Cal Club Autocross Forums

I am more than sure this has been covered time and time again. but I cant find the answer anywhere after searching.
What is required for a passenger to ride along? Its been forever since Ive had one. back in the day it was simply signing the waver and getting a wrist band. is it still that easy?

I believe they have to get a weekend SCCA membership. Not sure of how much $$ they are.

Weekend memberships are free for people who are only going to be passengers.

Passengers will need a weekend membership. They are free. If the passenger is a minor, they must be at least 12 years old and have a minor waiver signed by both parents. Best to get them signed up in the morning at registration when Gayle is there. It is possible to get the membership after Gayle leaves the site, just not as easy.

thank you! wanted to take the wife for a ride, but didn't know if it has changed (yes it has)

It wasn't stated, but we're talking practice or X-runs or fun runs only, right?

No passengers on championship runs (except instructors).

Technically what Bill says is correct, per our Supp Regs. However I doubt any of your fellow competitors would protest you having your wife in the car on Sunday, if she isn't driving herself. Just get their approval first.

Mike

Actually you can have a passenger during a competition run, there's just a penalty for doing so.

3.5.1 PASSENGERS
Passengers are prohibited during official competition runs at Championship events. The only
exception is Approved Novice Instructors.
3.5.1.1 UNAPPROVED PASSENGER PENALTY
Any driver (other than a Student/Novice taking an Approved Instructor) with a passenger during
official competition runs will have that run and any subsequent official runs marked as DNF.
Any passenger who has not completed all of their official competition runs will have any
subsequent official runs marked DNF.
3.5.2 APPROVED NOVICE INSTRUCTORS
An approved instructor may serve in this capacity only after completing official timed runs.
Serving as a Novice Instructor may count as a work assignment, at the discretion of the Chief of
Workers for the event. If an Instructor drives a novice’s car, that run will not be charged to the
novice (1 run maximum).

Mike Simanyi wrote:Technically what Bill says is correct, per our Supp Regs. However I doubt any of your fellow competitors would protest you having your wife in the car on Sunday, if she isn't driving herself. Just get their approval first.

Mike

I think if you don't see the need to enforce a rule, you should change the rule, not ignore it. I was at Lion Country when a car went out of control and driver and passenger were lost. What would have been the liabilities if the passenger was by rule "prohibited" per 3.5.1, but we let him ride anyway?

And it shouldn't be up to competitors to protest. When I'm starter or grid, I don't send out cars with unauthorized passengers. If that's not how you want to run this show, better let me know. I do starter and grid a lot.

I think Mike's point was that nobody would protest his wife riding along from a competitive standpoint. The rule allowing no passengers is so that drivers cannot be coached during a competitive run. If the passenger is a family member with no/limited autocross experience and who hasn't driven the course that day, the extra weight is more of a liability than any "coaching" would be a benefit, so a fellow competitor wouldn't even bother filing a protest.

In terms of the rules, of course the passenger should have a weekend membership, etc as explained above.

The rule provides an explicit penalty, and that penalty makes it clear that it is not a safety-related rule. Your runs are not scored for competition, but you're not booted from the event.

That said, I'd be in favor of eliminating that rule entirely. I just don't see much competitive benefit.

I agree. If it's considered safe to have passengers on X runs and practices, there shouldn't be any safety difference during official runs. Unless national rules have some say here, just change the prohibition to one that only prevents competitive advantage.

And if anyone disagrees, the can take me as their passenger