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Let's Rock => Rockhounding Tips, Maps, Trips Etc. => Topic started by: edgarscale on July 31, 2018, 11:21:03 AM

Title: Field Trip Handy Info Sheet Regarding Car Convoys
Post by: edgarscale on July 31, 2018, 11:21:03 AM
Field Trip Handy Info Sheet Car Convoys    please feel free to add to this list....mary

 Sources: Ria Club, Viper Car Club of Ontario, Ontario Highway Traffic Act Page 1 of 2

 These guidelines are crucial to ensuring the safety of:
 Field Trip participants in a car convoy as well as members of the general public;
 and to ensure Field Trip participants arrive at a collecting site as a group.

The most fundamental rule of car convoys is:
that your responsibility is to the driver behind you (not the driver in front of you).
Please do not lose visual contact, for any significant period, with the car following.
The second most fundamental rule of car convoys is that when parking on a roadway, you will need to park “tight” (no big gaps between cars, please & thanks).
A car convoy is made up of 3 parts: Convoy Leader, Participants, & Rear Driver
The convoy leader is expected to be thoroughly familiar with the route;
 Nevertheless, field trip participants are expected to be generally familiar with the route.
1) The convoy leader will give an initial briefing.
 The convoy leader will have a co-driver, who will help navigate & answer the cell phone and/or the walkie talkie.
2) Car order will be slowest cars at the front, faster cars at the back.
3) The convoy leader will adjust speed at all times, dependent upon:
 legal speed limit; road conditions; traffic conditions; weather conditions; and unforeseen circumstances.
4) The convoy leader is not to be passed unless there is a genuine emergency.
Don’t forget your maps!
5) The convoy leader will have a cell phone and/or walkie talkie.

Participants (including convoy leader & rear driver) are expected to:
1) Listen to instructions at the briefing and ask any questions then.
2) Watch the convoy leader (or car in front) for passing traffic, turning, etc,
 All participants will use indicators to signal turns and/or stops & will do so “in good time”.
3) Maintain a safe distance from the car in front (do not follow too closely).
 Allow other traffic to intermingle - extend courtesy to all other road users at all times.
4) Flash your lights if in trouble.

The Rear Driver has 2 responsibilities:
1) Ensure that no-one is left behind.
2) Be in contact with the convoy leader when and if necessary.
3) The Rear Driver will have a cell phone and/or walkie talkie.

Getting Behind
 If the car behind slows down, please slow down with it. (This will domino up to the convoy leader.)
 It is each individual driver's responsibility to keep the vehicle behind in sight, ensuring the group stays together.

Traffic Lights & Stop Signs
 If you aren’t the Rear Driver and you make a turn or go through lights that change, wait for the next vehicle behind to catch up.
 If the driver behind stops (ie a traffic light) or disappears from sight, then the car in front should stop.
 When stopping always find a safe and suitable place to pull in.

NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society Field Trip Handy Info Sheet Car Convoys
Sources: Ria Club, Viper Car Club of Ontario, Ontario Highway Traffic Act Page 2 of 2

NPGS Niagara Peninsula Geological Society

 Please bear in mind how many other cars will need to stop there (hence, park “tight”).
 Stay in your vehicle even if you have to stop or the convoy comes to a halt.
 Once the cars behind have caught up, the convoy can proceed.

In Case Of Difficulties or Emergency Stops
 If you need to stop for an emergency or any other reason, flash your headlights several times at the car in front; that car will in turn flash their headlights
 If the car behind flashes their headlights, flash your headlights at the car in front. (This will domino up to the convoy leader.)
 If a car gets in mechanical trouble, nobody in the convoy stops except the Rear Driver (the convoy must proceed on until a suitable stopping place is found).
 The Rear Driver will ensure everything is alright or otherwise (ie a car breakdown).

Getting Lost
 If you are unfortunate enough to become lost and have no means of communicating with the lead or tail cars, then proceed directly to the Field Trip location as indicated on your maps.

Using Two-way / Walkie Talkie Radios and/or cell phones
 Walkie talkies are very useful on a car convoy.
 The front and rear cars should have radios or cell phones to keep in touch.
 Other radios can be spaced out amongst the other participants.
 Walkie talkies and cell phones should only be used by passengers.

Highway Traffic Act (Ontario)
https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90h08
Section 128: driver speed
No person shall drive a motor vehicle at a rate of speed greater than,
(a) 50 kilometres per hour on a highway within a local municipality or within a built-up area; ... or
(f) The maximum rate of speed posted on a highway.
Section 142: signalling
The driver will “signal plainly visible” when making left turns, making right turns, moving from a parked/stopped position, when decreasing speed, and when stopping.
Section 144: traffic lights
The “driver shall obey every traffic control signal that applies to the lane that he/she is in.”
Green - a driver may proceed.
Amber - a driver may proceed with caution and if can be done safely; otherwise, should stop.
Red - a driver will stop.
Section 165: opening doors of motor vehicles
“No person shall,
(a) Open the door of a motor vehicle on a highway without first taking due precautions to ensure that his or her act will not interfere with the movement of or endanger any other person or vehicle; or
(b) Leave a door of a motor vehicle on a highway open on the side of the vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than is necessary to load or unload passengers.”
Section 170: parking on roadways
Vehicles shall be parked, standing, or stopped off the roadway.
 2 warning lights (flashing) shall be visible from a distance of at least 150 metres.

Section 179: walking on roads without sidewalks
Where sidewalks are not provided on a highway, a pedestrian walking along the highway shall walk on the left side thereof facing oncoming traffic and, when walking along the roadway, shall walk as close to the left edge thereof as possible.