Convoy driving can be a lot of fun. It also offers risks and challenges that we may not face in our everyday driving.

We will be adding more pages on convoys in the  future.

For now please look at:

• Convoy Safety

• FRS/GMRS Radios

• Convoy Checklist

• Tips for Planning a Ride

• Links to mapping programs etc.

• ZSCCA Event Waiver Form

• LIGHTS ON FOR SAFETY.

• SIGNAL EARLY AND RELENTLESSLY.

• YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CAR BEHIND YOU. MAKE SURE THE PERSON FOLLOWING YOU SEES YOU MAKE THE TURN. NEVER LEAVE YOUR BUDDIES BEHIND.

• FAVOR THE RIGHT (SLOW) LANE WHEN ON 4-LANE HIGHWAY.

• ALLOW SUITABLE CLEAR DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU. THIS WILL PROVE IT’S VALUE AS WE MAKE JUDGMENTS WHETHER TO STOP OR PROCEED THROUGH STOPLIGHTS ON THE ROUTE.

• USE YOUR BEST JUDGMENT WHEN APPROACHING A LONG GREEN OR YELLOW TRAFFIC SIGNAL. DON’T BE CONCERNED ABOUT DELAYING THOSE BEHIND YOU BY CONSERVATIVELY JUDGING THE LIGHT. JUDGE IT AS YOU WOULD IF YOU WERE TRAVELING INDEPENDENTLY OF A GROUP.

• IF A NON-CONVOY DRIVER WANTS TO CUT IN, LET HIM. IN FACT, MAKE IT EASY FOR HIM. THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF TIME TO REGROUP ON STRETCHES OF 4-LANE OR AT REST STOPS. SHARE THE ROAD!

• PASSING: IF WE NEED TO PASS A CAR OR CARS, IT SHOULD BE DONE “ONE CONVOY CAR AT A TIME”. IN OTHER WORDS, DON’T ALL MOVE OUT AT THE SAME TIME AND PASS AT ONCE. PASS AS AN INDIVIDUAL, NOT AS A GROUP.
   

• PASSING: WHEN COMPLETING A PASS, IF THERE’S NOT ROOM TO RE-MERGE INTO THE RIGHT LANE, MOVE TO THE FRONT OF THE CONVOY. THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LEAD CAR TO MOVE BACK INTO POSITION.

• RAIN: IN EVENT OF RAIN, SOME DRIVERS WILL CHOOSE TO “RUN THROUGH IT”, WHILE OTHERS WILL WANT TO STOP AND PUT THEIR TOPS UP. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS INSTANCES WE WILL ENCOUNTER, ESPECIALLY IF VISIBILITY IS POOR. IF YOU CHOOSE TO PULL OVER, SIGNAL LONG IN ADVANCE OF YOUR PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER, AND TRY NOT TO STOP ABRUPTLY IN CASE THE PERSON BEHIND YOU HAS THE SAME IDEA. BETTER YET, UTILIZE AN EXIT RAMP. IF THE LEAD CAR JUDGES RAIN TO BE HEAVY, HE WILL ATTEMPT TO FIND AN EXIT RAMP BEFORE RESORTING TO THE SHOULDER.

• USE COMMON SENSE. DRIVE AS THOUGH YOU ARE AN INDIVIDUAL FOLLOWING A PLANNED ROUTE AND MAP, RATHER THAN A PARTICIPANT OF A GROUP. PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO REVIEW OUR ITINERARY BEFORE THE TRIP, AND LOCATE THE ROADS ON YOUR MAP OR ATLAS.

• YOUR SAFETY AND SAFE OPERATION OF YOUR VEHICLE IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY ALONE AND THE ZSCCA ASSUMES ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN MAKING THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE EVENT.