Rally Glossary

RALLY GLOSSARY

This glossary provides definitions of a number of commonly used Route Instruction terms. These definitions become official for SIR/SCCA rally Route Instructions when they are not included as part of the individual rally's General Instructions.

ACUTE A turn of substantially more than 90 degrees at an intersection.

AT "Even with" for speed changes, mileages, etc; "in the vicinity of" for turn instructions, etc.

BEAR A turn of substantially less than 90 degrees at an intersection where there exists more than one opportunity to turn in the direction indicated.

BEFORE Any navigational aid identified by the use of the word "before" shall be visible from the execution point of the instruction.

BLINKER A warning signal, as at a highway or railway intersection, consisting of a light or lights, usually red or yellow, operating in an alternating sequence of off and on.

CAST Change Average Speed To.

CLOSED
  CONTROL See "passage control."

CROSS To go straight across. To cross a divided highway is to cross both halves of it.

CROSSROAD An intersection at which two public roads cross each other at grade level at approximately right angles.

FREE ZONE A part of the timed rally route in which there are no timing controls.

GAIN To make up a specified time during passage of a specified distance. The gain time is subtracted from the time required at the given average speed to traverse the specified distance. The specified distance in which a gain is operative is a free zone.

INTERSECTION Any meeting or crossing of two or more public roads.

LEFT A turn to the left from 1 to 179 degrees.

LEG The part of a rally route extending form one timing control to the next, of from an assigned starting time to the next timing control.

MILEAGE,
  APPROXIMATE The distance from the start of a section to a point along the rally route given to within 0.1 miles.

MILEAGE,
  OFFICIAL The distance from the start of a section to a point along the rally route given to within 0.01 miles.

OPPORTUNITY The word opportunity must be used in conjunction with the direction to be followed, either right, left, or straight. When counting an opportunity, entrants will only count those in which they have been instructed to go.

OPEN CONTROL A control where entrants are required to stop.

PASSAGE
  CONTROL A control, timed or untimed, where entrants are not required to stop.

PAUSE To delay a specified time at a named point or during passage of a specified distance. The pause time is added to the time required at the given average speed to traverse the specified distance. The specified distance in which a pause is operative is a free zone.

PAVED A road having a hard surface such as concrete, brick, macadam, etc.

PICK UP To go essentially straight onto a new road, route, or surface.

RIGHT A turn to the right from 1 to 179 degrees.

SECTION Any part of a rally route at the beginning of which the official mileage is zero and at the end of which the official mileage ends or reverts to zero.

SR Sign Reading (in full).

SRIP Sign Reading In Part.

SRIT Sign Reading In Total.

STOP An official octagonal Stop sign at which the rally car is obliged to stop.

T An intersection having the general shape of the letter "T" as approached from the base. It is not possible to go straight at a "T."

TRAFFIC LIGHT A signal light used on highways, especially at an intersection to regulate movement of traffic. A traffic light may be set to operate as a blinker but is usually fixed, alternating red and green (and frequently including yellow as a transition between green and red) indicating stop and go (and caution).

TRANSIT ZONE A part of a rally route in which there are no timing controls and in which no specific speed need be maintained. Either an exact time for passage, or a restart time from the end of the transit zone must be given. An approximate distance for the length of the transit zone is desirable.

TRIANGLE
  or "Y-T" An intersection of three roads in the general shape of a triangle or inverted delta, including within the intersection a generally untraveled, grass, gravel, or other surface. It is not possible to go straight at a triangle.

TURN To make a change of course or direction at an intersection which would not have been made in the absence of the turn instruction. A turn shall not be executed by going straight.

UNPAVED A road having a non-hard surface such as broken stone, gravel, dirt, etc.

Y An intersection have the general shape of the letter "Y" as approached from the base. It is not possible to go straight at a "Y."

