FYI only: my letter to PRB re: Notes
Dear PRB,
I'm writing about my recent experiences with Stage Notes at Oregon Trail. We really enjoyed using them, but there are some things that could be improved. Here's a list of suggestions for improvement:
Print them on very, very light colored paper. Some people have red map lights and couldn't read the printing on the green paper. Dark colors also make it difficult to highlight, and underlining already has significance so it can't be used as a substitute for highlighting.
Print an O.K. sign on the back of the stage note books. (You might consider a red cross too, but that may be prohibitive in cost.) Most co-drivers batten down the route book when they pick up the stage notes so there's less stuff floating around the cabin, but if they've got to jump out for a tire change or something, it would be great to have a convenient OK sign already available while reaching for the triangle and lug wrench.
The right-most column showing the instruction numbers from the route book should be bigger. This relates to the same reading problem as before. Make the font the same size as the instructions themselves. While people shouldn't need to rely on these numbers, using the numbers helps competitors get back on track should they get lost in the notes. Since many people are just now learning to use stage notes, it's important we help them as much as possible so they can develop their skills more quickly. Let's face it--if you get lost on the first page of 14, you're probably lost for the duration unless you have instruction numbers and numbered course arrows available.
Allow us to enter some "administrative stuff" in the stage notes. One example: since we can't write in the books, it becomes more difficult to locate broken cars on the stage. This was a big problem at Cherokee Trails--we knew cars were off, but not sure which numbers or where. Let us scribble in "248" near mileage 4.54 so we can report to the FTC workers.
Administrative stuff, continued: Many codrivers make notes in the route book as to their start time, end time, stage desired ATC arrival time, and even miles to service. At Oregon we had to jump back and forth between the route book (where you could make calculations) and the stage notes (where you couldn't write.)
Here's an easy solution that won't open the flood gates: at the beginning and end of each stage in the notes, include a quarter page box labeled "For Competitor Use" where codrivers can do this sort of housekeeping. By restricting the space allowed you're minimizing the dreaded risk of pace notes, while making it easier for codrivers to do their work.
I made this request at Oregon Trail, and I make it again: please allow us to transfer tulip diagrams from the route book to the stage notes. This will make it easier for competitors to get back on track if they get lost: all they need to do is look for obvious tulips like intersections. If you're worried about people adding their own pace notes (admit it, I know you are!) allow people only to draw tulips, and (obviously) only tulips from the route book. When we get to rallies that don't number their course arrows--or worse, don't use arrows at all--this will become especially important to help our members get up to speed. You can encourage O-controls for stage note checks (similar to Prescott's route book check last year) if you really want to police it.
There were a few compound instructions where one couldn't tell if they were one big instruction or two complex instructions separated by space. I guess what I'm asking is that the spacing be increased between complex instructions like "R3<Xlg/cr into L3>2-" so it's clearly "R3<Xlg/cr into L3>2-". NOTE TO WEB READERS: the blank spaces in the original letter are automatically trimmed out by the discussion board software
I've heard the manufacturer teams want us to change the stage note format to something they've used before. While they are members like the rest of us and should thus have their inputs heard, I urge you not to make any more changes only for them or based solely on their wishes. Those drivers and codrivers are experienced professionals, even more capable of learning new things than your average rallyist. Just look at the results from last year to see how well they adapted to blind rallies. I'm confident they can adapt with equal facility to the new style of navigation aids known as stage notes.
To summarize these requests:
Print the notes on white light colored paper only.
Use a larger font size for the routebook instruction number.
Allow us to write in car numbers of disabled vehicles in the stage notes, along with other adminstrative stuff.
Give us a 1/4 page box at the beginning and end of each stage in the stage notes for us to write administrivia like arrival times, stage times, etc.
Allow us to transfer tulip diagrams from the route book to the stage notes.
Increase the spacing between unrelated complex instructions.
Listen to the manufacturers, but do what is best for the members too.
In closing, thanks for bringing stage notes to the U.S. Now that we know how they are numbered, how they work, and the language of the notation, I think we can all go faster and safer down those wonderful dirt roads. These minor tweaks will make them even safer for our competitors to use and I encourage you to authorize them before the next ProRally.
Sincerely,
John Dillon
ClubRally Steward
