In my life as a petrolhead I’ve been to a lot of car related events, and I’ve enjoyed many of them since each one gave me unforgettable experiences. Be at the track, the streets or closed stages… the events I love the most tend to be the most accessible and cheap. And its none other than Rally racing, be it the hillclimb, downhill or a mixed stage… attending a rally is certainly incomparable to other event if it comes to thrills.
In this relatively short article, I’ll be listing some of the most basic preparations and safety precautions a new rally fan should take in mind when attending their first rally. And of course… some useful hints that will only enhance their experience.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
Necessary preparations
- Punctuality & the viewing spot.
Planning the route is one of the most basic of preparations. Rallies usually begin at a fixed time, and usually 2-3 hours before the green lights turn on… the rally stages will be closed for public traffic in order to be cleared of both people, traffic and wild animals. That means that the furthest you live from the rally stage, the earlier you’ll have to wake up to make it in time to the stage before it closes to ALL transit.
If it comes to talk about viewing spots, it’s important to find where the starting line is. You can’t drive aimlessly looking for a big bright red sign that says “Rally begins here!” Inform yourself, check the stage you want to witness and of course… find a good safe spot to park* your car. If you can’t park… tough luck, park at the closest possible spot and walk the rest of the way to your viewing spot if possible.
*For the love of god, NEVER park in the outside of a corner or the end of a straight!
- Food and Water
Rally races usually don’t have fast food stands or food trucks to keep you hydrated and fed, It’s nothing like racetrack events where you can just leave the spectator stands, go eat a moldy hot dog and then go back to the spectator stands. As a spectator, it’s your own responsibility to bring your own food and drink when attending a rally event.
The night before attending the Rally, it’s important to prepare a potent lunch or a meal since it will be impossible to drive down the road while it’s closed to the public, or even walk along the course to the nearest makeshift stand. Bring as well LOTS and LOTS of water, forget about carb drinks or beers! They won’t keep you hydrated. And AVOID salty snacks if possible, they’ll only make you thirsty!
- Your viewing spot.
Among one of the many precautions that must be taken as an spectator, is to avoid positioning yourself at the exit of a curve or directly at the end of a long straight line. Rally cars may handle better than your average Vauxhall Corsa in the road, but the skill of the drivers varies and therefore… how their cars will react under certain circumstances or maneuvers. The last thing you want is to see a Rally car plowing you like a bowling pin don’t you?
Once in a safe place, I would recommend finding a comfortable spot to watch the stage. Far enough from the asphalt in case of unforeseen events, and at the same time… close enough to cheer on the drivers.
PS: To avoid having to sit directly on the ground, or prick yourself a thousand times with forest herbs, it is important to wear comfortable shoes such as sneakers/boots and avoid crocks and sandals. Long pants are also a good option to avoid annoying punctures.
If possible, take a portable cooler with you along with a plastic chair. In sunny days its also important to carry an umbrella in case there is no tree shade available, make sure as well to bring a cap, sunglasses and sunscreen… sunburns and scorching heat are no joke.
- Safety & Courtesy.
When it comes to talk about safety, I must remark that once you have found an ideal viewing spot… You need also a safe spot to park your car on. You can’t just waltz into the stage and park your car in the shoulder with hazards on; As a spectator, you must ensure your own safety and your vehicle’s safety along with the participating drivers.
Ensure to park your car in side paths along the stage, a large dirt lot or a lookout point… It will be alright as long the spot you have picked to park your car isn’t in the exit of a corner or directly placed at the end of a braking zone. There’s also another thing to take in mind when it comes to being a spectator for a rally race, remember what they told you about not littering?
By all means, bring a portable cooler and even a small grill with camping gas if you want to. Even a TV if you wish! But by the time the Rally race ends, nature around the stage doesn’t exactly clean itself up. Much less the farmer next to the rally stage will be happy about the large pile of garbage and food leftovers now sitting on his dirt field.
Always clean up everything after the rally is over! Papers, cans, food leftovers… bring a few trashbags and later dump them near garbage cans, recyling points… that guarantees it will be removed, that way the Rally will make less people unhappy and they’ll be more willing to host another edition next year!
And this is pretty much it! A short guide on how to be a proper Pysch ward patient who enjoys Rallying!
Published in How To / Advice
