skypilot
21-10-2009, 11:32 AM
21st October 2009
QRAP
A friendly message from the Queensland Rally Advisory Panel
Subject: Control requirements for competitors and officials.
Dear Officials and competitors.
Of late there have been complaints from both competitors and officials during championship level rallies.
A majority of the complaints fit into three specific issues.
1. That Navigators are not getting out of the car at controls and expect that the control official come to the car
2. That control officials are not coming to the car to allow the competitor to hand over the card
3. That control officials are in some way hiding the clock so that the competitor can’t see it.
We as your advisory panel would like to point out the following
The regs taken from the 2009 cams manual state
4.4 Control entry:
(i) Crews shall be deemed to have finished a section when:
(a) their vehicle passes a control boundary; or
(b) at start or transport controls a member of the crew presents the road card to a control official; or
(c) at an Enter on Sight control as provided for in Regulation 4.9 below.
(ii) Crews may elect to stop their vehicles outside a control area (other than at an Enter on Sight control) provided that they do not, in the opinion of the control official, obstruct traffic. At night, parking and tail lamps shall be left on. In the interests of safety, control officials may require vehicles to enter control prior to the crew’s elected time.
(iii) A crew member may enter the control on foot and may remain in the control area until the vehicle enters.
(iv) All vehicles must enter control under their own motive power and in the presence of all crew members.
(v) No crew may, within sight of a correctly positioned control official, deviate from made or mapped roads in order to enter control from the specified direction.
4.5 Procedure at control:
(i) Unless otherwise instructed in Route Instructions, crews must present their road card to an official whenever they pass through a control regardless of whether or not they are competing on the section to which the control applies. A crew which reports to a major control at the end of a section subsequent to the one on which they are competing, may elect to continue the original section without penalty; or may elect to book into that control and commence the section starting from the control. A crew which reports to a passage control which is not on the section on which they are competing is deemed in the results to have not reported to that control on that occasion.
(ii) The control official shall record the finish time on both the road card and control card. At the end of transport sections the finish time must be recorded to the current minute. In all other cases the finish time must be recorded to the second. At the end of navigation sections crews may nominate a finish time later than their actual time of arrival at the control.
(iii) The time of start on a competitive section shall be not less than two minutes after the vehicle’s finish time for the preceding section. On competitive sections, the starting interval shall be not less than two minutes. In dusty conditions, greater intervals are recommended.
(iv) Start times for the next section will be allocated in the same sequence as the vehicle’s actual arrival (except as provided in Regulation 2.11(iv)), unless a crew agrees to a vehicle behind starting the section ahead of them.
(v) When a car enters a control at the end of a special stage or road section within one minute of the preceding car its crew may request permission to start the next competitive section in front of the preceding car. Should that car refuse, this should be recorded on the control card. Refusal to allow the same car to leave first on two successive special stage or road sections may be considered deliberate obstruction.
(vi) The control official has authority over all activities within his control area. No crew member may disobey the reasonable request of a control official.
Having looked at all of the facts we as QRAP believe that although in the past it may have been considered good manners (although not a requirement) for the Navigator to get out of the car and walk up to the control we now have other issues to consider.
With the ever increasing safety requirements of our sport, sophisticated roll-cages with side intrusion, sainz and lada bars are now the norm; we also now have head restraint systems such as Hans devices becoming more popular at the QRC and club level. These two factors make it difficult to get in and out of the car as well as the fact that it takes more time to strap in with a Hans device, it is critical to ensure that the harness strap is positioned correctly so as the Hans device is captive.
Given the fact that is no requirement for the Navigator to get out of the car and walk into the control and as long as the regulations are being adhered to then the control officials will have to adjust to more and more Navigators staying in the cars at events. The last thing we need to see as a sport is competitors being rushed to belt in, missing a strap and having an accident.
Unfortunately this will mean that control officials will have to come to the car to collect cards and hand them back. If you as and official feel that you are unable to complete this task please let the clerk of course know so as to avoid further problems. We as QRAP feel that competitors must be made to be aware that all of our rally officials are volunteers, friends and a very precious resource. Accordingly a word of appreciation and thanks if you are staying in the car would help tremendously. It may even help if you advise the Clerk of course or stage commander of your requirements prior to the event.
It goes without saying that should there be a line up then there will be no option but to get out and walk into control to ensure your times are correct.
3: Qrap would also like to point out that the control clocks are for the officials use and whilst logic would dictate that the competitors should be able to sight the clock, if they are unable to see it then ask the control official to display it. Should the control official be unable to do so then make a note of it and report it to the relevant authority!
