The Motor Vehicles (Competitions and Trials) Regulations 1969

Interpretation

4.—(1) In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears, the following expressions have the meanings hereby respectively assigned to them, that is to say:—

“ “A” road” means a road to which has been allocated a route number commencing with the letter “A” by the Minister of Transport in England excluding Monmouthshire, or by the Minister of Transport or the Secretary of State in Scotland, Wales and Monmouthshire;

“control point” means a place other than at the start or finish of an event where the route being followed by the competitors or the times being kept by them are checked;

“event” means a competition or trial (other than a race or trial of speed) involving the use of motor vehicles on a public highway;

“motorway” means a special road which (save as otherwise provided by or under regulations made or having effect as if made under section 13 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1967 can only be used by traffic of Class I or II of the classes of traffic set out, as respects England and Wales, in Schedule 4 to the Highways Act 1959,as amended by the Special Roads (Classes of Traffic) Order 1961(1) and the Special Roads (Classes of Traffic) (England and Wales) Order 1968(2), and, as respects Scotland, in Schedule II to the Special Roads Act 1949, as amended by the Special Roads (Classes of Traffic) (Scotland) Order 1964(3) and the Special Roads (Classes of Traffic) (Scotland) Order 1968(4) ;

“night event” means an event a part or the whole of which is intended to take place between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.;

“overall average speed on the public highway” in relation to a vehicle driven by a competitor in an event means the average speed calculated by reference to the interval between the time when the competitor commenced to drive that vehicle on the public highway in the event and the time when he finished so to drive and the total distance travelled on the public highway, but there shall be excluded from such interval any period during which the vehicle driven by the competitor was off the public highway or at a rest halt between such times;

“performance test” means a test in which merit is attached to a competitor's skill in manoeuvring or controlling the vehicle, including maintaining the forward motion of the vehicle in adverse conditions;

“problem” means a problem given to a competitor the setting or solution of which is necessary to enable him or assists him to complete the event, or which he is required by the rules of the event to set or solve, and in this context “problem” shall include any instruction given to a competitor to collect information or an object and “solution” shall be construed accordingly;

“problem solving event” means an event in which the competitors are required by the rules of the event to travel the route by a fixed time and are given before that time the task of setting or solving a number of set problems,whether the problems are required to be set or solved before or after that time, and in which there is an average of more than one set problem for each three miles of route;

“promoter” means the person who is primarily responsible for the organisation or arrangements of the event;

“requirement” in relation to the rules of an event includes a requirement or an instruction to a competitor in the event compliance with which carries merit in the event or non-compliance with which carries demerit in the event, and cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly;

“rest halt” means a place specified in the rules of the event as a place where the competitors are required to stop during the course of the event, or may stop during the course of the event without incurring a penalty or demerit in the event, in either case for the purpose of obtaining rest or refreshment;

“route” in relation to an event means a route which the rules of the event require or are likely to cause the competitors taking part in the event to travel;

“rules” in relation to an event includes any instruction given by or on behalf of the promoter of the event to a competitor in the event;

“specified event” means an event, held not more than once each calendar year, specified in Schedule 4 to these Regulations;

“standard conditions” has the meaning assigned to it in Regulation 9(1) of these Regulations;

“time limit event” means an event in which the competitors are required by the rules of the event to travel the route of the event by a fixed time such that they will be caused to maintain an overall average speed on the public highway exceeding 10 miles per hour;

“time schedule event” means an event in which individual competitors or groups of competitors are required by the rules of the event to arrive at or depart from control points at or between specific times or to arrive at the finish of the event at or between specific times.

(2) Any reference in these Regulations to any enactment or instrument shall be construed, unless the context otherwise requires, as a reference to that enactment or instrument as amended, re-enacted or replaced by any subsequent enactment or instrument.

(3) The Interpretation Act 1889 shall apply for the interpretation of these Regulations as it applies for the interpretation of an Act of Parliament, and as if for the purposes of Section 38 of that Act these Regulations were an Act of Parliament and the Regulations revoked by Regulation 2 of these Regulations were Acts of Parliament thereby repealed.

(1)

(1961 II, p.2408).

(2)

(1968 III, p. 5372).

(3)

(1964 II, p. 2398).

(4)

(1968 III, p. 5396).