Being part of a Corvette cruise is one of the most satisfying experiences you can participate in as a member of the Corvette community.
But to make the cruise an enjoying experience for all involved, a degree of patience and common sense is important to maintain. We are not the only people on the road, so as well as looking after our fellow Vetters, we also need to make sure we don’t ruin the day for other motorists.
Below is a set of Cruise Rules that can be adopted, with or without modifications, by any club. Any additions, deletions, or modifications that clubs or members wish to nominate will be duly considered and applied to this document if agreed by the association.
- Club Preparation
Prior to a cruise, the organising Club should appoint a trip captain to preside over the event. The trip captain can either lead the cruise or nominate another person as the lead driver. Particularly for longer cruises, the trip captain will assign a Sweep Car to remain at the rear of the convoy to look out for cars which may be in trouble.
Depending on the length and complexity of the cruise, the organising Club may provide cruise maps and notes. Participants should be provided with relevant phone numbers, particularly for the trip captain, lead driver and sweep driver. Most importantly, the final destination location of the cruise should be provided so participants can catch up with everyone at the final destination if all else fails. The best plan is to have your co-driver follow the course of the trip on the map, especially during the “tricky bits”!
- Fuel Your Car Before the Cruise
A large group of cars should not be expected to stop and wait for one of the participants to refill his car because they failed to do so before the cruise. And normally, the group won’t stop. However, if the cruise is a long one, some of the older and higher horsepower Vettes may not have a long driving range. If your car is one of these, make sure you speak to the Trip Captain prior to the cruise, so that provision can be made for an appropriate stopping point for all cars to be planned.
As well as a full tank of fuel, your coolant should be topped up, your battery charged and your car should be, in general, in a condition such that you reasonably believe it capable of completing the cruise. It is also a wise idea to check the operation of your indicators and stop-lamps, as cars will be following you in the convoy and looking for your signals.
- Ensure You are Personally Ready for the Cruise
The most basic item to be personally attended to in preparation for a Cruise is to take a toilet break before the cruise starting time. The same reasoning applies as to the requirement above to fuel your car. The cruise planners will most likely consider the need for stops to be made on a regular basis on a longer cruise.
Other items to be attended to before the cruise starts are bottles of water to drink in the car – especially on a warm day, a charged mobile phone, the phone numbers of the cruise officials and maps of the area if you can’t use Google Maps on your mobile phone to navigate your way if lost. It is important to know the final destination of the cruise so you can catch up with everyone there if all else fails.
- The Lead Car Sets the Cruise Pace
The nominated lead car is normally driven by a person experienced in leading a cruise. This lead driver sets the pace, which will normally be at or just below the speed limit.
Don’t try to pass the lead car, and in general, it is strongly discouraged to pass any cars in the cruise. This may be okay in some circumstances, but the general rule is that cars should maintain their starting position for that particular portion of the cruise.
- Obey the Road Rules
Safety is the primary responsibility of all participants on any group outing, especially on a cruise involving powerful cars. We need to make the cruise as safe as possible.
It should go without saying that all drivers on the cruise should obey the Road Rules. This will ensure your own safety, the safety of others on the cruise and the safety of the general public. Some particular actions to avoid are – speeding, burnouts & gravel spraying, tailgating and running red lights.
If cars that are not on our cruise wish to pass, allow them space to move back in front of you. Also, let them move into the lane they require for exiting the freeway or turning off at an intersection. Be courteous to the public with whom we are sharing the road. They have as much right to the road as we do.
- Don’t Lose Sight of the Vehicle BEHIND You – Especially Before Turning
To best keep a group of cruising cars together, the rule is “Don’t lose sight of the car behind you”.
If everyone adheres to this rule, the cars will stay together. In theory, if you lose sight of the car behind you and you slow down, the car in front of you will do the same, and so on up the line of cars. Unfortunately, while this is the theory, it doesn’t always work. It takes just one car that fails to slow to break the group in half. But it’s certainly best to adhere to this rule as best you can.
This is most important at turns. You should do your best to ensure the car behind you sees which way you turn at the intersection. Get your indicator on early and lower your speed so the following car can see which direction you are taking.
- Help people in trouble
One of the nice things about cruising with friends and similarly inclined car lovers, is that people are around to help if your classic car has unexpected problems. Helping people out, and being helped out, is a bonding experience. The person being helped out is unlikely to ever forget the people who gave help.
If a fellow cruiser experiences trouble, stop to help them. You should contact the Lead Car and the Trip Captain (if that is a different person), so that the appropriate actions can be undertaken by the group to assist the person in trouble. Nobody enjoys being left behind with a broken car when on a cruise.
- Take It Easy & Enjoy Yourself
When we are in a convoy, we are on display to each other and to the public. We are undertaking a group activity and it is expected that all participants are courteous and respectful to all around them.
Things don’t always go to plan. If there are unexpected problems with cars, traffic, or personal issues, remain calm. We don’t need everything to go perfectly to enjoy spending time with our friends. Overcoming adversity can often be a memorable experience for all.
Drive safely and responsibly, be kind and courteous to everyone and enjoy driving along with your fellow Corvette enthusiasts and play your part in making it a fun day for everyone involved.
Happy Cruising!