Taking the scenic route

[ripper7777777]

Ok at our last comp we had a few people avoid a reverse penalty by driving way off course, down the hill, through the creek and back up to the gate.

Is this legal and if it is can they take any route to get back to the next uncleared gate? Because they are of course trying to avoid any live gates.

I know boundaries aren't required in course layout which is good because it would be sometimes difficult to lay out a boundary line on solid rock.

We have decided to try and make the time limit real tight to avoid this style of driving.


Any tips or recommendations would be great.

[Reflection]

It is legal if you don't put a boundary. Boundaries and time limits work. Boundaries on a solid rock slab are easy. A simple chalk like works very well or a piece of rope.

[jfraymond]

just buy a box of those big ass sidewalk chalks.....they lay a nice OB line on rock.

[ripper7777777]

Cool, we we are going to try the time limit thing, but I'm betting boundaries will be needed, it's just annoying to be judging and than have to follow the vehicle around the course again all to avoid a reverse penalty.

The chaulk sounds like a good idea, we tried rope in other events and sometimes the wind gusts would blow it all over the place.

and hell after words we could get a game of hopscotch going.

[Greatscott]

Bah!!! Going way off course is how those of us yet to get a dig gets around some tight spots.

[joesbruiser]

This i all part of the great battle between course designer and driver.It will be a on going battle for ever and I think its half the fun.

I am here to tell you if I can find a way around a rough section that is going to eat up 2 min. I do not care how far out of the way it is if I can play it out in my head and it is going to cut down on time that's the way I am going.

Here is a example of what the course designer intended and it chewed up a ton of time and then how I went around (there was no boundaries to stop me) and it took half the time and the same penalties.That leaves that much more time to finish the course.

First 2 min of EeePee's run to make progress on 2 gates.
My run only took 1 min to get to the same point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpimrOOAxiQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2axBQRbtli4

[Rockcrawler]

Originally Posted by joesbruiser

This i all part of the great battle between course designer and driver.It will be a on going battle for ever and I think its half the fun.

I am here to tell you if I can find a way around a rough section that is going to eat up 2 min. I do not care how far out of the way it is if I can play it out in my head and it is going to cut down on time that's the way I am going.

I agree with Joe. Thats what the 35 and 45t motors are for.

We use boundary lines or markers at almost every comp we have just for this reason.

[JPH Racing]

Yep, it's just part of Comp strategy and course management on the drivers part ... Might piss off the course designer, but that's life! Unless it's covered in the driver's meeting and a route is discussed, it's all fair game for those thinking outside the box!

[binaryterror]

I learned alot that day from Joe. I made it over the cable bridge quick, but still not as fast as Joe's legal course direction.

And if you listen Matt (Crawln Coles) does mention in Farmer's run to drive around, so even the designer seen the route.

[ripper7777777]

Yea we often run gates close together to block easy alternates. But what we are running into isn't alternates it's when someone misses the turn and doesn't have dig, instead of backing up they go off course and swing out and come back at the course.

I think tighter time limits will fix this. I'm assuming that if you do go off course and go back down the hill and come back up you can than come back up any way you want just avoiding any live gates, so another words you don't have to follow the gates back to where you got off course.


But if the designer leaves a door open than it should be exploited, and usually the only ones mad are the drivers that already went that didn't see the easier alternate. On bridges we have a gate at the start and the end, because nobody seems to like my Log Jam Bridge....LOL

[Benzbuildr]

Buy more tennis balls and make a course instead of gates, or mark boundries. That way you can get those non dig having crawlers and make them pay.

[Culetto]

Just never let the course designer be the judge. Problem solved. The idea is to clear the gates. If you can make a gate but not path between the gates then go around. Forcing someone to take a reverse is not what the game is all about.

[EeePee]

Originally Posted by joesbruiser

First 2 min of EeePee's run to make progress on 2 gates.
My run only took 1 min to get to the same point.

You're welcome!

[Nabil]

Originally Posted by Culetto

Just never let the course designer be the judge. Problem solved. The idea is to clear the gates. If you can make a gate but not path between the gates then go around. Forcing someone to take a reverse is not what the game is all about.

hahahaha that sounds familiar. kinda like a bonus line we encountered somewhere hahahaha