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Originally Posted by Andy Baker
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Examples of inappropriate robot interaction include:
• Ramming another ROBOT at high speed.
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Personally, I like the rule. Ramming and tipping are easy moves to do, while scoring is not. This gives the offensive teams some needed protection. I just hope that the referees call this rule as it is written. It is not easy to make a tough call and penalize a team, even if it is needed.
Andy B.
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I agree, I like the rule. I also share your hopes that the rule is upheld and used in the spirit it was written.
What constitutes ramming at high speed though? Obviously, it's going to be up to the refs, but I am a little worried about the subjectiveness of this. Trying to define it any more and expecting those definitions to be used in a match is asking for trouble. FIRST and the refs are walking a fine line with these kinds of rules. On one hand, you want all you're refs to make the same call for the same situation, and clearly defined rules help that cause. However, trying to define and write a rule for everything is impossible and makes the game overly complex. To some degree, you need a ref to just make a call based on his/her interpritation of the game and move on.
Like I said, it's a fine line these folks walk. I liken it a lot to the role of a Supreme court judge. There are lots of precidents for thier desicions, but often it comes down to their interpritation of the law. Which ones are right? The supream court takes a vote, what does FIRST do?
How would thus kind of rule effect driving? My interpritation is that, to satisfy the rule compeltly, If you wanted to push a 'bot, you would have to drive over to it engage it 'slowly' (or at least, not at 'high' speeds), then apply power once the two 'bots were in contact. That would take care of any ramming issues. But, who's going to do that in a match? Speed in these match's is so critical that I can't imagine a driving slowing below about 1/3 throttle (say 3 feet per second) when going to push someone. Ramming is such a accustomed aspect of the past few years that I doubt many teams really consider high speed ramming a issue at all.
The format of the game being what it is, and the robots being what they are, I see ramming as being a part of the FIRST game. Theres no way to outlaw ramming when you have 6 robots in that small a space fighting over limited resources. Having a rule that at least tries to civilize the matter is a step in the right direction. I applaud FIRST here. I just hope that the rule doesn't become a source of controversy.
Bottom line? Don't break stuff. If you do break stuff, don't break my teams stuff. We're fragile (our robots
and our egos) .
-Andy A.