CONVOY ETIQUETTE A GUIDE FOR RUNNING CONVOYS Firstly, what is a convoy? There is no legal definition of a convoy, but the Oxford Concise Dictionary defines it as the Act of Convoying; protection; escort for honour or protection - this isn't very helpful either. A convoy is generally held as a number of vehicles travelling together in a procession from one given point to another given point. There is no minimum number and no maximum number. It should be borne in mind that any number of cars from two upwards travelling together constitutes a convoy. Many of you will be old hands at convoys and will tell stories of convoys with hundreds of cars in them, some of you will wonder what a convoy is all about. This manual is aimed at both the experienced and the inexperienced. Whilst not trying to teach you to 'suck eggs' I hope that it may reinforce the safety of future convoys. Arranging a Convoy: This is usually the easiest part of convoying but the most ill-prepared. You will of course need a start point. This must be somewhere where you can safely marshal your convoy into its correct order without being a danger or cause obstruction to other road users. The amount of room you will need will depend on how many vehicles you intend to convoy. Usual places are car parks - these are usually both safe and spacious. You will of course need a destination. Again this must have plenty of room for your convoy to park and if you intend to start a homeward convoy from your destination you will need room to marshal the return convoy. Your convoy should always aim to finish off the road. Now that you have a start and end to the convoy you will of course need a route between them. The route need not be the shortest distance, but must bear in mind types of road, roundabouts, traffic lights, etc. All of these features are potentials for splitting the convoy up. Plan you route very methodically and carefully, to avoid as many places as possible where the convoy may be split up. Once you have got the planning right there is one more thing which you must do to comply with the Law. All convoys must be notified to the Police in writing at least six days in advance. The convoy organiser will become legally responsible for the convoy and the ways it is run under the Public Order Act 1986. If you do not inform the Police, the organiser and every convoy member all commit offences. An extract of the Legislation is set out at the back of this booklet. You must notify the Police Station at the start of the Convoy, giving the start date and time,. route and destination. You must also give at least one of the organisers' names and addresses. Forming a Convoy: The convoy leader should be someone who is experienced in convoys and who is thoroughly conversant with the route. He or she should always have a co-driver who is willing to assist in leading the convoy. The rest of the convoy should be formed up in their order with the slowest cars at the front and the faster cars at the back. It should be borne in mind at this point that a driver's ability will also play a part in his cars speed. A slow driver in a fast car will remain a slow driver.