Dangers and Contingencies

You need to be familiar with the potential dangers during the rally. You will be driving in some remote places where you will have nobody to help you apart from your team mates and possibly other teams passing by. It’s a tough endurance challenge in countries you have probably never been to before. You will experience problems you haven’t planned in advance.

What do we mean by “minimum assistance rally”?

There are no back-up vehicles, mechanics, rescue teams or any other support vehicles or persons in place to help if something does happen. There are no arrangements on national or local levels that are waiting to assist you in your journey. You are a regular tourist and have to obey all the regular rules. This applies to everything from visas to police officers and medical.

There are no arrangements to rescue you if you become stranded, broken down, injured or otherwise harassed during the event. There is a good chance that you may face mechanical, medical, financial or other types of damage or loss by participating in the Baltic Run. The successful rally participant understands this by assuming total personal responsibility. The best ways to avoid any serious mishaps is to:

  • obey all local laws regarding motor vehicles, including speed limits
  • obey all local laws regarding social conduct, including the use of drugs and alcohol
  • perform all the required steps for entry-exit conditions at borders
  • conduct yourself in a manner that is in keeping with local laws, regulations and customs

What can happen?

  • Acts of war or political unrest
  • Religious, political or cultural customs different than those in a home country – leading to conflicts
  • Car accident at high speeds in any country
  • Car accident or injury far from major populations
  • Irreparable damage to your vehicle far from human populations
  • Theft
  • Dangerous / drunken drivers
  • Floods or landslides
  • Mine fields
  • Dehydration
  • Sun stroke
  • High altitude sickness
  • Food poisoning
  • Poor or no medical treatment
  • Corrupt officials who won’t let you travel (or slow you down significantly) until receiving bribes
  • Lazy officials who will perform their jobs slowly and thus delaying you
  • Corrupt policemen who will try to take money from you because you are a foreigner