RULES - ALL CLUB EVENTS, ROAD RUNS, CAMPING  AND TRIALS.

The CLUB is affiliated to Motorsport UK (previously known as MSA) and is governed by their rules as set out in the The Motorsport UK Yearbook, commonly known as the Blue Book , available to view online

GENERAL

• MOTOR SPORT IS DANGEROUS and all drivers and spectators must exercise due care and attention. In particular children must be kept out of danger.  
• Members should uphold the good reputation of H4WDC at all events and when displaying a H4WDC sticker. Members should always respect any rules/requests of the land or campsite owner. Should the committee receive complaints from members of the public the committee will decide on the appropriate action to be taken. Should anyone wish to discuss any such matters, please contact a committee member. The committee reserves the right to suspend membership at any time. 
• Drivers will be responsible for the behaviour of any non-member passengers.
• Dogs must be kept on a lead.
• There must be no smoking in vehicles while competing and smokers should be alert to the risk of fire at all times.
• There must be no alcohol consumed by anyone on the site or during the event.
• During the day and in particular at the end of the day, members should assist the CoC by collecting canes, disposing of rubbish and doing anything else necessary to tidy up the site as much as possible.
• Drivers must be at least 17 years of age and passengers must be 16 or over.
• All drivers and passengers must wear seatbelts if fitted or required for a vehicle of that age. It is recommended that they wear helmets for off-road events.

VEHICLES

ALL VEHICLES MUST:-

• Be in good mechanical condition.
• Have all wheels covered by bodywork or wings when seen from above.  Have strong tow points front and rear, and carry an adequate tow rope.
• Have the battery firmly secured and have the non-earth terminal covered.
• Have a return spring fitted to the final link to the throttle.
• Have whip aerials removed or securely fixed.
• Be adequately silenced.
• Have all contents firmly stowed.

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• Have arrangements to minimise fuel spillage in the event of a rollover. Whatever tank is USED must not leak and must be firmly fitted in a safe position with the proper filling sealing and venting equipment in place. Tanks with sealed filler cap must have a vent pipe that is fitted with a non-spill valve, tap or other device.
• It is recommended that all participating vehicles carry a first aid kit and fire extinguisher.

CONDUCT OF EVENTS

All participants must SIGN ON on the required forms, pay their entry fee and produce a current MEMBERSHIP CARD if required. By signing on they are deemed to have understood and accepted the rules of the MSA.  

All vehicles must pass scrutineering before signing on and the CoC will hold a drivers meeting before the start of the event.

OFF-ROAD TRIALS;

• Vehicles may be driven by more than one driver at the discretion of the CoC as to how many.
• In order to save time and ease the burden on the CoC, especially in winter, drivers should be aware of when it is their turn to drive and be in their vehicles, ready to start as soon as instructed. Vehicles of the same class will usually run one after the other in the same order, although the vehicles going first will change on each section. 
• Competitors will be given a score for each section, which is the sum of the penalties they incur. At the end of the day these penalties are totalled and the lowest score is the winner, receiving 12 championship points (CH.P). The second lowest score receives 11 CH.P and so on. This is done for each class separately. These PROVISIONAL results should be made available to competitors as soon as possible at the end of the day and put on display at a declared time. Competitors then have thirty minutes from the declared time to examine the results. If they feel aggrieved they may speak to the CoC, who will seek to explain or resolve their grievance. There is normally a “PROTEST FEE” payable but this will be waived unless the matter has to be put to the STEWARD. At the end of thirty minutes the results will be declared FINAL and will stand as correct even if some mistake is later found (save only for any unresolved protest).
• A member cannot compete in more than one class on the day.

CLASSES

Classes are based on wheelbase;

      LWB            100” and above

      SWB            under 100” wheelbase

RTV trials; will be run at certain events only, subject to demand. These are for standard road vehicles, the course designed so that it is possible to be driven without causing damage to the vehicle.

OFFICIALS

Members of the CLUB take it in turn to organise each event and to act as CLERK OF THE COURSE (CoC) there is one CoC for the STANDARD CLASS and another for the OPEN CLASS. 

The CoC may not compete and in order that his scores in the annual competition do not suffer, he is awarded maximum championship points as if he had won the event. These points  Page 2.

can only be claimed once in every year. They are valid for both club and class championships. The CoC must nominate on the day which class they will be applied to.

CLERK OF THE COURSE has overall responsibility for, and control of the meeting. He will set up the sections, organise the competitors and run the event but he may nominate others to assist him in his duties. The duties of SECRETARY OF THE MEETING, SCRUTINEER and MARSHAL may all be assumed by the CoC. He may at anytime cancel or alter any part of the course if he considers this necessary on account of weather or ground conditions, safety or any other reason. 

