Re: Redabot Goes Home
 

Not the crate, just the bot.

My team experienced this same problem. We have a school board meeting scheduled for this afternoon, Monday the 16th. If we want to get support from our school district we need the bot at home. When I tried to leave the building I was stopped by FIRST.

Having been around for many many years, and having removed my bot from tournaments before....I assumed it would be no problem.

I love that Fedex wants to help me ship my bot and that it helps keep the competition fair by insuring that everyones robot are out of their hands. We really need their service....we couldn't afford to pay oour own shipping.

Unfortunately for Fedex and for FIRST, my robot is my property. I loaded my crate with my tools and spare parts and shipped it. Then I took my robot home so it could participate in this critical meeting! No one was hurt, I didn't get a leg up on the competition....in fact I had to load it myself in the pouring rain. :(

If FIRST wants to be a growing and sustaining organization then it needs to focus squarely on customer service. Rules that make no sense don't inspire me to spend hundreds of volunteer hours working with students and helping to change the world. If this is indeed an insurance issue then solve it. I build it, I own it. I'll choose who handles it and when.

Re: Redabot Goes Home
 

I've run afoul of this rule once in the past (not at the championship)--and yes, it is rather irritating. At the same time, I would hate to be the person trying to direct 300-something trucks all trying to get prime position to receive their cargo around the GWCC.

However, surely there is a solution to this. Suppose FIRST instituted a policy requiring any team that needed to bring their robot home with them to get it pre-cleared with FIRST before they went to Atlanta? Require teams to have a valid reason--government meetings certainly qualify--and
present a reasonable amount of evidence to make sure they're not making this up (yes, GP should kick in here, but documentation wins the day), and perhaps charge some nominal fee if it requires making more arrangements with the GWCC.

It can be done--the question is whether it should be done.

(And yes, as the manual currently reads, Redabot has to hop in the crate. This is why you keep your old robots around, or keep a contact who does on speed dial.)

Re: Redabot Goes Home
 

Personally, I think what they did is just fine. We're trying to plan a few events at our partner schools soon, and waiting for the robot to get back is a huge pain.:(