Clarification regarding "road-trip" potential legal issues

[jackroadie]

Hi,

I plan to make a road-trip across the US with some friends, involving a few cars. We are careful people, and of course we will drive safely, will respect speed limits and all other traffic rules. So far, no problem.

To add a bit of spice to this road trip, we consider to give it some kind of a pseudo-"race flavour": as the cars will start from the same point and are expected to target the same one at the end, calling it a race can be seen as a fun pretext for such a road-trip (this is mainly just a pleasing way of presentating it - even if I would buy a trophy or two as rewards, for the sake of it).

My feeling is that this should be legal, as I would expect law to be applied to facts (e.g. whether or not a vehicle is respecting the speed limit) rather than on purposes (i.e. it is the expression of my free will if I drive in the context of such a race or to go and see my grandmother, the law should not have an opinion about it).

Could you tell me whether, from a legal point of view, it looks relevant, or if I have overlooked something?

Thanks in advance,

John.

 

[army judge]

You're organizing a contest.

You could run afoul of the law in some jurisdictions.

You could also be liable if one of your contestants kills or harms someone, or damages expensive property.

You might want to disabuse yourself of the notion you can't be held financially responsible for organizing this event/contest.