[vhcook]

The non-yelling method works, and it reduces the odds you upset or injure a guest in the pits. Think about the cub scouts and brownie troops following the student ambassadors around like ducklings, the proud grandparents who might not be terribly quick on their feet anymore, the random elected officials, and the school administrators someone is trying to convince to allow a new team to form at their school. Think about the mentor in the wheelchair that you're about to run down because you can't see them from behind your robot and cart, and consider the team members with sports injuries that are trying to get to their pits on crutches. They've all got every right to be there, and we are expected to be demonstrating gracious professionalism toward them.

And having brought up gracious professionalism, it's time for the grandma test. If your hypothetical grandmother was visiting the competition, and came to the pits to get a close look at your work, how would she feel if she got driven out of the aisle by screaming students half a dozen times? How would she react if she saw you doing that to someone else? Mine would have been appalled and not terribly happy with me. Consequently, I will not be yelling ROBOT and I will continue to encourage my students to use gentle path-clearing methods.