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Back in high school I had a project for a tech class to protect an egg in a crash. The main rule was the egg had to be at least 2/3s exposed. Some students almost totally enclosed there egg. It survived the crash but they failed because they didn't fallow the rules. MY egg broke but since I fallowed the rules I got a B. It was much harder to design the restraint for an exposed egg. The same is true for choosing were to place the light on a bot.
I think FIRST should instill a clear rule that the light cover should be totally exposed. Teams may and are encouraged to surround the light in clear lexan or with a thin metal mesh to protect it from damage. Should the light be damaged during a round by collision or impact its a minor penalty. If a ref thinks that at anytime the light is not visable then the bot is assigned a minor penalty.
The robot must meet wieght and size requirments. Wiring must be to code and the light should be part of a design requirement. Teams may complain that it impedes there design but so does a size limit. Its plain and simple, robots must be identified as to which team they are on. If by the placement of the light they are not allowing there bot to be identified they are breaking a rule plain and simple.
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