THE FERROEQUINOLOGIST'S CODE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

An explanation of the rights, duties and obligations of ethical ferroequinologists as they pertain to the processes of traveling , searching, and documenting the facilities, equipment, personnel, and processes of iron rail transportation, both modern and historical, near and far, for later retrieval, study, enjoyment, and archiving, both singularly and in the association and company of others of similar persuasion, with particular emphasis on the etiquette of mutual interactions, specifically personal and professional manners and behavior, with probable consequences for nonconformance which will be imposed by others both in the same vehicle, others at the chosen sites, railroad officials, and others, set forth in a logical and understandable manner with both proper terminology and common names, for the education and enlightenment of both the wise and the ignorant, especially the latter;

(Otherwise, "The Railfan Rules")

Section 1. Transportation.

1.1 Driver has complete responsibility for the vehicle and therefore may do anything , and has the right to order anyone to do anything while the vehicle is in motion, that facilitates the comfort and safety of all aboard. (The "It's My Car" Rule). Included in this rule are:

A. The right to control the radio.

B. The right to control the ventilation and temperature.

C. The right to make any other rule for the above purposes.

D. The right to refuse transportation to anyone who has consumed a large quantity of beans, beer, and/or burritos (especially "and").

E. The right to deny anyone nicknamed "Crash" or "Thumbs" from operating any of the controls of the vehicle.

1.2 No one has a right to criticize the driver for any reason. Exceptions:

A. The owner of the car.

B. The wife of the owner of the car.

C. A passenger who has sustained a serious injury in the crash.

D. The navigator if he gave correct directions that were intentionally ignored by the driver. This exception does not apply if the navigator has given wrong directions at any time, including on a previous trip.

E. A duly appointed officer of the law.

No one may repeat a criticism of the driver even if made by a person authorized to criticize. This rule shall not apply to any driver who has been cut off by a maneuver of the railfanning vehicle unless he is part of the railfan caravan; however, all passengers are under a duty to seasonably warn the driver of another driver who is armed.

1.3 Seat allocation is on first come, first serve basis (The "Musical Chairs" Rule). Exceptions:

A. The owner of the vehicle determines the driver. The driver shall occupy the left front seat at all times. Sleeping in this seat is forbidden

B. The right front passenger seat belongs to the trip navigator.

C. The driver has the right to fire the navigator and compel a reallocation of seats (The "Chinese Fire Drill" Rule). Passengers may elect to choose the navigator by lot (The "Short Straw" Rule). The driver may elect to choose the navigator (The "I Want to Get There Today" Rule).

D. On trips of more than one day, some type of seat rotation shall be instituted (The "No Monopolization" Rule).

E. Persons with noxious BO may be compelled by majority vote to ride in the trunk or on the luggage carrier, or with the offending body part hanging out of the window (The "Gagging Vulture" Rule).

1.4 Persons who can be reasonably expected to track staining substances into, or reasonably can be expected to stain, or have a history of staining, the passenger compartment may be denied re-entry into the vehicle (The "Greasy Boots" Rule). See also Rule 4.9. Mud is considered a staining substance for the purposes of this rule.

1.5 All passengers shall utilize at the restroom facilities on every stop. The failure to do so shall mean the offending party may not compel a relief stop for his convenience (The "You Shoulda Gone Back There" Rule). At any stop, persons who can be expected to create offensive odors shall wait until all other passengers have used the facility (The “You could choke a maggot in there” Rule). At stops where no restroom facilities are available, the following regulations apply:

A. Micturation shall occur out of public sight (or under cover of darkness) at a spot not less than 20 feet from the vehicle, and in a location where it is certain no passenger will travel during the next 24 hours. Other passengers shall not loudly call attention to a person obeying this rule, and photos of same are subject to confiscation and a $25 fine.

B. Excremetitious deposits are permitted only when facilities will not be available for more than 2 hours in the future and severe pain is being endured. Such deposits shall be made at least 200 yards from the vehicle and/or any railfanning site, and at a location where no passenger will travel for the next one year. Catcalls are permitted within the 200 yard range, but any person photographing same will be excommunicated from the club.

C. Persons with colostomy bags... well, let's not get into that.

1.6 The navigator is not allowed to sleep at any time. If he missed a significant turn during the day, this means outside the vehicle as well (The "Stay Up and Study the Maps!" Rule).

