My mate with eth 5.0 Jag was telling me how his wife navigated a Jag rally last weekend.
It triggered a long forgotten memory of RAC (I think) ones I was a kid. My Dad would receive a booklet, printed on long strips, with directions to follow. We did a number of them. I guess that'd have been the 60s. However I can't see anything on eBay like it so maybe it's a false memory!
However that's apparently similar to how the Jag one worked.
Anyone else remember them?
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You'll be referring to the pacenotes.
I think some rallies pre-prepared them so all co-drivers had the same info - pretty sure I remember something like your description when the Lombard RAC Rally was a thing in the 70s.
Quick google found a page with different types of notes but seem more contemporary.
www.core77.com/posts/23347/roadbooks-part-2-pacenotes-sketches-that-your-life-depends-upon-23347
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pacenotes are for "fastest time wins" rallies. Smokie is referring i think to "herringbones" or "tulips" which come as strip diagrams and are for "you do this rally and cover these routes in a timeframe" window.
My CB club used to run them at weekends, destination unknown till you got there.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 12 Nov 21 at 17:18
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>> My CB club
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Oh God, no...
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" .. Maybe rally is the wrong word. *
Regularity Runs ?
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>> What's a CB club?
Citizens Band Radio. When it was illegal.
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Yep, more like wot Z said but my memory is hazy. These were just gentle drivers around the countryside, probably taking in a few scenic spots or something, not timed trials - probably not even done against or at the same time as others. The tulip rang a bell but no diagrams that I recall.
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I've marshalled, navigated and officiated at a few of these, but I could never come to terms with loons screaming round the countryside late at night. There were usually more than one requiring panel beating. My preferred sport were closed trials and autotests, although I will admit to doing a few economy runs.
Twelve car rallies still take place with local motorclubs, as do social runs using tulips and herringbones.
Here's some local rallies:
Fri 12 * 12 Car Rally (Cm) Navigational rally Chelmsford MC
Fri 19 * 12 Car Rally (Cm) Navigational rally Blackbird AC
Dec Fri 3 12 Car Rally (Cm) Navigational rally Blackbird AC
Sun 12 Mini Rally (Cm) Practice navigational rally Bedford CC
Jan Fri 7 12 Car Rally (Cm) Navigational rally CSMA NWL
Fri 21 12 Car Rally (Cm) Navigational rally Chelmsford MC
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Nah this wasn't late at night and not fast and not (I suspect) marshalled.
Maybe rally is the wrong word.
Last edited by: smokie on Fri 12 Nov 21 at 19:44
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Treasure hunts are the bottom end of the scale followed by '12 cars'.
I navigated back in the 70s when road rallying, although well controlled, was a mixture of competitive driving on Selectives (special stages) and quite testing navigation which was not about speed. So a competition fully involving both the crew.
At that time regulations on cars was relatively unrestricted with full blown 'works' type vehicles being pedaled by those that could afford them. At the other end of the scale would be standard road cars used for commuting during the week. There were basic safety and noise checks with spot checks en-route for noise and Stop junctions. Strict speed limits in built up areas with auxiliary lights having to be extinguished. Contravention would lead to disqualification.
Of course traffic in general was lighter in those days and starts were around 23.00 and run through the night. The major issue was not the competitors but the spectators who would follow the event with disregard to the restrictions faced by competitors. Penalties where given to competitors arriving both late and early at controls.
Events were recce d, householders on the route notified and given the opportunity to object. The Police were also provide with full details and permissions sought. Only issue was that the event was all based around a 30MPH average which looked really good on paper submitted to the authorities but in reality was a difficult average to maintain :)
As well as tulips and herringbones there was also a circle with lines to the inside and outside and as you followed it you turned left, right or straight on accordingly.
The events were a mixture of 'pre plot', where you were given a series of grid references an hour before the start and you could build the route on OS maps, and 'plot and bash' wher half way round you were given the next coordinates at a control and had to follow them on the move. That slowed you down. :S
Ultimately more and more restrictions were placed on the sport to more or less close it down and make it purely navigational in standard vehicles with none of the fancy stickering.
The end of an era which I had the opportunity to take part in but it had to happen I suppose.
Last edited by: Fullchat on Fri 12 Nov 21 at 21:21
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>>There were basic safety
>> and noise checks with spot checks en-route for noise and Stop junctions. Strict speed limits
>> in built up areas with auxiliary lights having to be extinguished. Contravention would lead to
>> disqualification.
Ha ha ha!
That's why I had nothing else to do with them after my brief dalliance.
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Rallies - Lygonos
