My best ways how to experience rallies

[Rallyper]

I see the need of this thread after watching the "Oliver Solberg" thread. The way how to spectate seems to engage.

Maybe get new fans ideas how to spectate.

I certainly hope experts like my friends Hartusvuori and Pantealex want to share their experiences in this thread.

Welcome!

[AnttiL]

- Plan in advance where to go, watch onboard videos and maps, plan where to park and how long to walk
- Dress well according to weather, maybe even pack spare clothing that you can change on if you are sweaty or wet from rain
- Pack food and drink.
- If necessary, come well ahead of time if walking on stage is needed but restricted
- Go to location, wait.
- Talk to other people on the stage, even if you don't know them in advance :)
- Respect the marshalls and other rally organizers.
- Watch rally, enjoy.
- Don't litter, pack all the trash and empty cans etc with you. And if you notice something left by someone else, pick that up as well.
- Go to next stage or home.

[meh]

When I had (read: I took) more time for watching rally on site - we did "recce" ourselves. You can call it "oldschool onboard videos" :)

This gives good insight what kind of roads they actually drive and later you can see, how and how fast they drive. You can not do it in every country. So, context Estonia.

It also gives you also good "iffy" places - once I got fooled by visual ahead me - going a bit uphill and you can see behind this hill another uphill road which gives you visual, that it's straight road. But it was not. I got confused and got a bit scared with my road car with normal speed. I said that we come here. We did. It was 7 off's there (if I remember correctly) + a lot of moments. And it was the exact place whrere Evans landed a bit off the road and injured his back (not in WRC, but usual South Estonia Rally or something like that).

[skarderud]

Bring a stopwatch (oldschool) or use your phone, then you can do your own splittimes.
If its rallyradio, bring something to play it on so atleast the closest ones can listen.
But, don't bring some big loudspeakers to drawn all around you with your shitty music, don't drink to much and always clean up.

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[hutchie]

Definitely recommend introducing yourself and talking to other spectators and marshals in the area. Marshals especially as they are then more likely to give you updates if stages are delayed, or they hear of any cars retired etc.

[lmmjvss]

No one here ever worked as a marshal? That should be a WIN WIN for everybody here

[flat_right]

No one here ever worked as a marshal? That should be a WIN WIN for everybody here

I have worked several times as a marshal. It's a big win, if you get to be in a place where there is no one around and you can just enjoy rally legally from very close to the stage.

It's a pain in the ass when you are in a super crowded place and there are lots of drunk people who think they can do anything and when you try to tell them something, you get an answer along the lines "Son, I have been watching rallies since you were swimming in your father's sack. Leave me alone, I know what I'm doing".

And once there was a situation, where I tried to stop a photographer to be in a very dangerous place and he told me to gtfo as supposedly they can be anywhere they want and why wasn't I briefed about this.

[AnttiL]

always clean up.

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Thanks, I forgot this from my list

[Rallyper]

If possible try to meet up with motorsportforumers on a good spot. It´s so much nicer...

[skarderud]

No one here ever worked as a marshal? That should be a WIN WIN for everybody hereMany years as marshall, both at national and international rallys.
Absolutely to recomend, nice if you can be 3-4 friends at a spot, bringing some comfort and good food.

Once, at rally Norway (2009?), me and my friends was asked to marshall a spot up in the mountains were they had put up sa "partyspot", that was quite rough. All of us has worked at bars and nightclubs, and it was like a bussy saturday evening before 12 in the morning in the middle of the mountain in february...
Never understood the thing of going out to the forrest and drink themself shitdrunk.
Then you have a alcohol problem.

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[AnttiL]

Some people go to rallies like festivals. Or for some it's an excuse to be away from the family for a weekend, and just get boozed up.

[Fast Eddie WRC]

It's not all about being on the stages..
https://dirtfish.com/rally/wrc/the-wrc-experience-you-have-to-give-yourself/

[J4MIE]

Get the laptop on, open WRC+, sit in your nice comfortable sofa, crank the sound up and enjoy.

Benefits:
- see all the action from multiple stages and know what’s happening before the commentators do.
- no need to travel long distances to end up standing in really crap weather getting assaulted by power hungry marshals
- no media / cameramen coming along last minute and standing right in front of you.
- no food poisoning from rally food unless you choose.
- no annoying loud drunk ‘fans’ getting in the way with air horns.
-

[Rallyper]

Get the laptop on, open WRC+, sit in your nice comfortable sofa, crank the sound up and enjoy.

Benefits:
- see all the action from multiple stages and know what’s happening before the commentators do.
- no need to travel long distances to end up standing in really crap weather getting assaulted by power hungry marshals
- no media / cameramen coming along last minute and standing right in front of you.
- no food poisoning from rally food unless you choose.
- no annoying loud drunk ‘fans’ getting in the way with air horns.
-

However yo totally miss the feeling. Especially in your favourite rallies...

[AnttiL]

However yo totally miss the feeling. Especially in your favourite rallies...

:rolleyes:

[J4MIE]

However yo totally miss the feeling. Especially in your favourite rallies...

Sounds like you’ve never been kicked in the face by a marshal who then crouches down in front of your group as car 1 passes.

Or threatened at knifepoint by a drunk Czech at 4am saying I’d stolen his spot.

It is slightly annoying, let me tell you.

[PLuto]

Get the laptop on, open WRC+, sit in your nice comfortable sofa, crank the sound up and enjoy.

Benefits:
- see all the action from multiple stages and know what’s happening before the commentators do.
- no need to travel long distances to end up standing in really crap weather getting assaulted by power hungry marshals
- no media / cameramen coming along last minute and standing right in front of you.
- no food poisoning from rally food unless you choose.
- no annoying loud drunk ‘fans’ getting in the way with air horns.
-

I am really big fan of rallysport, I have attended may rallies in various positions. But sitting at home and watching WRC+ is not interesting for me...

[AnttiL]

Sounds like you’ve never been kicked in the face by a marshal who then crouches down in front of your group as car 1 passes.

Or threatened at knifepoint by a drunk Czech at 4am saying I’d stolen his spot.

It is slightly annoying, let me tell you.

I thought you were just being sarcastic...

[the sniper]

Sounds like you’ve never been kicked in the face by a marshal who then crouches down in front of your group as car 1 passes.

Did you deserve it though?

I've never really had any issues with marshals, though most places where I spectate there are no marshals or it's only them and a few adventurous hardcores in the middle of nowhere, who can easily avoid troubling each other. It helps where both sides understand and are willing to play the game. Paid locals manning road blocks can be a bit more unpredictable, admittedly, but most are fine too...

[Rallyper]

Sounds like you’ve never been kicked in the face by a marshal who then crouches down in front of your group as car 1 passes.

Or threatened at knifepoint by a drunk Czech at 4am saying I’d stolen his spot.

It is slightly annoying, let me tell you.

No, never. I´ve been annoyed sometimes, but my memories from stages is enjoying rallycars and friends I even never met before. But of course me too most of the rallies sitting in front of my computer watching All Live...