Trip Ratings

[Phantomzook]

There seems to be a lot of confusion on this topic.
Are there any set guide lines? I.e. a stock vehicle with decent AT's should be able to drive up to medium trips with little to no assistance (recovery).

Perhaps a number scale out of ten

Easy 1-4 road tires stock cars

Medium 5-8 AT's Some Mods required or desired and possible likely recovery, dents at 7, 8

Hard 8+ A chance of falling over.

Then trips could be rated easy/med 1-6

I sure I have missed a lot of other aspects
What are people thoughts?

[mightymouse]

the problem seems to be that we have more "sleepy" cars on easy trips than hard ones

Perhaps

1/2 passenger sleeps during trip ( cj and steve not allowed )
3/4 jesus bar used - finger marks on/in dashboard ( cj and steve have to promise to be good )
5/6 passenger to be in state of mild agitation ( raised pulse, quaver in voice )
7/8 passenger on continuous lookout for places to get out ( usually deathly silence in cabin )
9/10 passenger never seen again ( parting words - you guys are nuts..... )
10+ passenger doesn't even bother with parting words

I think i'm joking...... but then again.

[christover1]

May need to add trailerable ratings too, as we all get softer

Any rating 1 - 10 could mean a Frog lie down anyway

Tho this may change with new suspension parts

[robsjimny]

Not that I go on many trips but my 2 cents on it is. I like the way it is. Sometimes you may get a car that is not setup for the trip but it adds to the fun recoveries etc. In the end I quess it's up to the trip leader.


Rob

[christover1]

Not that I go on many trips but my 2 cents on it is. I like the way it is. Sometimes you may get a car that is not setup for the trip but it adds to the fun recoveries etc. In the end I quess it's up to the trip leader.


Rob

I agree, but as I lust after harder trips, it doesn't bother me.
Long term trip going has also taught me what to expect from most trip leaders and/or areas.
But it may be a bigger issue for others.
I reckon encouraging people to dicuss the trip with the trip leader is a good idea.
Many clubs are adopting a standard system, so if any changes are made, this should be considered.

christover

[muppet_man67]

I think the confusion stems because we tend to rate our trips more on vehicle capability rather then pucker factor. New members on easy trips are often challenged beyond what they were expecting. it can end up making us look a bit hard core. That said im not sure that we need to change anything. We would never do any trips that most other clubs would rate as an easy because we are a drivers club.

[gwagensteve]

I have always worked on the the following rough guide.

As Sam said, trips, to my mind, are rated on what car can complete the trip rather than what I think a driver is capable of, because that's too hard to anticipate.

I am confident that if the dynamic of the trip is right, no one will crack it and we will keep the group moving, even if a member actually thinks the track is beyond them. I don't think this is possible to totally avoid.

Easy - Lots of bypasses, no serious chance of significant vehicle damage for a standard vehicle. low likelihood of recovery.

Medium - Maybe some technical bypasses or some moderately difficult sections of track that can't be bypassed, but for a reasonably driven car, low likelihood of damage. Standard vehicle still able to drive the day. Recovery may be likely for more standard cars, but the trip should not involve any seriously risky lines etc.

Hard- Day is predominantly about technical driving. Likely to be no bypasses for difficult sections of track. Damage is possible even for a skilled driver. Aftermarket equipment such as gearing and locking diffs recommended.

The catch is that some of us will find every opportunity to turn an easy trip into a hard trip and we all know someone who runs hard trips in a nearly stock car and does fine.

We are a small group and will always have a diverse range of drivers and cars on any one trip. I wouldn't run any trip that didn't allow some opportunity to play, as that discriminates against more experienced/advanced members and will then mean they don't participate, reducing the number of cars on trips and limiting their feasibility.

I can't help that new members significantly underestimate the ability of their vehicles and their driving ability.

The problem with making ore complex trip ratings is the possibility that one persons 8 is another persons 6.... Its almost 100% interpretive. When I run a trip I am confident that once I know who is going we can run a route that will work with the group that's coming. I will tune the route to the group that signs up. That might mean that a trip that was advertised as a 5 might become a 7 if the group is right, or vice versa. I like that a lot about our club, but it works against complex trip rating schemes.

No offence intended, but the fact is that new members generally have a poor conception of what a trip rating is and so I don't get too hung up on a new member coming to me after a trip and saying "that wasn't easy/medium" - sure, it might not have been for them, but that's what I call an easy/medium trip and all of mine will be like that. I can't run a trip that's easy medium in the eyes of a new member because I don't know what they're expecting.

Steve.

[Phantomzook]

Perhaps then we could rate the trip leader.

Easily coerced if in the company of certain others.
Sometime distracted by sidetracks.
Very pleasant and helpful unless its raining.
Etc etc

[christover1]

Perhaps then we could rate the trip leader.

Easily coerced if in the company of certain others.
Sometime distracted by sidetracks.
Very pleasant and helpful unless its raining.
Etc etc

This could all depend on which words the sites filter would let us use

[mightymouse]

"Alternative" trip rating scheme.........

5 - trip doesn't stop for lunch /drinks /acts of god
4 - sandwiches / rolls must be pre filled, drinks pre warmed/cooled, preferably eaten during recovery operations
3 - lunch involves "putting heat to the meat", water may be boiled, no particular time /location
2 - lunch involves extensive use of folding furniture / appliances / plates, at least two drink options. Targeted time /location
1 - lunch takes up to 2 hours and involves candles and white linen, wine list optional. Destination more important than journey