Buying maps

[Rallynavigator]

A total over kill on my part but I always buy 3 of every map. I plot the service , chase and rally car routes if i have them to hand and distribute to all relevant crews. All vehicles then have the relevant information.
What do you do ?

[expat]

Nowadays nothing!
The sort of events I usually do these days typically have centralised service, and chase cars are not allowed. Only the rally car moves, and a map, pre-printed with the rally route, is supplied by the organiser, with a copy for service in case we need recovery. We really don't need anything else. The most I have to cope with now is a remote refuel point; very easy.

This is a shame because I used to think I was good at the service planning side of things. With a couple of vans plus chase car all moving around it was important for everyone to be clear what they had to do. So I would provide maps showing all vehicles movements, planned service locations plus alternatives in case my preferred spot was taken, areas where the service should not go, or where servicing was not allowed, etc. On top of that I produced a written plan to explain everything. Where everyone had to be. When they had to be there. The route they should take, the average speed they needed to get there on time. When they would be driving against rally route. Contingency plans for each planned service if the rally car was late, or required major work - what would be the minimum to do, and (how) could both rally car and service try to make up lost time, should another van or chase change schedule to cover the next service. That sort of thing. Contingency plans were also more complex when there was more than 1 rally car in the team. I did one ERC event where our service team had 8 vans and 5 chase cars, covering ourselves and 4 other rally cars. It was virtually guaranteed that someone would be late somewhere, and that couldn't be allowed to wreck everyone else's event.

All that has disappeared from my rallying in recent years, making co-driving a less skilled and less enjoyable job. On top of this movement plan of course there was the service plan, tyre choices, fuel requirements etc. Those may still be needed but that is another story.

I don't think 3 of each map is overkill at all if everyone is moving around. How is the service going to get to the right place if they have no map? Even if they are not moving, how are they going to find you if you need recovery?

[Rallynavigator]

I often wonder if the information I give out is to much though. This is my role and i don't think i will change

[expat]

Just ask yourself whether the service crew could do their job properly without that info. If they could, you can cut back - as I have done.
Of course, the other problem is that even if you give out important information there is no way to guarantee that the service crew will read it. If they don't you are wasting your time anyway.