Trials Course Markings

[robc]

Hi,

does anyone know if there is a UK standard for marking trials courses?

ie, at entrance is it red to the left, and blue to the right or something ?

any help appreciated,

thanks

Rob C

[jsp]

its red on the right and blue on the left then our clubman route follows white on the right

and yellow on the left

[big john]

There is no such universal marking system in the UK, but...

The Scots have the best one of all!

Big John

[hillary]

It has always been red to the right and blue to the left - for the past thousand years or so. Road route marking has always been the same, blue card with a L on it for left turn, red card with a R on it for right turn and a white card with a SO on it for straight on.

Route variations for other courses are usually down to clubs, but either a pair of whites or a pair of yellows or one of each is probably the best.

The best section marking stakes are made from window fitters 25mm D strip - it's what they use to cover up plaster damage when they've fitted new windows. The cost is around

[big john]

It has always been red to the right and blue to the left - for the past thousand years or so. Road route marking has always been the same, blue card with a L on it for left turn, red card with a R on it for right turn and a white card with a SO on it for straight on.

Route variations for other courses are usually down to clubs, but either a pair of whites or a pair of yellows or one of each is probably the best.

Indeed Hillary, but with modern multi route sections, Red and Blues cannot cope! Only useful for the SSDT and events that don't offer hard to soft routes. There should really be a common/standard system for ease and to avoid confusion!

Big John

[hillary]

Big John, Haven't got round to understanding all the Scottish trials routes, but no doubt you'll put me right when I come up to do the Ian Pollock in a few weeks. Happy New Year to you and indeed everybody else on this site.

[pete_scorpa3]

A route = Blue - Left, Red - Right.

B route = Yellow - Left, Green - Right

C route = Pairs of Whites

Lets not even think of a D route!!!

One thing you will gather from the answers to this question is that there needs to be a fixed standardised system.

Yes the Scottish system caters this very well, but sadly the ACU are reluctant to 'upset' clubs by enforcing a system different from the one they have been using for 'a thousand' years. So until our lords and masters come off the fence and stipulate a method for marking out multi route trials, we will all continue to use what ever system we have always used.

[malcra]

The variance in route marking between different clubs and different centres can send you a bit crazy, especially when there are 2 or 3 routes. Other annoying things are when some clubs mark deviations from the standard route (for harder or easier options), whilst some mark the other routes separately in the section (ie complete set of markers). For those fiddly sections in trees it can be mind-blowing.

It does seem odd that there is no standard.

[jordi]

It has always been red to the right and blue to the left - for the past thousand years or so. Road route marking has always been the same, blue card with a L on it for left turn, red card with a R on it for right turn and a white card with a SO on it for straight on.

Route variations for other courses are usually down to clubs, but either a pair of whites or a pair of yellows or one of each is probably the best.

Except in the South East, where the marking has always been pairs of white for the hard route ( or the only route years ago) then pairs of blue for the middle route, then pairs of red for the easier route.

p.s. there can also be a green or yellow even easier route.

Edited January 1, 2010 by jordi

[pete_scorpa3]

I really dislike riding events marked with pairs of colours (unless they are coloured arrows) I remember loosing a National Trail bike trial for dropping five marks when I rode between the wrong pair of whites in a very easy section.

I asked the observer why I'd got the five and he said 'you rode between those two whites, when you should have ridden through those two!' I know that going the wrong way in a section is part of trials but that one was particlarly frustrating.

My fault for not checking the correct route, but an easy mistake to make.

[jordi]

This might explain the system used in the S E Centre.

http://www.southeasttrialscombine.org.uk/2...from%202009.pdf

[pete_scorpa3]

Crickey that takes some remebering, I'd need to write that on the back of my hand to remind me when I was setting out!

[big john]

Big John, Haven't got round to understanding all the Scottish trials routes, but no doubt you'll put me right when I come up to do the Ian Pollock in a few weeks. Happy New Year to you and indeed everybody else on this site.

I'm not sure what the Pollock will use this year that is down to the clerk of the course to decide, if its a two route section format, they need only use two colours, being Red and Blue routes equivalent to the old A & B. With the usual Starts and End of section cards, we use Red for the hardest; then Blue for less severe (Sportsman) then Green (Clubman) down to Yellow (beginners and Youth C) for the easiest. That way it accomodates four routes in one sectioned area. We use coloured arrows and quite a few are doubled up within a section. It saves having cards indicating a split in the section. It is really quite simple, whatever route you enter to ride, the rider must traverse the section through all his coloured markers.

Big John

[richt]

I struggle with just red & blue;

Red on right Blue on left.

After some years working on aircraft and being told to remember the saying 'Port is Red and on the Left'

So for me it's right to be wrong and port is not red.

HELP!

[chr155_d]

I'm not sure what the Pollock will use this year that is down to the clerk of the course to decide, if its a two route section format, they need only use two colours, being Red and Blue routes equivalent to the old A & B. With the usual Starts and End of section cards, we use Red for the hardest; then Blue for less severe (Sportsman) then Green (Clubman) down to Yellow (beginners and Youth C) for the easiest. That way it accomodates four routes in one sectioned area. We use coloured arrows and quite a few are doubled up within a section. It saves having cards indicating a split in the section. It is really quite simple, whatever route you enter to ride, the rider must traverse the section through all his coloured markers.

Big John

I Could not fault the new marking sytem That was first "trialed" at Craiglash for the scottish championship by Bon-Accord, So simple and if it Became universal life would be so much easier for all involved. Suppose the main issue of change is the cost to a club!