What is a gate penalty?

[slowautoxr]

Rule 5.1.B defines it as "a pair of cones placed opposite each other on the track or a single cone with a directional cone to indicate a specific way around that cone." Course designers (myself included) make this difficult to determine frequently. The attached diagrams show some of the problems of scoring a gate penalty. My current thoughts on some of the features below are that a feature with a single inside cone and multiple outside cones really should only be scored as 1 gate - no matter how you screw it up driving through it. With two inside cones, 2 gates maximum.

So based upon the diagrams below, A-G, K and L would be scored as one gate. H, I, J, and M would be scored as two gates. I can also see other interpretations. What are yours?

[sureshot007]

I think it might be easier to approach this from a slightly different angle. I "gate" needs to be a minimum width, right? So, any cones closer than that minimum width should probably be automatically considered part of a single element, unless explicitly denoted otherwise, because you probably want some walls and slowdown chutes to carry a stiffer penalty than a single off course. Maybe throw in something about every cone X feet after the finish counts individually, as the slowdown chute is a safety thing.

Does that makes sense?

[slowautoxr]

As a course designer we use cones to define the course and also to add visual interest. I like that a feature could be scored as a gate. I've used 5 gates in a row to make a "bridge." Certainly not my intention to have a potential 5 gate penalty feature.

[sureshot007]

Did anything come of this?

[slowautoxr]

I've not taken it any further. Maybe it's not that big of deal.