G40 change?
 

I'm just curious to see if anyone thinks G40 should be modified at all because of how often it is called and how many points are involved.

And do you think teams will correct for week 2?

Re: G40 change?
 

I think a change should be made, but not to the penalty itself. Move the human player zones back a foot, and make the zone deeper.

Re: G40 change?
 

While I'd be OK with this, I've been preaching all season to my team that this will be a 'killer' penalty and that many teams will incur it.

Re: G40 change?
 

Auburn Mountainview
Match: Final-2

G40 and 100 total points in fouls swing the match. Going into a third match now...

Re: G40 change?
 

I also agree the box should be moved back by 1 foot. Teams also need to make sure their human players KNOW THE RULES! So many teams just throw the HP into the position at the last second without much thought or in the heat of the moment they forget what they are doing (reaching too far).

I hope a long term solution is that the box ends 1 foot away from the field border.

In the meantime before each match the Human Players need a refresher on what they should and should NOT do.

Re: G40 change?
 

At Granite State District, there was yellow tape on the top of the safety barrier to mark the G40 line. I think it is clear where the line is, and the human needs to be smart enough not to cross it. Scouts are watching!

Re: G40 change?
 

Note only 50 of those foul points were due to a G40.

In general the number of G40 penalties incurred and AMW seemed to go down as the event progressed.

Re: G40 change?
 

We need a solution besides moving the zones back a foot. Doing that would put the HPs directly in the way of the Field Reset people taking balls to the other side of the field at smaller events. There already wasn't enough room at Centerline.

Re: G40 change?
 

Point values need to be changed. In case you haven't been convinced yet, Zondag said it best:

Re: G40 change?
 

While I understand Jims statistics, The penalty points are that high because FIRST does not want the HP anywhere near the robots.

I say, teach your HP well ... and ensure that your alliance HPs know the rules as well. Scouts are watching ;)

Re: G40 change?
 

I don't want any HP to robot contact either. So many of these HP's know the rules though. It's easy to make this mistake even while paying close attention to your own actions. The point value is just too high...

Re: G40 change?
 

The fact that there are lots of G40 fouls means that students are being exposed to a risk that FIRST wanted to avoid because it is potentially unsafe. Right now, students are putting themselves in an unsafe situation because they didn't read/understand the rules. After this happens, teams get penalties, match results change, students get upset, refs get a bad rap (they don't want to be deciding winners!), and generally nobody wins. We can continue proceeding this way, but if we do, we continue putting students at risk.

Something more fundamental has to change than just the points/foul. The risk level needs to be reassessed (which would justify adjusting the foul points), OR we need to remove students from a scenario in which they are at risk (move the HP stations back, for example).

Re: G40 change?
 

I absolutely agree with you. Safety is certainly at the top of everyone's list, but something fundamental does need to change.

I don't care what solution they pursue, but FIRST has to address this soon.

Re: G40 change?
 

You know, I'm just not that concerned about the safety aspect of the reason this rule exists. Students come into contact with an energized robot all the time in the pits and at home with little more than a pair of safety glasses (if that) to protect them.

A rule like this to prevent the outside chance of some incidental contact on the field? Way disproportionate to the actual risk.

Re: G40 change?
 

Just remember that the human player introducing the ball (and thus possibly coming into contact with the robot) may not be from the team that made the robot, and thus may not know all of the dangers presented.