[sudev]

• Race Camp is organising test TSD rally's across seven cities on Sunday, April 03, 2022
• Entry Fee: NIL
• Cities: Bengaluru / Chandigarh / Delhi / Indore / Jaipur / Kolkata / Mumbai
• Flexible start between 0900 to 1600

Many people keep asking about what is TSD rally - or the new name "Regularity" rally?

Basically in this type of event you are given a route and speed instructions which you have to follow.

Penalties are applied based on you on time performance. If you are slow you are given penalties and if you are fast then double the penalties are give.

Route is given in form of a road book containing series of instructions along with distance information. The instructions are "TULIP" diagrams that show the route from point to point as a line representation. SO for instance if you are to take a a right at cross road junction it will appear as



ROADBOOK
In a rally a roadbook is used to tell the participants about the route. The roadbooks use TULIP DIAGRAM to give directions. These are arranged in a series of instructions that are sequentially numbered. Each instruction consists of three sections as in this diagram.

• The first column gives distance information and instruction number.
  The second column shows a diagram of direction to be taken. Direction is from the bottom of the diagram towards the arrow.
  The third column gives additional information in text or in the form of diagrams as illustrated in the glossary.

All distances are in kilometres to the second place of decimal or up to 10 metres.

The big number is distance from start / instruction #1 of roadbook. The smaller number is distance from previous instruction.

The route is described by diagram and is designed to have no direction like north, east, etc.

Always read the directions from the bottom of the diagram and go in the direction of the arrow. Match the distances to read and execute instructions.

SPEED CHART
Speed information is given either on the roadbook itself or as a "speed chart" describing from to & speed to be maintained.

PENALTY
SO how are penalties calculated?
Using the formula Time = Distance / Speed we can come to know what time we should take to reach a particular distance.
Suppose you were to reach X in 00:10:32 (Ten minutes Thirty Two seconds) and you reach in 00:10:35. You have reached three seconds late and hence you are penalised THREE seconds.
On the other hand if you reach at 00:10:25 - that is seven seconds early - you are penalised FOURTEEN seconds. Or double of time you reached early.

TIME CONTROL
The time is noted at time controls that are spread throughout the route. When you arrive at a time control the time is noted and then based on starting time and time of arriving time taken is calculated and compared with IDEAL TIME (the time you should have taken) and PENALTY calculated.

Yes it does involve lots of calculations but that is some thing any one should be able to do.

Almost all control points are secret and you do not know where organisers have setup a control to check time.

CHALLANGE
Challenge is two fold.
One - not to get lost in navigating
Two - being always on time at all controls to keep penalties at lowest.

• Race Camp is organising test TSD rally's across seven cities on Sunday, April 03, 2022
• Entry Fee: NIL
• Cities: Bengaluru / Chandigarh / Delhi / Indore / Jaipur / Kolkata / Mumbai
• Flexible start between 0900 to 1600

Objective is to familiarise people with rallying. You are register for any of the events at https://forms.gle/mPn3BpYKfHisexBN9

More on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RaceCamp

[sudev]

Steps in learning to rally. True for even extend rallying.

First
Know your vehicle and ensure it complies with regulations.

In TSD Rally this is relatively simple as all road use cars are compliant. That said ensure that you have not done any modifications that are not permitted.

Ensure that you have safety triangles, first aid kit and fire extinguisher on board. Make sure that you have current PUC and insurance.

Depending on the level of event this could pose headache even if you do "minor" modification to exhaust system. Or extra lights.

Best to go with stick car.

For Speed Rally
There are many modifications and compliances that you will have to do.
Brief list includes safety roll cage as per aproved design and quality, rally seats and special seat belts with valid dates, electric circuit breaker..... Long list.

Just read regulations and ask for help. It is not only a long list is also expensive.

[sudev]

Second

Understand navigation.

In simple terms from Delhi you cannot reach Mumbai if you take the road going to Srinagar.

Biggest mistake done by new comers is to assume navigation is easy.

In a rally you do not go from start to finish by any convenient route but you have to strictly follow the route laid down by organisers This route is shared with you through the roadbook.

Typically the route would contain unexpected diversions, loops and twists to make the job of navigation even more tiresome.

Also remember all the secret time controls are on this route and established in sequence as per roadbook. Checking into a wrong control invits high penalties.

So the crew have to practice use of road book and follow it strictly without deviations.

Remember you cannot ask any bystander for directions. At the same time going off track will also upset your odometer reading.

[sudev]

Typical query from competitors:

1)Why is result on section basis, not TC number ?

A section is segment defined by two time controls. Ideal time is calculated between two controls and hence ideal time for section.

2)Why some sections are not used for results
For example TC 2 to 3 and TC 4 to 5 but TC 3 to 4 is not used

Sometimes due to expected congestion etc. organisers skip sections so that there is no undue advantage or disadvantage to any competitor.

But for all practical and navigation purposes work from control to control irrespective if section is going to count toward results or not.

3) What is the significance of GPS Accuracy on virtual marshals app? Figure should be as less as possible. Right ?

GPS accuracy is shown on Virtual Marshal app for reference. If that value hours very high the control points will not get timed.

Normal phone should have accuracy level <8~10 metre.

4) How to see advance features in Virtual Marshal app?

Topmost gives you option to change map type, calculate straight line distance and abort at any time.

The first two are useful for offroad events etc.

The second menu shows time stamps of so controls completed.


#5 What is MPL? What is ideal time?

Maximum permitted lateness: This is the time countdown that is reflected on top Virtual Marshal app

Ideal time: Based on speed chart the time expected to cover segment.

Actual time: The time taken by competitor. This when compared to ideal time gives penalty.

#6 Are GPS coordinates given? If yes then how to use them?

GPS coordinates can be input on any map app to navigate to that point in case you get lost. However in normal rally these are not provided.

[sudev]

Third

After you have mastered navigation it is time to move on to calculating time and driving to hit each checkpoint with ZERO penalties.

Can it be done? Yes.

How can this be done? With lots and lots of practice and patience.

How? Most of top navigators use apps or special (programmed function) calculators to quickly do the calculations. And they do not do it just from road book point to road book point but for every 100 metres along the way!!!

Why? Because control points are not know and they can be anywhere. SO if they ensure that they are on time at all the time they can ZERO the control. Traffic and mis-navigation can mean that they run behind and have to play catch up.

It takes time and practice but can be done.

[sudev]

Race Camp is training initiative by me to let more people get feel of rallying. It need not be speed rally which is super expensive. To start with TSD Rally itself is very entertaining and engrossing.

We are using Virtual Marshal ( www.virtualmarshal.com ) to run these events so that deployment of manpower for time control activities is eliminated. That is why we are able to offer free participation without charging any fee.

Already for this round almost seventy participants have registered for various city events.

Surely we will bring about more events later in the year.

[sudev]

BEING ON TIME

In the type of rally described - TSD / Regularity / Reliability - you cannot control distance or speed. These are given. All you can control is speed.

But can you? If the speed chart says drive at 25.5 kmph for 12.9 kilometres. How will you manage? Your speedo is not that accurate. You will have to brake for curves, turns and other traffic.

SO actually what you can get guidance from is time.

How? Work out time in which you should cover X distance and then when you have covered X you check how fast or slow you were and accordingly keep adjusting.

X here could be every 100 metre or 500 metre. You keep modulating your driving based on early late and ensure that you hit all controls at very little deviation thus earning very little penalties.

Easy. Peasy?

Try and find out yourself