reciting a long accurate accounting of the image, then of course it is unlikely it will be accurately reproduced.

Answer 2

Maybe identify the specific corners that are critical to the race, and describe them, and just give a tally of the others?

So this course is a long sweeping bend, a long straight, two hairpin corners followed by some gentler curves, and a final hairpin corner.

Use more direction (left/right/north/east/south/west) or detailed racetrack jargon as required.

(More detailed description of how many champions have crashed at the 2nd hairpin, or how the race is really won or lost on the big straight, or a detailed description of the actual shape of a corner that you care about follow).