Revisions incorporating all prior amendments:

June 12, 1979 Don Johnson

June 8, 1981 Barry Schonberger

May 18, 1982 Fred Pendley

June 14, 1985 Fred Pendley

March 18, 1986 Fred Pendley

May 1, 1990 Fred Pendley

December 1, 1990 Bob Sonntag

March 28, 1997 Bob Sonntag
(no changes, just reprinted)


ACUTE	A turn of substantially more than 90 degrees at an intersection.
AT	"Even with" for speed changes, mileages, etc; "in the vicinity of" for turn instructions, etc.
BEAR	A turn of substantially less than 90 degrees at an intersection where there exists more than one opportunity to turn in the direction indicated.
BEFORE	Any navigational aid identified by the use of the word "before" shall be visible from the execution point of the instruction.
BLINKER	A warning signal, as at a highway or railway intersection, consisting of a light or lights, usually red or yellow, operating in an alternating sequence of off and on.
CAST	Change Average Speed To.
CLOSED CONTROL	See "passage control."
CROSS	To go straight across. To cross a divided highway is to cross both halves of it.
CROSSROAD	An intersection at which two public roads cross each other at grade level at approximately right angles.
FREE ZONE	A part of the timed rally route in which there are no timing controls.
GAIN	To make up a specified time during passage of a specified distance. The gain time is subtracted from the time required at the given average speed to traverse the specified distance. The specified distance in which a gain is operative is a free zone.
INTERSECTION	Any meeting or crossing of two or more public roads.
LEFT	A turn to the left from 1 to 179 degrees.
LEG	The part of a rally route extending form one timing control to the next, of from an assigned starting time to the next timing control.
MILEAGE, APPROXIMATE	The distance from the start of a section to a point along the rally route given to within 0.1 miles.
MILEAGE, OFFICIAL	The distance from the start of a section to a point along the rally route given to within 0.01 miles.
OPPORTUNITY	The word opportunity must be used in conjunction with the direction to be followed, either right, left, or straight. When counting an opportunity, entrants will only count those in which they have been instructed to go.
OPEN CONTROL	A control where entrants are required to stop.
PASSAGE CONTROL	A control, timed or untimed, where entrants are not required to stop.
PAUSE	To delay a specified time at a named point or during passage of a specified distance. The pause time is added to the time required at the given average speed to traverse the specified distance. The specified distance in which a pause is operative is a free zone.
PAVED	A road having a hard surface such as concrete, brick, macadam, etc.
PICK UP	To go essentially straight onto a new road, route, or surface.
RIGHT	A turn to the right from 1 to 179 degrees.
SECTION	Any part of a rally route at the beginning of which the official mileage is zero and at the end of which the official mileage ends or reverts to zero.
SR	Sign Reading (in full).
SRIP	Sign Reading In Part.
SRIT	Sign Reading In Total.
STOP	An official octagonal Stop sign at which the rally car is obliged to stop.
T	An intersection having the general shape of the letter "T" as approached from the base. It is not possible to go straight at a "T."
TRAFFIC LIGHT	A signal light used on highways, especially at an intersection to regulate movement of traffic. A traffic light may be set to operate as a blinker but is usually fixed, alternating red and green (and frequently including yellow as a transition between green and red) indicating stop and go (and caution).
TRANSIT ZONE	A part of a rally route in which there are no timing controls and in which no specific speed need be maintained. Either an exact time for passage, or a restart time from the end of the transit zone must be given. An approximate distance for the length of the transit zone is desirable.
TRIANGLE or "Y-T"	An intersection of three roads in the general shape of a triangle or inverted delta, including within the intersection a generally untraveled, grass, gravel, or other surface. It is not possible to go straight at a triangle.
TURN	To make a change of course or direction at an intersection which would not have been made in the absence of the turn instruction. A turn shall not be executed by going straight.
UNPAVED	A road having a non-hard surface such as broken stone, gravel, dirt, etc.
Y	An intersection have the general shape of the letter "Y" as approached from the base. It is not possible to go straight at a "Y."


June 12, 1979	Don Johnson
June 8, 1981	Barry Schonberger
May 18, 1982	Fred Pendley
June 14, 1985	Fred Pendley
March 18, 1986	Fred Pendley
May 1, 1990	Fred Pendley
December 1, 1990	Bob Sonntag
March 28, 1997	Bob Sonntag (no changes, just reprinted)