Quote:
Originally Posted by dawonn
I was quite surprised by the inspectors at FiM Escanaba this year. They made announcements and passed out flyers to each team saying that every time a team added or removed a tethered ramp they would need to be reinspected or 'face serious consequences'.
We didnt use a ramp so it didnt affect us, but I was still rather erked that they were making other teams follow that impromptu rule when the written rules clearly allow for subsystems to be swapped so long at the total weight is under 120lbs and they were all inspected.
I do like that they are trying to monitor teams legality through the event rather than just once and done. I think they just took it one step too far at Escanaba....
|
Another impromptu rule here at Essex (unless I missed it in an update) is that the teams DO NOT have to have their robot in transport configuration onto the field. If they are queued, they are allowed to put together their robot. Same with leaving the field - they can take the robot off the field when components are outside the transport configuration.
I've seen teams walking into the pits carrying pieces of the robot while the main robot is on the cart.
Did I miss an announcement around rule T6 that this was now allowed?
And just one other thing. This is our second regional. The robot itself is in the exact same configuration as it was at the FLR. At Essex, our first RI asked us to move the RSL because he didn't like that from some angles our sponsor stickers blocked the light. No problem. We move it to WHERE THE RI TOLD US TO PUT IT. After we move it, a new RI tells us we need to move it again because it can't be seen from every angle if you walk around the robot. We moved it again because it was quicker and easier to do that than try and get an official ruling on it.
I suppose we could (should) have quoted R54(a) which states that the RSL must be visible when standing 3' in front of the robot. I think it probably was. Sure, seeing it from every angle is a noble goal but not really a requirement.
We've always gone to the FLR. Our rules experience there has been great. How common are different interpretations of rules at different regionals?