1.7 Any person who shouts directions shall be subject to the same penalties as the navigator, whether designated as such or not. Persons who shout correct directions that are not followed are subject to the penalty of being named navigator. Persons other than the navigator who give correct directions that are not followed are entitled to upbraid the navigator but not the driver; see Rule 1.2.

1.8 Drivers shall wait until all passengers are completely in the vehicle before departing. See Rule 4.5 for exceptions. Passengers shall take special note of anxious or eager drivers but are reminded of Rule 1.2. Yelling "Wait for me" or similar words are not a violation of Rule 1.2 provided that no perjoratives are appended.

1.9 Routes and stops shall be preplanned. Detours or side trips are allowed only upon the spotting of unique or unusual railroad equipment, items of railroad historical significance, or things that happen to catch the driver's fancy. Other detours or side trips shall be classified as navigational errors attributable to the person in the right front seat.

1.10 Back seat passengers' responsibilities include:

A. Scanner monitoring.

B. Lookouts for tracks, railroad signs, trains, mile posts, signals, stations, old railroad grades and related items.

C. Litter control.

D. Second-guessing the navigator.

E. Keeping the driver fed and happy (and awake).

F. Map folding.

G. Asking questions no one knows the answers to.

H. Answering questions no one asked.

I. Hiding acquisitions.

J. Assisting the driver in locating navigational landmarks supplied by the navigator to include street and highway signs, physical landmarks, unmarked gravel roads, dirt paths, old rights of way, latitude and longitude lines, wagon ruts, Lewis and Clark canoe landings, and any other silly thing that may help denote location.

K. Finding food when otherwise allowed by the rules.

L. Anything else the driver says is their responsibility.

1.11 A log of the trip shall be kept by the navigator, showing the date, time, mileage, and significant events of the trip. A designated alternate shall maintain the log when the duty of navigation is too encompassing or the navigator lacks the skills of readable handwriting, ability to tell time, or simple common sense. Copies of all logs shall be made available to all passengers within 7 days after completion of the trip.

1.12 Skid marks caused by untimely navigational cues will be charged to the navigator (The "Turn Now!" Rule). The penalties of rule 1.6 may be applied for repeated violations of this rule.

1.13 In circumstances where the driver cannot comprehend or apply any of the local oddities of traffic lane marking, road signage, and/or lane construction, particularly those which are only observed at the last moment or are otherwise inconvenient, the driver may be excused from adhering to the rules of the road and/or any other natural or man-made restriction on the forward or lateral motion of the motor vehicle, by rolling down the driver's window and calling in a loud and clear voice, with the assistance of all passengers, " TOURIST!!!" (The "I'm Not From Around Here" Rule). This rule does not apply when the vehicle most likely to be forced to take urgent corrective action is: (a) over 20,000 lbs GVW or 3 axles, (b) a pickup truck over 5 years old equipped with a rifle rack and an NRA bumper sticker, or (c) a passenger car equipped with at least three radio aerials and any type of flashing light, when in towns of less than 500 occupants.

1.14 The driver is like the captain of an 18th century British frigate. If he likes you he can be very good to you. If he hates you he can take your camera, put you in irons, make you walk the rail, or impose any other penalty for a violation of the rules he deems appropriate to allow you to make the return trip. Passengers should govern their behavior accordingly.

1.15 The navigator may be blamed for all problems of the trip. [If you read the rules carefully, you really don't want to be navigator; the view from the front seat isn't worth it.]

1.16 At the request of any passenger, the National Anthem shall be played at the start of a trip; passengers need not stand and the driver shall not. Patriotic displays of fireworks are not allowed in the vehicle.

Section 2. Trip Expenses.

2.1 All passengers shall share equally the costs of gas, tolls, and parking, except the owner of the vehicle being used. Exceptions:

A. Detours of more than 10 miles as a result of missed turns or other navigational errors shall be at the navigator's cost.

B. Interior and exterior cleaning of the vehicle after a long or especially dirty trip shall be equally shared. Exceptions to the exception:

1. Anyone causing a nasty mess shall pay all costs of clean-up. A majority vote of the passengers may invoke this subsection (the "Slobbola" Rule).

2. Extensive road dust caused by a navigational error shall be the responsibility of the navigator (The "Dusty Roads" Rule).

C. On short trips, in lieu of gas payment, passengers may buy the driver dinner, provided that the server at the restaurant is not obligated by the duties of his job to say "Ya want fries with that?".

