How to find a ride

[expat]

Arising out of another topic on here, I think it may be useful to have a discussion about how to find rides. It is an issue all co-drivers have faced at some time or another, so does anyone have any bright ideas or interesting solutions?

As a novice, how did you find your first ride(s).

How did you find your current/most recent ride?

Any interesting approaches you have used along the way?

Any useful contacts you can share?

[Rallynavigator]

I would consider myself a novice only in the respect of competing within standard British championships. Although my competitive nature would like to see me abroad.

I have had around a 20+ year break from the sport were I was active in the late 80's early 90's as a competitor , as marriage and children took over.

Coming back into the sport was not as difficult as I thought. Joining a local club was priority as without it you cant compete. Support from your club is also valuable as most members compete in a motorsport discipline , and can tell you the route to take.

As with many people over the years you forget more than you realise so a small piece of advice would be contribute on a event with other club members. By doing so you can see the format, schedule, and structure of the events.

If you feel confident in these then you can look forward to entering a event yourself. How did I get back into the sport. the simple way for me was to advertise myself on web sites and forums , Twitter and Facebook to anybody who is looking for a co-driver. This was at first quite a scary thought as you don't know what your driver could be like ( as a driver ) don't feel that you should rush into the first offer. Ask for a CV if required , as you would for any job interview. As I see it you are going for a job, your role is just as valuable to the driver as is he  / she to you.

I was upfront with all my offers saying that my experience was limited and I was looking at getting into the sport again. Some drivers were put off by this as was I when it came to financial contributions. There are drivers out there that are quite willing to help the novice so to speak as we all started somewhere. I was contacted by a driver and we came to financial agreement and my event was secured

I am still active with my first driver as we seemed to get on well, both easy going and both of the mentality that we are not going to be world champions at our level of the sport, competitive yes but also serious to your view of each event . We competed on around 9 - 10 events within the first year together and around three or four with various success and sealed a championship in Class 2 in 2013 & 2014.

With confidence comes more drivers as you see the same competitors on the events and get talking to them. Relationships build and you offer yourself as a co driver if people get stuck for an event and so on. I have competed with around 5 -6 drivers over the years and had no regrets in any way.

[expat]

Interesting experience. Was it easier to find rides after you return to the sport than it was when you first started?

So you have used:
- Motor club contacts. That is how I got started also.
- Advertising your availability. I have never done this.
- Contacts made on events. That is good as neither you nor the driver are going in totally blind if you have met before.

Anything else?

It is a long time since I have searched for a ride, but back in the dim and distant past I have also tried:

- Contacting the organisers of events I wanted to do. Sometimes they knew of drivers who needed someone. This didn't work every time but I picked up some rides that way.

- Contacting drivers I would like to co-drive for. One guy I contacted like that didn't need a co-driver at that time but we became friends and later did a season together, producing my best ever result. Even if the driver I contacted didn't need a co-driver they sometimes suggested someone else I could contact. This is how I was put in touch with my current regular driver - way back in 1992!

- Rally car rental companies. Sometimes their clients need a co-driver and a couple of companies occasionally call on me. I have got some interesting rides that way but they don't call very often.

I have known co-drivers find a ride as a last-minute stand-in just by going to the start of an event and asking around. I have never done that deliberately myself, but a couple of times I have been offered rides just by being at the start of events. This happened once when I was making pace notes & running the service team for another crew (so I had done a full recce) and once when my own driver's car failed scrutineering. Not a very reliable way of getting a ride but maybe worth a shot. At least if there is a local event you fancy doing it may be worth just turning up and putting the word out at signing on.

Has anyone used any more unusual or innovative approaches?

[Rallynavigator]

Knowledge of the sport / discipline is the key to getting the rides I think. As for was it easier coming back into the sport then yes very much so. Building relationships on events is key.

The other thing I have done in the past when going on training courses from work is find the local clubs within that area, what night they meet, phone the Chairman or Secretary and invite yourself along . It is far better than sitting in a hotel room. You do have to have a little confidence and a bit about yourself to do it this way but again as I see it you are networking. As you have said nothing may come of it but it plants the seed into peoples head , and they have met you and know what you have done in the past.

Why clubs Nationally and Internationally don't have a open house policy I don't know, maybe they do but I don't see much of it. Offering joint memberships etc . Joining forces and creating events would be fantastic instead of being rivals at time.

Contacting rally schools as they at time run Junior driver academies and require experienced Navigators as mentors! 

[expat]

I never thought of inviting myself along to another club but I can see that might work. Same with getting involved with rally schools, which may also give a bit of credibility if someone doesn't know you. Both good ways of getting your name around.

Another approach I have tried is to contact drivers who appear on entry lists with TBA as co-driver. That never worked for me but you never know your luck.

Having an open house policy at a club is difficult, especially internationally. I have never known a UK club that wouldn't welcome a visitor, but where could you advertise that? In other places it seems the UK-style weekly or monthly pub get-togethers just don't happen; clubs meet for events but don't have purely social occasions except, perhaps, a meal at Christmas.

[Rallynavigator]

Another approach I have tried is to contact drivers who appear on entry lists with TBA as co-driver

One for the future I feel