Methods of Route Definition

In road events competitors are required to follow a set route defined to them by the organisers, the crew completing this with the least penalties wins. This guide covers the methods organisers in Wales define the required route to the competing navigator. This aspect of road rallying has become far simplier in the last few years and can now be split into just two categories; map references and photocopied maps.

Map References

On each Ordnance Survey map there is a series of intersecting grid lines; one set runs vertically up and down the map, the other horizontally across the map. The grid lines are 2cms apart, representing 1 km in real terms. All are consecutively numbered so that each square can be identified by a four figure number, two identifying the horizontal grid line and two the vertical grid line. Therefore square 1191 on Map 136 contains the south-western part of Newtown - note the horizontal reference is first. Specific points can be identified by the use of six or ten figure references.

In a six figure reference, the first two numbers denote the horizontal grid line, the fourth and fifth numbers the vertical grid line. To plot a reference simply find the horizontal grid line and follow it up until it intersects with the vertical grid line. The position you now have is the bottom left hand corner of the square containing the reference.

To locate the exact spot use the third and sixth numbers of the reference, this is where your romer comes in. The third figure is the number of tenths across the square and the sixth the tenths up the square. The greater the number the further across or up the plot will be; for example xx0xx0 will be the bottom left hand corner of a square, while xx9xx9 will be almost the top right hand corner.

At times complete numbers are not accurate enough for the purpose and then fractions are added to the third and sixth figures. This leads to the other common item, the ten figure reference; in this the fraction is replaced by a two figure decimal fraction. This means you end up with a reference such as 1235045625, which is equivalent to the six figure reference 123½456¼.

The greatest difficulty that people find with plotting references is remembering which comes first - the horizontal or vertical. There are a couple of phrases which might help you remember the correct order; these are: "In the door and up the stairs" and "You crawl before you walk".

Most events that you'll contest, certainly most road rallies, will use a fairly straight forward system. There will be a list of controls, defined by references, with, maybe, the direction of approach and/or depart being stipulated for some controls. The navigator plots these and then selects the quickest route between them.

On the vast majority of Welsh events pre-plot navigation has become the norm these days. With pre-plot events the route information is given out with time being allowed for a navigator to plot the route prior to starting the competitive sections. It is illegal for organisers to give out any route information, other than blackspots, rejoin points, neutral sections or quiet zones, until competitors start the event (K.14.1). The accepted custom on Welsh events now is for crews to start from MC1, be given the route information, then go to a holding control for an hour or so, before the first competitive section.

On some events plot 'n bash navigation is used. This is bcoming quite rare with only the Greenleaves, out of all Welsh Championship events, still retaining this format. As the name suggests, in a plot 'n bash section the navigator isn't given the route card until the due depart time. This gives the crew a choice of either plotting on the move or stopping and plotting the route before continuing. Obviously the first option means less time lost, however it's a very difficult task to simultaneously plot the route, keep the driver on the correct road, deal with controls and also ensure that the contents of your stomach don't come loose! For beginners the best choice will be to stop and ensure the correct route is on the map before embarking on the section.

Photocopied Maps

Many events save the navigator the task of plotting the route by issuing the route on photocopied maps. The maps are either issued at the start control or may be issued at the start and halfway. The whole route, with all controls and giveways, is already on the map, the navigator simply has to follow this. Although this seems an ideal solution from the competitor's point of view, there are a couple of issues that might arise; firstly, the quality of the photocopies on some rallies is very poor and makes it difficult to follow the route; secondly, the style that the route has been put onto the map will be that of the organiser and this may differ from the style the navigator may have already developed, this can lead to confusion while reading the route.

Blackspots

Blackspots will appear on virtually every event but not as a primary form of route definition. They're used to denote sensitive or built up areas which haven't been PRed and could create problems if rally cars appear there. They can be defined as a whole grid square, or a fraction of a square, the northern half or the south-western quarter for instance. They can also be identified by a map reference which is the centre of a circle with a set radius, e.g. 500m of 123456 ,giving a no-go area extending 500m in all directions from that plot. Competitors will usually be excluded for entering a blackspot.

Giveways

Rule K.14.2 stipulates that an organiser must provide to competitors the location of all Stop and Give Way junctions along the route and any other junctions at which crews will be expected to stop.

The Give Way rule, put simply, requires a competing car to stop at give way junctions - all forward motion must cease (K.14.2.1). Note that this is a tighter interpretation than is normally used for a give way in everyday driving, where you simply have to be prepared to stop.

A few of these junctions will be manned by a Judge of Fact, they will decide whether any crew has failed to stop. Any crew breaching the rule should in theory be excluded from the event, however it's now common practice for a warning to be given for a first offence on a rally as long as failure wasn't too blatant- but don't rely on this, it's a very annoying way to go out of an event.

In exceptional cases the rule that all forward motion must stopped is relaxed to the normal Highway Code principle of being prepared to stop. This can only be for a junction in a Quiet Zone and only with the local Rally Liason Officer's approval (K.14.2.1).