D. Lodging expenses shalll be shared equally by all persons on the trip. Lodging expenses do not include:

1. Costs of motorized conveniences in the room.

2. Costs of companionship (to be shared only by those sharing directly in the companionship; watching is not sharing).

3. Costs for video entertainment, regardless of rating, unless agreed in advance. Watching any part of the program (especially the good parts) constitutes implied consent to a pro-rata share, however.

4. Long distance calls to wives, sweethearts, parents, stockbrokers, bookies, seeresses, phone “companions”, 1-900 numbers, and the like. Chargeable calls include reservation of future lodging, restaurant reservations, pizza delivery (if shared by all), auto clubs, repair shops, 911, and condolence calls to next of kin. Calls to ISP’s shall be allocated according to the percentage of use attributable to the needs of the trip.

2.2 The owner of the vehicle is responsible for any repairs. Exceptions:

A. Damage occasioned by passenger's urgings to follow a particular path, especially down unpaved roads or nonroads (The "You're The Navigator" Rule).

B. Damage caused by the passenger's actions, inactions, or size (The "Two Ton Baker" Rule).

2.3 Traffic tickets will be the responsibility of the driver unless one of the following apply:

A. A train is in sight

B. Someone thought a train was in sight.

C. Someone thought he heard a train..

D. A train would have been in sight except for the traffic cop.

E. The scanner says a train is near

F. The passengers are urging the driver to make up lost time, find the train, or otherwise muttering comments about "burning daylight."

G. A passenger is emitting noxious odors from a need to evacuate his viscera (no words are necessary to invoke this exception).

2.4 Parking tickets are common expenses. Towing expenses are the responsibility of the person who said "nobody will mind."

2.5 Unless agreed in advance, trip expenses shall be estimated and all passengers shall contribute to a common treasury prior to the commencement of the trip. A treasurer shall be chosen by unanimous agreement; if agreement achieves 75% or more of the passengers, dissenters shall be dropped from the trip to achieve unanimity. Note Rule 7.1 for additional treasurer duties. In the event it becomes clear that actual expenses are exceeding estimates, all shall be required to contribute equally to bring the kitty up to the new estimate. If any person fails to contribute his share of the additional amounts, he may be left at the side of the road where the gas money would have run out if others had not contributed.

Section 3. Equipment.

3.1 Each person shall be responsible for the equipment he brings. Drivers are not required to make long detours for equipment left behind, nor to stop to replace missing or non-functional equipment (The "There's No Turning Back Now" Rule).

3.2 No one shall use any one else's equipment without permission.

3.3 Unless there is unanimous agreement, no side trips for additional film, medication, sun screen, snacks, shoelaces, or other such commodities will be made. All passengers shall have checklists to ensure they bring all needed items (The "There's No Stopping Now" Rule).

3.4 Stowage allowances:

A. For day trips, each passenger shall be allowed a camera bag not to exceed one cubic foot, and another bag not to exceed one cubic foot nor 10 pounds.

B. For trips exceeding one day, each passenger shall be allowed a camera bag not to exceed one cubic foot, a tripod fully collapsed, and one other bag not to exceed one and one half cubic feet nor 25 pounds.

C. Stowage allowances are inclusive of souvenirs on the trip, and persons expecting to collect souvenirs are expected to start with less to accommodate acquisitions.

D. Acquisitions:

1. The driver shall have the right to reject any acquisitions that have any taint of illegality attached to them, in his discretion. In the event that such an item is not rejected and is subsequently discovered by a person having arrest authority, the acquirer shall immediately and loudly acknowledge his possession of same and aver no knowledge thereof on the part of the other passengers of the vehicle.

2. A majority vote of passengers shall be sufficient to abandon any acquisition that emits a noxious odor or sound, or is a living member of the animal kingdom (dead members being excluded automatically without a vote).

3. The driver may demand a share of the booty, provided he accepts a share of the jail time attached thereto.

E. The driver may increase allowances at his discretion, providing that no passenger is deprived of reasonable comfort in seating.

F. Persons who gain significant weight on a trip may be compelled to lighten their baggage.

G. The driver is not bound to allocate any leftover space or weight allowances equally and may allocate it all to himself if he so chooses (The "Extra Crannies" corollary to the "It's My Car" Rule) . Section 4. Railfan Demeanor.

4.1 No passenger shall expel any noxious odor in the vehicle (The "Beano" Rule). Persons violating this rule while blaming it on another may be sealed in a garbage bag for the remainder of the trip (The “Enjoy Yourself” Rule).

