Navigating November 2010

A Trialling Time!

The November run will consist of a car trial. You have already had the straight line map and for this run we will have navigational instructions. We’re finishing at a domain so bring your picnic lunch, and after lunch a run back to town, stopping at Dunsandel for tea and coffee.

The trial will be conducted over mainly sealed roads. Remember that trials are organised by people who are a bit pedantic so you will need to follow the guide below. You may see cars going a slightly different way to you but that is normal.

You will be provided with a set of rules when you arrive at the Princess Margaret car park. Always good fun so come along and have a go.

Guide

Basically a car trial is about following an accurate set of written instructions whilst maintaining an average speed for the duration of the run.

For November, the average speed will be 60 kilometres per hour (1 km per minute overall) or for those of us in older cars .62 of a mile each minute. (If you prefer you make it 1 mile in 1 minute and 37 seconds).

The instructions will be accurate and each one must be completed before you start the next as each one is separate.

In the instructions, words and/or letters/numbers in CAPITALS refer to signs and will contain the exact spelling of the sign referred to (numbers are always considered to be capitals). If the sign you encounter is not as quoted, you just follow the road of least deviation until you find it or a CHECK board, which will tell you what to do next.

Some Sample Instructions

1. go right at LINCOLN ROAD

    means you are looking for a sign that has ROAD spelt in full. RD will not do, so if that is what it is — ignore the sign and keep going straight ahead.

2. go right at crossroads

    means go right at a junction of 4 roads. Not 3 or 5.

3. proceed ahead at McLEANS RD

    means look for a sign that says MLEANS RD as the c was not a capital.

4. go left at SOUTHBRIDGE 5 KM

    means just that.

5. go right at

    means you are to go right at a sign the same as the pictogram.

And so on. All you need is be accurate and trust that the plotter has got it right. Most of the instructions are very straight forward but the plotter will try and trap you with instructions like 1 and 3. He will reward you with a CHECK that you will write down and we will find a winner by working out who has recorded most CHECKS and is closest to the average speed.

Most of the trial will be on sealed roads but we may have to use a very small bit of gravel to make the route work. We will be going south of Christchurch and will finish part one at a domain. The trial will finish here. Bring your own lunch. We will then head back to Christchurch via a nice little coffee shop.

So there you have it.

If you want to bring a map with you, all of the route will be covered by KIWIMAPS 250 series map 13 of 18. Or 90% of the route will be on Land Information maps 260 M36 and M37 (1 map) and 260 L36. The other 10% is on the edge of the maps and will pose no problems.

See you there. Contact details below.