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Cruise planning for virgins

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spokey
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Cruise planning for virgins

Post by spokey » Fri Jun 20, 2008 11:15 am

This is intended to be a checklist for potential virgin cruise organisers...

The tried-and-tested formula
- run the event on a Sunday, meet around 10am, start 10:15
- have a number of 15-20 min stops so people have a chance to chat
- toilet stops for ladies (this doesn't mean bushes)
- incorporate a visit to local attraction
- minimum of 90 minutes lunch stop (60 isn't enough)
- organise photo opportunities at lunch stop and/or elsewhere
- afternoon stop for cake and drink rather than just a loo stop
- pick an interesting mix of roads

In other words, a complete package of drive, food, company, sights, rather than just haring around the countryside. Make sure the day is also of interest to passengers.

Ideally plan the route and your stops in Autoroute or similar software, as it will give you a rough idea of timings. It also means you can easily produce an overall route map to publicise the event in posts.

If possible, find someone else locally who is willing to help and can act as your 'sweeper' (looks after the rear of the group).

Organise lunch stop with booked tables, keep them updated with numbers. Check with them how long they will need to serve everyone (then add 15 mins to be safe).

A couple of weeks beforehand, drive the route together with your sweeper (preferably on the same day of the week and same time of day you will be running the cruise) and check timings. Bear in mind there's no such thing as a five minute stop--it can take almost five minutes just to get everyone started again! Getting eight cars out of a right-turn T-junction can take much longer than just a couple of cars, so allow for this.

Preparations for the day
Send out emails before the event asking for names of driver/passenger, type of car, colour, plate (to tell which is which) and mobile phone number. Give a copy of the list to attendees to help people get to know each other. Also hand out a hard copy of the route--people like to know where they have been, as well as a map being useful if they get lost.

Ensure people realise they should arrive with sufficient fuel, drinks, snacks, etc and be ready to leave at the advertised time. If people haven't arrive five minutes before the start, phone them on their mobile to find their anticipated arrival time.

You might still get late arrivers, so have some flexibility in your timings. Have your route timings with you on the day so you know whether you're running on time and whether you need to panic (ideally your route should have a 'Plan B' that enables you to knock something out to get back on schedule).

Organising the group
There's every possibility of the group getting spread out, so in a small group of say eight cars, ask the sweeper to take position number five where he/she can observe the rear of the group and tell the leader when everyone is together again. In a larger group you may need both a sweeper towards the rear, and a middleman.

Those at the rear of the group have to drive faster to catch up after road junctions, so have the faster cars/drivers towards the rear of the group.

However try to avoid having your slowest drivers in positions two and three, otherwise when you reach a 'spirited' section, the leader will disappear into the distance on his/her own.

Communications and etiquette
The leader and the sweeper should keep in touch with Talkabouts. Check before setting out that people know how to use them, and hold them at the optimum distance from the mouth (varies with models) to avoid speech distortion.

Repeat all instructions twice, e.g., "Taking second exit from roundabout, taking second exit from roundabout, follow A27 to Lewes, follow A27 to Lewes."

Ensure drivers understand cruise etiquette
- don't overtake leader or deliberately fall behind sweeper
- observe speed limits in villages
- don't overtake on blind bends
- keep optimum two-second gap between cars
- ensure you keep car behind in view and slow/stop if necessary
- when cars in front starts indicating, you start indicating

When you stop somewhere, let people know how long they have--i.e. what time you anticipate leaving. In a large event, an air horn is useful to signal people to gather back at the cars.

Now... I'm sure there must be more to add.

Tim :zmurf:
Cheers,
Spokey
Aebous wrote:
lacroupade wrote:
Aebous wrote:Does dating your car count?
Only if it involves something unpleasant to do with your tailpipe.... :rofl:
I wouldn't call it unpleasant :?

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ovrkll
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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by ovrkll » Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:21 am

Damn, misread that! thought it said "Cruising for Virgins"! :evil:
My mistake!!!


Very good guide though! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by 2 Zero » Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:46 am

Tim you should read this!!

We are on a cruise set up by Timscuba right now and he is killing us!!

All day driving having to stop pee behind a tree then haul ass to catch up because he won't tell us where we are headed then after 6 hours on the interstate he takes us to Fred's house of pancakes. Talk about crap for food but Tim gets a kick back so I guess that makes it ok.

and talk about slow we drive about 35 MPH average!! :fuelfire: :fuelfire: :fuelfire:

Then to make matters worse he runs over a little turkey chick couldn't have been more than a week old and blames it on me!! :fuelfire:
Out driving my car!!
See ya on the road!!

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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by Aebous » Sat Jun 21, 2008 10:02 am

I killed a bird the other day. Either that or just knocked the hell out of the poor little guy. I wasn't going that fast but he sure did leave alot of ash on my bumper!
(ok, I figure it was dust)
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ZEEEE 4

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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by timscuba » Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:31 pm

We have a new handle for 2Zero. It is Turkey Killer. We are on the Blue Ridge Parkway and baby turky's are crossing the road and well and behold Mark nails one. He got very diry looks from moma turkey. At least I have the witnesses to prove this. :fuelfire: :poke: :poke:

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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by sp3ctre » Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:37 pm

PhilDZ4 wrote:Jeez. Scuba is one of a kind.... thank god.
How many times do I have to tell you.. play nicely or you'll go straight to your room without your supper! :punish:
If you are looking for low cost UK insurance, visit our official Z4-forum insurance scheme

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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by 2 Zero » Sat Jun 21, 2008 2:24 pm

timscuba wrote:We have a new handle for 2Zero. It is Turkey Killer. We are on the Blue Ridge Parkway and baby turky's are crossing the road and well and behold Mark nails one. He got very diry looks from moma turkey. At least I have the witnesses to prove this. :fuelfire: :poke: :poke:

SO we had fresh turkey for lunch, no problem in that!
Out driving my car!!
See ya on the road!!

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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by 2 Zero » Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:02 pm

PhilDZ4 wrote:A hunter vs. a gatherer. Gotta like that. :thumbsup: Did Scuba find some berries for you guys to eat?

No berries, I had to do all the work while he beat us! :fuelfire: :fuelfire:
Out driving my car!!
See ya on the road!!

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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by 2 Zero » Sat Jun 21, 2008 3:51 pm

You wouldn't be ROFL if he was beating you!!
Out driving my car!!
See ya on the road!!

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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by ovrkll » Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:40 am

Damn! And I was looking for a guide for my next cruise, and looking for virgins :headbang:
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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by 2 Zero » Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:06 am

ovrkll wrote:Damn! And I was looking for a guide for my next cruise, and looking for virgins :headbang:

Virgins, where I need some too!!!!!!!
Out driving my car!!
See ya on the road!!

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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by spokey » Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:35 pm

What's a virgin? :? I've never met one. :poke:
Cheers,
Spokey
Aebous wrote:
lacroupade wrote:
Aebous wrote:Does dating your car count?
Only if it involves something unpleasant to do with your tailpipe.... :rofl:
I wouldn't call it unpleasant :?

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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by timscuba » Tue Jul 01, 2008 3:56 am

I doubt if you find one at HC :poke: :fuelfire: :fuelfire:

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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by IMZ4N » Tue Jul 15, 2008 5:28 am

20Ducks car will be a virgin. Image

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Re: Cruise planning for virgins

Post by timscuba » Thu Jul 17, 2008 1:30 pm

He will probably trailer it in so it doesn't get dirty :poke:

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