4.2 No person shall talk over the scanner(s). Duct tape may be employed to enforce observance of this rule by repeat offenders (the “Red Green” Rule)..

4.3 All persons shall respect photo lines. Photo lines are established by the first person to set up for the picture. Violators may be leashed with any available material, and deprived of film (The "Kevin Filter" Rule).

A. A photo line cannot be established by a person who:

1. Has a history of inability to understand basic photographic composition, or

2. Is noted for either reckless or multiple shots of everything in sight, or

3. Is using a disposable camera or any equipment purchased more than 30 years ago or equipment with one or more inoperable features, or

4. Has a history of not developing the pictures he takes..

4.4 Theft of artistic concept in photos is grounds for shunning.

4.5 Passengers without two way radios shall stay in hailing distance of the driver. Penalty for violation of this rule includes, without limitation, being left behind.

A. Driver is required to stop for passengers running after the vehicle if they are within 50 feet and no train is within sight or hearing.

B. Driver may temporarily abandon any passenger not within close proximity to the vehicle (whether tied by two way radio or not) to capture a train photograph at another location if the person abandoned "probably wouldn't have made it in time anyway." (The Emergency Doctrine, otherwise known as the "Don't Go Running Off" Rule).

4.6 Persons who cause any passenger to miss a scheduled deadline with that person's wife, child or significant other must admit to same and apologize in person to the party aggrieved. If necessary for the health or future railfanning of the aggrieved person, an apology shall be made whether or not the other person did anything wrong (The "Bill's Fault" Rule).

4.7 Persons who have a recorded history of getting in other people's photographs shall wear camouflage clothing (The "No Fluorescent Colors" Rule).

4.8 The sighting of a train shall be loudly and immediately announced. The false making of such a signal (the joke having gone stale long ago) is grounds for ejection from the vehicle, in addition to reparations for any damage to the brakes of the vehicle or to the driver's heart. Failure to announce a real train, if done for the purpose of getting an exclusive photo, is grounds for confiscation of the violator's camera.

4.9 Health and Well-being.

A. Medical emergencies that are not life-threatening do not constitute grounds for immediate removal from the railfanning site (The "Tough Men Live with Pain" Rule). Persons bleeding shall take note of rules 1.4 and 2.1.b.1. Weight lost as a result of blood or tissue loss increments the loser's acquisition allowance proportionately.

B. Medical supplies are not the responsibility of the vehicle owner (besides, you used them up last trip, remember?) Persons prone to stumbles, falls, frequent lacerations, and the like shall pack adequate supplies to deal with any injury he may sustain (“Don’s Rule”).

C. Pre-existing medical conditions and the requirements thereof shall be made known to the group prior to departure. Unacceptable requirements may be grounds for exclusion from the vehicle. Unacceptable requirements include:

1. “I have to eat/drink [insert item - Twinkies, Diet Coke, Fritos] every x hours, even though the Rules don’t permit it, or I will die/get serious ill to the disgust of all aboard.” --Special nutritional requirements are a part of your weight allowance.

2. “My tourniquet has to be loosened every 15 minutes.” --Passengers are not responsible for meeting other’s medical needs.

3. “My [insert item - pacemaker, colostomy bag, erectile pump] needs replacement.” --Passengers may not be grossed out by replacement of bionic parts.

4. “My [insert item - appendix, gall bladder, sphincter] must be removed or transplanted. “ --Passengers are not allowed to solicit under any circumstances, even for worthy causes, which yours is not.

5. “Please ignore the [insert item - monkey-shaped tumor on my arm, bedpan, bleeding from where the screws go into my head].” --Any aberrant medical problem sensible to any passenger through visual or olfactory means that could induce nausea in the sensor is grounds for exclusion.

6. “I have to insert a [anal pill-what the hell do you call it?] every so often.” --Passengers may not be grossed out by the thought of what you are going to do.

D. Passengers electing to assist another in the treatment of a medical problem, even though they are under no obligation to do so, may not be criticized for their performance (The “Good Samaritan” Rule). Passengers are warned that this rule does not prevent a lawsuit by the next of kin for wrongful death.

4.10 No person shall retell embarrassing trip stories about any person to the person's wife, children, or significant other, or to a person who might pass along the gossip to such a person. Anything may be told to another member of the club, who has an ethical obligation to observe this rule.