STEWARD OF THE MEETING cannot combine the duties of any other official. He will adjudicate in any matter of dispute between Officials and Competitors and ensure that all regulations and conditions are adhered to. 

ANNUAL RESULTS AND TROPHIES

In December the years’ results will be examined, winners declared and trophies awarded according to the following rules.

ANNUAL CLASS CHAMPIONSHIP

The winner in each class will be the person who scores most CH.P points during the year. Only the best nine results are to count and all points are eligible, regardless of the number of competitors on the day.

ANNUAL CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

The only points eligible in this championship are those scored at a trial where there were at least THREE competitors in the class at the start of the day. The best NINE results are to count and all results in all classes can count.

TROPHIES

These will be awarded to the club champion and to first, second and third places in each class as long as that person has competed  IN AT LEAST 4 TRIALS AND ACTED AS AN OFFICIAL (COC, Scrutineer, or organising an off-road run) IN AT LEAST ONE EVENT DURING THAT YEAR.

Notice that you can win a place and perhaps a Trophy in more than one class in the same year.

All winners of Perpetual Trophies (i.e. Returnable at the end of the year.) will also receive a trophy to be retained by them.

Participation in an event such as an off-road run or non-competitive event / fun challenge will earn the driver 6 points towards the club championship, in the class they normally attend

CONCLUSION

All references in these rules, which imply the MALE gender, shall be construed as referring to all persons.

Rev 26.12.18

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SCORING RULES

1. Each TRIAL will normally consist of eight sections with a minimum of eight gates per section.
2. GATES will normally be at least THREE metres wide so as not to present an obstacle in themselves but to indicate the route to be taken (this may depend upon terrain). They will be attempted in the order and direction indicated, without stopping and with the vehicle travelling forwards. Right hand canes are RED, left hand canes are BLUE unless the CoC says otherwise.
3. All vehicles must start the section from a STATIONARY position with the foremost part of the vehicle inline with the start gate. There is no requirement to be square onto the start gate. Reversing from this position will incur one penalty point.
4. A gate is CLEARED when the whole vehicle has passed through or over it; it is then dead for scoring purposes (note that “CLEARED” does not imply zero penalties). In the case of the LAST GATE it is only necessary to get half of one footprint through. If you wish to take advantage of this concession you must STOP and REMAIN STOPPED UNDER CONTROL until the CoC has indicated that he is satisfied. The last gate should be marked in some distinctive fashion. If you choose to drive through the last gate without stopping you will be penalised for any canes you hit.
5. A vehicle COMPLETES the course when it clears the last gate or FAILS after three attempts at an obstacle. The whole area between two gates is one obstacle.
6. On FAILING, your score will be the points so far collected (including your three attempts at the obstacle). PLUS three for every uncleared gate ahead of you. If you surrender without making three attempts at an obstacle you are deemed to have done so.
7. A vehicle may not CROSS ITS TRACKS. This is where any part of a footprint lies on top of an

earlier footprint in that obstacle. You may cross your tracks in a shunt.                                                                              

EXAMPLES

• Canes placed in the form of a cross indicate a line of infinite length through their bases which is the boundary of the course in that obstacle. Any part of a footprint over the line will cost five points each time. Boundaries marked by tape indicate a DANGER area and any part of a footprint over that line will incur a fail at that point.
• Hitting a GATE CANE cost two points each but there is only one penalty per cane. MISSING a gate completely costs five points unless one footprint passes between the canes or over one of them. If all four footprints pass outside the cane the penalty is five points even though the vehicle may hit the cane.
• Spectator, passenger or mechanical assistance will be penalised as a fail at that point.

Passengers leaning out of window will incur this penalty.

1. Failing to comply with an official instruction will incur a fail at that point.
2. Every time a vehicle stops when going forward it will cost one point and be deemed as an attempt at the obstacle. Every stop in reverse (after the first) will cost one point. A vehicle stops when it ceases to move forward (or backward) even though it may be moving in another direction and the wheels may be spinning. You must immediately stop the wheels from turning on penalty of five points for damaging the course.
3. If a section is designated a HILL CLIMB all gates will be at least 4 metres wide; only one attempt is allowed and you will fail when you stop; touch a cane or have all four footprints outside the canes.  Penalties are one point for every gate uncleared.  Only half a footprint is required to clear a gate but the vehicle must be stopped and under control
4. The CoC may make minor changes to these rules to accommodate peculiarities of the ground or of the weather.  These must be explained at the relevant time.  
5. If you do not attempt a section, you will be shown as Retired, even though you may subsequently continue.  You will get no CH.P for the day. 

PENALTIES 

REMEMBER you are the driver and you are responsible for the conduct of your vehicle.  Walk all courses and if you are unsure ASK!

Rev 15.12.08

Still current 2019