Roadbook: counting time and distance (current row or next row)

[boldtrn]

I received an interesting report about the roadbook generated on the Kurviger website.

If you look at the roadbook generated:

In the first row the distance is 523 and not 0. You start your ride at 0, and after 523 meters you turn right. So I think the first row should start with 0 and the next row with the distance and time when you actually perform the manoeuvre.

A few years back we had a similar discussion with a few road book experts and we decided on the format it is right now. The report I received is from someone who professionally writes road books big events, so I feel like we should double check the current behaviour.

So I would like to get some more opinions on this. What is your experience? Do you maybe have other road books that you feel like sharing so we could compare them?

I will tag @Uli_LH as you created the excel road book, so I would really appreciate your input on this.

[Uli_LH]

Both alternatives would work in principle.
The difference would only be how to configure the first row in the EXCEL;
I could customize the sheet easily, if wished or needed.

[Uli_LH]

LOGICALLY (and intuitively, or?) the roadbook should indeed start with “Distance / time = 0” …

[devemux86]

Do the rows look like the list of turn instructions?

Distance (to next instruction) | Total distance | Time (to next instruction) | Total time

[Uli_LH]

Question to ME? With respect to the Excel?
Then yes: The Excel USES these informations to calculate the dates needed for a Roadbook.

[boldtrn]

@devemux86

Do the rows look like the list of turn instructions?

The turn instructions are formatted differently. The values are the same. The turn instructions show this a lot clearer, because the distance is between each instruction.

@Uli_LH

LOGICALLY (and intuitively, or?) the roadbook should indeed start with “Distance / time = 0” …

I do have the same feeling

[Uli_LH]

… because WE usually read from the left to the right …

[Zepp]

Although I don’t use a roadbook, I would agree and start from 0.

[Ciutnik]

For many years I participated in the organization of amateur, motorcycle orienteering rallies. We used a maximally simplified roadbook like this one:

As you can see, the first entry is the first maneuver symbol and the distance from the starting point (in kilometers and miles). Every next one is a partial distance. But over the years all participants got used to this form…

We have never given the incremental distance to minimize the error in the meter reading. And for the sake of safety, time did not count at all, so that no one was rushing for the cup

[boldtrn]

Thanks a lot for providing your opinions. So it appears that we should start with 0 for the road book.

@Ciutnik

And for the sake of safety, time did not count at all, so that no one was rushing for the cup

Yes, the time is probably not needed. The idea is that you can copy this road book to excel and change it the way you like. That is also why units are in meters / seconds, so it’s easier to do your own calculations.

[Uli_LH]

@Ciutnik

time did not count at all

Time counts,

• if you want to have meeting points along the road where “lost” or late participants can find the group (again),
  and
• to have an idea, how long the whole trip will be.

[Ciutnik]

@Uli_LH

Time counts

Of course! Generally, yes! I wrote only about a specific case of the roadbook shown, for a specific game, in which no one was counting the time (in simplification). As I wrote - so that nobody is in a hurry and that there is time for sightseeing, eating, peeing and resting.

It is clear that time is needed for all other purposes. Honestly, the roadbook that the organizers used had time stamps

[Uli_LH]

In any case, it’s a good idea to always plan the time very generously (or pessimistically ).

A “5-minutes pee break” usually turns into 30 minutes (at least) of small talk - and that’s part of the fun!

Nothing worse than when a ride turns into a stress. (I once experienced a “pacesetter” and “pusher at the front” who became impatient when the breaks became “too long” in his opinion - and never rode longer with him again).

[Ciutnik]

Forgive me for a partial departure from the topic, but I would like to show you how we had fun with several dozen friends. Now I wouldn’t even try to design a rally route without Kurviger’s help

[boldtrn]

Now the roadbook starts at 0 as discussed also the roadbook export is now available as .csv file that can be opened with Excel straight away (use UTF-8 for the import).