4.11 Each occupant of the vehicle is entitled to correct the purportedly factual utterances of any other occupant of the vehicle no more than twice in an excursion; all other alleged errors must be suffered in silence (The "Only 1500 More Miles With This Pedantic Imbecile" Rule).

A. Any correction not accepted as such by the person being corrected must be acknowledged by the words "Or Something like that".

B. The driver may permit further correction, but only when the vehicle has recommenced forward motion after depositing the utterer and/or the corrector, together with all his or their equipment, paraphernalia, and souvenirs, on the shoulder of the road.

4.12 The following shall be considered forbidden topics during travel times:

A. Religion (proselytizers are subject to immediate ejection without a cessation of the forward movement of the vehicle);

B. Politics, unless permitted by the driver (persons considering criticizing the driver's politics are reminded of rule 1.14);

C. Self descriptions of the latest ailment or bowel movement;

D. Grandiose descriptions of how good it was on a previous trip to the same place, especially after a bad day.

E. Arguments relating to the physics of Star Trek, or to the emotional make-up of any of the characters thereof.

4.13 Videographers shall be treated the same as photographers, and are subject to the same rules regarding photo lines, etc. Only the following exceptions apply:

A. Videographers may request that there be no nonessential noise in the photo line. Essential noises include shutters, automatic winders, and demands that persons violating the photo line move their gluteus maximi.

B. Drivers may not be videographers while the vehicle is in motion.

4.14 During travel times, back seat passengers shall not:

A. Ask "Are we there yet" or words to that effect.

B. Second guess the driver (but see Rule 1.10 D.).

C. Eat any item having a substantial unpleasant odor (unpleasant being defined by the driver).

4.15 At those times when all passengers must exit the vehicle quickly to get an otherwise unattainable shot, those out first shall quickly move from the door so as not to block those getting out behind them (The “Bail Out” Rule). There is no penalty for violation of this rule, except that the violator may not criticize the person who knocked him down from behind. Persons who bail before the vehicle is completely stopped do so at their own risk.

4.16 All passengers shall treat each other with utmost courtesy, at least the most that can be expected from any other form of lowlife (The “Emily Post” Rule). Vulgarity, profanity and expletives are forbidden. The following expressions, however, are not prohibited:

A. “Kiss my grits.”

B. “Screw you”, if intended in a humorous manner and not intended to be physically acted upon.

C. Repetition of any words followed by “my ass” so long as it does not create an imperative sentence.

D. Any words directed at a person who violates a photo line.

Section 5. Comestibles.

5.1 Food is not the principal purpose of a railfan trip (The "Gung Ho" Rule).

5.2 Stops for food shall be by majority rule, with the driver having a veto. Exceptions:

A. Any person may reject a fast food restaurant if the previous three meals have been at fast food restaurants (The "Mickey D" Rule).

B. If agreed in advance, on trips of longer than a day, each passenger may exercise the option to choose the eating establishment without majority agreement once on the trip. The following restaurants are excluded option choices:

1. Any place featuring cuisine developed west of Sacramento, CA, south of Hutchinson, KS, or east of Berlin (bratwurst and kielbasa being assigned to Sheboygan, WI; other regional bigotries are consigned to the category of personal menu choices).

2. Any place where the potato or salad course is ala carte.

3. Any place where the flies outnumber the patrons.

4. Any place that would violate Rule 5.3.

5.3 No restaurant or chain shall be visited more than once on a trip. There are no exceptions to this rule (The "No Duplication" Rule).

5.4 Persons who must eat according to a particular schedule shall have appropriate nourishment on hand in case the other passengers do not care to stop.

5.5 Rules regarding comestibles in vehicles:

A. Persons who bring or purchase snacks without notifying the others may be required to share same (The "Kindergarten" Rule).

B. Persons who get crumbs in the car may be required to vacuum same.

C. Persons who make messes in the car shall be required to fess up to the owner's wife and apologize to same.

D. Persons bringing snacks or other food items into the vehicle shall remove all such items with them, and shall not leave them thinking someone else can eat them (The "Abandoned Fritos" Rule).

5.6 Passengers may eat as much or as often as they choose subject to the limitations herein; however, all passengers are reminded of Rule 3.4 F. Other passengers, however, are not prohibited from rolling their eyes or making snide remarks regarding same.

5.7 Meals shall be scheduled during times when a 52mm lens with a 3.4 f-stop requires an exposure of 1/8 second or longer with ASA 400 film, or when rainfall is exceeding one inch per hour (The "Burning Daylight" Rule).

