Drive (1960) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Object
• Brief Description of the Game
• Play
  • First Player
• Traffic Signs
  • Signs Giving Orders – Mostly Circular
  • Warning Signs – Mostly Triangular
  • Light Signals
  • Information Signs – All Rectangular

Object

The OBJECT of the game is to "DRIVE" your car from "START" to "FINISH", the first to finish being the winner.

Brief Description of the Game

The Roadway cards are sections of a road or street network. There are traffic signs, etc., on the cards, some of which control the movement of the cars, while others do not affect the play, being "Warning" signs only (see back of Rules). The Roadway cards are placed by the players in turn, leading from their Start positions on the centrally placed "Start and Finish" card. Players "drive" their cars along the roadways. A roadway network is thus built up, each player playing his cards to give his car the quickest route to his "Finish" point.

Play

Place the "Start and Finish" card in the centre of the table. Each player chooses a car and places it on the Start position having the same colour as his car.

One player takes out the 8 Roundabout cards and gives 2 to each player (including himself). If there are less than 4 players the Roundabout cards left over are put aside and not used.

He shuffles all the remaining cards and places them face-down in a pack, on the table.

First Player

A player is chosen to start the game. He takes the top card from the face-down pack and places it face-up alongside his own Start position. He then (but see the next three paragraphs in heavy type) "drives" his car along the road on the card he just played. He ends his play by leaving his car on the road at the point where a road leaves that card. This indicates, to all players, the direction he must take when next he moves his car.

1. If there be a small black Triangle on the Roadway card it must be played with the Triangle side touching the "Start" card.
2. If the card bears the words "Miss a Turn" (for a level-crossing, etc.), he must play it, but he stops his car before the obstruction or sign until his NEXT turn (see "Miss a Turn" cards below).
3. If the card be a cross-roads, T-junction, etc., the player must decide as to the road on which he will leave his car (taking due note of any "Diversion", etc., signs).

The Second Player, on the left of the first player, then plays as did the first player.

Play continues in turn, each player – except in certain cases as explained below – drawing the top card from the pack and adding it to his Roadway, towards his "Finish" point.

A card may not be played on top of any other card – except for Roundabout cards (see under "Roundabout Cards", below).

Each player must play the card he draws – except in the special cases explained below.

Cards having black Triangles must be placed with the Triangle side touching the position where the player's car is standing.

"Miss a Turn" Cards have the words printed on them. These cards are played in the normal way and with most of them the player will find he has no alternative than to place the "Miss a Turn" road in front of his car. He then moves his car up to the "obstruction" or sign and this ends his turn. At his next turn the player does not draw a card – he moves his car past the obstruction.

Some of these cards are cross-roads, etc., in which case he would place the "Open" road in front of his car, and not miss a turn.

Note: The same procedure is followed when a player has to move onto a "Miss a Turn" card previously played.

Garage Cards are also "Miss a Turn" cards – the car is moved into the garage and left there until the next turn.

"No Stopping" Cards mean what they say! Follow the instructions and take another turn.

"Diversion" Signs, signs indicating No Entry, Left (or Right) Turn Only, and No Left (or Right) Turn, must all be followed. Other signs are merely cautionary and do not affect play.

A PLAYER (AT HIS TURN) MAY USE ANY OPPONENT'S "ROADS" PROVIDED HIS OWN ROAD CAN CONNECT WITH IT and he must obey "Miss a Turn" cards and traffic signs. He may proceed along the opponent's road one card at a turn (except for No Stopping cards) and does not then himself take a card from the pack.

Roundabout Cards. This card (of which each player has two) may only be played by placing it (at his turn) on top of any opponent's card already played. He does not take a card from the pack. It enables a player to cross or join an opponent's road and so may save a long "journey". It can be very useful immediately in front of a player's own "Finish" where an opponent's card is blocking access. The car is moved across the Roundabout to a position indicating clearly the direction in which it will travel at the player's next turn. To make the best use of these cards it is often unwise to play them too early in the game. Once played, the card remains where it is, becoming part of the Roadway.

If a player, having used both his Roundabouts, finds later that his further progress is barred by an opponent's card giving him no road to enter, the player's car is considered to have "broken down" and he retires from the game.

A player may not place a Roundabout on a card where an opponent's car is standing; he cannot play until his next turn after the car is moved at the opponent's turn.

Cars passing each other. Cars meeting on the same Road may pass each other.

Note: Should a player have only one more card to play to reach "Finish", and the card he draws from the pack gives no access road to the Finish, he discards it by placing it face-down beside the pack. Equally, should a player draw a card which would force him into another player's "Finish" he may similarly discard it. This completes his turn. He must continue, at his succeeding turns, to draw and discard until he draws a card allowing him to finish, or to continue his journey.

Discard Pile. Should the pack be used up before the game is won, the Discard pile (see Note above) is shuffled and used as the pack.

End of Game. The game ends immediately a player reaches "Finish", and he is the winner.

To prevent the Game covering too great an area players may agree, before starting, to limit the placing of cards to 4 cards in any direction from the central "Start and Finish" card. If so, a player on drawing a card which would force his car beyond the limit, discards it, drawing a new card at each following turn until successful.

VARIATIONS

Players may vary the rules to provide different games. For example:

1. By disregarding all black Triangles, though observing all other rules, a simpler and quicker game can be played.
2. If in trouble, a player may turn his car round and "drive" in the opposite direction.

Traffic Signs

The sign pictures on the reference side of the sheet are listed below by their printed captions. They are reference only.

Signs Giving Orders – Mostly Circular

Those with red circles – mostly prohibitive.

• Stop and Give Way
• Give way to traffic on major road
• No entry
• No waiting
• No stopping ("Clearway")
• No right turn
• No left turn
• No overtaking
• All motor vehicles prohibited
• Turn left

Warning Signs – Mostly Triangular

• Cross roads
• Bend to right (or left if symbol reversed)
• Road narrows on both sides
• Pedestrian crossing
• Road works
• Level crossing without gate or barrier ahead
• Location of level crossing without gate or barrier
• Quayside or river bank
• Low-flying aircraft or sudden aircraft noise

Light Signals

• Alternately flashing red lights mean YOU MUST STOP – at level crossings

Information Signs – All Rectangular

• Parking place