Peter, how many rallies have you seen, even on TV? The roads don't change, but the drivers might only see them once a year, and get a slow drive over them the day (usuall) before, when they are open to the public, to make route notes. Depending on weather it can be a completly different road.
There will be people about, quite often on busy popular stages even straying onto the Tarmac, or just behind tape lines and quite often running across the road to get a better view. Also on the smaller rallies it is common for spectators to buttist driver getting a crashed-rolled car back on the road and push starting them.
Cars can be anywhere usually behind the tape, but if the pace notes are inaccurate or the road surface has changed since they were written (mud washed down, ice not thawed after and overnight freeze) it is very easy to go under the tape on a tricky corner. And if a car crashes or breaks down it could easily be just round the corner, as could a slower car or one having mechanical difficulties.
And that is just stage rallies. Road rallies are run under normal road and traffic conditions, usually on quieter roads and quite often at night, so dog walkers and farm animals can be a problem, and when traffic comes round a corner after 40 mins of driving on an empty road, it can easily catch you by surprise. -- "Sorry Sir, the meatballs are Orf" The poster formerly known as Skodapilot.