Yours sincerely
Justin Sinclair
Club Liaison Officer
For and on behalf of
The Queensland Rally Advisory Panel
QRAP
A friendly message from the Queensland Rally Advisory Panel
Subject: Control requirements for competitors and officials.
Dear Officials and competitors.
Of late there have been complaints from both competitors and officials during championship level rallies.
A majority of the complaints fit into three specific issues.
1. That Navigators are not getting out of the car at controls and expect that the control official come to the car
2. That control officials are not coming to the car to allow the competitor to hand over the card
3. That control officials are in some way hiding the clock so that the competitor can’t see it.
We as your advisory panel would like to point out the following
The regs taken from the 2009 cams manual state
4.4 Control entry:
(i) Crews shall be deemed to have finished a section when:
(a) their vehicle passes a control boundary; or
(b) at start or transport controls a member of the crew presents the road card to a control official; or
(c) at an Enter on Sight control as provided for in Regulation 4.9 below.
(ii) Crews may elect to stop their vehicles outside a control area (other than at an Enter on Sight control) provided that they do not, in the opinion of the control official, obstruct traffic. At night, parking and tail lamps shall be left on. In the interests of safety, control officials may require vehicles to enter control prior to the crew’s elected time.
(iii) A crew member may enter the control on foot and may remain in the control area until the vehicle enters.
(iv) All vehicles must enter control under their own motive power and in the presence of all crew members.
(v) No crew may, within sight of a correctly positioned control official, deviate from made or mapped roads in order to enter control from the specified direction.
4.5 Procedure at control:
(i) Unless otherwise instructed in Route Instructions, crews must present their road card to an official whenever they pass through a control regardless of whether or not they are competing on the section to which the control applies. A crew which reports to a major control at the end of a section subsequent to the one on which they are competing, may elect to continue the original section without penalty; or may elect to book into that control and commence the section starting from the control. A crew which reports to a passage control which is not on the section on which they are competing is deemed in the results to have not reported to that control on that occasion.
(ii) The control official shall record the finish time on both the road card and control card. At the end of transport sections the finish time must be recorded to the current minute. In all other cases the finish time must be recorded to the second. At the end of navigation sections crews may nominate a finish time later than their actual time of arrival at the control.
(iii) The time of start on a competitive section shall be not less than two minutes after the vehicle’s finish time for the preceding section. On competitive sections, the starting interval shall be not less than two minutes. In dusty conditions, greater intervals are recommended.
(iv) Start times for the next section will be allocated in the same sequence as the vehicle’s actual arrival (except as provided in Regulation 2.11(iv)), unless a crew agrees to a vehicle behind starting the section ahead of them.
(v) When a car enters a control at the end of a special stage or road section within one minute of the preceding car its crew may request permission to start the next competitive section in front of the preceding car. Should that car refuse, this should be recorded on the control card. Refusal to allow the same car to leave first on two successive special stage or road sections may be considered deliberate obstruction.
(vi) The control official has authority over all activities within his control area. No crew member may disobey the reasonable request of a control official.
Having looked at all of the facts we as QRAP believe that although in the past it may have been considered good manners (although not a requirement) for the Navigator to get out of the car and walk up to the control we now have other issues to consider.
With the ever increasing safety requirements of our sport, sophisticated roll-cages with side intrusion, sainz and lada bars are now the norm; we also now have head restraint systems such as Hans devices becoming more popular at the QRC and club level. These two factors make it difficult to get in and out of the car as well as the fact that it takes more time to strap in with a Hans device, it is critical to ensure that the harness strap is positioned correctly so as the Hans device is captive.
Given the fact that is no requirement for the Navigator to get out of the car and walk into the control and as long as the regulations are being adhered to then the control officials will have to adjust to more and more Navigators staying in the cars at events. The last thing we need to see as a sport is competitors being rushed to belt in, missing a strap and having an accident.
Unfortunately this will mean that control officials will have to come to the car to collect cards and hand them back. If you as and official feel that you are unable to complete this task please let the clerk of course know so as to avoid further problems. We as QRAP feel that competitors must be made to be aware that all of our rally officials are volunteers, friends and a very precious resource. Accordingly a word of appreciation and thanks if you are staying in the car would help tremendously. It may even help if you advise the Clerk of course or stage commander of your requirements prior to the event.
It goes without saying that should there be a line up then there will be no option but to get out and walk into control to ensure your times are correct.
3: Qrap would also like to point out that the control clocks are for the officials use and whilst logic would dictate that the competitors should be able to sight the clock, if they are unable to see it then ask the control official to display it. Should the control official be unable to do so then make a note of it and report it to the relevant authority!
Yours sincerely
Justin Sinclair
Club Liaison Officer
For and on behalf of
The Queensland Rally Advisory Panel