Things that I know to be true since my connection sucks:
1. When I review my films I see tracers coming out of the guns headed three to four planes lengths behind me as opposing planes make deflection shots. I also see hit sprites impacting my plane. Clearly, the other guy and I do not share the same exact picture, temporally speaking. I frankly do not think it is possible.
2. In most collisions, because my net is so terrible (remember my lag etc.... is the same from central MO to Dallas as Switzerland) I lose the majority of all collisions. Most collisions from my point of view take place whe I run at an angle underneath or in front of other planes. From my point of view I have plenty of clearance, just not the case overall.
All that said, it is just a quirk of the game and until the planet is covered in fiberoptic wonder cable and all of our systems are no more than 5 ping apart... it is what it is. The only other alternative would be to disable collsions, which would bring a new meaning to the notion of a HO. Think about pulling a mustang into a B17 like a jeep into a tank.
I don't like it, but the alternative is worse.