Rules / our code / Guidelines
The Rules
In the Utah Gambler 500 group, most people just concern themselves with the main three rules.
1. Don’t be a dick!
We do a lot of stupid Gambler stuff but know your limits and don’t screw up. Part of Gambling is the expectation the car will not survive. Breaking your car is like a right of passage. You need to have a plan! The Gambler family is always willing to help, but it is not our responsibility to save you. Don’t take advantage of other Gamblers. Give more than you take. Keep non-Gambler crap (politics) out of the Gambler! Don’t give the Gambler or the other participants a bad name!
2. It isn’t a race!
It’s a fun off road navigation rally adventure. We highlight that any car can be an off roader if you take it off road. And since it's not a race you can stop to help clean the public lands. No one cares who gets to camp first, if anything it shows you left your group and didn't stop as others broke down and you were a dick!
Most Utah Gambler 500 events will be a checkpoint-based course to get you to a certain destination. Go from point A to point B. Point B to C. C-D. Don't be a DICK and go from A to D. Stay on established roads, Never make your own roads!
(If we do make races it will be at proper venues, safety measures are in place , playing by these rules).
3. Have Fun!
This is a group of people being weird. Bringing weird Cars. Decorating those cars to be weirder. Some dress weird. Make this FUN to you and make it contagious!
At our major events we ask people to fill these out.
- Rules people think are rules but they aren't rules -
$500 rule
All cars are $500 cars if you squint. Spend as little as possible on your vehicle. $500 or less is a great guideline to drive the point that ANYONE can join and ANYONE can help us clean the trails. In the event of a competition, the shittiest car will always win. Some people show up in their 30 year old Honda Civic, others in their bran new Jeep Rubicon. Show up in what ever you want, in this group we are not a "has to be this make or model", ALL are welcome!
500 Mile rule
The 500-mile thing only matters if you have a working odometer. We try our best at our events to make them more dirt then pavement. But being realistic you might need to travel a decent amount of hard top to travel a little on the dirt roads. The biggest thing is to have fun and collect trash off public lands that includes asphalt roads.
Non Dick Definitions
Vehicles should be fully street legal with a license plate & insurance. Or at least a temporary tag of sorts. The Utah Gambler 500 is not legally or financially liable for any of your shenanigans.
Plan to help others. There will be break downs. Try and help others as much as you can. If you have 4WD, assume you will be helping more often. If you are mechanically inclined, try sharing that knowledge when you see others on the side of the road.
No drinking and driving! You can’t steal stuff, no trespassing on private land, or leaving a messy campsite, don't assume that anyone else wants to listen to your shitty music. We don’t litter. Not on the trails, not on the highways, never, don’t do it! Do not abandon your car! Not at Gambler events, not ever. You are responsible for yourself and your team; food/ drinks/ parts/ towing/ tickets/ etc. You are responsible for following the laws of the county/town you’re in.
No Step on Snake, Leave no trace.
The Gambler 500 is the world’s largest trail clean-up team; you should be pulling trash OFF public lands, and not leaving ANY trash ON public lands.
**DO NOT INTENTIONALLY ABANDON YOUR VEHICLE ON THE ROAD with the intention of ditching it! ** If it breaks, you will have to find a way to get it out of there. Going to get parts or a recovery vehicle is understandable but planning to never return to it is a dick move. Just do whatever you have to do to get it home. If it is a true shitbox, bring your title just in case you must leave it at the scrap yard. Bring money in case you need to pay to have it towed or repaired. We have the route planned that every so often is civilization. You should be able to find and get help if you need it beyond the gam fam at the event.