Section 6. Railfanning Sites.

6.1 The navigator shall get the vehicle to the designated railfanning site(s) by the shortest (fastest) possible route. The naval gunnery method of navigation is expressly forbidden (The "You May Fire When Ready, Gridley" Rule)

6.2 It is an agreed rule that "No trespassing" signs are considered to be precatory, and for the liability protection of the railroad only. Hence they may be disregarded at will unless backed up by the verbal instructions of a railroad employee or minion of the law. This rule does not permit the following:

A. The crossing of busy mainline tracks, especially if a train is on them.

B. The hopping of any freight by a passenger who still has a seat in the vehicle (those who no longer do are no longer bound by the rules).

C. The entry into any building that requires breaking a lock or window or would otherwise entail sanctions by the local governmental agencies under statutes governing what is more commonly known as "burglary".

D. The crossing of a railroad bridge more than 50 feet long if a train is within hearing distance.

E. The activation of any railroad equipment by persons not employed by the railroad, whether or the purpose of the move is to improve the photographic composition of the site.

6.3 The person who stands the most to gain by any entry onto railroad property shall be the one who asks the local yardmaster for permission. If all stand to gain equally, the choice shall be made by lot, the short straw losing and having to ask.

6.4 Releases requested by any railroad shall be signed with the real name of the person signing same; legibility is not required, however.

6.5 All passengers shall be required to contribute equally to the bail of any person arrested who:

A. Is not in violation of these rules.

B. Is in violation but so are all the others, of the same rule.

C. Is in violation where the others are not, but has the keys to the vehicle (The "Do you wanna get home today or not" Rule).

D. Is in violation of a different rule than the others, but the others' violations are more egregious. For determining the degree of egregiousness, see the voting rules post.

6.6 Site "improvement" is forbidden without a majority vote; however, those without a camera do not have a vote.

6.7 Sites without a train within 40 minutes may be abandoned; the navigator and scanner operator are to be equally charged with this offense. If the site is subsequently determined to be an abandoned line, the navigator may be publicly flogged.

6.8 The driver shall give all due consideration to requests from any passenger to vacate a railfan site because of excessive or undue attention from local citizens, either on foot or in one or more pursuing vehicles, especially if the pursuers are armed (The "It Wasn't This Bad When I Was Here In 73" Rule).

Section 7. Lodging.

7.1 Wherever possible, lodging shall be selected and reserved prior to the start of the trip. Reservations shall be guaranteed by the credit card of the trip treasurer. If the treasurer fails to make reservations or fails to guarantee them when selection has been made in advance, and there is no lodging for the night, the treasurer may be relieved of his duties and his body dumped along a quiet back road.

7.2 Room assignment is by the buddy system. Pair up with who you want; unpaired remainders are left to each other (The “Do I have to room with Stinky?” Rule). The most financially responsible person in the room has choice of beds and control of all devices that can add to the bill. Rule 2.1 D. will be enforced.

7.3. No person shall use more than one half of the linen and towels assigned to the room. No person shall liberate any item from the room unless his was the credit card given the lodging manager.

7.4 Bathroom fans shall be liberally employed. Persons who leave an olfactory deposit in a bathroom shall be obligated to warn all other potential users for at least one-half hour thereafter, 2 hours if the room is not equipped with a fan.

7.5 Curfews shall not be in force, but departure times shall be governed by the earliest person to wake who shall immediately get everyone else moving if photos can be taken without a flash. Persons requiring breakfast shall note the time of sunrise and get up one-half hour earlier.

7.6 Daily showers are mandatory for all passengers (The “Who choked the goat?” Rule).

Section 8. Dispute Resolution.

8.1 There's no hope for this group. Why bother writing rules to resolve disputes? A rabbi with 40 years of Talmudic study couldn't niggle the differences .

8.2 Where a rule is subject to interpretation, the interpretation may be made by any person seeking to invoke the rule, who may contort the interpretation to any degree he likes as he sticks out his thumb along the side of the road.

Section 9. Modifications of the Rules.

9.1 Any rule can be suspended for a designated trip by a majority vote with the following vote weighting:

A. Every passenger gets one vote;

B. The driver gets 2 votes;

C. The owner of the car gets 10 votes; and

D. The owner's wife gets 50 votes.

Persons not present at the time of the vote are not counted. However, a majority of the votes present at any time may reconsider a prior vote.

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